1 Meeting

"Today Aoba will find a good scoop again!"

That's the charm that Aoba always shout every morning. After saying that, she sits down and looks at the bed across her. There is Kinugasa's bed and it's already empty, something unusual for her. At first, Aoba quite puzzled with that and she then remembers about what Kinugasa said yesterday regarding what she will do today. Kinugasa said about meeting with two High Ranking Admiral, Admiral Ichijou and Admiral Yanagi for today event.

Aoba then stands up from his bed and dash towards the bathroom. After that, she combs her hair, takes a small notes book, and leave the room. She then stops at the newspaper room and hears what she needs to do that day.

The reason is really simple. That day is the day where Yokosuka Naval Base will take new recruit to lead the Ship Girl at the frontline, with many of senior Admiral are already sent to other Naval Base across the Pacific, like Tawi-Tawi Naval Base and Brunei Naval Base at the South East Asia Region as joint-operation with ASEAN Navy.

The ceremony will start shortly and Aoba already hides around the bushes near the road to the Ship Girl dormitory. She looks around the ceremony grounds and she could see a lot of people wearing a white Admiral Attire gathers there. Aoba smirks and says,

"Fufufufufufu... There's a lot of interesting new Admiral in this batch. Maybe... Aoba will take one and interrogate him or her... Fufufufufufu."

Aoba seems deep in her though and didn't notice someone already stands behind her. The person behind Aoba suddenly pats Aoba's shoulder and the pat change into a grip. Aoba shudders and in split second fear comes to her mind.

Aoba didn't want to look behind her because of the killing aura from the person behind her. She knows the one that stands behind her is someone that she didn't want to meet after she says that. She peeks behind her and sees a woman that smiling towards her.

The woman is wearing a white Admiral attire and have a long black braided hair that put near her shoulder. The woman seems really angry towards Aoba and knows Aoba so much because of the recent incident. And Aoba knows that if she didn't say anything soon, the woman in front of her will obliterate her in split second.

So in order to save her own life, she says with a lot of sweat,

"Ahahahahahahaha... Admiral Yanagi... Aoba only joking... Ahahahahahaha."

The woman behind her is Yanagi Shiro, the daughter of High Ranking Admiral Yanagi Tadahisa. And Shiro is one Admiral that knows Aoba so well that she knows what will Aoba think next in order to get away. So, she strengthens her grips at Aoba and says,

"I remember about that mechanic incident one month ago... You said about taking one out and you do that... Did you forget that incident? I hope you didn't."

Aoba only could smile after hearing what Shiro just said. She couldn't look at her eyes and she trembling from fear. So, Shiro continues by saying,

"So, I will keep my eye on you."

Shiro moves her face near Aoba with a smile. Aoba once again only could smile and thinks,

'Aoba need to change the subject now... Or Aoba will lose the chance to run away and observe the... Wait! The ceremony was already done!'

Aoba then looks at Shiro once more and thinks about one question that probably will save her life. So, she asks Shiro,

"Admiral, why did you suddenly behind Aoba? Where have you been before?"

"Oh... Only accompanying the new Ship Girl, Harusame, to the Ship Girl dormitory," answer Shiro without looks away from Aoba

Aoba only nods after hearing that and hoping for another miracle to help her. And after hearing that answer, she knows Shiro will not let her go.

Until one voice helps her out from the dire situation there.

"Ah... Big Sis." said one man.

Both of them quite surprised with that and looks at the source of the voice. There stands three man with Admiral Attire that seems like the new Admiral that appointed at Yokosuka right now. One of the man has black short hair, wearing eyeglasses, and have clear blue eyes. The other one a little bit taller than the first one and have black short hair but a little bit messy and wearing a jacket. His black eyes quite disturbing, but he tried his best to hide it. And the last one is the shortest from three of them and have short black hair that meeting the criteria of the hair at Naval Base.

"Amarov... I can't believe that you are the younger brother of Admiral Yanagi!" said the shortest from all of them

Hearing the word 'Younger Brother of Admiral Yanagi', Aoba immediately puts the information in her notes and prepares herself for another information given by the conversation that will occur soon. She looks at three of them once more and hears the man with eyeglasses says,

"If that true, then what are you going to do, Okazaki?"

"Well... I believe that you will get promotion really fast." answer the man that called as Okazaki.

Aoba nods to that response and peeks at the three people nameplate there. The shortest from all name is Okazaki Kimura. The second one with the jacket name is Kouga Haruto. And the last one with the eyeglasses name is Viltus Amarov. When she looks again at the name, she thinks,

'Wait... Is he a foreigner? How in this world he is Admiral Yanagi's brother? Maybe Aoba will find it out sooner or later.'

Aoba then looks at Viltus and hears he says,

"Okazaki... Listen to me... Even though that true my Father is one of the Higher up and my Big Sister is really famous, I will not use their influence to gain a respectable position here. Afterall, I want to use my own strength to achieve that."

