[SFW, Genderswap]
“Come on! Can’t you aim!? What was that performance two weeks back?!”
It was a sunny day at the Naval Base Tokihana, and two girls were currently busy arguing at the dock. Or rather, one very irritated looking girl was busy yelling at the other, much less composed girl. After all, she thought she’d be training somebody with actual skill, not…
Whatever the hell she could call the black-haired girl that had somehow managed to miss every single target she had sat up, AND nearly shoot her in the face. Impressively bad was a word she could use, and she wouldn’t be very wrong.
“I-I apologize. It’s just…” The girl, Oyashio, hadn’t been a shipgirl for very long. In fact, it had only just been a week or so since she could even be called a girl. Suffice to say, she was still having trouble adjusting to her current body, and…
...She just wasn’t a good shot. The first time she had picked up a firearm was during that terrible time. When she had to go out to sea with the mechanic, and… Well, she couldn’t really remember much of what she had done out there. Only that her Admiral suggested that she should start basic training, to ensure that she would be ready should another attack come. And, to get more used to her current body.
“It’s just what?” The brown-haired and dark-green clad girl, Ooi, scowled as she stepped closer to the glasses-wearing girl that had nearly shot her, grabbing her by the wrist as she glared straight into those eyes. “It’s just that you ignored all protocols when you paired together with that rigging, and now you’re regretting a decision you can’t take back? Is that it? Is that what’s making you nearly shoot my head off!?”
This was some of the harshest language she had heard in a long time. And from a girl, no less. It was enough to make her free hand shake as it slowly pushed the glasses further up on the bridge of her nose, every joint in her body quivering. She was afraid…
Ooi slowly sighed as she let go of the girl’s wrist, shaking her head. “I don’t get what the Admiral sees in you. I really don’t.” She muttered, clenching her fist a little. She didn’t understand why the girl in front of her had been able to suppress a higher class Abyssal just with suppressing fire, and then prove herself to be this inadequate…
She had to do something to make her show results. She couldn’t just go the full drill sergeant route, that’d scar her for life. And she couldn’t pull off a mock battle either, they were currently low on supplies for that sort of thing…
“...Akira.” The brown-haired girl said, using her fellow shipgirl’s original name, from before the rigging happened. If there was one thing she knew that worked, it was to appeal to the person underneath. That was how she had gotten through all of this herself. Knowing who she was, and then working to get past it. “What made you pick up that rig. Tell me right now, or I’ll put in a request with the Admiral to permanently remove the bond you have with it.”
Oyashio winced as she heard part of her own name, Ishikawa Akira, before adjusting her glasses just a little again. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Why did she? Had there really been a reason, or did she only do it because somebody forced her to?
She thought about it, before the short-statured admiral flashed before her eyes. And she nodded, a glint of determination hidden underneath her eyewear. “To protect her.” She said firmly, though her hand was still shaking. She could only suppress her own behavior by so much.
“And if she was in danger, what would you do?” Ooi asked, with her arms crossed in front of her chest. “What could you do, since you can’t hit the broad side of a barn?” Her words were scathing, and her expression was still as harsh as ever.
Oyashio could feel the pressure, but she didn’t care. She held up her cannon-equipped arm, pointing it towards her fellow shipgirl as the glint of determination appeared in her eyes once more.
*BANG*
Despite the narrow gap between the cannons and how close it was to Ooi’s face, the bullets managed to find their way around her, though barely singeing her hair in the process. The sound of a small explosion followed, the natural result of a shot that had hit its target.
“So that’s what it takes to make you get serious.” The brown-haired shipgirl said, narrowing her eyes as she swatted that outstretched hand away from her. “But you can’t rely on that feeling. You need to get the fundamentals under control, Oyashio!”
Oyashio blinked a couple of times as the determination faded from her eyes, and the nervousness returned. “W-What? B-But, I-” She muttered and stuttered, feeling shivers and chills run down her back as she felt the glare pierce into her once more.
“But you what!?” Ooi cried out, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “You have no time to seize up like this during a proper skirmish, Oyashio! You need to focus on what’s important, but not get yourself carried away with your emotions! That’s how you get lured into an ambush and sunk!”
The eyes inside the black-haired shipgirl’s head started spinning thanks to the violent shaking, her ability to respond impeded because of it. She didn’t understand how she was supposed to put her emotions aside either, whether it was during combat or during her old training as an admiral’s protege…
“You…” The brown-haired girl just shook her head, utterly disappointed in her as she let go of those shoulders. “Fine. We’ll just start over. The two targets you hit while emotionally charged still count, and you have another four to go. Hit those, and we’ll go have lunch. But after that, I’ll drill you on proper maneuvering!”
It was easy enough for the experienced shipgirl to do all of this. For somebody like Oyashio, whose entire focus had been on the logistics side of things before this, she could hardly understand the point of combat in the first place. If it was up to her, and if it really was possible, she’d...
“Eyes up, Oyashio.” Ooi called out to her, the glare still in her eyes. “I can see it in your eyes. Pity for the Abyssals. The last person I knew who did that ended up sinking. Don’t even start.” Her words were grave, and while unverifiable, it was neither the time nor the place to really worry about them.
The black-haired girl nodded as she pushed her glasses up again, looking straight ahead towards the targets as she held up her arm and readied her cannons for another shot-
*click*
“E-Eh?” Oyashio muttered as she brought the cannong towards herself, looking down the barrels as she tried to understand why it hadn’t made the appropriate firing no-
*BANG*
The bullets that were lodged in the barrels smashed into her face, leaving a bigger bruise than normal on the untrained girl’s face as she quickly fell onto the ground below, making it near-crack from the force of the impact.
“For god’s sake!” Ooi cried out as she stormed over towards the black-haired girl. As if it couldn’t get worse, the idiot didn’t even know the basics of firearms safety! It was a good thing that the lot of them had gotten more durable due to their new nature, otherwise she would’ve made her brains splatter out from that fatal mistake.
Oyashio’s eyes were spinning, and the bruises were throbbing. And as she slowly lost consciousness, she wished that she could’ve just stayed inside…
---
“Listen. You just have to hit this one target. JUST. THIS. ONE. And then I’ll let you off the hook.”
Seagulls cried out above the two shipgirls, as the evening sun now hung overhead. It was late. And after having regained consciousness following her unsafe firearms use, Oyashio had been put through the wringer. From the very beginning. Just so that she’d actually hit something while consciously trying to do so.
