New Sun

Ever the early bird, Mikasa was long awake before most of her compatriots did. Once she's done dressing in full uniform—she understood many looked up to her as a leader and would always make sure to look the part—and strapping her saber, polished the night before, to her belt, she stepped out of the room into the quiet hallway.

She deliberately went through the longer route, passing several rooms as she went on her way. Owing to the building's state of disrepair, many of them had broken doors, if not lacking one outright—for her, that was a good thing because she always liked to check on the occupants.

Shoukaku seems to have stopped crying in her sleep; something must have happened, so I'll ask her later. And Ayanami stopped coming to my room at midnight; that's good, too. Judging from how they cling to each other, Takao and Atago seem to have reconciled. Ah, everything seems okay. I hope so. Looks like the only one not affected much by the war is Akashi, but who knows what she feels inside? She's a cat, after all.

Satisfied with their well-being, Mikasa briefly considered waking them up and telling them what she would be doing, but in the end, she decided to leave them be and make her way to the courtyard. The place was nearly empty, save for a few people exercising.

There, she waited, under the gray sky and in the cold of the early spring morning; winter had passed, but still, its influence lingered a little before disappearing and coming back again.

Perhaps, she reflected, it's just like the war that was.

Her musing was cut short by the arrival of a car bearing an American flag, which stopped right in front of her while the others paused what they were doing and watched from afar. From the car, two figures emerged. Mikasa stepped forward and saluted them both.

"It is an honor to receive your visit, Admiral Roberts."

How odd; there is no entourage. I thought this is an official visit.

Admiral Maylene Roberts, Commander of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet, returned the salute with a warm smile; her friendliness was a far cry from her fellow officers that Mikasa had met―giving an impression of a kind grandmother more than a high-ranking officer. Behind her stood a figure everyone present knew too well―the aircraft carrier, Enterprise, saluting back as well.

"It's an honor for us as well, lady Mikasa. I hope...my being here wouldn't bring...problems," the carrier said cautiously though she noticed there were no other KANSENs around.

"No, far from it; I've been hoping for you to come, actually. Speaking of which, your eagle..."

Enterprise laughed lightly at that before replying, "I'd always let him go wherever he wants once in a while. You should never keep an eagle caged for long; you see, they are creatures that value freedom above all else."

"Ah, yes... freedom; I understand..."

"Well, good to see us getting along, but that's not the main reason we are coming here today," Admiral Roberts let out a small cough to get the attention of both women.

"Ah. Of course, when you told me you wanted to come, I was a little surprised. And to see that you come without any escorts whatsoever, I was surprised even more...So...to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit? Perhaps we should talk about it inside? But if so, though, I must apologize for the sorry state of this building."

The Admiral shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary. I just want to inform you, we have discovered his whereabouts."

"...You...found him? The Marshal-Admiral?"

"Yes. We wanted to know if-"

Mikasa moved closer to the two, interrupting the Admiral, though she was unfazed by neither the sudden move nor the pleading look the other woman had.

"Forgive my impertinence...but please, take...take me to see him."

Putting a reassuring hand on Mikasa's shoulder, Admiral Roberts made a pointing gesture at her car with her thumb.

"Well then―hop in. I was about to ask if you wanted to come, but you beat me to it."

It didn't take long for Mikasa to accept; after calling one puzzled officer forward and informing him that she would be gone for a while, the three were already on their way, traveling through the streets of the ruined capital.

The car itself had to make several detours as parts of the road were damaged and rendered impassable. Mikasa made an effort not to look outside the window and at the destruction, the devastation that always wrought her heart when she saw them, and she despised the feeling and the helplessness that followed.

She loathed the reminder that the war had been for nothing, and she, too, was at fault.

"How sad," she heard Enterprise speaking, even though she spoke softly, almost like a whisper. She probably also feels the same, Mikasa imagined―despite not seeing her expression. If anything, Mikasa found her lack of grudge admirable, even with the loss she had gone through, courtesy of the Imperial Navy.

"If I may ask, how did you locate his whereabouts?" Mikasa turned to Admiral Roberts, who chuckled dryly before answering.

"Your old friend, the Navy Chief of Staff; he let it slip while we were questioning him. I appreciate the fact that he is very cooperative."

"I...I see."

"I'll be honest with you; this trip is a personal matter for me too."

As she said those lines, Admiral Roberts became forlorn, Mikasa noticed; she was not surprised. The two were friends who went way back, after all.

The car eventually stopped in front of a worn-down, western-style building near the city's outskirts. Once Mikasa got out of the vehicle, the first thing she saw was several elders, some taking a stroll, supported by nuns, while some others were just sitting down, staring blankly into the distance.

