Chapter Text
Elysia was working on something for the Hyperion.
As usual, the crew were a bit confused on why she was putting a huge banner on the bridge view that says "CONGRATULATIONS" but their first mate looked really excited setting everything up.
So do they want to ask her about it? Yes.
Are they scared of doing it? Yes.
Do they think that it will be probably better to leave it to Captain Hajime to ask his "wife" about it?
Oh definitely because they rather keep what is left of their lifespan than dealing with her.
For now? The crew, including Amber, Theresa, Fu Hua (who is the weekly bridge duty valkyrie) is now watching her setting up the banner with balloons while 15 feet off the ground.
"Say Fu hua? Uhhhhh......... What is she doing?"
"I have honestly no clue. Overseer."
"But you have known her the longest here."
"That i do and yet after 50,000 years of existing, i still do not know what is going through with her head."
"I am guessing you and your previous groupmates just let her do things on her own."
"Pretty much. Not even Eden knew everything about her." Fu Hua crossed her arms while watching the pink haired in confusion.
"I feel sorry for the captain."
"Agreed."
"CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE." As Ai-chan announced
And speak of the devil............
"Say, guys? Have you seen Ellie? I couldn't find her anywhere." The crew assisted him by pointing where his first mate was. He turned and saw her. He scowled and sighed deeply, trying to let out as many frustrations as possible.
"Ellie? What are you doing?" He looked up.
"Oh. Hey, Darling~ I am trying to set everything up for the new valkyrie recruits so they might feel welcomed here."
"Don't call me darling. Also............ Is the banner really necessary? I could just have them take a tour around the ship and let themselves settled in."
"But your idea sounds soooooooooo boring. I wanted the Hyperion to have a 'party' feel to it and talk to them as if we are all friends here.
That way, they can open up us a bit more and trust us when we deploy them on the battlefield.
You wouldn't want to have a very complicated relationships with new recruits, would you?"
He sighed in defeat.
I might as well get this over with.
"A girl's heart is very complicated but fragile, Hajime darling." As he looked up and saw Elysia smiled cutely at him.
A guy slept in a coma for half a month and he gets Elysia for a 'wife'. Oh, how i love my life. As he is trying not to lose his lifespan with sarcastic thoughts.
"Well....My darling wifey. If you are done with that, you could just jump down to my arms and decorate the rest of the battleship for the recruits." Elysia gasped and clapped her hands.
"The captain's learning. I've always wanted someone to catch me in their arms. I feel like a Princess being comforted by a knight in a shining armor." The crew half-agreed to the statement on him being a knight, including Hajime himself.
"Say anything more than that and i'll let you fall onto your sorry butt." Elysia giggled as Hajime commented with a flat tone.
Elysia jumped down from the ladder and Hajime held out his arms to catch her.
Did he really want to catch Ellie with his arms? Yes. His first mate was a bit much to handle but he meant it when he said he will take care of her.
Did he planned and calculated on how to catch Ellie with his arms held out? Yes.
Did he think of an alternative when Elysia jumped down and blinked to slightly move 15 feet on top of him? No.
"OOOOF!"
It was a very odd sight for the Hyperion Crew to see a very defeated Captain, lying face-down with Elysia sitting on his back.
"Aww.......... You didn't catch me fall well enough, captain. I've always wanted to land on someone arms. Especially as bulky as yours." Hajime can beg to disagree on that statement. If only he could right now.
"Well............ Sorry to disappoint." He grunted and gritted his teeth. "Next time, i will try to remember that you actually wanted to drop on top of me instead of me catching you from the 15 feet tall ladder, My bad." He laid his head on the ground, not wanting to move.
"You doing okay, captain?" His martial artist valkyrie bent down and gave him a concerned look as he stayed still on the floor as if he didnt want to leave the cold floor.
"Doing great, Fu Hua. Just doing great." He sighed and laid himself on the floor for a while despite the added weight was gone.
"Thanks for doing this, Rita." He held his back as he watched the Schicksal's maid prepared for everything.
From hors d'oeuvres to the main course of the buffet.
"Always a pleasure, captain. Although, you didn't have to pay for the ingredients used here. I could have asked Master Theresa for help." Rita smiled as she started cooking for the buffet.
"Then it would have taken a bit longer for you to prepare for the meal because Theresa is doing something else, no?" Rita chuckled at his flawless logic as she used the spatula to stir, letting the aroma fill the room.
"I heard your back broke Master Elysia's fall. Are you doing okay, captain?" The Schicksal maid gave him a concerned look. He waved it off as if he was gesturing her to be more focused on the food rather than her handler.
"I am fine, Rita. This isn't the first time she tried to do something like this. My body is used to it." He held his back, straightening it and his neck, letting a few pop sounds out.
"That wasn't the first time?" Rita raised an eyebrow at him while giving him a smirk.
