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RP: YSS Kaiyō Post Mission 23: The Jingle in July

Ametheliana

Head in the Stars
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🌸 FM of Yamatai
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For a month, now, the Kaiyo crew had been working alongside the task force sent out to the boonies of space alongside them. It had been some fun, tough, and heroic work. But it was getting old and a holiday was in order. Thankfully, Kikyo no Sekku had been drawing near and the promise of patriotism and the fervor of celebration was keeping the rikugun, samurai, and kaiyo crew members chugging along. Even Hoshi had put off ranking up and medaling her crew in order to do it here. A crowd never dampened her spirits and she took pleasure in knowing many eyes would be on those of her crew as they received commendation, crew members that normally clung to the shadows. With hope, this wouldn't be the last time they received public praise.

The celebration itself required some decorating, though, by the many hands available. The base's ((bigger than picture on wiki, remember, just has these modules/general look)) main thoroughfare was lined with poles that spritely Nekovalkyrja clung to or hovered next beside as they hung up the ubiquitous purple bellflower that represented the empire they all fought for. The purple garlands on base buildings and wreaths on doors were filled with fabricated kikyo flowers while the real deal clung above Ketsurui Aiko's ears. It would be a lie to try to tone down the importance of a Ketsurui presiding over the festival, especially one that the first legion assigned to the Kuvexian War front had established as their ikigai, or reason for being. Despite the overwhelming sea of purple, the crew of the kaiyo still had decorations to put up and duties to attend to.

Teien Eden had practically glued herself to Saya and Tsubame whenever the opportunity arose, along with just about the rest of the crew. She was busy reliving motherhood vicariously through the month and a half year old and her mother as they fabricated bellflowers together in the workshop. Meanwhile, Hoshi was part of the crew putting planks of wood together to create the temporary platform that would serve as a stage later on in the dar. The mid-morning light from the sun was shining down and it made the star-named captain happy to be in the warmth of a real sun on real dirt, so she had a little smile on her pink face as she worked in the Type 36 coveralls.
 
Kiyo remained on the ground as she helped to put up the decorations with her own smile on her face. After putting three of the decorations up, she glanced over and saw Eden right by Saya and Tsubame, which caused her smile to widen. Tsubame looked cute, and she was so small. The blue Neko hoped that she would be a good friend for Luna, and vice versa as they grew up together.

Unfortunately, being that she was certain her sis had a great gift for her, as well as her big brother William, she wasn’t sure she could get Tsubame anything that would be considered cool.
 
Off in a secluded corner of the base, the crew's resident ID-SOL continued to write reports back to Nepleslian high command. After returning from captivity, he was forced to sit through meeting after meeting, debrief after debrief.

William sighed, running a hand up the side of his face. Many new scars adorned the man's previously unmarred skin. Thankfully this meeting was wrapping up as well.

"We will be going over your report once more at 0700, Private. For now you are dismissed. Command out." The Intel office on the other end of the line informed him before the call went dead.

"Finally... I thought she'd never let me go." He said, standing and sliding his datajockey into his pant's pocket. Leaving the room he had been hold up in, William stretched and looked around the base's perimeter.

When the ID-SOL wasn't being continuously swamped with reports and debriefings, he was busying himself with one project or another. Today he decided his weapons needed to cleaned for the 200th time. Picking a shady spot, he began to take apart his revolvers and clean each piece meticulously.
 
Between standard basic training, science specialization training, and some number of months to travel from Planet Yamatai to their classified position, it had been nearly two years since Takashi had enlisted. After the first day of his training, he had managed to move past the worst of his anxiety but unless he was actively working on something, he felt a baseline level of discomfort at the still-uncharted territory that he now sought to navigate without simply doing as everyone expected he would.

In order to take his mind off of his discomfort as soon as he landed at the base, Takashi took out his standard-issue scanner and began running a life form scan. He filtered out everything larger than 10 μm and after a moment was greeted by all the standard microbial life that lived in the air and on every surface of the base, forming a symbiotic relationship with the macroscopic life-forms that had created the environment around them.

"Fascinating," Sonoda Takashi muttered to himself as he began to thoughtlessly follow the little creatures in whatever direction they seemed to be increasing in concentration. Takashi had studied physical and computer sciences in depth before he had enlisted, so when he arrived at his specialization training he dove into biological and social sciences since he knew he would have the most to learn from them. Any sense of time Takashi normally had was lost as he followed his interest through the base until he found the area of highest concentration, at which point he looked up and found himself in a lavatory. "Ah, that makes sense."

