RP: YSS Miharu Mission 5, Aftermath (3rd day)

"Claymere-Ta-...." The name that had been eluding her was now shining clearly in Rin's head. A brief image of Nyton, with a maniacal grin, reaching forward to saw her in half again flashed across her mind. No no, he wouldn't do that. He had a reason. From her health report, it was saving her from some infection. Still, she swallowed nervously, trembling slightly, as her hand came up to rest on her midriff. A wave of nausea hit her, the food seemingly upsetting her new stomach. The engineer grimaced and shook her head.

She had managed to push the memories of the traumatic memories to the side, another result of having nothing but her memories to be with over the past couple days. But they had returned, in full force, due that missing piece of the puzzle.

"It's... nice to meet you two," she started, sounding very distracted, "Thank you for... carrying me back." Rin gave a small bow to both of them. "I can stay, Juni."

Kyou sat down as well, debating if she wanted to go get food with Masako or not. She hesitated when she saw Rin acting a bit weird. It sounded like she'd started to say Nyton's name, but... Well, she didn't want to assume anything. "Rin-Hei? Are you okay? You looked a bit... off, for a moment there. You don't have to stay if you're not feeling well." She got the feeling the other didn't like her all that much, but she really was a bit concerned. Getting cut in half seemed like something they should be careful with.

Seeing as how his handshake seemed to be refused, Asher just slapped Rin on the back jovially. He laughed.

"Well, I'd say y'don't look half-bad at all! Eh heh heh heh. At least y'gotta' betta' head on y'shoulda's than Kuro-Juni ova' there." Asher chuckled impishly as he pushed himself up and out of his chair, now grinning at Masako. "But uh, yeah, I'd appreciate 'dat Kuro-Juni, but I'd actually like t'talk t'ya." The Malifarian stood, and began making his way over to the food, his eyes squinting lightly in the aching. "Preferably ova' 'dere by tha' servin' area.'

Masako snorted lightly at the 'head' joke. But her curiosity was peaked when it was Asher who wanted to intiative a conversation with her. Her lips pursed thoughtfully as her left ear seemed to flick minutely.

"Very well, Westwood-hei," the Warrant Officer replied as she motioned for him to lead on. "We'll take it at an easy pace then."

Doshii Jun said:

"Her orders," Tori repeated, her long face made longer by a preceding sigh that came up out of the armor's helmless neck, as her body still was in the armor. Her arms were snaked up to the damaged breastbone skeleton, where she was removing injured hemosynth.

"Didn't get an explanation. She said to make sure the shield was combat capable, and it was; had no real damage. Then she said to keep that and the helmet. Only damage there was the tachyon ear, which is easy to swap out for a new one." Tori grinned as she removed another piece.

" 'I believe I still require them,' " she said in a good imitation of Yukari's Yamataian accent. "You could always ask her."

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"She's on the Mokuren," Yuzuki stated with a sort of glum peevishness, "Probably with the Juni, probably she doesn't have the time to talk about something this small."

Yuzuki tucked a few wayward strands of reddish hair back behind an equally reddishly furred ear, which she couldn't help but flick in annoyance. It didn't help the hair in her face, so she refixed it afterward. The thought of venturing onto the Mokuren again, with its much higher ceilings and vintage equipment and tightly bodysuited Yui lookalikes, made Yuzuki feel very small.

Yuzuki banished the thought of leaving the Hoshi from her mind with a singleminded strength of will. The Shosa and the Captain, and the Juni and everyone who had gone over to the Mokuren, Yuzuki reasoned, would eventually return. This was their ship.

Unless, of course, they took another ship from the fleet they had just rescued, thought Yuzuki gloomily as she watched Cho working. Then, they'd never need to return, at all, and wouldn't that be lonely.

