Rumor and Hope

"My mind... and my body... I don't think... I could hold this anymore..."

That's what Kashima said after her work already done. She looks above her and immediately lay on her bed. She looks at the ceiling with an empty eye. She then says,

"Katori... Is... What I am doing now... Is right? Should I... help her? Should I... Still hoping... for her to change?"

Kashima then hides her face under her pillow as she starts to sob once more. She can't hold the pain that destroying her mind and body anymore. Her beloved base already beyond saving. The people that protect the base already become the worst people in the world, with her Admiral is the source of it. She then says weakly,

"I come here... To find out... What really happen... with you, Katori. To find out... The reason... Not to suffer... Like this... Not like this..."

She then starts to cry and shouts,

"Why? Why? WHY MUST I SUFFER LIKE THIS?!"

Her cry echoed through the dorm and little by little the cry vanished into the deep of night. Kashima already exhausted and she remembers that she needs to give Chika the report about today duty.

But, this morning she hears gossip that could make anyone fall on their knee. Someone at the base catches the sign of the Abyssal that kill her sister, Hakai. Kashima really surprised to hear that and looks really interested in the news. She then asks,

"Could you tell me about that..."

"About what? Hakai?" ask the other Ship Girl

"Yes..."

The other Ship Girl looks at each other and nods at each other. One of the then says,

"We catch his sign around 10000 KM at the east side of our Base."

"That's quite near to Tawi-Tawi," says Kashima

"Yes... But, there is something strange about his movement."

"What is that?" ask Kashima

"He moves around like he doesn't have any plan... Or to be more precise... Like someone who is wandering around without a plan."

"Is that so..." says Kashima

"Yeah, that's why some of us are on alert with his presence."

"What about Admiral Murakami? Is she already knows this information?" asks Kashima

The two Ship Girl only shakes their head with one of them says,

"Admiral isn't interested in this kind of information. What more important for her is how she could pay all of that tabs that she has."

"You... are right," says Kashima

"Even I believe she will say that the radar is broken and retort that no way the biggest threat of humanity could be easily find using a mere radar."

Kashima nods for a while and then hears one of them says,

"But, if he didn't attack us... It's should be alright..."

"Yes..." answer Kashima as she smiles at them

Kashima then sits down and planning to meet with him. But, she then remembers that Akizuki meets with Hakai before she brings her base down to the ground. She hears the rumours that it is Akizuki the one who asks him to do it.

She wants to meet with Hakai, but she doesn't want the base destroyed because of her. Kashima then thinks a little bit harder until someone calls her. She then informed that Chika is waiting for her at her office. After hearing that, she immediately walks to her office.

When she already arrived at Chika's office, Chika says,

"You have my permission to talk and answer my question."

"Sir, Yes Sir!" answer Kashima

"I will straight to the point here... Did you know that narcissistic person getting caught on our radar?" asks Chika

"Yes, I know it from the people at the canteen."

"Good to hear that..."

"..."

After saying that, Chika didn't say anything. She continues to read on the document on Kashima, while Kashima waiting for something. She is hoping for something from Chika. Chika notices Kashima still there and shouts,

"What are you doing here? Get out! I only want to ask that."

"Yes... Admiral" says Kashima dejected.

"Heee... It seems you have a question. Ask it now, as I let you do it."

Kashima quite surprised to hear that. She then says,

"If... If I sunk..."

"You will not sink," says Chika with a smile.

"Huh?"

Kashima really surprised to hear that. There is a glimpse of hope for Chika to change. But, that hope immediately break into pieces after hearing what Chika said next,

"It's because you are my favourite escort Ship, Kashima."

"..."

"That's all. Get out now."

Kashima understands that there is no hope for Chika to change at all. All of her hopes are destroyed and there is no hope for it to change. Now she knows that her admiral only sees her as an object, not as a comrade-in-arms to fight against the Abyssal.

The treatment for the Ship Girl is different than those under Admiral Kawano Shinji. All of his Ship Girls under him really admires him and even he is married to one of his Ship Girls, just like his mentor in the past.

Right before she left Chika's room, Chiks says,

"Ah... I almost forgot."

"..."

"About your escort mission today... Your customer is someone really special for me as they paid a lot of money to me."

"..."

"You know... Your usual customer."

Kashima only looks down after hearing that and starts to leave the room. But, Chika laughs and says,

"Ah... I almost forgot... He said that he will bring his friend with him."

"Huh?!"

"And they ask for no protection today."

"You... You must be joking, right? You reject it, right?"

"Of course... I agree with them! They paid a lot of money to me. Why must I reject them? After all, you are their favourite escort ships."

Kashima can't say anything about it and leaves her. The fate really cruel to her, but she couldn't do anything with it. She already learned that it is meaningless to fight the fate as it will hurt her more.

Right now, she is walking towards the dock to start her daily routine as Ship Girl. A patrol mission around Tawi-Tawi. The mission is given by Shinji to protect the area and find their enemy.

Kashima arrived at the dock and see Hamakaze and Oyashio that already prepared to leave the base. She could see the exhausted face and their eyes are asking if there really hope for them. Kashima takes a deep breath and says,

"Hamakaze, Oyashio... Let's do our best for today mission. Please do remember that the rumoured Abyssal is around here."

"We... Know about that," says Oyashio.

"Huh? What is it, Oyashio?" asks Kashima

"Maybe... If we meet him... We could get away from... This place, right?" says Hamakaze

Kashima looks at them and knows they are really desperate to run away from this hell hole. But, there's nothing she could do about it. So, she says,

"I know... That its look really hopeless... But, believe me... That's not the only way to run away... From here..."

Hamakaze and Oyashio want to say something to Kashima about that, but they know that Kashima is the one that still believes Chika could change and the one who hurt the most from any Ship Girl in the base. So they look away from Kashima and agree to not make her sadder.

Kashima smiles at them and says,

"Then, let's do our best for today mission."

They nod and start their mission. And at the same time, Kashima thinks,

'Maybe... We should... Meet him... Just like... What Katori did..."