To say that her head was full of firearms knowledge would both be true and a lie. It was full of Ooi yelling bad words and names at her, causing her to freeze repeatedly. She didn’t even remember half of what she had said either, most of it going out the other ear after it slammed into her mind. Truly, it was worse than she ever could’ve imagined…
“I hear you, Ooi…” She muttered as she slowly raised her arm, using the other arm to steady her aim and then close one eye to focus that aim on the target. All she had to do was hit it, and then…
...What if she didn’t hit it? Would she get yelled at more? Yes, absolutely, but… Could she hit it? What was even the point of trying to hit anything? Was all of this really right? Shouldn’t she just ask the Admiral if she could continue her usual training, and…
“STOP DWELLING ON THE SPECIFICS OF FIRING A WEAPON FOR FIVE GODDAMN MINUTES AND FIRE IT ALREADY, OYASHIO!” Ooi shouted from the back of the impromptu firing range. Considering it had been several hours, and neither of them had eaten anything, it was a wonder that she hadn’t flipped out earlier.
Oyashio flinched as she heard the yell, causing her to shake her head. No, she was right. She couldn’t dwell on it further. She just had to take the shot. Line it up, aim it, and-
“Oooooi! Oyashioooo! Why’re you still out here?”
The shout for both of them caused the black-haired girl to fire prematurely, her eyes shutting preemptively as she thought she had missed. She really, desperately didn’t want to get spooked like that, and yet… It had happened.
...Why wasn’t there extra shouting from Ooi about her missing the mark? More than that, why was it so suspiciously quiet in the first place? Where…
As she opened her eyes, a slight smile crept onto her face. Despite the shock, she still managed to hit the target. Just barely, but it was good enough. And she hadn’t hit her fellow shipgirl in the process either!
However, the brown-haired girl hadn’t noticed. She was far too busy looking at the other person that had called for the two of them just moments ago. And, much to the black-haired girl’s surprise…
She looked happy for once.
“Kitakami…” Ooi muttered, clearing her throat as she adjusted her outfit ever slightly to make herself look more presentable. “I’m sorry, we were busy training. I didn’t want to worry you, but-”
Before she had much of a chance to make an excuse for the things she had done, the beige-clad shipgirl put her finger on her lips to make her quiet down. “Sssssh.” Was all that she needed to say, smiling all the while.
Oyashio blushed a little as she noticed the changes that happened to the brown-haired girl after that. Her stance grew warmer, her expression lost a lot of its edge, and she swore that she saw a heart floating out of her head. That last part might be exaggerated, but the way the other girl sighed so sweetly made it almost possible.
“You’re right. Sorry, Kitakami.” Was all that Ooi had to say before she motioned for her fellow shipgirl to come closer. It was fine for her to stop training. Especially after she had worked her to the bone, so to speak. “So, why’d you come all the way out here this late?”
Kitakami smiled a little wider as she pulled out a pair of lunchboxes, the way they had been wrapped making it awfully clear who had prepared them. “Well, since you two were busy all day, we had to make an extra big meal for the both of you. And since everyone else is currently out celebrating, I’m on delivery duty. I hope you both enjoy!”
Oyashio blinked a couple more times as came closer, receiving the meal intended for her. Judging by the neatly tied bow, it was the work of the main mechanic left at the base. “Takahara… He really does look out for all of us in one way or another, doesn’t he?”
She didn’t get an answer to her question, because as soon as she raised her head after that… She saw that Ooi had gotten busy with her own meal. Not just her either, the beige-clad ‘delivery girl’ was carefully feeding her the meal piece by piece. Romantically so.
“I can eat by myself, Kitakam-” The brown-haired girl tried to defend herself from this overly affectionate way of being fed, only for another piece of food to find its way into her big mouth. And like an obedient child, she chewed it thoroughly, sweating for a moment as she swallowed it.
Kitakami just giggled, pleased with the way that her partner tried to defend herself. “You know you love it. You always ask for this when we’re alone. Is it just because Oyashio is here? Is that why you’re shy?” The more mature-minded girl chimed, a slight glint in her eye. “Maybe I should help her with her meal as well.”
“N-No, please, I don’t need any help with that, Ms. Kitakami.” Oyashio blushed thoroughly. Both because she’d be embarrassed by it all, and because she didn’t know how Ooi would treat her if she got the same sort of romantic treatment…
The brown-haired shipgirl didn’t even glare at her, nor did she try to stop her partner from making the threat. Instead, she just held her mouth open for the next bite, keeping quiet rather than complicate things further than she should.
“You don’t have to call me Ms, Oyashio. Kitakami will do. We’re all coworkers here, after all.” Kitakami chimed as she looked towards the newest shipgirl, while still using one hand to carefully feed her partner. “I know you’ve been a shy one before your rigging, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change. Ooi did, I’m sure you’ll get comfortable sooner or later.”
It was easy enough for her to say, but… When she said it, compared to when Ooi said it, the feelings that it carried were somehow more effective than the aggressive ones that the brown-haired shipgirl were trying to convey. Not only that, but…
As Oyashio looked at the two of them, and realized that this was how she was going to live from now on… As part of a group of girls that not only worked alongside one another as equals, but as friends beyond anything else…
Her heart, which had been buried in worry ever since the day she realized she had become a girl, started beating loud and proud. Filling with hope, and the belief that everything would soon be alright.
She looked to the skies above with a smile. Though she hadn’t gotten far today, tomorrow was a new day…
---
“Kou.”
“Boss?”
“Why are you staying a foot away from me?”
Meanwhile, in the town close to Tokihana, two well-acquainted coworkers were currently making their way down to the bar where they always found themselves drinking the night away after a good day’s work. Only, things were more than a little tense following everything that had happened over the last two weeks.
“W-Well, uh, y-you know, Boss, there’s, uh…” The short and slender Ogasawara Kou nervously chuckled as he adjusted his shirt a little. This had been the first time that he had been out with his Boss since the incident that turned him into a girl, and… To say that he felt a bit uncomfortable would be an understatement.
His boss Arashi, formerly known as Tanaka Tetsuya, just looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “Kou, you know what I’ve told you about your stuttering. Just breathe in and say it in one go, so I can actually understand you.” The red haired tomboyish shipgirl said, most of her masculine behavior refusing to go away after the transformation that had caused him to become a gal.
Kou nodded as he got the small lecture, taking a deep breath. “If… If we were to be seen so close to one another, people might think that we’re in love...” He explained very plainly, hoping that his Boss would understand what he was getting at.
