Chapter Text
The cool air blew along Zuihou’s skin. She ambled along a cherry blossom-shaded path with her classmates. Houshou led them at the front while Hu Pen and Libeccio ran past her. Zuihou and the others watched.
“Kitty Kabam Punch!” Hu Pen nudged Libeccio’s arm. “Beat that, Sardegnan fish.”
Libeccio jerked backward, then chased Hu Pen. “Hey, no fair! Kapow! Kapow! Whoooosh.”
“Hu Pen, Libeccio,” Houshou said. “Enough of that. Why don’t you two go back in line? We haven’t reached the field yet.”
Hu Pen and Libeccio briefly stopped, then snickered and sprinted forward.
“Groaaaaar!”
“Whoooo~!”
Houshou rubbed her forehead. “Those two... What am I going to do with them?”
Behind Houshou, a small gasp escaped Aulick’s mouth while Norfolk lowered her gaze to the ground.
Zuihou’s lips curved into a miniature smile. The faint aroma of the cherry blossoms wafted into her tiny nose. A pitter-patter rhythm accompanied the children as they walked on the concrete, while just ahead, the splashing of the port’s fountain water grew more distinct.
Once everyone passed the treeline, the sun’s light illuminated their heads, and a passing heat settled on their skin.
Behind Zuihou, Kisaragi tugged her small hat upward, while Ognevoy’s eyes shone as if they reflected the sun’s light.
“Woooooow,” Ognevoy said. “Look at the sun, comrade Z19, I want to hug it.”
Z19, who was beside her, closed her eyes and shook her head. “You can’t hug the sun. It’s too far.”
Zuihou tilted her head over her shoulder, then glanced upwards with her mouth open. The sun’s rays met her eyes, and her pupils dilated. She blinked once, then gazed ahead.
Water fell into the pool beside them as they ambled beside the port’s fountain. A drizzle sprayed on the granite and plashed on the ground.
This didn’t stop Chang Chun, who was behind Z19, from squealing and running toward the rim of the fountain. She splashed the water with her hands, getting herself wet as well as sending droplets splashing on Zuihou, Ognevoy, Z19, and Grozny’s clothes.
“Lady Houshou,” Grozny wiped water off her shoulder. “Chang Chun’s splashing water again.”
Houshou turned back, shook her head, and scurried over to Chang Chun. Aulick, Spence, Juno and Norfolk stopped walking and watched Houshou carry Chang Chun away from the fountain’s edges.
After a minute of scolding, where Chang Chun sulked by pouting but obeyed, the line continued towards the grassy field beside the facade of the main building.
Zuihou stepped on the soft ground, and the grass brushed her toes in her sandals. The fresh aroma of cut grass enveloped the surroundings. In the distance, Hu Pen and Libeccio’s laughter echoed out as they ran along the plains.
“Okay, children,” Houshou addressed the group. “You have until noon to play. Be good girls and don’t do anything silly. I’ll be watching you.”
“Thank you, Lady Houshou,” everyone said in unison, except Chang Chun, who still pouted.
“Run off now.”
The children ran in different directions, each playing their own game. From Juno, Chang Chun, Norfolk, and Grozny’s hide and seek, to Ognevoy and Z19’s pattycake. Zuihou ran alongside Spence, Aulick, and Kisaragi. Spence held a blue ball between her small hands. It had a white star in its centre and reflected sunlight from its rubber. A smile bloomed on Zuihou’s face, and she sprinted along with the girls as the sun above shone its bright rays.
This is going to be a good day.
The bright rays of the sun passed through the open window and settled on the office floor. At his desk, the Commander reviewed and signed documents. His eyes remained on the papers, though occasionally they grew heavy and he rubbed his eyelids.
Across from him, the clock murmured in ticks, its second hand jerking, then stilling again and again. The smell of printed papers and stale coffee hung in the air while outside, the distant laughter and footsteps of children echoed.
The Commander took a report from his desk—read it—and let out a sigh. His hand reached for his fountain pen, and then he signed the report. He slipped the document to his left, where a looming stack of papers lay undisturbed. Then he’d take another file from the stack to his right.
The past few hours had passed by in this rhythm, and the Commander’s posture slackened while his fingers grew sore. Yet the distant laughter from outside drifted in. His hands paused, then he took another paper and signed it.
But as he was about to slide the document beside him, something tumbled in through the window, bounced off the wall and rolled on the carpet. The Commander’s gaze followed the object, his hands pausing mid-motion.
His eyebrow rose, and he glanced at the window—the laughter had died down.
Furrowing his brows, he gazed at the object once more.
It remained.
The Commander let out a sigh, set his pen down, and pushed himself from his desk. His chair scuffed behind him, and he stepped towards the item.
He bent and reached for it. The smooth rubber squeaked, and he studied what appeared to be a blue ball with a star in its centre.
Odd.
Stepping back to his chair, he laid the ball on his desk before settling himself in his seat. His hand already reached for a document before insistent soft taps came from the door.
He stared at it. His fingers tensed, then relaxed.
The door slowly creaked open and revealed Zuihou holding the knob on her heels with her two small hands. Her brows furrowed as she looked around the room. When her gaze fell on the desk, her eyes sparkled, and she skipped toward it.
The Commander’s gaze followed Zuihou as she stood before him. She raised her chin enough that her eyes were above the desk’s surface.
She stared at him.
He stared back.
Eventually, the Commander quietly sighed, then smiled softly. “Can I help you?”
Zuihou didn’t respond. Instead, she glanced at the ball, then pouted.