"Hey hey, I ain't no old man." chuckled Asher, making his way around the table and leading Masako on towards the serving area. The Malifarian picked up a plate and looked at what was be served. With an questioning look, he looked back at Kyou, Ey, whatcha' want t'eat? Then, he looked to Masako, and seemed to gain a burdened gaze. "Listen, Kuro-Juni. I juss' wanna' say I'm sorry 'bout tha' otha' day." Asher's free hand came up to run in his hair, biting his lip, before giving the Neko an embarrassed gaze, "I kinda' lost m'head, n'I shouldn'ta done that t'ya, boss. I was uh... disrespectful and uh... I kinda' acted like a dick."

He rolled his tongue between his teeth as he went to put some food on his plate. "So yeah, sorry."

Wincing as she was smacked on the back, Rin looked to the Malifarian with a slightly confused look as to what he meant, before she lowered herself back into her former seat. She gazed down at the plate of food she had consumed just a few moments ago, very much so regretted having had as much food as she did. Her hand idly rubbed her stomach. Perhaps she should just live off of IV fluids.

At the sound of her name she looked up to Kyou. "Ah, I am fine, Gunshin-hei. Thank you for your concern..." she trailed off, realizing what she just said. In her moment of weakness, she said 'thank you' to an enlisted and an officer, Masako in this case, wasn't immediately present!

Gallant said:

"She's on the Mokuren," Yuzuki stated with a sort of glum peevishness, "Probably with the Juni, probably she doesn't have the time to talk about something this small."

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Tori rolled her eyes inside the armor. "You don't know what she's doing. Just because the Juni's hot doesn't mean she's fucking him all the time, and if she isn't doing that, then whatever you want her for is probably more productive. Ping her or something. ... Heisho."

The Neko continued her work, like she wanted to do anyway. She slipped her cutting tool back into her stained toolbag — hemosynth came out of nylon without much trouble — and rubbed her leg as she thought about her next move. The skeleton needed some work, and the hemosynth was out of the way. She reached for a small plasma torch, hoping to warm the skeleton enough that she could reshape it with her pneumatic hammer.

Kyou hesitated, torn between grabbing food, and staying to talk to the obviously hesitant Rin, who was talking to her politely, despite not liking Kyou overly much. "Are you sure? I mean, I've been listening to people my whole life, you can talk to me if you need someone to talk to." She shook her head at Asher slightly regardless. She'd get her own food once she was ready, and she wasn't quite as concerned over food (which she knew her body could survive without) as she was about a potentially depressed crewmember.

"Yes. I'm quite fine, Gunshin-hei," Rin stated adamantly, her mood seemingly swinging the other way. She mustn't get soft! How else would they learn how to be competent, especially looking at how Asher and Kyou were acting not a few moments ago, playing tag, or something along those lines, while in a busy cafeteria. Furthermore, who was this neko to offer consultation? Hinoto had already done that and was probably infinitely better than someone who still needed babysitting from an officer. Still, the sentiment did not go completely unnoticed.

Rin reached for her cup, and looked in. There was a tiny bit of tea left from her meal, and she sipped it. The sprite frowned slightly. It felt as if it barely made it to the back of her throat, let alone to her stomach to help with the queasiness.

Kyou nodded, standing up. She took note of Rin's empty cup as she did so. "I'm going to go grab something to eat, if you don't wish to talk. Would you like me to bring back some more tea for you?" She wasn't going to press the issue if Rin didn't want to talk about it that much.

Rin blinked, not knowing how to respond. How could an enlisted continue to be consistently kind and actually rather attentive to her surroundings, excluding the earlier incident? She looked back down to her cup, then back up. After another moment's thought, Rin reluctantly nodded.

'Yes, let the enlisted do work. It's about time they showed sprites more respect,' she thought, as she tried to sort out and rationalize her confusion. However, Hinoto's words returned to her; Rin was supposed to help protect the crew and help them in ways that Miharu could not. She could only guess that that included enlisted, which only further complicated her views.