“What’s wrong with that?” Arashi shot back, hands resting behind her head. “I thought you knew what I was into.” He was very casual about his interests, whether it was those giant robots that they both liked to chat about in their spare time, or her former interests in certain erotica. Though, come to think of it, that kind of erotica would be considered straight to her at this point, wouldn’t it?
The younger boy quickly felt the heat building within him as he was about to pass out from shock right then and there, only for the redhead to preempt him and grab ahold of his side. “B-Boss, you’re as strong as always…” He muttered, thoroughly defeated by that seemingly open declaration of love.
“You just have a vivid imagination, Kou. But that’s good for a boy like you, there’s still a lot of time before life’ll catch up with you and make it worse.” The redheaded shipgirl offered a bit of wisdom before stretching a bit, inching closer towards the boy now that she had dispelled his worries. Or thought so, anyway.
As they made their way towards the bar that they usually hung out at, they saw a familiar face waiting for them. And one that seemed a little surprised to see the two this close to one another, though not that much.
“Well well! I didn’t think you two would go to third base this early! You’re as charming as you’ve always been, Tetsuya!” The transformed shipgirl’s sister, Tanaka Ren, chimed from the entrance as she waved the two over. “Maybe you can get a lover’s discount like that!”
Kou seemed to turn even redder in the face as he heard that light ribbing, while Arashi shook her head as she came closer, lightly punching his elder sister on the shoulder. “Knock it off, Ren. You’re making the kid turn into a tomato.” She said, before looking around for a few moments. “Where’s Jun?”
“Busy with Shiranui. Since you’re stuck like this, he’s having to work overtime. No offense to Kou, but he’s nowhere near as proficient with the mechanical side of things yet compared to either of you two.” Ren explained, not even apologizing for what she had done moments ago. “So, are we getting the usual?”
The redheaded girl nodded, grinning from ear to ear. “Don’t let this new look distract you, I’m still your younger brother. I’ll outpace you in terms of drinks before you know it.” She said, extremely confident.
Kou looked more than a little worried at her boast, before the older purple-haired sister laughed in response. “Last I remember, you passed out before we hit the double digits! You sure you want to test that with your new liver?”
“If I pass out before the fifth, you get the boy for a day. Deal?” Arashi put a bet on the line, her apprentice’s blush growing even larger as a result. He couldn’t even find a chance to interject into this, due to his timid nature.
Ren grinned and shook her brother’s hand to seal the deal. This night was as good as hers…
---
“I want to die.”
Arashi’s face was currently planted directly on the table, as it felt like her head was about to split open. The alcohol had gone straight through her, preventing her from getting a buzz and going straight to the hangover. In fact, if she were to show her face to either of her friends, they’d be able to pinpoint the bags that had appeared under her eyes.
“Tetsu, it’s only been two drinks.” Ren spoke up, downing her fifth drink for the night without even showing a significant buzz. “You okay? Or am I gonna have to call Toki and get her to pick you up.” The purple-haired older sister sounded just a little more caring than usual. Surprising, considering her tendency to tease everyone and everything around her.
Kou nodded along to his coworker’s proposal, before the redheaded girl lifted her head up and slowly took a deep breath. “No. I’ll be good. I’ll just drink water for the rest of the night.” She muttered, clear annoyance showing on the usually high-spirited mechanic-turned-shipgirl’s face.
“Suit yourself. Guess I’ll have the boy for the week, since you ended up chickening out so early.” Once she was sure that he was okay, she went straight back to teasing. She even licked her lips seductively as she looked towards the boy that sat beside her brother, winking alluringly to try and make him imagine what she was going to do to him.
Arashi rested her head on one of her hands, her gaze turning into a glare as she stared at her sister. “Touch him the wrong way, and I’m going to make the Abyssals look like a joke.” She said, the gravity of her words causing the table underneath to shake. Despite the hangover, she was clearly sober enough to give a threat that held some weight.
Kou nervously blushed once more. Not just because of the teasing, but because of how defensive his Boss had gotten of him. Well, he was always defensive, but not like this. It made his heart skip a beat, as he tried to look away from the siblings…
“Pfff. You really are cuter like this, Tetsu. Then again, you were cute even as a man, especially when you got all manly. So it’s no wonder you’re cute as a girl too.” Ren chimed, sipping from the glass that had been refilled while they shot back and forth. “Honestly, I’m glad that you’re like this. I always did want a little sister.”
Arashi narrowed her eyes. “Knowing how you are now, you’d probably turn her into a mini-you through everything you do. I don’t think I’d be able to handle two of you, much less a younger version of you.” She muttered, taking a sip from her own glass after it got filled with iced water. The perfect thing to deal with her headache.
“Come on, Tetsu. Remember when you were a sweet kid just looking for a place to work? If not for yours truly, you would’ve never landed this gig.” The purple-haired elder sister chimed, putting a little pain into the words that left her mouth. “And now you’ve turned into such a rotten girl, always talking down to me like you never wanted to be my sibling. Oh, woe is me.”
The redhead shook her head. “I’m grateful. I’ve always been grateful. But you’re getting too handsy, Ren. Whether it’s Akira or Kou, you’ve been giving them more trouble than ever. Heck, I had to personally stop you from going into Akira’s room after his own transformation!” She shouted at her sister, more than a little angry at her at this point. Maybe because of the alcohol. Definitely because of the headache.
“Well, I just wanted to see if she was alright! And she was! Cute too, but that’s besides the point.” Ren shot back, huffing a little as she finished her glass, giggling as the buzz finally kicked in. “Besides, you were happy to have Kou over when you were recovering, weren’t you? I’m sure that even if Akira had a problem with me, that stuff’s under the bridge now.” She explained, before her eyes started drifting away…
There was a thing that she should’ve been focusing on, but… “Oh, speaking of that time, Kou, did you ever-”
“Ms. Tanaka.” Kou spoke up. His voice wasn’t shaking this time. He was firm, yet his tone was still soft like always. Because even if he was angry or determined, it was still in his nature to be softspoken. “Please don’t talk about that. And please, refrain from teasing Boss about the kind of person she is.”
This made Ren raise an eyebrow, and Arashi quietly did a double take as she looked up at the boy. “Ara? That’s a backbone, Kou. What’s gotten into you?” Ren chimed, as she laid her head on the back of her hands. “Are you thinking what I think you’re think-”
“Ms. Tanaka.” He repeated, his tone growing firmer, as he put his hands on the desk and leaned close to her face. “I ask again. Please. Refrain from teasing your brother, and my Boss, over the kind of person she is. We’re Master and Pupil. Nothing more. Alright?” He laid down the facts as firmly as he could, hoping that he’d get through to her with his conviction.