After finding his way back out, Takashi took a look at the bustle of activity in the main thoroughfare and wondered what all the commotion was about.
 
The Chlobot decided to help Hoshi, noisily running around the planks of wood. A thinner piece of wood happened to get in her way, however, and was no match for her heavy black metallic foot. The wood made a loud crack, accompanying her white hair changing to yellow and the clang of her robotic body tripping and crashing into the ground, getting dirt all over her. She remained on the ground, notifying the captain "Chusa Hoshi... I have fallen." She observed that the thin plank of wood she had stepped on had snapped apart where it collided with her plastic and steel foot.

Kiki helped to put a garland on a pole, having it draped over her soft and feathery wings like an adjustable holder. It slithered around her body like a snake as she fed more of it around the pole. She was careful to keep it away from her crest, she didn't want the long wreath shifting over and crushing it.
 
Wulf had just stepped off a shuttle to the planet. Standing just at the edge of the landing pad he saw already how quickly so many of the arrangements had been put up. As he saw soldiers run around in excitement he felt a bit detached and nostalgic. He felt like he was back home, back at the place he grew up. He felt a little at peace as he stared off hoping this moment would never end.

Though as like earlier things do end as he heard a familiar voice behind him. "WULF!" the excited voice of a red hair neko pierced his day dreaming. Looking around he tapped his ear "Sakura! Gods almighty you don't have to shout when you're that close". Already Sakura was giggling as her tail mirrored her mood of amusement "Well then Wulfy boy that would be no fun". She let out a triumph humph as she stood next to him to take in the view.

Her face changed from amusement to a calm happiness. "It's nice for a change isn't it?" she asked calmly. The ranger could only nod as he looked enjoying the moment. Though Sakura didn't let the quiet remain "I take it the service went well?". Again the ranger nodded before adding "Yeah though more names on the wall again". Sakura put her arm around him in a quick embrace "I know there is always more Wulf but it also reminds us to enjoy now".

The ranger could only nod again in agreement. For the briefest of instances that Wulf knew Sakura there was an actual moment of stillness and quiet. Though again it would not last "Alright enough quietness we should be out there celebrating dour Wulf". Chuckling as she let go and headed towards the stage the crew was building. Turning around "Besides Soban-Hei this is a direct order from your much superior Neko!". Wulf chuckled as his briefly shakes his head "Alright there Sjet-Hei lead the way". Sometimes her absurdity had a way to get him to laugh. Though he knew it was also a good chance to catch up with the crew and Kiyo and remind him to enjoy the now.
 
Sonoda Takashi, Santō-Hei, stood for a moment watching everyone move around the thoroughfare. Various Nekovalkyrja hung bellflowers on poles. A blue haired Nekovalkyrja female with captain's insignia was helping to build a stage. A blue-faced Nekovalkyrja with green hair and grey ears helped put up decorations at ground-level. What appeared to be a regular human tried to help out with the stage, but tripped on a piece of wood and lay on the ground, seemingly helpless. Takashi tilted his head, somewhat confused. From the piece of wood that had snapped under her feet, Takashi suspected that she was not the simple human that he took her for at first glance.

For another moment, Takashi continued to survey the goings-on, seeing an Elysian Female draping a garland around herself, and finally a female, red-haired Nekovalkyrja shouting into the ear of a male human who had just stepped off of a shuttle. Takashi wondered if it was the same shuttle he had stepped off of or if his shuttle had departed and a new one had arrived. Time often slipped away while he had his nose pressed up against his scanner.

Satisfied that nobody else needed immediate attention, he walked over to Chlorate and extended his hand. "Would you like some help standing up?"
 
In the time they had been freed, Tsubame had begun to explore and come into her own more and more. No longer had she clung to the side of her mother, or when in the room William or Rei whom she felt safe with. She didn't float away from strange people like Eden, in stead now she floated around the woman's head. She was still on the smaller side, enjoying being able to duck into vents when she needed to escape from her mother or father or frankly anyone and zip around the ship, but she was a bit more sociable that day and closer to one of the women who commanded her mother.

