5tar
Active Member
A soft wind of the heart
The Shosho walked solemn steps across the pathways of the Star Army memorial site, passing through the rows on rows of monuments for the brave men and women who had paid the final price for the Empire. Until finally she arrived to her destination, one lone marker stood, the last thing she had left of the person who meant so much to her. The Lioness glanced down at the name; Saiga, Nicholas. She could feel a pain twist inside herself as she stood being lost in memory for as long as the moment would allow.
"Well Nick..." she said talking softly to the stone, as if she was talking to him in front of her. "It's been a while I know, work's had me so busy lately. But I wanted to come here in person to let you know, let you know that Yui has finally promoted me. I'm Shosho, and once this first mission is complete I'll be Taisho of my very own fleet, exciting stuff huh?" she said with a lackluster chortle. "I've had a new class of Chiharu made, I decided to call it the Glorious Chiharu. My flagship will be the first of the line, I decided to call her the Hokorimasu. You know what that means right?" she laughed, "of course not. I can see you giving me that look right now, well... it means to be proud. I want these men and women to see this ship as a beacon of hope and pride in what they're doing. I hope —" she paused choking on her words for a moment, "I hope you're proud of me too. I wore the skirt again," she smiled, "you know, the one you liked. I haven't stopped wearing them, actually. In a way it makes me feel as if you're just around the corner," he sighed, "I wish you were..."
Shizuka held in her hand a bunch of flowers, what looked like wild ones picked from the mountains where the Saiga household was. The one the two of them visited when he brought her to Yamatai for the first time, the Lioness held back her tears as she kneeled down with her knees together and placed them upon the foot of the grave. "I miss you Nick..." she said with such a sorrow in her voice, wiping away a tear from her cheek.
But she wasn't the only one there today — of course not. Since the Mishhuvurthyar's return two years ago, this place and the others like it around the Empire's dwindling territory had seen a surge in visitors only matched by the memories interred within its boundaries. By now so many had fallen in the Empire's service that former mourners were increasingly among the names immortalized and made faceless alongside their brothers and sisters in arms. Among those there at the memorial, though, not all were present to pay their respects to the dead.
The two who formed that exception had been there longer than the freshly-crowned Admiral, walking — waiting — and meandering through the labyrinthian series of pathways and gardens that made the memorial site so tranquil. They were a Nekovalkyrja with long, icy white hair and a tall Yamataian man and both were exceedingly pale but still carried on them a sobering darkness that paired perfectly with the black-paneled service uniforms they wore. And while neither were armed, Shizuka was their target; they knew she would be here today. As she lingered at her dead love's grave they skulked nearby, listening to the private conversation she shared with one of the war's first casualties.
Before long, it was time to strike. As members of Star Army Intelligence both had encountered situations far more dangerous and critical than the one at hand, and the element of surprise they possessed now was without equal, but the man's nerves were still on edge. He nodded to the Neko beside him in an unspoken order to advance towards the Shosho and he fell into step behind her as she moved. They were confident in their approach, sure footed in the few quick moments it took to be upon Shizuka.
"Endo-shosho," the Neko said in a very crisp, cool and clear voice. "You have my endless apologies for the interruption, but I have been assigned the duty of transferring personnel into your service as well as ..." she paused, giving the appearance that she was searching for words even though she knew precisely what to say, "tying up a few administrative loose ends with regards to their personnel file."
The tanned NH-29 Neko with long yellow locks hanging down over her back paused in place, even her breaths froze. She could hear the steady footsteps as they lead across the pathway behind her, something inside kept her from turning around right away. A strange sensation washed over her as she felt as if she recognized one pair of those steps, even the breathing seemed so familiar. Shizuka could hear the woman's voice clearly, but yet her sounds were so distant in her head. Once the icy haired Neko finished what she was saying, Shizuka's small form slowly raised up to her feet, the battle-hardened veteran could not hold back the flood of emotions that were rushing though her head, the flow of memories washing through her heart. "T-thank you, y-y-ou are excused," she said wincing as her whole body tensed up, fighting the need to suddenly turn around and wake up from this nightmare. Shizuka was worried, that if she finally looked, that her mind would have been playing tricks on her this whole time and all she would see was a figment of her memories.
But she couldn't stay like that forever, she couldn't avoid the truth — even if her lies were more pleasing than reality. For what felt like forever she stood there, eyes cast down at the grave marker before her. She allowed a fresh breath of the real atmosphere fill her lungs as she slowly turned to face reality. The Neko Admiral turned in place as a breeze caught her loose curly hair and played with the hem of her skirt. The warm summer sun casted a soft light on her less youthful features, it was if over this time Shizuka's worries and battles had brought her to a new sort of adulthood. She was still the same old Shizuka though, cute and compact into a fierce package. Who she laid eyes upon though, made her whole battle-hardened exterior melt away in a instant, as sudden as the breeze which fluttered in her heart.