Kyou nodded again, slightly disappointed in the lessening responses from Rin. She hadn't expected any more, really, but it had been going so well up until that point that she'd begun to hope she'd been mistaken about Rin's dislike of her. She walked over to meet up with Masako and Asher, only pausing a moment so she could make sure they weren't busy talking about something she wasn't supposed to hear. She glanced back at rin one last time before joining them as well.

As Masako started to grab a tray and plate to pick some food for herself, she couldn't help but glance over at Asher and stare at him blankly for a few moments. He was apologizing to her!? She never expected that to happen, but...what was he apologizing for? The Warrant Officer's digital brain didn't take long to solve that question. The one argument they had before he left the Miharu.

"Westwood-hei...that may have been a few weeks for you, but that's be at least a couple of years for me," she informed the man before pursing her lips in thought. "While I'd like to think that was all water under the bridge, I have to admit that the past did color my opinion of you when you suddenly showed up before the last mission," Masako explained before giving the enlisted man a smile and patting him on the back. "But right now, I can only say all is forgiven. Thank you." she stated before going back to grabbing her meal.

"Yeah, t'be honest, I thought y'd still be pretty mad 'bout it." said Asher, holding his plate steady as he piled more and more food on it, undoubtedly hungry. "I mean, I figya'd y'd act like a total bitch t'me. Panties all tied up in a zesuaium knot. I tried t'play it cool, but it wass' pretty surprisin' t'see ya actin' so chill wit' me bein' 'round. Made it a whole lot easier t'stay focused on tha' fight." He turned to see Kyou approaching, and thumbed to the plates.

"Ey babe, hope tha' mammaries ain't too sore! Eh heh." chuckled the Malifarian.

Kyou breathed deeply for a few moments, trying to keep herself (once again) from brutally murdering (or at least maiming) Asher just on sheer principle. No matter how much she liked him, there were limits to her tolerance for his sillyness, though she hadn't reached them just yet. She gritted her teeth and started grabbing some food, though she didn't plan on eating too much. "They're doing just fine, no thanks to you."

* * *

It was good to be old. Or in charge, at least.

Yukari remembered the Yuumi-class only from a tour she received before she was assigned to the SS Snake. The battleships, powerful as they were, came with unusually elegant flourishes, from carpeted decks to the finest cuisine, and grand ballrooms for the hosting of guests, officers and even enlisted personnel.

At the time, she had not paid much thought to it, but now, she was smiling about it, laying on her back, staring up at the red-and-white vaunted ceiling that reflected back warm, soothing light from the 10 chandeliers lining it.

No one else was present. No one else was expected, either. The KAMI made sure of it. It played soothing koto music for her as she looked up into a volumetric panel consisting of Big Decisions — promotions, reassignments, other things among the officers of the Second Draconian Fleet.

The fleet didn't call itself that anymore. Now it was the Goddess' Fleet. There were many inside the Goddess' Fleet who wanted reassignment to the Mokuren, to be closer to the Goddess, but everyone already here wanted to stay. Kasami, in a more respectful fashion than Yukari deserved in any circumstance, asked Yukari to please choose who moved around the fleet.

The temptation was to stop them all from going anywhere. She decided, instead, to delay any decisions until the vessels and personnel were absorbed back into the Star Army. She made a few exceptions: medals were awarded to those who made great personal sacrifice to save others during the mission, and some promotions among warrant officers were handed down.

The work took her about 15 minutes because of the slow, outdated KAMI. It was more than enough. The panel did not disappear, but she did.

*bloosh*

Down Yukari dove, all under her own power. The water was fresh, without any cleansing chemicals, so she dove with eyes open as she went for the blue-tiled bottom. When she reached it, she pressed her palm against the smooth ceramic. It felt like the tile of her cabin's bathroom. Her thoughts drifted to when she had Tom there, in that bathroom, and she smiled before spinning in the water and thrusting herself to the pool's surface.

The panel was gone when she came back up, and she was glad for it. She returned to floating on her back. She closed her eyes and felt.