Of course.
“Is the ball yours?” The Commander set his hand down.
Zuihou pressed her lips together. She turned to the ball again, raised her heels and awkwardly reached for it with her short arms. When the ball was between her tiny hands, a smile flickered on her face, and she turned and minced towards the door.
Her footsteps padded against the carpet, and her miniature figure, clad in an oversized yukata, tried to clumsily open the door until it was ajar, and she stepped out.
The Commander rubbed his eyes and let out a yawn as she went. His eyes settled on the report in front of him, and he was about to reach for his pen, but the door didn’t creak closed.
He looked up.
She stared back at him.
Her caramel eyes lingered, and a light flickered from them. She opened her mouth but closed it, pulling the door with her as she went until it clicked shut.
The Commander’s eyes remained on the door before he shook his aching head and reached for his pen.
Pen scratched paper once more.
The hallway’s filters buzzed over Zuihou as she ambled along the corridors toward the main building’s exit. Her hands squeezed the ball, its rubber squeaking against them like a happy little mouse. As she went, she hummed the nursery rhyme Lady Houshou taught them, and the picture of a giggling Spence entered her mind.
But just as she was about to round a corner, she stopped and caught her breath.
His words floated in her mind: “Can I help you?” “Is the ball yours?”
The yawning Comainder was probably still at his desk… working…
Zuihou stared at the ball. The white centre star dimmed beneath her shadow. She turned her head over her shoulder, where the empty corridor lay silent.
Her foot stepped forward, but stopped and stepped back.
The Commander stretched his hands over his head as he let out a groan. His eyelids grew heavy while his head tilted once in a while. Yet, he tried to keep his gaze on the papers and sign them whenever he could.
For a moment, the clock ticked by undisturbed until another set of small taps came from the door. The Commander straightened his posture and cleared his throat, but his shoulders relaxed when the door opened.
It was Zuihou again.
She looked around before her gaze settled on him. Her brows furrowed, and she stepped towards him with a frown.
The Commander’s eyebrow rose as she raised her chin and put the ball on his desk with her small hands. He glanced at the ball, then at her. “Are you giving me the ball?”
Zuihou pouted and shook her head. She glanced around, then her eyes widened as she caught sight of the window.
Fluffy clouds floated in the sky, joining the big yellow sun as it shone.
The Commander followed her gaze. She stared back at him and pointed her finger outside.
“You want to go outside?”
Zuihou nodded softly.
Rubbing the back of his neck, the Commander shot a glance at his stacks of papers, then at Zuihou.
Her lips pursed into a pout while the light in her eyes brightened as if the same light that had shone earlier grew brighter.
The Commander rubbed his forehead, then sighed. He stood up, took the ball and stepped towards Zuihou, who beamed. “Chirp, chirp!”
“Five minutes,” he said. “Then I’ll go back.”
Zuihou smiled and tugged at his sleeve.
He stooped and followed.
The bright light illuminated the grass’s dew as Zuihou gently pulled the Commander onto the field.
Laughter and light footsteps echoed along the plains as more children from different classes arrived. Bailey, Glowworm, Z21, Gromky, and Tai Yuen chased each other as they screamed and played tag. Lying on the grass, Gremyashchy, Echo, and Uzuki took turns pointing at the clouds, occasionally glancing at each other and giggling. Nearby, Epee, Fortune, and Fumizuki claimed a shaded spot as they read their books in their laps.
Houshou, Langley, and London sat on a picnic blanket at the field’s edge as Kalk, Z26, and Fei Yuen played with their dolls.
A weight lifted from the Commander’s shoulders as he watched the children. His cap shielded his eyes from the sun’s rays, while his black shoes planted themselves on the soft soil.
Zuihou let go of his sleeve and paused. Her eyes widened, then she grabbed the ball from the Commander’s hand and ran towards a group of children where Spence sniffled.
The Commander remained.
Zuihou stepped towards Aulick, who patted the crying Spence as Kisaragi, Unicorn, Z18 and Tashkent stood nearby. She paused, smiled, then handed out the ball.
Wiping her tears, Spence let out a squeal and hugged the ball. Aulick quietly gasped while Kisaragi, Unicorn, Z18, and Tashkent giggled.
The sun’s light settled on the children as they dispersed and took their positions to play catch. Spence went first, then Zuihou, then Unicorn, and so on, until their laughter and cheers resonated all around.
The Commander let out a brief hum. He lowered himself onto the grass and sat watching Zuihou, her friends, and the other children play.
Zuihou smiled as she caught the ball thrown by Tashkent, and was about to toss it to Unicorn before a breeze blew by her ear. She turned back—the Commander sat on the grass. Her gaze lingered on him, then she glanced at the ball between her small hands… the white star reflected the sun’s light… Zuihou pressed her lips together.
The Commander gazed around in silence. Libeccio still chased Hu Pen around in the distance, occasionally punching her gently and shouting ‘kapow!’ Nearby, Stremitelny, Mutsuki and Hamakaze presented Eldridge to Houshou, Langley and London. Houshou briefly touched her, which caused sparks to emit from Eldridge’s head and momentarily electrify Houshou.
Before the Commander’s gaze turned to another set of kids, something rolled to his shoes, and his eyes turned to it.
It was a ball.
He looked around him.
Zuihou and her friends faced him in the distance, smiling and waving. The light in Zuihou’s eyes reflected the same light from before and now shone brighter and more beautifully.
The Commander stared at her for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. He took the ball and stood up, stepping towards them with a faint smile.