"THE POINT IS ........I AM FINE." She covered her lips, trying to hold back her laughter due to the comedy of the situation.
He rolled his eyes and looked around to see the whole bridge was decorated with tables with white cloths.
There was a pair of fondue fountain, cheese and chocolate flavor on the table.
A Charcuterie board.
A Fruit punch with a variety of glasses and cups.
Even Fu Hua was helping on making Taixuan dishes, as she is now preparing to make dumplings.
Everything feel grand and luxurious.
There was even an ice sculpture prepared. What annoyed him is the fact that Elysia clearly asked the sculptor to make a fairy Ellie out of the Ice block.
As if her face on the banner wasn't enough already.
He also remembered his cutesy face that Elysia made for him on the other side of the banner and held his temple to ease his headache.
I look so derpy. Why, Ellie? Just why?
Trying not to lose it, he took another look around at the bridge.
He can admit that Ellie's idea of a party was a good one. And he also can admit that he probably wouldn't have thought of this considering that he never went to parties or any social gatherings. The parties he went to with Rita in the past were just for accomplishing their mission.
Maybe i needed a little party time now and then.
One did stand out to him was a lone drink on the counter.
He assumed that Rita have made a cocktail for the older ones who would be visiting the ship.
He tried asking but Rita seemed to be gone for a moment.
"Eh........... I might as well give it a taste and tell Rita if there is any adjustment needed." He took the old fashion glass and took a whiff.
"Huh......... It smells great and it has a nice smoky smell. I am guessing she used smoking woodchips to it." He swirled it around.
In the eyes of the Hyperion's crew, the captain doesn't drink. Invite him to bar and he will only order a glass of cold water, tea or coffee.
But when valkyries asked on the taste of their cooking, the cocktail they made or something else that needed his opinion for it, that is a whole different matter.
Why would he refuse on tasting their creation when the valkyries dedicated their whole heart and passion to it?
He took a sip and................
"Captain, Look! I can't believe the Hyperion Battleship has another one of these lying around." He turned and widened his eyes. Unfortunately for him, the drink went to the wrong pipe as he saw Ellie's outfit.
He coughed hard and loud trying to ease the burning sensation in his throat. Elysia ran towards him in concern, patting his back.
"I....... I am........ Fi......."
Oh, the poor man was not fine.
As he was comforted by his first mate and trying to cough everything out by bending forward, the first thing he saw was not something he would want to see.
Elysia's............. emphasized pair of assets along with her wearing a maid suit was in full display.
Normally guys would love to have good look at it. But not him.
Because guys like him are prude.
And seeing Elysia in a maid costume in full display would cause guys like him to go an emotional and frantic mess.
Do other people in the Hyperion know? No and he damn well hid it.
Not even Rita who tried to break him with her bathing suit.
That time, he was well aware that all of them were going to have a beach party. He was emotionally prepared and carefully thought of scenarios that would might give his valkyries like Rita an opportunity to emotionally break him.
And he was fully well prepared.
How did his dearest Ellie break him?
Easy. He didnt expect her to wear a maid outfit in the Hyperion on the middle of the day and looked amazingly cute in it.
The only people who suspected him to have such a personality was Elysia.
And She is having fun bringing out this in him.
It was like watching two old friends exploring their feelings beyond the boundaries of being 'just friends'.
And you can guess who is the poor sucker of the two.
"Yes. I am fine. The alcoholic liquor went into the wrong pipe." He cleared out his throat while averting his eyes to somewhere else.
Something that could give him to think of.
Something that he could give her an excuse and do something someplace else.
Somewhere that isn't focused on Ellie.
And Ellie smirked because she caught him trying to avoid looking at her.
"So~My darling Hajime~ How do i look?" He mentally gulped as he tried to escape.
Quick!
I need to think of something.
Come on, Hajime.
Think of an excuse!
RUN, YOU STUPID IDIOT!!!!!
When Ellie held his wrist and turned his face to hers, He was already screwed.
"Come on, Captain. It is rude to keep the girl, let alone your 'wife' waiting~"
He was trained to be unreadable. Unanalyzable. Unbreakable.
Said training was required just in case that they were held against their will and being tortured for information.
Now? He was so easy to read, easy to get flustered and easy to tease.
And Ellie has all day teasing him.
"You....... Uh............ You l-look......... You look amazingly beautiful....... I mean amazingly cute and It would be great for you to wear that for the whole day. I don't mind you wear that as you fit and as you please. I just kinda wished that you would wear something else other than that.............. Wait...... I guessed i must have said that wrong." GEE....... YOU THINK?
Someone help this poor man.
Hajime stretched out his back and his limbs after taking a small nap from that disaster.
He cracked his neck as he did his breathing exercise. "Now that cemented in my brain, i wouldn't get so flustered as easily anymore." He sighed.