Saya for her part simply enjoyed her daughter's growth. River blue eyes watched the youngling float around Eden's head as she watched her curiously, and Saya smiled before her eyes sought Wyatt out to see what he was doing. In her time back, it seemed like Saya had been fine and had processed everything smoothly though small little hiccups had been seen, though nothing more then a jump at a loud noise, maybe a bit of a shake at times when she sat to long, but the busy work helped her focus and more often than not lately the bubblegum haired medic was on the move so she could mask things fairly easily.

That was why she was happy for the busy work of getting ready for the holidays. It was a chance for her to focus on something else for the time being and work to keep her mind off other stuff. It was also nice for her to see Tsubame slowly start to come to life more and more. She smiled still as she spoke to Eden.

"I think she likes you ma'am. She has been around you more and more today." Tsubame stopped as she heard her mother speak, and first looked to Saya, before her gaze returned to Eden and she blinked in a strange off cadence one eye at a time blink. She remained silent though...
 
At the other end of the compound, Abart'huse was one of the many putting up the garlands around the many erected poles. With quick, agile movements, the snake slithered up the large flagpoles, attatching the frilly purple snake at the top and draping it down in a nice spiral pattern. It was an effective method sure, but with his intese focus on climbing the pole and draping the decorations correctly,he didn't notice just how much the thing was flexing under his formidable weight. Not enough to damage it, but enough to make for a comical sight, visible from almost everywhere.

"Phew.... just one mor- ...ah."

The metallic chill of the flagpoles were starting to make his fingers a bit numb, causing the snakeman to lose grip of the last garland in his hand, letting it deftly float away along the gentle morning breeze.

---------------------

Meanwhile the green systems snake was assisting with the wooden boards as well, placing several of them in the correct positions so the chusa could nail them down good and hard. Nerai'tha used that big striped tail to carry a big bundle of the planks, without worry for splinters, taking out planks one by one to place them as needed. Humming a gentle tune Nerai turned her head once she heard the familliar sound of her clumsy robot daughter doing another oopsie.

"Oh goodness dear, what did you trip on this ti-phpmnghmpghmbhm."

Her voice was buffled quickly by the rogue garland floating about, quickly wrapping itself around her face and arms, making the snek wiggle uncomfortably.
 
While he was still hesitant to let Saya and Tsubame leave his sight Wyatt was aware he'd been positively glued to the two Fujiwara girls since their return, and stifling them wouldn't be helping anybody, so he'd decided to help out with all the setup being done. Which is why the big guy currently had his black-paneled duty jacket tied around his waist, intensely defined muscles straining against his undershirt as the absolute specimen of what a Minkan could become strolled in. Both heavily tanned, deeply striated arms occupied by two sizeable bundles of extra wood for the under-construction stage.

Wyatt frowned as he saw Chlorate half-disappear into the stage before shaking his head, glad somebody else had already offered to, so the ginger-haired man opted to offload what he'd been carrying and quickly dust his hands off.

"Apologies, I was in the shower and zoned out for a few minutes, " he spoke in that deep, booming voice as Wyatt's gaze panned across to his family and Eden, whom his daughter was currently orbiting around. The Operative couldn't help but smile a little, an action mostly hidden by his neatly groomed beard, though the man's amber irises softened to the consistency of warm honey.

"How is everything going over here?" he queried the trio, bending down to plant a brief kiss on Saya's cheek before one arm snaked around to rest on her hip, offering it a light yet reassuring squeeze.
 
Delmira gave a yawn as she boarded the ship and stifled it. she had woken up early and couldn't go back to sleep the night before, she was excited to have a posting finally though she was sad it wasn't with her goth neko friend who was super cute. Delmira pulled up the stored information on where to go and picked up her duffel bag before heading to the office of the XO Teien Eden.

She made sure her uniform was in place as she walked down the hall and stopped outside the XO's door before knocking "Santo Hei Lulie reporting for duty." she announced
 
Like William, Aiko had spent the lion's share of her post-rescue time being examined and debriefed by all manner of fleet and SAINT officers. The future would bring more of that, as well as SANDRA interviews and photoshoots for the nightly newsreels and tabloids back home. All of it almost seemed more intrusive than anything the Kuvexians had done to her; at least she'd been in the fight as someone her captors thought was heir to the Yamatai Star Empire rather than answering the indelicate questions of operatives and medics who barely acknowledged that she was Ketsurui-taii, the brave sixth daughter of Taisho Yui who'd sacrificed more for the war effort on the frontlines than they ever could from their medbays and SCIFs.