She looked at him for a couple of moments, before looking to the side. Where did this confidence suddenly swell from? ...She had a few guesses, but honestly, he had killed the mood. “Fine. Sorry, Tetsu.” She muttered, leaning back into her seat as she looked up at the lights above. She wasn’t going to get anymore fun out of the two of them, and the buzz was starting to fade…
“Thank you, Ms. Tanaka.” Kou smiled as he slowly sat down once more, before taking a sip out of the straw from his drink. Unlike the rest, he had gone with a soda that still retained its fizziness after all of this. And taking a sip from it was just what he needed after showing that much actual control over the situation.
Arashi had blinked more than a couple of times during all of that, the sheer sight of the boy being able to stand up for himself and her at the same time was enough to sober her right up. In fact, it even made her blush a little. ‘No wonder I started falling for him after he came to the base…’ She thought, slowly sipping from her water-filled glass.
“...Hey, Tetsu?” Ren spoke up after looking at the ceiling for a little too long, her eyes rapidly blinking as she tried to deal with the lights that had nearly burned in. “Didn’t you have something you needed to do with Shiranui after she finished her repairs?” She asked, none of the teasing left in her voice.
The redheaded girl froze, a bit of water pouring out over her bottom lip as the gears inside her head started turning. She quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket, before silently cursing. “Damn that slender bastard for being this quick about it…” She muttered as she pocketed it, getting up from her seat…
And nearly staggering as she felt her weight wobbling under her. The effects of the alcohol were still strong in her system. There was not a chance in hell that she’d sober up fully before she’d make it back to base. “Damnit..!”
Kou looked at her, worries flaring up in his eyes, only for the purple-haired woman to reach across the table and put a finger to his lips. Just to shut him up this once. “Stay safe, Tetsu. You know how Shiranui gets if she gets pissy.”
“I’ll be fine, Ren. I’ll pay the tab next time, you do it tonight.” The hungover Arashi muttered as she walked out of the bar step by step, cursing her very existence at the same time.
Ren watched her walk out of the bar, sighing as she took a new sip from her filled-up glass. “She’s really well off, huh.” She muttered, looking into her muddled reflection in the dirty liquid.
“So are you, aren’t you, Ms. Tanaka?” Kou asked, feeling a little safer around her… And more relaxed, now that the girl he looked up to had disappeared. Strange, considering his usual lack of a backbone…
The purple-haired woman looked up at the boy across from her, before cracking a slight smile. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” She muttered so quietly that he didn’t pick up on it, before chugging down the rest of her glass and slowly grinning, the buzz returning to her cheeks.
“Alright. Since Tetsu couldn’t handle a contest, how about one with you, Kou?” Ren chimed, her mood returning to its highest positives as she got yet another refill, her latest putting her at the tenth beer for the night.
The young man silently sighed, knowing that the two would be here all night. He just hoped that his Boss would be alright…
---
“You’re late.”
Standing at the Tokihana docks was the pink-haired Destroyer, Shiranui. Her cold and judging gaze peering straight towards the redhead that was near-drunkenly stumbling towards her.
“Would it hurt you to be considerate for once, Shiranui?” Arashi muttered under her breath as she slowly stood up, gritting her teeth. The splitting headache up above was still throbbing. She wished it’d just go away, but the combination of not preparing herself for even a little drink and her body’s inability to hold its liquor mean that she had hit her limits and then some. Leaving her utterly hung over, despite the fact that she hadn’t tried to sleep yet.
Shiranui shook her head as she walked towards the redheaded girl, her arms still crossed as she stopped in front of her. “You’re the one who said you’d join me for a training exercise. I assumed you’d be ready. Not wasting your time away somewhere in town.” Her voice was scalding. Not because it was intentionally coarse, but because her cold demeanor just wouldn’t let up. Even in a time of peace like this.
“Yeah, and then you don’t tell me that he’s been taking over my duties as a mechanic. I expected you to be done tomorrow, not in the middle of the damn night.” The redhead shot back, slowly stretching as she stood tall… Only to nearly fall over seconds later, her balance completely out of whack.
Her pink-haired former partner shook her head, sighing at the display in front of her. “You need to drink less, Tanaka. Your body as it is now has no space for alcohol. Our constitution doesn’t allow for it. Maybe if you use the time you were drinking to train instead, you’d actually get somewhere. Both in terms of using your new abilities, as well as refining your old ones.”
“Just because you can’t hold your liquor doesn’t mean I can’t.” Arashi quickly retorted, pushing her index finger against the other Destroyer’s flat chest, almost jabbing it with how much force she put into that prod. “And just because you never joined us doesn’t mean I can just do what you do. Those bar trips were our reward for a good week’s work. For me, for Kou, for Ren and for Jun. It’s our escape from duty, for the little time that it lasts.”
Shiranui just stared at the girl, shaking her head as she noticed her brightened cheeks. “We don’t need to socialize like that. We’re shipgirls. Building a bond with people that aren’t directly attached to your service is meaningless. In fact, it’s outright detrimental.” Her sharp words cut at the redhead’s heart, as she peered straight into her blurred eyes. “Partying is no longer something you can afford, Tanaka.”
“That’s rich, coming from you. Who’s the one who keeps talking with Kou about that show he likes, when he’s not even assigned to maintain you?” The redhead shot back, as she grabbed her by the collar and lifted her into the air ever slightly. “Don’t you dare talk like that when you’re not doing the same!”
Her fellow Destroyer just kept looking down at her, not bothering with a response to her passionate and headache-fueled words. And that silence eventually led to her being let down, with Arashi quietly turning away and clearing her throat ever slightly. “Sorry, Shiranui. I’ve just got the worst headache. What’re we going to do to train, lay it on me.”
“As much as I’d like to train your temper so you don’t accidently blow me or one of our allies up, I’m afraid that isn’t something I can do.” Shiranui coldly replied as she adjusted her uniform. “Instead, we’ll be working on your aim. After reviewing the data from that day, I’ve managed to identify some factors where you lack proper focus. Through repeated and repetitive exercises, we should be able to iron all of that out.”
The redhead slowly stared at her, as if all of that went in through one ear and out the other. Prompting the pink-haired Destroyer to sigh. “You aim, you shoot, you hit the target. We’ll work on that, both from a standstill and while moving. Understand?”