"How is it a Pink elf would break me so easily?" He shook his head and sighed. He exited the lounge and saw Bronya, in herscherr form, was waiting for him with a cup of coffee in her hand.
"Hey, Bronya. I thought you would be with Seele, mingling with the other guests?" He gladly took it.
"Bronya sees no efficiency in mingling with the other guests as a bridge duty valkyrie." He nodded.
"You didnt ask Ellie first for your task for today?"
"Nyet. Elysia has gathered all valkyrie, aside from the bridge duty valkyrie and overseer, at the age of 16 and above are gathered to the bridge to make a performance on the deck for the new recruits."
"Oh....... Did Elysia tell you what kind of performance will it be later?"
"Nyet. Elysia told Bronya to send message 'You just have to find out, Ha~Ji~Me Darling.' to the captain" He sighed.
"Captain?"
"Yes, Bronya?"
"How did you and Elysia get married?"
"Tell you the truth, i have no clue. Why do you ask?"
"Bronya........ is curious on what's like having a married life."
"You do realize that mine was an accidental marriage, right?" Seeing the gray haired girl looking at him with curious eyes, He sighed and decided to indulge her after they both reached the bridge.
Captain Hajime placed his cup on the desk and thought for it for a long time.
"Marrying someone means that you are going to spend the rest of your life being with and taking care of them." Bronya nodded as this was in her line of thinking.
"But it also means that you have to deal with their little things that slightly inconvenience you." She tilted her head at him. To him, it was a small indication of her own confusion.
"Seele is good hearted and kind already. Bronya don't see that would be the problem."
"That is kinda the thing about marriage. At first, you just accepted wholeheartedly. No fuss no muss."
"Eventually you will get to see those little things that bother you the most and you can't help but talk to them about it. And sometimes it will end up with a little argument. And eventually you will reach a rough part of that said marriage." She scratched her head as if she wouldn't believe that she will argue with her precious Seele. Nor has the heart for that.
"I am guessing that Seele never have problems dealing with your.................. directness to things?" Bronya shook her head at her captain.
"Seele have never made a complaint before. Why would Bronya be concerned about it?"
"Because marriage, on the long run, will make you both look back on your decision." Bronya innocently widened her eyes at the captain
"Telling yourself that you could have done something else to change the small things about it." Being the herscherr of reason or not, Bronya agreed that she would have tried to make it perfect for Seele anyways.
"And i really can't blame them if they are finding ways to make everything about it perfect. After all, it was, is and will be the most important chapter of the person's lives. A marriage proposal." The two words Bronya held deeply in her heart as soon as she first heard it. How the two words means to her and how would it affect her precious Seele.
Because to her understanding, it meant a forever long-lasting sunset walk back home to their dream beach house.
Sounds perfect for them, no?
"I don't really know how marriage works because i didnt actually married Ellie but i do know about a thing or two about regrets.
It is not just about finding the perfect time or right person to live with for a long time.
It is never about perfection, Bronya. Never forget that."
Crash!
His words wounds and her dreams were shattered.
"It is not about making the most important choice and sharing that to someone, effectively making you both carrying that burden alone together.
You two are never alone.
You have Kiana, Theresa, Fu Hua, Mei, the Olenyeva twins, and the rest of the Hyperion supporting you. Hell, you even have Ellie and Me as the first mate and captain. Why feel alone when you had us to begin with?"
Bronya and Seele, before all of this began, were always alone.
Even their time with matushka.
Yes, Their matushka have provided them shelter and food.
But She never gave those two a truest sense of a home. But they didnt fault her for doing so as taking care of orphanage alone takes a lot.
He turned and smiled at the grey haired herscherr.
"Marriage is about the asking yourself the questions 'Will i regret everything about it?', 'Am i making the right choice for the both of us?', 'what future will be there for the both of us' 'why can't i see the road ahead?'
And you are still getting no answers in return. Despite all of that, you are still brave enough to try it anyways.
There is never a rhyme or reason to it, Bronya. It is always about taking a leap of faith."
"You shouldn't live your life full of regrets. Make sure this one doesn't have any when you take the chance. If you are not ready to take the leap, then take your time thinking about it. You have all the time in the world." Bronya stared blankly at her smiling red-haired captain and just shed so many tears.
To Captain Hajime, seeing Bronya being emotional was a rare sight to see and seeing her misty eyed was even rarer and he never knew what to do and leave it to Bronya to think about her thoughts on her own. It was something he hated but it was something she had to do on her own.
So when Bronya shed so many tears, he panicked and immediately thought about what he said wrong.
"Heyheyheyeheyheyheyheyheyheyheyheyhey.......... I didn't mean................. I didn't mean to crush your dreams of marrying Seele. Honest....................... I am so sorry Bronya. You will have my full support if you are ever ready to think about it. I didn't mean to make you feel upset." Bronya chuckled as she kept shedding tears.