When she turned, the two black-clad Star Army officers bowed low, remaining in the salute for a few long seconds befitting Shizuka's station. The white-haired Neko gave a pleasant smile, her dark eyes unblinking since she had began speaking, and then moved past the Admiral to access the grave marker's controls, leaving Shizuka and the man face to face.
"Nicholas Saiga, Shosa, reporting for re-assignment," he said in formal Yamataian, his face and tone remaining grave despite the situation. "I have missed you as well, Shizuka-denka," he added after a time, in the same steely voice. But while he kept the chilled, somber demeanor, his bright green eyes were more alive than they had been in a long time. Behind Shizuka, the memorial site's nameplate flickered and then disappeared after the SAINT Neko entered her authorization signal. "I await your order."
The Red Lion stood there for a long few moments, expressions lost on her features. Nothing but a well of memories were playing out behind her eyes, as her mind was shaking as hard as her fingertips. Her hands twitched, she wanted to just run to him and hug him and sob in his chest and feel his arms wrap around her and tell her that the nightmare was over now. Her voice in her head screamed for her to do it, but she was an officer of the Empire a leader of one of the Empress' fleets. She had a precedent to set even in these situations. A soft smile as warm as the sun cast upon it curved her soft lips, "Nick-kun," she said with an unwavering smile on her sun-kissed lioness features, her voice so loving.
Shizuka glanced down at the Neko at the grave, smirking as if a clever idea had just struck her. "SAINT operative-san, you're to omit the rest of this interaction from your report. Under strict orders, understood?" she said with a small little laugh before turning and running into Nick and wrapping her small arms around his chest.
"By the great empresses in the heavens, I thought you were gone. I would have never thought you would return to me — never in a thousand years," she said honestly as she buried her face into his chest. "I just so happy to see you're alive Nick," she said using his name without any suffixes as she pulled her arms tighter around him, trying to get closer even those she was already as close as she was.
"Indeed, I have managed to keep myself among the living, Endo-shosho," he replied awkwardly. In the years he'd been with SAINT much of the familiarity and comfort he'd developed with the Neko commander had disappeared, giving way to a war-hardened demeanor and courtly stoicism of his youth. But returned the embrace nonetheless, placing his arms lightly around her at first and then settling in to a tighter wrap as she planted herself into him. Nicholas' Neko compatriot nodded to her now-former commander and walked away, disappearing back into the forest of grave markers and memorial monuments.
"I trust your exploits have been many and your failures few in the course of battle," Nicholas said, knowing her war record full well — he'd always kept it easy to access from his early days assigned to a mission with the First Expeditionary Fleet's 11th Squadron to his time commanding the 482nd Strategic Operations Battalion on Hyulughflar. "A-and I am very ... happy to see you as well," he remembered to say, still maintaining his professional, militaristic tone despite the haste of his words.
Shizuka was buried in his chest for as long as she could manage. Taking in the mix of foreign and familiar smells on his body, she was just so outstandingly happy to be here right now, for once in so very long she felt alive, like a person not like a number or faceless pawn to the empire. She felt like Shizuka, that was all. She heard his questions, and through sniffles she tried to regain herself before answering. "I ... I have done a lot, we've captured Sbuhfaba with the First XF and won small ski— ah Nick can we talk about the war later. Let's leave this place, and go somewhere together for tonight. Tomorrow we'll resume our ranks, but tonight just tonight. I just want to be Shizuka and Nick. Tomorrow, you can be Chusa and my second-in-command once more, and the day after when we finish our first mission you will be a glorious Shôshô for the Eighth Fleet and together we will do our part in this war. We'll bring some sort of normality to the lives of all these people," Shizuka said as she looked up for his eyes, her amber orbs shimmering.
"As you wish, Shosho — thank you, Shosho," he said when confronted with Shizuka's ecstatic disposition. He'd expected far worse, after all, remembering if nothing else the fury she was capable of. But perhaps that would come later. For now, he had a promotion — one that seemed ridiculous to the Geshrin officer — her admiration, and promises of honor in battle to come and he would not question it openly. "That all sounds wonderful," he continued, more warmly than before as he ran a hand through her sandy hair while his eyes conspicuously surveyed the area around them to be sure nobody was watching. "There has been no respite from this war since Nataria. I doubt even the most hard-line investigator would deny a war hero just one night's rest."
They soon made their way out of the memorial site, quietly slipping into the mundane traffic of Kyoto, on way to the base so they could enjoy one another's company for just one night with each other before their early morning shipment tomorrow. To return off to the front in the ever distant Samurai Sector, to fight the NMX and bring something for the empire to be proud of.