Now, though, she'd been able to get away from her would-be interrogators to be among her crewmates from the Kaiyo and the masses of legionnaires from the 776th, 777th, and 778th who'd appointed themselves as her new yojimbo and watched her every move from a distance that remained as respectable as their excitement would allow. Their presence and attitude was a welcome change from the black-paneled professionals debriefing her for the past month, and it made Aiko wonder what life would be like once she finally got back to her home on Yamatai, which she'd barely began knowing ahead of being sent off to fight in Kuvexian space.

The Princess of Yamatai was decorating the base alongside her comrades and legion fans when she spied her Nepleslian friend exit the prefab building where he'd been holed up talking with his own NMSC inquisitors. She carried a canvas satchel — filled with those purple garlands and kikyo flowers — slung over her right shoulder and around her body, which wrinkled her uniform's jacket where it pinched up under her bosom. Aiko didn't move to meet William straightaway, still remembering to not act imprudently in front of the citizen-soldiers her clan served with its leadership, and continued to string up Bellflower Day decorations on buildings and stacks of cargo containers in a path that would lead her to William's tree.

When she arrived at the spot where he was cleaning his pistols, Aiko lifted up off the ground and hovered over to him so that her footsteps wouldn't make a sound. She didn't want to interrupt him as he finished up cleaning the part he'd been working on but did want to surprise him some. So when he finally polished off the little pin and put it down, the Neko girl plucked one of the violet blossoms out of her hair and tossed it down onto his lap.

"I know you must have grown accustomed to wearing that green uniform by now, but you ought to join in," Aiko said to William as her feet touched back down into the grass, at first looking gravely serious when he peered up to see her. "Or did Rei not teach you to enjoy Kikyō no Sekku like a good samurai?"

Her grim visage remained only for a moment before her steely frown grew first into a broken grin and then to a full smile.

As William continued cleaning his mind became laser-focused on the task at hand. Each pin and part was looked over like his life depended on it. Once his revolver was re-assembled and placed at his side was when the princess made her move.

The ID-SOL jumped as she began to speak, then looked back down to the smaller neko. Her words and smile were infectious. His own steely face finally cracked and let a little grin play across his lips.

He took the bellflower that had fallen into his lap and looked back to her hair, realizing where it had come from. "You dropped this..." he said softly, his hand coming up and delicately placing the flower back in her hair, his hand lingering. He told himself it was to make sure the flower was properly secured. As soon as it was in place, he realized that they were not alone and quickly turned around. He grabbed his revolvers, sliding them back into their holsters.

"I still forget that now you have an entourage... sorry," he said, his head slightly tilting in the direction of a few legionaries who stood nearby. "Are your babysitters being just as ridiculous as mine?" he said, standing up from his seated position and stretching. Several of his joints cracked and popped as he did. "Because I can't keep telling that story over and over again. Eventually I'm just going to record myself and let them watch it over and over," he grumbled as he took a bellflower from her bag and began to set them on the tree he was standing under.

Aiko glanced over at the loitering Rikugun soldiers who were doing their best to appear as if they weren't lurking. Her look made them shuffle farther away, whispering thrilled amazement that they'd finally caught the Ketsurui girl's eye as they went.

"You and Rei-sensei remain my only entourage," Aiko reminded him with a chuckle on her breath. She pulled a garland out and then hopped up toward the tree's branches, fastening one end of the purple streamer near its trunk. "The debriefings have grown tiresome, yes, but those SAINTs are just doing their job," she lied as she hovered outward from the tree and looped her garland among its leafy offshoots.

"I am surprised they have treated both of us to such—" the Neko princess paused, searching for a way to put it that wouldn't betray her contempt so much, "—such thorough interviews. It is as if they forget who we are!" she huffed while making her way around and through the tree some more with what seemed like an endless purple swag line.

"Have your superiors in Nepleslia at least given you a promotion for your heroism?" Aiko asked after spending a while with her decoration work. "Surely they can see that your small rank does not match you."

William smiled back at the princess at her words. He reached up and placed another flower on the tree. His smile turned to a scowl.

"I know they are doing their job, but after I speak with them over and over..." he sighed. "It just makes me feel like I did something wrong," he admitted, fashioning another flower to the tree. "I haven't heard anything about a promotion. It was never mentioned," he added.