"Captain...... You idiot................. Bronya is not upset. Captain made Bronya feel reassured with her choices." Captain raised an eyebrow, indicating to her he doesn't know what she is getting at.
"Bronya means that you made Bronya feel happy and relieved with her choices." Finally understood what she was trying to say, he nodded as he watched her rubbed her eyes.
"Would you like to take a break and talk it through with Seele?" Bronya shook her head.
"Nyet. Bronya would like to be with Seele a little bit longer and see it through."
"You are making her wait for you?"
"Seele has waited for Bronya for their promise. Bronya trusts her that she can wait for Bronya even longer." He chuckled.
"Well...... Just don't make her wait for too long."
"Bronya won't and that is a beach promise."
"Good girl." He patted her shoulder while his other hand took the warm cup of coffee.
The lights on the deck were shut off and both occupants of the bridge saw silhouttes.
He even recognized three of those silhouttes were Kiana, Durandal and Rita due to their signature hair look. Even Kiana's Flamescion ponytail look.
What is with Bronya and Kiana today? Wouldn't that exhaust them later, maintaining that form for a long time?
He took a plate of cookie in his mini-fridge below his desk and gave it to Bronya as he thought about it. And Bronya accepted the snack.
Maybe they are now having an endurance training. If so, good for them i guess.
Still........... Why bring out so many valkyries to the deck?
Maybe a strength demonstration to the valkyries?
If that were the case, why didn't they ask me for my help? I could have asked the crew to add some changes and defensive measures in case something blows up during the demonstration.
He took a sip from his coffee, savoring the taste by only focusing his sense of taste while minimizing his other senses.
Well, i hope that they don't blow something up. We are over 100 feet off the air.
He heard the lights went on and turned his direction to the deck.
What Hajime saw on the deck made him do a spit-take with widened eyes.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
What he saw on the deck is something he himself never expected to see.
All of the valkyrie were wearing a white clothings that somewhat look more like a wedding dress.
Kiana was wearing a white and purple dress.
Rita had blue crystal roses to her chest and hip.
Durandal was wearing made her look like a knight and a bride. How is that even possible? He has no clue.
Fu Hua was wearing a similar white dress but had a lot of birds, flowers and decorations that oddly look like a courtyard.
Seele even had hers with a butterflies attached to them.
Hajime's head was spinning so hard. It felt like he was about to pass out.
He heard an elevator dinged and saw Theresa came out as he turned around.
Theresa initially looked pissed when she came out but morphed into concern as she saw Hajime's face went red and ran to him.
"CAPTAIN! Are you okay?" The overseer let him leaned on her shoulder as he was getting weaker due to the lack of blood circulating in his body.
"NO. I AM NOT OKAY. NOT A SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS IS OKAY! WHY ON EARTH ALL OF THEM WEARING A........" He was interrupted by a giggle from the ship's intercom.
"Good Afternoon Ladies and gentlemen. It is my dearest pleasure to show you that we valkyrie, promise to fight for all that is beautiful, will make a dance number for the new recruits." He sighed deeply with a groan as he recognized that cute voice anywhere.
"Gaze upon all the valkyries as we dance our heart out." Hajime facepalmed.
One of these days................ Wait........... We?
He immediately looked around the deck and hope that his 'wife' isn't wearing what he thinks she is wearing.
The lights suddenly went out and a huge slam on the floor was heard.
When the light went suddenly back on, he slammed his head on the desk.
Ellie wasn't wearing a white dress unlike the rest of them. She was actually wearing an elegant black dress.
The staff of the hyperion and the new recruits agreed that everything about it looked divine on her.
The captain, however, was a bit flustered and stressed.
"Why do you look so stressed? I thought you asked for this?" Theresa crossed her arms at him while Bronya was blushing madly on how amazing Seele looked.
"Why on earth would i ask them to wear those? What do you take me for? Come on, Theresa. You know me better than that." Hajime was still blushing hard.
"Then why did Ellie said.................." Hajime raised his eyebrow at her as Theresa answered her own question.
"I got duped by Ellie, didn't i?" He nodded with a frown. Theresa groaned and facepalmed.
"Oh Hajime darling~ I hope you are watching. We also dedicate this dance to you. I hope you are watching my darling husband." He could feel the eyes stared at his direction outside of the bridge. He even saw one through the one-way glass.
Good for him because he doesnt want to show his staff how emotional mess he is right now.
He felt Theresa and Bronya patted his back as all of the performing valkyries, including Elysia were dancing elegantly like idols in concert as he covered his face with both of his palms.
Did they blew up the ship? No.
Did the Hyperion captain blew up emotionally? Yes.