What is this place...?

"Oh, Welcome, welcome. How can I help you? Sorry if I looked too surprised; we usually don't get guests from the military. Or a KANSEN, for that matter," said one of the nuns who came forward to meet the group, offering a kind smile as she did.

Before Admiral Roberts had a chance to say something, Mikasa had already stepped forward and bowed.

"... I'm sorry for being so abrupt, but...can we see Todo Genichiro...? I was informed he is staying here, but..."

"Ah yes, Todo-san...follow me," The nun looked hesitant, but in the end, she motioned for the group to follow her. They walked along the hallway lined with rooms, some with doors left ajar; after glancing at the inhabitants, Mikasa finally realized just what the place was for.

"Todo-san, you have visitors," the nun said as she stopped in front of one of the rooms and opened the door.

"You go first. I can wait," Admiral Roberts said as she pushed Mikasa gently inside.

Silently thanking the Admiral, Mikasa put a hand on her chest in a futile effort to curb its wild beating; no matter what she did, she just could not calm down or even prepare herself for what she saw.

A wizened old man was sitting motionlessly on a chair overlooking the window, while a much younger nun tried in vain to spoon-feed him congee from a bowl. He ignored her off every time she did.

As Mikasa and the nun entered the room, she looked relieved.

"Todo-san, you have visitors..."

"Oh? Todo-san has not finished his meal, though..." the young nun replied for him, setting the bowl she was holding aside. "...Well, he's not too interested in eating anyway. I tried, sister Fukunaga."

"Don't force them, sister Fujii. Well, you can go; you might be needed somewhere else," said the older one; the younger nun stood up, bowed, and left without further words.

"... Marshal-Admiral...?"

With slow steps, Mikasa approached the old man, who did not seem entirely aware of her presence, even when she timidly put a hand on his shoulder. Only the sound of labored breathing and occasional pained groan indicated that the man was still alive.

No...

Todo Genichiro, Marshal-Admiral of the Imperial Navy...

He can't be this...weak.

This...fragile.

This...small.

"What...happened to him?" Despite the turmoil raging inside her, Mikasa managed to compose herself enough not to break down right there.

"...just like the others who stayed here. He is terminally ill. Here we care for them and provide comfort before the inevitable."

"How did he end up here...?"

"Oh, hmm...Several months before the war ended, a group of Imperial Navy officers escorted him here. We were told that he must be taken care of, but no visitors were allowed. I was afraid to draw the military's ire, so I did not ask them further. Only after the end of the war did I learn who this man was."

"I...see."

Getting down on one knee, Mikasa moved her hand to the Marshal-Admiral's cheek. Not without guilt, as she believed the act was inappropriate, but she could not think of anything else that would make him respond.

"...You...you are...Mikasa?" The old man finally spoke in a barely audible and very hushed voice; Mikasa found it comforting despite the fact.

"I am, Marshal-Admiral...I..."

"...Why...did you come to see me...?"

The question hurt her more than she expected, but Mikasa took it in stride; her hand moved again, this time holding the Admiral's hand as gently as she could. She could feel that he tried to return the gesture but was too weak to do so.

"I've been looking for you, Marshal-Admiral. When I heard you were put on house arrest, I..."

"Fitting punishment for my failures, M-Mikasa. I-I've failed you...and Akagi...and failed everyone. If-if only I've b-been s-st-str-stronger to stop the Prince, I..."

"Please, Marshal-Admiral. No more. It hurts you. It hurts me."

The old man spoke no further, and Mikasa saw tears in the corners of his half-lidded eyes; despite herself, her eyes began to mist as well.

"...I never told you this, haven't I? I always see you as my own father. It's funny. A KANSEN like me should have no need for a family. Yet...you...you...showed us kindness as a father would."

'You have always been too kind. That's why you had no place in what the Navy had become.'

At this point, Mikasa stopped talking to gather herself and held her tears back, not wanting to cry just yet. Not until she said what she wanted to say.

"... That's why...for your sake...I will protect them...like what you have done all these years. I will make things right too! I don't care how I will do it; I will! So...you...can rest...easy..."

Mikasa fell silent when she felt a hand gently lay on top of her head, stroking her hair. She looked up, meeting the gaze of the old man, seeing him smiling―or trying to smile―behind his ragged beard, even after he exerted all his might just for that one affectionate gesture. Unable to hold it anymore, she allowed her tears to fall freely.

Outside, the sun was shining.

It will be a fine day.