The princess had begun hanging flowers of her own, by now, after the long garland she'd strung up in the tree's lower branches hung all around it. Descending toward the floor again, Aiko's left eyebrow raised quizzically when her Nepleslian friend made his reply. She hadn't been promoted either, but was a Taii and didn't expect another advancement for some time. That a warrior so esteemed as William hadn't been recognized beyond his initial placement — itself low in her opinion considering the revelation of his parentage months prior — was puzzling for the young Neko, but she didn't think too hard about it. The Nepleslians had different ways that sometimes failed to make much sense to her Yamataian sensibilities.

"I'm sure it will happen soon," Aiko told him, nearly regretful for bringing it up. "Maybe I will send them a letter about it!" she joked, placing another kikyo flower on the tree's trunk before spinning to show William a big, toothy grin. "Your command will doubtlessly appreciate exaltations from one of Yui-taisho's kin."

William chuckled, Aiko's grin again infectiously changing his mood. "I'm sure it would," he replied to the princess.

He looked back over the rest of the base, everyone hurrying around to get everything decorated for tonight's festivities. He again noticed all eyes peering towards them once more. He looked back to Aiko and smiled mischievously.

"Do you remember that night back at the royal palace?" he asked as he gathered his things.

"Yes, of course!" the girl replied, sounding nearly shocked that William even thought the need to ask. Their brief escape from the palace had been her only real taste of planet Yamatai and its capital Kyoto between the moment she was created and her deployment to the first YSS Kaiyo, so the memory stuck in her mind like a boulder poking out through a river of military experiences. "Perhaps I remember it too often. It is a good reminder as to my purpose."

He smiled and motioned to the wall. "Up for a repeat?" he asked, looking back to her.

"What?" Aiko exclaimed, sounding very baffled. "We are not on Yamatai. This is a Star Army base in the middle of Kuvexian—"

William rolled his eyes and took her hand. "Just come with me, baka." he teased as he led her out the gate. He looked back and motioned to the forest nearby. "I found something out here the other day. I wanted to show you but we haven't had a chance to get away." he explained, quickly darting into the trees to lose the trailing legionaries.

When the Nepleslian soldier grabbed Aiko, she quickly understood the intent of his question about their jaunt in Kyoto and followed along behind William and out of the base. The Rikugun fangirls behind them were easily lost when the two scions of Yamatai and Nepleslia made it out of the base and into the treeline; neither those hohei nor the gate guards dared stop Aiko or leave their posts at all. Her sack of Bellflower Day decorations was similarly left right when they departed the base, and made for a good distraction that the legionnaires could focus on retrieving.

"You could have simply told me about it, Wil-kun," Aiko scolded jovially, yanking her forearm out of his hand so that she could race along beside him. "They will think we've been kidnapped again!" the Neko said in her husky way from behind a chuckle. "Or worse! That we're Kuvexian sleeper agents!"

William rolled his eyes as he picked up the pace. "Well they have questioned us enough as-is. Besides, we deserve some time away from everyone else. You have your fangirls and I am watched like a hawk by Nepleslia and Yamatai," he insisted. "Though now they will probably think that a Nepleslian Marine just abducted the princess..." he added, thinking about it and then quickly dismissing the idea.

As he finished, the faint sound of rushing water could be heard between the two of them. William smiled and picked up the pace, bounding between the trees and racing ahead of Aiko.

The trees parted and the pair came to a crystal clear stream that cut it's way through the forest.

"This is what I wanted to show you. I found it the other day when I tried to get some peace and quiet," he explained.
 
The sound of the babbling water caused William to visibly relax, sighing contentedly. He peeled off his boots and dipped his feet in the water. "The water is nice and cool," he said, eyes closed but pointing up at the canopy above.

Aiko's forest sprint slowed to a jog and then settled in the soft, grassy turf just beside the brook William had found. As he recounted finding the place, she peered around and took in all of its understated splendor. The stream's charming sound as its water crept over moss-clad rocks and past sproutings of overgrown ferns halted her thoughts as much as her body had stopped right before.