Arashi nodded as she slowly stretched a bit more, groaning as her headache pulsed further through her body. “Can’t we take a moment to get me something cold to deal with this damn pain?” She muttered, only to see the pink-haired girl passing her by as she went to grab their rigs. So much for operating at her maximum potential.
Honestly, if there was one thing that had been making the mechanic-turned-shipgirl’s life miserable over the last while, it was how her former partner’s behavior had changed. When she had to maintain her, she was cold but agreeable. Ever since she came by to check up on her while she was still recovering from her first bond with the rig, she kept acting like the two needed to devote themselves to the job fully.
That wasn’t the way that she did things. Granted, it was also why Jun was the overall better mechanic between the two, but that didn’t stop her. She needed that time to breathe. She needed the time to relax and think about the world outside of work. Otherwise, she’d go insane. Faster than she could even say her partner’s name.
“Catch.”
While Arashi went through her personal thoughts, her headache and dulled reaction speed earned her a heavy rig straight to the side of her body, knocking her flat on her ass and prompting another annoyed and pained groan. “Just hand the thing over, don’t toss it…”
“I thought you enjoyed tossing things to me, Tanaka. I’m only returning the favor.” Shiranui said, her lack of a smile slowly curving upward in a teasing fashion. “Get equipped. We’ve got a regiment to go through.” She continued, her expression smoothing out and concealing her emotional state as she adjusted her equipment, firing off a bullet into the air to make sure that her cannons functioned as intended.
The redheaded girl muttered several swears under her breath as she put on her own rigging. Cannons attached, and the rest of the important equipment wrapped around her back as she adjusted it all so it wouldn’t get in the way. “Why’d this stuff have to be so cumbersome anyway, why couldn’t it be compact?!”
“Ask the one who invented the things. I wouldn’t know the answer.” The pink-haired destroyer replied factually as she revealed a remote, clicking the button to unveil a series of targets for the two to use. “Which would you like to practice first? Standard aiming, or compensating for propulsion?”
Arashi fired a shot into the air just like her partner had, making sure to step out of the way as it eventually came back down. “Standard. Not that I need it. I’m a great shot!” She grinned, as she pointed her cannons directly at one of the targets, squeezing her hand as she steadied herself.
“You need it. Even Kitakami and Ooi need to refresh their skills every day to ensure that their bodies aren’t degrading or falling victim to anything. Please take this seriously.” Shiranui replied, before stepping close to her partner and suddenly whipping her arm out, stretching it slightly past the redhead’s
In the blink of an eye, and with surprisingly efficient aim, every single target that had been set up found itself splintered into complete unusuability. All thanks to how thoroughly the girl had trained, showing a mastery over the tools at her disposal.
“Quit showin’ off and let me do the damn training.” Arashi complained as she adjusted her stance slightly, flicking between targets as she made sure that she had the proper route down. She’d fire at one, then quickly snap to the next and continue that pattern until all of them had been riddled with holes.
Shiranui clicked the button twice to reveal a brand new set of targets, just for her partner. “Don’t miss.” Was all that she said as she stepped aside fully, watching carefully to assess the abilities of her partner.
In, out. The redheaded girl’s breath steadied as she steeled herself, aiming at the first target in the sequence. All while feeling the back of her cannon growing hot. She was priming a shot, making it even easier to set up the sequence. She just had to keep her eyes on the targets, and..!
Six shots rang out. Feet slid across the ground, trying to keep stable as they adjusted to aid the girl in aiming properly. And when she lowered her arm, and saw the results…
None of them had been hit. Not a single target. In fact, she had damn near hit the girl that she had been partnered with up until the incident, causing her to stare with barely restrained disdain.
“O-One more! That was a fluke! A fluke!” Arashi cried out as she took aim once more, this time keeping one arm firmly stretched out while the other served to support it, firing off shot after shot to make sure that she hit the targets properly.
Unfortunately, all that she earned for her steadier aim was another piece of humiliation. Even by aiming directly, she had no way of ensuring that her shots didn’t curve wildly out of the way and miss their mark.
“Are you trying to make a fool of yourself, or are you realizing your limitations?” Shiranui callously remarked from further away, her hair slightly singed by the bullet that had gone past her head. “Because you’re never going to perform as well as you did that day if you don’t admit that you have problems.”
The redhead couldn’t admit her defeat. Not like this. She still had more tricks up her sleeve. She could hit those damn targets, no matter how long it’d take..!
Five. Ten. Fifteen. Thirty.
“Haaah… God-” Arashi gasped as she fell onto her knees, her body aching due to the repetition from trying to improve her arm. She hadn’t landed a single shot. Not a single one had made its mark. And all she felt as a result? Was pure and utter disgust at herself for being unable to do the simple task.
Shiranui adjusted her uniform ever slightly as she approached the redheaded girl. She had mocked her about her inability to perform as well as she had on that day, but this was something else. This was almost as bad as Oyashio’s current performance, and her problem was entirely confidence based. Why couldn’t the redhead do the same..?
“This goddamned headache..!” The redhead shouted to the skies as she collapsed, sweat pouring down her face with the intensity of a waterfall. She shouldn’t feel this winded, nor this frustrated, but everything just kind of poured on top of itself until she was little more than a ball of rage.
Her pink-haired partner cleared her throat as she kneeled down, lightly jabbing the girl in the side of her head. “You’re not going to get anywhere by blaming anything but yourself.” The pink-haired girl said, her eyes narrow. After seeing her fail that much, anybody would’ve lost their nerve.
“S-Shut it!” Arashi cried back, rolling onto her back as she glared back up at Shiranui. “You try aiming with your head trying to tear itself apart! Really, do! You’d probably miss everything too!” She shouted, slowly staggering her way up onto her feet.
The pink-haired Destroyer just listened to her whining before grabbing her wrist after she stood up properly, squeezing down to the point where her bones audibly trembled. “Stop. Arashi.” Her voice was firmer than before. She was tired of the excuses. Tired of the attempts to make it seem like she was better than she really was. When she should be admitting her faults and try to improve them.
“Don’t you-” The redhead said, only to look straight into those eyes. She immediately understood. Just a short look straight in there was enough to make her realize what she was doing, prompting her to look down at the ground below. She didn’t have a good answer. She just had to hope for a miracle. Something that could pull her mind off this shitfest of a training session.
Her prayers were answered. Just in a way she might not have wanted, as the Abyssal alarms started blaring around the base. There was her chance. Not only to redeem herself, but also work out her frustration. Get all of that terrible emotion out of her system, and then maybe break some trash in the process.