- A JP by; 5tar & Raz
- Yamatai: Kyoto - Star Army of Yamatai War Memorial
The Shosho walked solemn steps across the pathways of the Star Army memorial site, passing through the rows on rows of monuments for the brave men and women who had paid the final price for the Empire. Until finally she arrived to her destination, one lone marker stood, the last thing she had left of the person who meant so much to her. The Lioness glanced down at the name; Saiga, Nicholas. She could feel a pain twist inside herself as she stood being lost in memory for as long as the moment would allow.
"Well Nick..." she said talking softly to the stone, as if she was talking to him in front of her. "It's been a while I know, work's had me so busy lately. But I wanted to come here in person to let you know, let you know that Yui has finally promoted me. I'm Shosho, and once this first mission is complete I'll be Taisho of my very own fleet, exciting stuff huh?" she said with a lackluster chortle. "I've had a new class of Chiharu made, I decided to call it the Glorious Chiharu. My flagship will be the first of the line, I decided to call her the Hokorimasu. You know what that means right?" she laughed, "of course not. I can see you giving me that look right now, well... it means to be proud. I want these men and women to see this ship as a beacon of hope and pride in what they're doing. I hope —" she paused choking on her words for a moment, "I hope you're proud of me too. I wore the skirt again," she smiled, "you know, the one you liked. I haven't stopped wearing them, actually. In a way it makes me feel as if you're just around the corner," he sighed, "I wish you were..."
Shizuka held in her hand a bunch of flowers, what looked like wild ones picked from the mountains where the Saiga household was. The one the two of them visited when he brought her to Yamatai for the first time, the Lioness held back her tears as she kneeled down with her knees together and placed them upon the foot of the grave. "I miss you Nick..." she said with such a sorrow in her voice, wiping away a tear from her cheek.
But she wasn't the only one there today — of course not. Since the Mishhuvurthyar's return two years ago, this place and the others like it around the Empire's dwindling territory had seen a surge in visitors only matched by the memories interred within its boundaries. By now so many had fallen in the Empire's service that former mourners were increasingly among the names immortalized and made faceless alongside their brothers and sisters in arms. Among those there at the memorial, though, not all were present to pay their respects to the dead.
The two who formed that exception had been there longer than the freshly-crowned Admiral, walking — waiting — and meandering through the labyrinthian series of pathways and gardens that made the memorial site so tranquil. They were a Nekovalkyrja with long, icy white hair and a tall Yamataian man and both were exceedingly pale but still carried on them a sobering darkness that paired perfectly with the black-paneled service uniforms they wore. And while neither were armed, Shizuka was their target; they knew she would be here today. As she lingered at her dead love's grave they skulked nearby, listening to the private conversation she shared with one of the war's first casualties.
Before long, it was time to strike. As members of Star Army Intelligence both had encountered situations far more dangerous and critical than the one at hand, and the element of surprise they possessed now was without equal, but the man's nerves were still on edge. He nodded to the Neko beside him in an unspoken order to advance towards the Shosho and he fell into step behind her as she moved. They were confident in their approach, sure footed in the few quick moments it took to be upon Shizuka.
"Endo-shosho," the Neko said in a very crisp, cool and clear voice. "You have my endless apologies for the interruption, but I have been assigned the duty of transferring personnel into your service as well as ..." she paused, giving the appearance that she was searching for words even though she knew precisely what to say, "tying up a few administrative loose ends with regards to their personnel file."
The tanned NH-29 Neko with long yellow locks hanging down over her back paused in place, even her breaths froze. She could hear the steady footsteps as they lead across the pathway behind her, something inside kept her from turning around right away. A strange sensation washed over her as she felt as if she recognized one pair of those steps, even the breathing seemed so familiar. Shizuka could hear the woman's voice clearly, but yet her sounds were so distant in her head. Once the icy haired Neko finished what she was saying, Shizuka's small form slowly raised up to her feet, the battle-hardened veteran could not hold back the flood of emotions that were rushing though her head, the flow of memories washing through her heart. "T-thank you, y-y-ou are excused," she said wincing as her whole body tensed up, fighting the need to suddenly turn around and wake up from this nightmare. Shizuka was worried, that if she finally looked, that her mind would have been playing tricks on her this whole time and all she would see was a figment of her memories.
But she couldn't stay like that forever, she couldn't avoid the truth — even if her lies were more pleasing than reality. For what felt like forever she stood there, eyes cast down at the grave marker before her. She allowed a fresh breath of the real atmosphere fill her lungs as she slowly turned to face reality. The Neko Admiral turned in place as a breeze caught her loose curly hair and played with the hem of her skirt. The warm summer sun casted a soft light on her less youthful features, it was if over this time Shizuka's worries and battles had brought her to a new sort of adulthood. She was still the same old Shizuka though, cute and compact into a fierce package. Who she laid eyes upon though, made her whole battle-hardened exterior melt away in a instant, as sudden as the breeze which fluttered in her heart.