Kimura and Haruto looks at each other and then both of them pats Viltus' shoulder together and says,

"Like I think... You are really an Idiot."

Viltus quite angry with the response from both of them and start to defend himself from the insult. Meanwhile, Shiro looks at Haruto and then says,

"So... Admiral Kouga. You are appointed to become the Admiral in this batch, huh?"

"Ah... Yes, I am," answer Haruto calmly and that makes Viltus, Kimura, and Aoba quite puzzled

"Then, I hope your training and experience could help this greenhorn on the battlefield."

"I hope so."

Viltus then walks towards Shiro and ask regarding the relation between Shiro and Haruto and what the meaning of that. Together with that, Aoba seems interested and start to ask the same question to them.

When four of them quite busy, Kimura takes out the camera from his bag and then without any warning takes a photograph of four of them there. All of them really surprised with that, especially Aoba. Aoba then says,

"Isn't that..."

"Yes, it is." answer Kimura

But, his smile disappears immediately when he sees Shiro face. Shiro then walks past Viltus and says,

"Did you know that you are prohibited to bring any item that didn't help you on the battlefield at Naval Base? I still remember that rule since I still a new Admiral here."

Kimura then walks back a little bit and quite scared of Shiro. After tried his best to gather some courage, he says,

"I'm sorry... But, about this camera."

"Big Sis," said Viltus

"What is it, Admiral Amarov?" ask Shiro

"Did you know there is a little change in the rule for the new Admiral?"

"Is there a change in the rule? I still not informed of that new rule as I am away on the mission in the recent week," ask Shiro

"Yes. The rule stated that we are allowed to bring one valuable item that could help us feels at home in order to maintain good mental health for the new Admiral. It seems they make the rule after a lot of Admiral deserting from their duty."

"Ah... Yes. A lot of them..."

"And that's why I bring this book with me and Kimura bring his camera."

Viltus looks at Kimura that seems quite relieved with the explanation given by him to Shiro. Shiro looks at Aoba and asks her to find out about the rule and after getting the confirmation from Aoba, Shiro then says,

"It seems there a problem in relaying regarding the change in the rule. I'm really sorry about it, Admiral Okazaki."

"Ah... No... That's alright." reply Kimura

"Then, what with that camera?"

Kimura quite surprised with the sudden question and really hesitant to tell about the camera at his hand. Viltus looks at Haruto that give him a sign to help Kimura once more and then whisper to Shiro regarding the reaction given by Kimura there.

Shiro nods to Viltus and then says,

"Alright. You are free to bring the camera around. But please remember that your task is to lead the Ship Girl in order to protect humanity."

"Sir, Yes Sir!" shout Kimura that starts to smile again

"And Admiral Amarov... Please refrain yourself to call me 'Big-Sis' when it still your work hour." said Shiro

"Sir, Yes Sir!" answer Viltus

After saying that, three of them salute Shiro to show that three of them understand what Shiro just said regarding the rule that applying at Yokosuka. Not long after that, all of them hear,

"For every new Admiral, please gather in front of your designated dormitory building. I repeat. For every new Admiral, please gather in front of your designated dormitory building."

Hearing that announcement, Shiro looks at all of them and says,

"I believe three of you should gather there now. And I'm sorry I can't accompany all of you because I still have another task to do."

Shiro then salutes three of them and immediately leave three of them there. Viltus then sighs and start to walk together with Haruto. When both of them aware that Kimura didn't with them, Viltus looks behind him and called his name.

Meanwhile, Kimura seems in deep thought while looking at his camera. After a while, he then puts it back again in the bag. He then hears Aoba says,

"That camera looks really good and looks really expensive."

Kimura looks at Aoba with a surprised face and then answering her response while smiling,

"Yes, it is!"

Aoba nods for a while and then remember about something. She then bows at Kimura and says,

"Ah... Before that, thank you very much for suddenly coming here and save Aoba there."

"Huh? Save you?" ask Kimura

"Yes... Something happened before three of you come here. So, thank you very much."

"Well, I don't know much about what happened. But, if you said so then you're welcome."

Aoba dan Kimura smiles each other and then Aoba could hear,

"And... Sorry... But, who are you?"

Aoba looks at Kimura for a while and starts to smirks. After that, she says,

"My name is Aoba, the first of Aoba-Class Heavy Cruiser. Nice to meet you!"

"My name is Okazaki Kimura. Nice to meet you, Aoba." answer Kimura

Both of them then shakes their hand and smiles at each other. Suddenly, Kimura could hear Viltus and Haruto that calls him there. So, he shouts,

"I will be there soon!"

After that, Kimura looks at Aoba and says,

"From now on, we will become a comrade in the battlefield. I hope you could look after me in the future."

"I hope you could look after Aoba, too!"

Kimura then starts to walk towards his two new friends at Yokosuka, while Aoba nods for a while. She looks at the notes at his hand and then says,

"Without further ado, let's continue to find a better scoop for the newspaper."

And with that, Aoba start to move again around the Yokosuka Naval Base.