“Shiranui. I’ve got something that’ll get you off my back.” Arashi muttered as she looked out towards the sea, her enhanced eyes being able to see the flickering lights of the approaching horde, despite her eyesight still being blurry from the sweat, the slight tears, the headache and everything else.
Her partner looked towards her for a moment, raising one eyebrow. “What are you proposing?” She asked, adjusting her gloves slightly. She was at peak performance, a simple Abyssal attack, even this late, wouldn’t be an issue for her.
“Whoever defeats the most Abyssals gets to order the loser around for the next week!” The redhead shouted with glee as she jumped off the dock, safely landing on top of the water before speeding off with reckless abandon. She was going to enjoy her prize, after she’d blast all of those monsters right down to the bottom of the ocean..!
Shiranui clenched her fist as she watched her take off. “Tetsuya, you..!” She bit into her lip as she followed behind the newer shipgirl, landing gracefully before taking off with even greater speed. She had to stop her before she got herself hurt even more than she ever could..!
Arashi made it out to sea first, her rig roaring to life as she scanned the area. She could feel the presence of those disgusting things, but her eyesight made it hard to actually see them. “Come OUT! COME OUT AND FACE ME INSTEAD OF HIDING AWAY!”
Her loud cries were answered with a potent salvo from the blue and black menace, several immature Abyssal vessels unloading everything they had at her, which she avoided using simple but effective tactics. Namely, moving back and forth in a figure eight pattern.
“The sounds are coming from…” The redheaded shipgirl listened closely to the shots firing through the air, before whipping around and aiming in the general direction of the fire being pointed towards her. “THERE!”
Even if her aim was trash, her bullets spreading everywhere meant that she could at least nick one of them and keep them at bay. Kinda like what Akira was doing when they were both trying to save Shiranui, leaving her to deal with the bigger Abyssal that…
“LOUD ONE!”
Speak of the devil and they appear. Arashi steeled herself as she saw a large being moving with the speed of a freight train heading straight for her. She didn’t have time to properly dodge, she just hoped that she’d be able to tank the hit, considering who was behind it!
The redheaded Destroyer barely got a chance to react after putting her arms up to defend herself before she felt a powerful fist sinking its way into her stomach, sending her flying across the surface of the water. No amount of defense would save her from an impact like that, her eyes nearly rolling into the back of her head from the pain shooting through her.
“Hm?” The Abyssal that had rammed into her, the Chi-Class Torpedo Cruiser, blinked with its singular exposed optic. She recognized the ship that it had launched. But at the same time, it didn’t recognize it. For one, if it was the loud one that it had once fought against, then it should be at least twice as big and more muscled. Like it was.
But instead, the only thing it could see was a redheaded ship that was about its size, without the propulsion device that it was bonded to. It made the Cruiser quite confused, causing it to scratch its head with its arm. What was it supposed to do with a target that didn’t look like its target?
“Alright, never getting hit by that ever again…” Arashi muttered as she slowly staggered to her feet, a little blood pouring out of her mouth. She could feel the pain internally, but her adrenaline was starting to kick in. She could still go toe to toe with that massive beast, regardless of the consequences…
Though, now it was her turn to find it odd. It was definitely the Abyssal that she had been fighting back when she saved Shiranui. It even had its shattered mask still, where that underdeveloped piece of skin was exposed. Only…
Where there had been nothing, there was now a bright red eye shining through the cracks. Underdeveloped like the patch of skin had been, but it was enough to bring more humanity to the Abyssal. At least compared to what had been there before.
“So, you evolve if we keep fighting one another… Then I’ll have to take you down! RIGHT HERE!” Arashi’s feelings were burning brightly as she sped forward, into the deadly effective radius of the cruiser.
Chi-Class grinned. It was the loud one after all! So what if it had shrunk, it could feel the energy its emotions gave off! And it wanted to fight too! It had been wanting to fight it again ever since it broke its mask..!
The Abyssal punched straight forward as the Destroyer tried to approach it, only for the shorter shipgirl to dash around it and avoid it narrowly, leaving the Abyssal to question what just happened, its reaction speeds not yet fully developed.
“Eat this!” Arashi cried, pushing her cannon straight up against the masked menace, unloading every single bullet she still had left inside. There wasn’t much, but hopefully by being this close to it, she’d make up for it..!
Unfortunately, it didn’t do much of anything. In fact, getting close had done literally nothing. It had just made a few impact points on the Abyssal’s skin, but no real sign of damage. It didn’t even make it react, as it only turned around moments after everything had been pumped into its back.
“Loud one..!” Chi-Class cried out as it grabbed the redhead, squeezing its hand. It had the shipgirl within its grasp. It was nice to fight again, but if it wanted praise from Tsu-Class, then..!
Arashi could feel those fingers trying to break through her skull. Try to break through her. And all she could do was cry out in intense pain. She wanted it to stop. She could feel her life flashing before her eyes. Was this her punishment for not listening to Shiranui? Was… Was this how she felt when she was on the brink of death?
If she could just get one more shot off, then-
“LET HER GO!”
The powerful and familiar voice that rang through her ears was just the thing she needed. In fact, it even made the headache go away. Especially as she saw a single bullet fly past her head, slamming straight into the Abyssal’s vulnerable and exposed optic…
Chi-Class let out a painful roar as it let go of the redhead, screaming violently as it started firing off shots randomly. It couldn’t see. It could feel, but it couldn’t see. The pain was too strong. It wanted revenge on whoever had done this..!
“Shiranui…” Arashi slowly muttered, the proximity to the Abyssal meant that she was surprisingly safe as the wild salvos went further away. To say that she was thankful for the save would be an understatement.
The pink-haired Destroyer didn’t say a thing after that as she sped up, grabbing the redhead and yanking her along as she turned around, blasting water directly into the Abyssal’s face by doing this dramatic turn.
Chi-Class was splashed by the water, causing it to focus its attention on the direction of the splash. While the exposed optic was currently not working too well, the hidden optic behind its mask was doing its job, catching more than a generous glimpse of the pink-haired Destroyer..!
“FLAT ONE! GIVE BACK!” It shouted violently as it dashed after the shipgirl, all of its firepower unleashing as it wanted to hunt down the one that had hurt it..!
Only for Shiranui to whip back around, smashing her fist straight into that cracked mask without even hesitating. She had avoided the shots aimed towards her to draw the Abyssal close, and with her cannon this close, nailing the last shot was easy.
*BANG*
Another violent roar echoed from Chi-Class as the shot sank into its mostly hidden optic, the fist from before leaving a bigger hole that the shipgirl abused to get to its eye. Which meant that it had to turn around and leave its prey behind, just to avoid being further harmed.