When she turned, the two black-clad Star Army officers bowed low, remaining in the salute for a few long seconds befitting Shizuka's station. The white-haired Neko gave a pleasant smile, her dark eyes unblinking since she had began speaking, and then moved past the Admiral to access the grave marker's controls, leaving Shizuka and the man face to face.
"Nicholas Saiga, Shosa, reporting for re-assignment," he said in formal Yamataian, his face and tone remaining grave despite the situation. "I have missed you as well, Shizuka-denka," he added after a time, in the same steely voice. But while he kept the chilled, somber demeanor, his bright green eyes were more alive than they had been in a long time. Behind Shizuka, the memorial site's nameplate flickered and then disappeared after the SAINT Neko entered her authorization signal. "I await your order."
The Red Lion stood there for a long few moments, expressions lost on her features. Nothing but a well of memories were playing out behind her eyes, as her mind was shaking as hard as her fingertips. Her hands twitched, she wanted to just run to him and hug him and sob in his chest and feel his arms wrap around her and tell her that the nightmare was over now. Her voice in her head screamed for her to do it, but she was an officer of the Empire a leader of one of the Empress' fleets. She had a precedent to set even in these situations. A soft smile as warm as the sun cast upon it curved her soft lips, "Nick-kun," she said with an unwavering smile on her sun-kissed lioness features, her voice so loving.
Shizuka glanced down at the Neko at the grave, smirking as if a clever idea had just struck her. "SAINT operative-san, you're to omit the rest of this interaction from your report. Under strict orders, understood?" she said with a small little laugh before turning and running into Nick and wrapping her small arms around his chest.
"By the great empresses in the heavens, I thought you were gone. I would have never thought you would return to me — never in a thousand years," she said honestly as she buried her face into his chest. "I just so happy to see you're alive Nick," she said using his name without any suffixes as she pulled her arms tighter around him, trying to get closer even those she was already as close as she was.
"Indeed, I have managed to keep myself among the living, Endo-shosho," he replied awkwardly. In the years he'd been with SAINT much of the familiarity and comfort he'd developed with the Neko commander had disappeared, giving way to a war-hardened demeanor and courtly stoicism of his youth. But returned the embrace nonetheless, placing his arms lightly around her at first and then settling in to a tighter wrap as she planted herself into him. Nicholas' Neko compatriot nodded to her now-former commander and walked away, disappearing back into the forest of grave markers and memorial monuments.
"I trust your exploits have been many and your failures few in the course of battle," Nicholas said, knowing her war record full well — he'd always kept it easy to access from his early days assigned to a mission with the First Expeditionary Fleet's 11th Squadron to his time commanding the 482nd Strategic Operations Battalion on Hyulughflar. "A-and I am very ... happy to see you as well," he remembered to say, still maintaining his professional, militaristic tone despite the haste of his words.
Shizuka was buried in his chest for as long as she could manage. Taking in the mix of foreign and familiar smells on his body, she was just so outstandingly happy to be here right now, for once in so very long she felt alive, like a person not like a number or faceless pawn to the empire. She felt like Shizuka, that was all. She heard his questions, and through sniffles she tried to regain herself before answering. "I ... I have done a lot, we've captured Sbuhfaba with the First XF and won small ski— ah Nick can we talk about the war later. Let's leave this place, and go somewhere together for tonight. Tomorrow we'll resume our ranks, but tonight just tonight. I just want to be Shizuka and Nick. Tomorrow, you can be Chusa and my second-in-command once more, and the day after when we finish our first mission you will be a glorious Shôshô for the Eighth Fleet and together we will do our part in this war. We'll bring some sort of normality to the lives of all these people," Shizuka said as she looked up for his eyes, her amber orbs shimmering.
"As you wish, Shosho — thank you, Shosho," he said when confronted with Shizuka's ecstatic disposition. He'd expected far worse, after all, remembering if nothing else the fury she was capable of. But perhaps that would come later. For now, he had a promotion — one that seemed ridiculous to the Geshrin officer — her admiration, and promises of honor in battle to come and he would not question it openly. "That all sounds wonderful," he continued, more warmly than before as he ran a hand through her sandy hair while his eyes conspicuously surveyed the area around them to be sure nobody was watching. "There has been no respite from this war since Nataria. I doubt even the most hard-line investigator would deny a war hero just one night's rest."
They soon made their way out of the memorial site, quietly slipping into the mundane traffic of Kyoto, on way to the base so they could enjoy one another's company for just one night with each other before their early morning shipment tomorrow. To return off to the front in the ever distant Samurai Sector, to fight the NMX and bring something for the empire to be proud of.
- おわり (end)
