Two Wings: Mother Bird

With an audible thud, the shinai fell onto the floor as its wielder reeled from the blow to her forehead, but Shoukaku managed to steady herself just in time to keep her balance and stop herself from falling over to the mat. It probably won't hurt much if she did, but that would look disgraceful indeed.

The one who caught her off-guard and landed the strike looked on, at first in disbelief, which turned into horror as she finally realized what she had done.

"Oh no, I-I'm so sorry, Shoukaku-nee! I hit too hard, didn't I!" Dropping her own shinai, Zuikaku rushed towards her older sister.

"Agh...I—I'm fine, see?" Shoukaku assured Zuikaku as she removed one hand from her throbbing forehead. As far as she's concerned, she, thankfully, suffered no injuries, visible or otherwise—save the one to her pride.

Even then, that was inconsequential compared to the tremendous pride she felt for her sister. That girl had grown stronger with each passing day, and she soon realized she would have to hone her tactics to keep up with Zuikaku's brute strength.

"Oh yeah, it's good you are not bruised or anything...but still, I'm sorry, you know?"

"I said, don't be. You sure have grown a lot stronger, Zuikaku."

"Am I? Eheheh, you flatter me too much..."

Standing by the threshold of the dojo, Houshou watched the exchange with pride of her own, which she left unspoken; her smile would be telling enough.

She was not the only spectator at the bout; standing beside her was a much-honored guest.

Mikasa, the oldest and one of the most respected KANSEN of the Imperial Navy, was not particularly concerned with who won or who lost, or the sparring itself, for that matter. The ones involved, however, were of interest to her.

Unlike her and many other KANSENs of the Empire, Shoukaku and Zuikaku did not possess the features of beasts nor demons—the dehumanizing traits their creators had forced upon them—and apart from the unusual colorations of their hair and eyes, the two were no different from an ordinary human being.

But that wasn't the only aspect that set them apart from the others.

It was the fact that they were "born" as children.

"Dai-senpai, forgive me for being presumptuous by assuming, but do you, by chance, find all this tedious? You have been silent since they first started," Houshou, at last, said what had been on her mind for quite some time now. At first, she held back, not wanting to offend, but she remembered Mikasa was not the kind of person to take offense so easily.

She was proven right when the battleship responded with a warm smile.

"Hardly so, my dear; nothing is tedious about watching people working hard."

"Ah...are you...curious about them?"

"Curious, yes, but I'm not about to see them as mere curiosities," Mikasa replied, pausing a bit to take a better look at Shoukaku and Zuikaku, who had just resumed their sparring, filling the room with sounds of their kiai. The passion the two showed was indeed admirable, she had to admit.

Shoukaku, as she noted, was better at adapting than Zuikaku, and with a simple change of tactic, she prevailed this time. Zuikaku moped at her loss, but she soon broke into a wide grin, which Mikasa guessed was because Shoukaku praised her again.

"I never thought you would teach them kendo, Houshou."

Houshou laughed softly. "It wasn't me who did. They were interested…so I simply encouraged them to learn. Kongou and her sisters have been more helpful than I am on this matter."

"Still, I believe you have done a good job of educating them. Just before, I've seen them practicing with planes and discovered just how much they have learned. But…" Mikasa remarked as she turned to Houshou, who noticed she seemed a little reluctant to continue.

"Do go on."

"…But the brass said it wasn't enough. You are not enough. Sooner or later…they will be taken from you."

Mikasa thought Houshou had always been too forgiving, and the fact she only smiled at the revelation only served to enforce that impression.

"I understand. I'm aware of my own shortcomings as a carrier, and certainly, there are others who can teach them better tha—"

Houshou went silent as Mikasa placed a hand on her shoulder, as firm as her steely gaze.

"You are the first carrier of the Imperial Navy. The one who opened the way—no, the sky—for others after you. I want you to never, ever say words like that again."

"… I'm sorry."

"…You have been a great mother to them, too. If only you weren't a KANSEN…" Mikasa murmured, her expression softening. She could see the tears forming in the eyes of the woman before her.

"All fledglings will leave their nest someday. Such is life…is there a greater pride for a mother bird than seeing her children spread their wings and take to the sky?"

"So, you understand. But you see, Houshou, the truth is I'm fighting to take them under me. When…if that time comes, I'll make sure you can still see them anytime you want. Share your wisdom. Because they'd still need it."

"…I cannot thank you enough," Houshou replied, wiping her tears away just as Shoukaku and Zuikaku approached. She was grateful they didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, it's dai-senpai. Greetings," Shoukaku bowed; Zuikaku followed moments afterward, if only because her sister elbowed her.

"My, it seems you two are growing up well," Mikasa said. Zuikaku seemed delighted at being praised, but Shoukaku's reaction, as always, was more subdued, though she had a rather telling blush on her face.

"It's all thanks to Houshou-sensei! She taught us many things!" Zuikaku exclaimed.

"She did. We are grateful for everything," Shoukaku added.

Houshou could feel the tears returning, but her smile remained as she went to the two sisters and got down on one knee to see them eye-to-eye.

"I'm grateful as well," she half-whispered.

"…Grateful…for what…?"

"We didn't do anything…though?"

"You two helped me find my place."

Mikasa smiled as the sisters leaned forward to give Houshou a hug. Such a heartwarming scene it was.

That the three will be alright, she had no doubt.