The other Abyssals, who would’ve wanted to keep pursuing the target, took the lead of the highest ranking kin and followed Chi-Class. They left both girls alone, returning to the sea where they had came from.
Slowly, Shiranui made her way back to the docks, with Arashi still dangling at her side, the redhead barely able to do much thanks to the grip the Abyssal had on her. She had made it just in time, just like he had done for her…
“Thanks, Shiranui…” The redhead slowly said as they climbed back on the dock itself, her head throbbing. Not because of the headache, but because of the near-crushing she just endured. “If it wasn’t for you, then-”
*SLAP*
She could feel her cheek throbbing. She could feel it pulsating. It wasn’t hard to tell what just happened, even if her mind was having issues registering it. Her partner had outright slapped her. Instead of admonishing her. Instead of talking down to her with that usual cold tone.
“What did I tell you before you sped off like that.” Shiranui said, her emotions still bottled up as she glared at the girl whose cheek was now bright red thanks to the slap. “You shouldn’t be making excuses. You should accept that you’re worse than you really think you are. What makes you think that you can just speed off to fight Abyssals, like it’s nothing but a game?”
Arashi grit her teeth as she listened to her partner. “You kept saying that I was a shipgirl, right? Aren’t we supposed to kill them?! Aren’t we supposed to fight them back?! So what if I make it into a game, can you blame me for being frustrated over not hitting a single target!?”
“You could’ve been sunk if I hadn’t gotten there. You could’ve ended up one of our enemies.” The pink-haired girl said, not backing down as she stomped closer to the redhead, pushing up against her as she glared deeper into those eyes. “You could actively have hurt us. And yet you sped off. Like an impatient child.”
The redhead didn’t listen, pushing back. “WELL IF YOU HAD BOTHERED TO HELP ME PROPERLY INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING DOWN TO ME, MAYBE WE WOULD’VE GOTTEN SOMEWHERE! MAYBE I WOULDN’T HAVE WASTED EVERYTHING TRYING TO TAKE DOWN THAT ABYSSAL!” She shouted, thinking that raising her voice would win her the argument. Frankly, she was sick of how her partner almost always found a way to win their arguments…!
“If you had fallen, you would’ve been hurting Kou, Arashi.”
That was the last sentence that Shiranui said, and the thing that completely broke the redhead. All of the fighting spirit within just faded away, as she fell onto her knees. Just the thought of what she could’ve done, and how horribly she might’ve fucked up, finally hit her.
“...I’m… I…” Arashi muttered as she looked at her hands, her body trembling. The gravity of it all was settling in. Her duty, her purpose as a shipgirl, would inevitably lead her to tragedy should she not take it seriously.
All she could do was look up at the pink-haired girl, shock painted on her face. She couldn’t force out those words, but it was easy to tell that she had been well and thoroughly convinced that she fucked up. And that she would’ve fucked up harder, should she have kept up this path.
Shiranui didn’t say anything else. Ooi and Kitakami could come pick the redhead up and try to translate her harsh words later. Right now, she needed time away from her. Time to breathe. Time to think.
The light above shined down on the shocked Destroyer, leaving her illuminated as the pink-haired girl disappeared into the darkness. Letting her escape and be one with her thoughts. With her feelings on the matter.
...If she had to be honest, she was happy. Not for what had happened, but because her partner was safe. If she had fallen there, she didn’t know if she could forgive herself. For letting Tetsuya die under her watch.
But it was that very same happiness that made her act this way. She knew she had to be harsh with Arashi. Otherwise she wouldn’t understand. She’d end up falling prey to the same thing that many others like her had. Like she herself almost had.
One day, she’d come clean about her worries. About her feelings for the one who had once maintained her. But today wasn’t the day. Today, she’d let her dwell on those feelings. And then, when she figured out how to deal with them, she’d train her once again.
Hopefully, she’d take things seriously this time around.
---
“G-Geez, and I thought that Ooi was harsh when she was all alone…”
Meanwhile, in another part of the Tokihana base, Oyashio was currently busy catching her breath. Her training session had gone on all the way through the Abyssal alarm, and she was… disgustingly tired, to put it bluntly.
After Kitakami came by with late lunch, the three had begun training again. And while Ooi wasn’t yelling at her nearly as much as she was before, that didn’t mean that she went easy on her. In fact, the leniency she showed her while her partner was there made it all the more difficult to weasel her way out of doing more training.
Leading to her collapsing in one of the hallways, her body aching and begging for a bed to pass out in. Unfortunately, the floor was just hard enough that she couldn’t pass out right there…
“Ishikawa? You’re up later than expected.”
The comforting and soft voice of one Takahara Jun echoed through the black-haired Destroyer’s ears as the collapsed shipgirl slowly looked up at the mechanic that towered over her, causing her to sigh as his usual gentle warmth radiated forth…
“Oh, Takahara…” Oyashio muttered as she sat up, her body sweating from all the training she had to do. Which made it even harder to keep conscious. It made it really tempting to just rest against the tall mechanic, using him as a support. “W-What’s so wrong about me being awake, still? Isn’t it normal for a shipgirl to be awake all night..?”
Jun slowly nodded. “It is, but that doesn’t mean they should. You are more than human now, but you shouldn’t neglect your basic needs. Stressing yourself out can lead to imbalanced performance at sea.” The tall mechanic said, kneeling down to look the black-haired girl in the eye. “Are you able to stand, or do you need help?”
“I think I can…” She paused as she slowly tried to get back up onto her feet, standing tall moments later with a surprisingly confident smile on her face… Only to collapse, her legs giving way as she nearly hit the ground a little too hard. “N-Nope, definitely not. E-Even with this body, I… I still have issues…”
The taller mechanic chuckled a little as he saw her collapse, reaching out with one hand to offer her a little help. “Here.” He said, and she took the hint by grabbing it and lifting herself up ever so slightly, clinging to it as she made sure she wouldn’t collapse again.
“S-Still a little weak.” Oyashio muttered as she felt her legs trying their best to turn into jelly. Even if she didn’t want that. In fact, she wanted the direct opposite of that if she could. She wanted to just go to bed and sleep everything off, so she could start tomorrow’s lesson with a fresh mind.
...Wait, she had another session tomorrow. And she had only barely managed to land a couple of hits on the different targets. Oh, tomorrow was going to be just as bad if not worse than today had been…
“I see. Very well, let’s help you a little more then.” Jun said as he scooped his arms underneath her, lifting her into his arms with surprising ease. “How about this, then?” He said, making sure to carry her with the appropriate amount of care so that nobody would look at them funny. He didn’t want to accidentally ruin her image, despite the very small staff that actually operated at the base.