When William took off his boots, the Neko girl blinked out of her reverie and back to see him as he slid into the waiting pool. She nodded to him and sat down, first removing her own glossy black uniform pumps before reaching up under the hips of her skirt to tug down the cadet blue stockings she had on, too. The front of her skirt hung between her legs while she lifted up her rear for a second, maintaining a good measure of modesty despite the situation, and pulled the mesh legwear across her strong thighs and calves and off of her toes until they were a small bundle of fabric in her right hand.

"I cannot get my uniform wet," Aiko insisted even though William hadn't had the chance to say anything, and was blushing when she said it. It was more embarrassing to talk about than it was to do; she was, after all, accustomed as any soldier to disrobing in front of her comrades.

William looked away as she took off her stockings. "Of course," he replied quickly. "I understand, no need to explain to me," he added.

Sufficiently prepared, now, Aiko scooted along across the grass behind her long legs and dipped them in the water. She paused for a moment or two right when her toes went in, savoring the quick shock that the cool water's touch sent up her spine.

"This is wonderful, Wil-kun," she agreed, now sitting with her legs knee-deep in the creek and reclined back with her arms supporting her. "Thank you for taking me here."

He smiled as the princess leaned back and enjoyed the cool water. "I'm glad I was able to bring you here," he said as he laid back on the bank, head turning over to her. "I actually managed to fall asleep here. I scared our babysitters half to death," he chuckled.

The water continued to trickle by, its noise drowning out the forest sounds around them. "Further on is a waterfall and cave system. I went and dove off it a few days ago," he added as he laid next to the princess.

Looking up toward the forest canopy above, Aiko closed her eyes and imagined sleeping here like William had. Dappled rays of light broke through the tree cover and warmed patches of skin on her face and bare legs as she dreamt of it, and she felt entirely relaxed here. She kicked out each of her legs through the water slowly and created little ripples on its surface, lost in her meditations again so soon.

"You had quite a day, then," the Neko princess said cheerfully. "It surprises me you dared to do it again," she lied, totally unsurprised. "I will take care of any angry kenpeitai who get on our case, do not worry."

William kicked his own foot out in her direction, splashing some water on her leg but not too hard as to soak her skirt. He snickered, his leg stirring up the water around her.

"Oh, I'm not, I have mastered the art of evading questions. Being from a different nation's military helps too." He laughed then. "Never works on the Kaiyo personnel, though. They can always catch me dodging questions," he said, looking over as he sent another splash of water at her.

"William!" she chirped in a mocking rebuke, still grinning as she had since their arrival here at the creek. "You must know felines do not enjoy the water that much." The statement was more for his benefit and because of his uniform's constant reminder that he was a Nepleslian from Nepleslia now rather than a Yamataian; Aiko identified less with the neko aspect of her species than the did with the valkyrie part.

"Have you been able to catch up with them?" the princess wondered as her mind drifted away from her attempt at humor and to the crewmates William had just mentioned. "I have seen you friendly with Kiyo and Gravity and Saya before," she remembered. "There must have been an opportunity for you to enjoy their company again between debriefing and running off into the woods."

William looked thoughtful as his legs continued to slowly kick through the water, moving against the current. "Mmmh, not really. I have kept to myself since we got back. I'd keep myself busy with projects or writing reports," he replied.

"What about you?" He asked, turning the question back to her. "How have you been since we've been back?" William added, sitting up and turning his body to face her.

"Bored for the most part," Aiko admitted. She sighed and then stood up in the water now that she was used to the place and how it felt being there. "Aurinda really kept us engaged. Even despite all of the reports I have had to give and my military duties, everything I do seems to pass by so quickly. Training on my own terms in a Star Army dojo again is nice, however."

She paused, spinning around in the shin-deep creek. Her pleated uniform skirt lifted up a little as she twirled and then fell to a rest again atop her thighs when she stopped with her face toward William.

"This is not boring, either, Wil-kun" the princess said, thanking her Nepleslian friend warmly and then scanning the natural beauty around her again as she continued. "I would take this kind of excitement over the arena any day."

William nodded. "Yeah, after having Aurinda drilling us every waking hour, going back to normal is odd. My body constantly feels like I need to be doing something," he replied, watching as the princess waded through the stream and twirled her skirt.

He couldn't help himself but to watch as she enjoyed the cool water, happy that she was able to relax. The ID-SOL always felt happy when he was able to get the princess out of her shell.

When she spoke, it forced William back to the present.

"I agree, though when I'm with you nothing is ever boring," he said, himself standing and wading into the deeper part of the stream, which still only came up to his knees. "Though I'd rather not have to experience anything like the arena again," he added.