The cool water chilling her skin. The gentle current sending her hair fluttering. The sounds of waves lapping at her body. The sensation of being truly weightless, instead of forcing herself to be that way in order to flee.

It was like home.

Home. What was it like anymore?

Yukari raised her arms, then stroked the top of the water, giving herself some momentum opposite of the current. It kept her toward the center of the pool.

Home was under siege, or near it. Home was unsafe. Home was a ripe target. Home was in danger.

Home could not be that. She accepted this and was ready to change it.

Home also was Tom. Tom, who stood by her despite all that was wrong with her. Who stood by her ... even as she pondered something that was, at least for a time, a nightmare for him.

Having a youngling never occurred to Yukari. The thought of opening an inn in Ralt, where the Neko crew could recover, find their bearings — it was more than quaint and fuzzy; it was romantic, in its own way. The selflessness Tom had in him always made Tom so very attractive.

Becoming a Nekovalkyrja again in appearance, as well as spirit, did not come from nothing. It came from wanting to accept herself, finally, after so many years of yearning for something else. She wanted to look similar to how she felt. Tom ... Tom seemed to accept that, too.

She was Nekovalkyrja. But that did not mean she had to be alien, to Tom or anyone else.

Kotori might not appear at the wedding, when they had it. It might be too much. Maybe Yukari would have to accept that, too. At least Kotori would be there in spirit.

Maybe Kotori would be there if Nyton could accompany her. She wanted to ask. Nyton had to attend. It meant a lot, him being there. So long had she feared him, felt intimidated, wanted him out of the picture so she could grow outside of his shadow. In the end, he was light, and she never noticed. She wanted him there.

Many were gone from Miharu. But they would not be forgotten. Not by the Miharu Clan, which Yukari found inspiring; a group of sprites who became individuals forming a clan, all on their own. She knew it would be a great clan someday, a clan of good deeds and strong spirit. Still, she felt something more could be done. Something would be done. She would do it with her own hands.

Protecting all of that. Her mind circled back to it. Thoughts of a pretty dress were on the periphery. She needed to find a way to protect the people she loved, and the lost who had no one else.

A pair of minutes had passed. There was much to consider, and she did not have the benefit of injury-induced sleep. Yukari smiled as she continued to float, and let her mind take 30 seconds or so to consider a dress.

Perhaps a sleeveless one.

Masako smiled and nodded at Asher. However, his comment towards Kyou was rewarded with a puzzled expression and a slightly raised eyebrow as she glanced at both Nekovalkryja and Yamataian. Diplomatically though, the Warrant Officer decided it was best not to ask, since that could probably start something else.

In the meantime, she piled food upon her own plate. "Try to behave Westwood-hei...for your own sake," Masako commented as she left the serving area and moved back to sit across from Rin. "Are you feeling well, Rin-hei?" the Warrant Officer asked softly.

"Yes ma'am!" answered Asher sharply as Masako walked off, "No more honkin' 'til further notice!" The Santo-Hei laughed, putting the last touches on his plate. He turned, looking at Kyou with a sly wink. "Y'know, babe. Y'tha' first chick I've honked who ain't shot me on tha' first try." The Malifarian gave an approving nod at that, somewhat satisfied at such a reality, "Thass' somethin' special, to me, at least." One last riceball to top it all off... And there! Asher's plate was completely loaded up with this and that. He held it rather carefully as he waited for Kyou, giving her a sly smile. "You must really dig me or somethin'." were his playful words.

Kyou gave Asher a level look, continuing to fill her plate as Masako left and Asher remained. "It's luck. I wasn't carrying at the moment, and I follow orders to stop killing crewmates when an officer gives them. I wouldn't push your luck, if I were you." She paused, plate mostly full, but not all that much on there. She made sure to grab some more tea as well, enough for everyone since she wasn't sure if anyone else would want any, and turned to go back to the table. "Up to you though. Next time might not be so lucky for you."