Oyashio could feel her heart pounding as she laid within his arms, causing her to quickly push her glasses up as she tried to hide herself away. “I-I… T-Thank you once again, Takahara…” Was all that she could manage to squeeze out, feeling her body practically catch on fire from how it felt to be close to him.
“Don’t mention it. I’m just doing what the others would’ve done if they saw you. Even Tanaka would’ve done it. Both of them.” He said as he walked down the hall, clearing his throat slightly. “Though, I doubt you’d enjoy being carried by Ren, considering the kind of ideas that brew up inside her head.” He quietly added, knowing his friend’s tendency to grate on the former boy’s nerves.
The bespectacled shipgirl understood completely, nodding as she’d rather avoid thinking about the stout and large-hearted woman whenever she could. Just the thought of what she might do to her in this form was enough to set off alarm bells inside her head, causing her to shift closer to the mechanic for safety.
Jun chuckled a little as he watched the black-haired Destroyer get closer to him, causing him to idly look up at the ceiling, the dim lights shining down on the two as he enjoyed the atmosphere around them. So peaceful. So quiet. Something he rarely got to enjoy, considering his coworkers…
Oyashio looked up at the taller man, seeing how serene his expression was, bringing her some level of calm as well. She really did appreciate how calm and collected he always was. Whether it was in the face of Ren’s constant teasing, or the other emotions that the mechanics were prone to throwing around. He knew Ooi very well too, which made her wonder just how the two were able to get along…
“...You’ve been doing very well, getting accustomed to your new form, Ishikawa.” The tall mechanic said, looking down at her as the two came to a stop outside the girl’s bedroom. “I’m actually fairly impressed. When Ooi first came to Kitakami after her conversion, she was… Well, to say that she didn’t adjust properly would be an understatement.”
She blinked a couple of times. Ooi? Not able to adjust to something? Considering how she acted earlier, it sounded like it made sense. But at the same time, she couldn’t really imagine it. She was like an ace, the best that the base had to offer. Shiranui was one thing, yes, but Ooi was another entirely.
“I… Are you sure that I’m doing well, Takahara? It feels like I’m only starting to scratch the surface of what my new body can do, and my abilities pale in comparison to everyone else's, even Tanaka’s…” Oyashio muttered, her glasses getting ever so slightly shadowed as she downplayed her efforts.
All that earned her was a gentle lowering onto the ground, and an open door leading into her bedroom. “The fact you downplay your achievements is proof that you’re better than you think you are, Ishikawa.” Jun said, as he kneeled down to look her in the eye one more time. “You accept that you can be better. The only person that’s been with this base who’s been able to do that successfully throughout her entire career has been Kitakami. And trust me, I’ve been with her longer than this base has been around. You can trust that I’m telling the truth.”
“How old are you even?” The Destroyer promptly asked, which caused the mechanic to wink teasingly before looking away, preferring to keep his secret now that he had dangled it in front of her like a tasty piece of bait. “You can’t just say that and not explain, Takahara..!” She pouted, adjusting her glasses in frustration.
The tall mechanic didn’t answer, just looking out the window as he saw a certain pink-haired girl wander through the dark of night. He’d have to deal with her later, make sure that her emotional state wasn’t irreparable. “...You know, Akira.” He said, turning towards the grounded girl with a smile on his face. “You don’t have to call me by my family name. We’re all friends here, as long as Admiral Toki keeps her eyes on us. Just call me Jun.”
“I’d prefer not to.” Oyashio quickly responded, pushing her glasses up again. “It’s not formal. Formalities should not be ignored, regardless of the situation at hand.” She explained. Even when she had grown closer to everyone, she was still a bit stubborn.
Jun nodded. Even if he thought otherwise, it was best to respect the boundaries of the people he worked with. But he couldn’t help himself from teasing a little, his time with Ren rubbing off on him. “Then why do you prefer to be called by your name instead of your title, Oyashio?”
This made her blush. “B-Because… B-Because Admiral Tokinaga prefers if I stick close to my old self. Just to make sure that I remember that I am still myself, not the ship I’ve been paired with.” She muttered. While the words were true, her newfound confidence quickly melted into a pool of nothing due to that direct teasing strike.
She had to turn it around. “W-Wait, hold on, now that I think about it… W-Why are you awake this late, Takahara?! You’re human, you’re supposed to get the sleep you need!” She cried out, trying to turn the tables back on him so he’d feel guilty for not indulging in his basic needs.
“I had to do maintenance on everyone. Ooi, Kitakami, Shiranui. Arashi needs some as well, considering what I could see from here.” Jun concisely explained, as he put his hands in his pockets and smiled. “Besides, if I hadn’t been finished with Kitakami’s repairs when I was, you wouldn’t have gotten your dinner.”
The idea of her going through the rest of the day hungry as sin ran through her head a few times until everything clicked into place. “So, wait… You had made lunch, and you sent Kitakami out after her maintenance to make sure that Ooi wouldn’t…” Everything made sense. The mechanic had been watching over her much earlier, which would explain how he knew she was still up…
“...Well played, Jun.” She muttered as she got up onto her feet, letting him win by using his first name. Only to smile, directly from the heart. “And thank you for looking out for me.” She continued, turning towards her room. She needed to sleep, before her legs stopped working again.
Jun smiled back as he patted her on the shoulder ever briefly. “You’re welcome, Akira. Just keep up the good work. Keep making Toki smile with your progress. That’s all I ask for.” He said, before ruffling her hair a little bit.
Oyashio pushed up her glasses and nodded with her head still turned away from him, closing the door behind her as she walked towards her bed, her legs silently buckling underneath.
She collapsed onto the soft mattress seconds later, letting out a loud and satisfied sigh. Ahhh… Getting to talk with Jun was just what she needed after that harsh training session. It meant that she could unwind and get perspective on today’s events. And while she was more than a little worried about everything that had happened, especially once the alarm started ringing, she didn’t have it in her to worry about that kind of stuff at the moment.
If anything, she needed to sleep. She really, desperately needed that chance to regain her energy. So what if tomorrow was going to be harsher than today? As long as she kept trying, she’d get the praise she wanted. Whether it was from her Admiral or from Jun…
Slowly but surely, Oyashio drifted off to sleep, a smile on her face as the snores slowly left her lips. Tomorrow was going to be great...