"I doubt command will allow Taiyou-chusa to send me on any such risky mission again," Aiko speculated as an offer of comfort while knowing fully that her membership in the Ketsurui Clan did not exempt her from any such danger. "There is no need to worry about getting captured by Kuvexians again."

Then, she approached William and put her right hand out for him to grab onto. The day's light was growing a more rich yellow by now, after they'd traversed all the way out here into the forest and stopped to relax.

"Here, come on," she said, sounding kind of bossy and a bit awkward. "Take hold of my forearm."

William blinked, pausing for a moment — but only a moment. He reached out and gingerly took hold of Aiko's forearm, blushing slightly.

With William closer, Aiko slid her hand up his arm and then around his waist. Even for her small stature compared with him, she was still a Nekovalkyrja warrior and could secure his mass effortlessly using a grip that would discomfort neither of them. Now side-by-side with the eight foot tall Nepleslian, she gently motivated her body's ability to manipulate gravity and ascended up toward the canopy while making sure not to rocket skyward for William's sake. Tiny droplets of water ran down her legs and past her toes, falling a few inches back to the surface at first, and then some meters, and eventually a whole building's height as they arose up and through the trees. By the time they were through the mossy treetops, the gentle creek below rippled excitedly from the dozens of beads that had fallen from her body and his.

William forced himself not to tighten his grip as Aiko lifted off the ground. He never could get used to Nekos being able to lift his bulk into the air so easily.

"Here, now we can see what makes the shadows grow longer below," Aiko said once they'd peeked through the forest's roof. Off miles in the distance, the Star Army base seemed like a miniature model building despite its decidedly expansive size. Not far by the way the crow — or in her case, the Neko — flies, but enough away to have made their running foot-hike worthwhile.

"I trust this is still not boring," she added, glad that carrying him like this hid her own rosy cheeks from view. "Based on what you said just now, of course."

As they broke the canopy, William took a sharp breath in as the sight unfolded before them. His eyes took in the scene around them as they floated high above the ground.

He turned and looked down at the princess as she spoke. Smiling at her words, he rested his head against the crown of her's. "You have never been boring, since the day I met you," he said softly.

"The same goes for you, Wil-kun," Aiko replied, squeezing around him a little tighter. "Watch the sky, though. We have all the time in the galaxy for words, but this planet will not always be here for us to see." She paused for a second, getting too caught up in her own advice.

"Remember it with me."

William nodded, lifting his head and looking at her. She was right, there was plenty of time for words later. He leaned in one last time and gave Aiko a peck on the forehead, before turning and looking up to the sky.
 
Tsubame's eyes, like a frosted over river with their coldness, looked to Wyatt for a moment before she spoke up.

"We are fine father, just putting up decorations." She explained as she again used that creepy blink before her gaze turned to her mother, then to the direction her mother's eyes had fallen. She caught the tail end of the two who had snuck off, the Imperial princess and the large Neplelsian man that had been her partners in the arena. While she hadn't fought as long as they had, Tsubame seemed to be a bit closer, a bit more comfortable with the two than most anyone else in the crew, but the youngling had quickly begun to open up in her own ways...

Saya had flinched instinctively when she felt the arm around her, a little distracted just then as Wyatt touched her, her gaze remained on Aiko and William as they snuck away but she let out a sigh and leaned into Wyatt before she fidgeted after a few moments and turned to her lover with a smile.

"Hey Wyatt, sorry I uh... zoned out. How are you doing?" She asked with a smile.
 
Chlorate looked up from the ground, seeing Sonoda's hand reaching for her. "Affirmative," she beeped, reaching up with her black metal hands that had no artificial skin on them. Up close, it was more clear that her feet had no shoes on them, nor any toes; they were a part of her body. Her yellow irises were also visibly glowing, as if they were LEDs. Her arms' servos whirred, but rather than responding to the gesture correctly, she robotically gripped his sides and pulled herself up. Her grasp was firm, and though it wasn't technically snowing, it had a metallic coldness to it. "Thank you for the assistance," she stated, then she glanced at his extended hand and tilted her head as her hair turned purple. "Is your arm malfunctioning?" she asked, confused.
 
Takashi was taken off-guard when the black metal robot with the human face grabbed his sides and used his body to pull herself up. From a distance, he saw her face and body shape and had assumed she was some kind of organic humanoid. But when she grabbed him, he was given the opportunity to inspect her at a distance that was otherwise less than socially appropriate. The yellow glow of her irises in particular intrigued him. In fact, he was able to experience her with more than just his vision. Three more of his senses were stimulated by the close proximity of her presence. Firstly, the cold touch of her metallic grasp at his sides and her unexpected weight that nearly pulled him down rather than pulling her up. Secondly, the sound of her whirring servos gave him further indication that she was by no means organic, though he didn't need it. Finally, he swore that he could smell something industrial, probably oil, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps he imagined it because of all of the other mechanical things he noticed about her.

"Very curious," he said quietly to himself.

When she remarked on his arm, he looked down at it and realized he was still holding it out towards her. In fact, he was surprised she hadn't pushed up against it while using him to lever herself up.

"Ah," he stammered, lowering his arm. "I suppose so. Or rather, my brain is malfunctioning. I guess you could say I extended it towards you on purpose, but forgot about it when you..."

And he paused, perhaps appearing to have emptied his speech buffer, but in actuality he was trying to find the word to describe her maneuver.

"Climbed me," he said finally. Noting the pair of green bars on her uniform, he saluted. "I am Santō Hei Sonoda Takashi. Please allow me to assist."

He picked up the thinner piece of wood that she had splintered under her clanking metal feet, and set it aside, considering it was likely unusable for any part of the structure now. Once that was done, he surveyed the scene. Before him, he saw a stage in a state of partial construction along with a load of wood that had been dropped off while he was helping the robot girl. But what caught his eye was a beige Separa'Shan with green hair and a diamond and stripe pattern on her back. He had heard her speak and be interrupted. Presumably, he thought, by a piece of garland that he could see had wrapped itself around her.

Takashi took a step towards the Separa'Shan who was wiggling in a way that suggested discomfort. "Would you like some help with that garland?"
 
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YSS Kaiyō II

Within the confines of the ship were very few crew members.

The ship AI was quick to let Delmira know that, "Hello and welcome the YSS Kaiyō II. I am Boss, the MEGAMI of this ship. Chusa Teien Eden is on the base preparing for the day's festivities. You can find her in the fabrication workshop. I can send a map to your digital mind to follow if you would like."

Base

Eden's gaze had been on her task of folding some of the thick paper into the center of itself, eventually making it into a bellflower shape with the help of a small pin. Though Wyatt had entered, she let his family greet him first before looking up at him to answer the question as she set the bellflower into a large pile.

"Well enough, though if we have an extra pair of hands to string the bellflowers together then maybe the best flier of our group could hang them up outside," Eden had said, turning her attention and a smile to Tsubame as she said the latter part of her statement. "Wyatt, if you could..." Eden set the box of completed and large paper bellflowers on the table, then brought over the transparent fishing line. She demonstrated how to put the string between the layers of paper that made up the large folded bellflowers. "Like this. We'll all do one down the line."
 
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"Yes that would be very helpful Boss." Delmira said and waited for the data upload. "Should i drop my duffle off in one of the rooms?" She didnt mention that she was looking forward to seeing if she was going to be in a Neko nest though her tail swayed behind somewhat excitedly. The neko let the duffle slide off her shoulder and into her hand so she could carry it a bit easier.
 
YSS Kaiyō II

"Here you are," Boss said as the map was sent. "If you have any further questions, please let me or Chusa Teien know." The ship was located within the base's starport and the fabrication area was only a five minute walk by foot or a quick minute by way of Nekovalkryja flight from the ship.
 
Base

Saya couldn't help but giggle as she spotted the reaction of her daughter as Eden spoke about her. Though the face stayed impassive for the most part, there was a small twitch on the tiny features that could be spotted. The tell tale swell of her chest and the shoulders that pulled back a little as the diminutive neko puffed out her chest at the compliment though showed just how much the words of the woman meant to the youngling. River blue eyes flicked back and forth from Eden to Saya and Wyatt, then back to Eden, before she held out the bell flower she had held in hand toward her father.

"The Chusa has reuqested I aid her in a different way Father. Would you please relieve me of my current cargo?" She asked in such an adorably important manner. Little gave away just how much she wanted to fly about and be important, save for the twitch of one of her feet as it bounced in the air.
 
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