Post by Sophie on May 24, 2022 14:56:17 GMT -5
Not far from the Tsubame base, in the heart of the city itself, the Royal Battle Fleet had rented out the Tusabame Convention Center for a massive party for the entirety of the officers and enlisted who had taken part in the naval exercise. Despite the center’s enormous size, it was still packed almost full, with thousands of Kumo mingling together. Their combined voices were practically as loud as a Kii class battleship’s main battery firing.
The main hall contained two open bars lined the left and right walls. The back wall held a stage where a full orchestra was playing. The vast majority of the partying Kumo were in this room, and most of them were drinking. With their inhibitions loosened, a small unofficial dancefloor had broken out.
In several of the other rooms were full-blown buffets with delicacies from different restaurants. Following them were several dining rooms and tables. Dozens of maids wandered the area, keeping it clean and the drinks flowing freely.
At one of the bars, former Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi was drinking heavily. Her demotion had not been made a wide announcement yet, and so many sailors, both officers and enlisted came up to her to congratulate her on the success of the exercise. She smiled, shook a few hands, and then waved off whoever had come to bother her.
By the time Kobayashi had finished several sake bottles and begun a fourth, a familiar voice reached out to her. “Aoba! Aooooobaaaa!” The voice called out to her as a hand shook her shoulder. When Kobayashi turned around, her heart was flooded with mixed feelings to see her maid, Momoe. She had only seen her in such fancy dress once before: when she caught her trying on a dress, she had just bought for an important party. When Kobayashi sighed to let out a little bit of her emotion, Momoe recoiled and waved her hand in front of her nose. “H… how much have you had to drink?”
She was struggling to simply just keep her head up straight. Forming full sentences in her mind was almost impossible. Seeing the woman she truly loved in front of her, right then, just after what had transpired shattered her already cracked will. “Aoba?!” Momoe cried in visceral shock, having never in her life seen her love cry before. She froze for a moment, not knowing what to do for a moment before grasping Aoba’s hand and pulling her away from the bar. “Let’s get out of here.”
The maid quickly pulled her out of the increasingly packed room and through to a back hallway, though as they got away from the crowds, Kobayashi nearly toppled over mid-step, stumbling. “I’m gonna puke,” she managed to slur out before dry heaving. Momoe quickly lead her to one of the backroom staff bathrooms and into a stall. She held back her master’s hair as the woman voided the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
As Momoe held back her hair, Kobayashi continued weeping between her heaving. Momoe softly patted her back and cooed softly. “It’s okay. Let it all out.”
“Just go. Leave me.” Kobayashi slurred as she clutched the bowl of the toilet. “I know you don’t want to actually be with me.” After a few more purges she collapsed to the side and looked up and her maid who looked back down on her with shock and pain.
The words struck at Momoe’s heart, but she was ready to write it off as the alcohol and began wiping the vomit off her mouth with a bit of toilet paper. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be with you Aoba.”
The river of tears continued to run down the officer’s face. Through hiccups, drying heaving, and weeping she still managed to speak. “No. You wanna be with ‘Fleet Admiral’ Aoba Kobayashi. Not Aoba Kobayashi…” This was something that was on her mind when Momoe had initially confessed her feelings, but she didn’t think it mattered since her position within the Royal Battle Fleet was solid.
Momoe continued wiping off vomit from her face. “What are you talking about silly girl? I am with Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi.” She punctuated her statement by tossing the paper in the toilet and flushing it.
“Not anymore.” She hiccupped and sniffled, “The Empress… demoted me to Captain.” Her room span, not just from the booze but from the finality of what she just said. Her entire way of life was collapsing. The sheer level of opulence she had become accustomed to had been revoked with a word, herself torn from grace and power like a garbage bag hurled off the deck. “So go ahead. Leave me. You’re not my maid anymore. Captains don’t get maids. Go kiss up to Hana. She’s gonna be the new Fleet Admiral.”
She felt her shoulders weigh as if the entire fleet pressed against her, sagging, trembling. The finality of the Empress’ words finally sank in as she stared through blurred eyes into the dark exit of the toilet bowl, where the light no longer touched. Her career, her life, gone, gone into the deep deep blue, never to return. An anchor would be an apt description, but the chain had broken and left the grand mast of metal to rust beneath the waves.
The new information had completely stunned the maid. She physically reeled away from Kobayashi and felt dizzy for a few moments. “Aoba. I am so sorry. I had no idea this happened.” She knelt down next to the former Admiral and embraced her softly. “But I love Aoba Kobayashi. Whether she’s Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi or Seaman Recruit Aoba Kobayashi.”
Aoba’s stream of tears turned into an absolute flood. She latched onto Momoe and clutched her tight enough for her nails to break the skin. Despite the pain she felt, she continued the hug and stroked Kobayashi’s hair. “I’ve been a maid for over fifteen years. I’ve served many women just as and even more powerful and rich than you. Yet I never felt a thing for any of them until I met you. I fell for you the day I met you Aoba, I’ve been in love with you for years. That won’t ever go away. I promise.”
Aoba adjusted her clutch so that her nails would no longer pierce Momoe, and instead wrapped up and around her shoulders. “I love you so much Momoe.” She pressed her face into Momoe’s bosom. “But you can’t stay with me.”
“Why not?” She tried to ask in an assuring tone. “I love you Aoba. I want to be with you. No matter what.” She continued to hold her love, gently cupping her face as she spoke.
“The Empress is deploying me to Elenria.” The Captain hiccupped. “I can’t make you move there. I can’t make you move to the colonies.”
“I would go anywhere for you, Aoba.” She answered firmly, and with as much love in her heart as she could muster.
“I can’t make you leave your job for me. I’m a disgraced officer. The Empress’s eye is on me and not in a good way. My career is over, and I’m going to be an outcast even in Elenria.” She cried as she continued to spiral. “I can’t make you leave your friends, your family, your job, and Kumosenkan for me.” She hiccuped again, “I can’t owe someone that much.”
“I don’t have any family, and I’ll make new friends in Elenria.” She assured and continued patting, “I can always get a new job and I have plenty in savings. The only thing I can’t replace is you Aoba. So if you can’t owe me that much to have me come with you. Imagine what you’d owe me by leaving without me.”
The main hall contained two open bars lined the left and right walls. The back wall held a stage where a full orchestra was playing. The vast majority of the partying Kumo were in this room, and most of them were drinking. With their inhibitions loosened, a small unofficial dancefloor had broken out.
In several of the other rooms were full-blown buffets with delicacies from different restaurants. Following them were several dining rooms and tables. Dozens of maids wandered the area, keeping it clean and the drinks flowing freely.
At one of the bars, former Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi was drinking heavily. Her demotion had not been made a wide announcement yet, and so many sailors, both officers and enlisted came up to her to congratulate her on the success of the exercise. She smiled, shook a few hands, and then waved off whoever had come to bother her.
By the time Kobayashi had finished several sake bottles and begun a fourth, a familiar voice reached out to her. “Aoba! Aooooobaaaa!” The voice called out to her as a hand shook her shoulder. When Kobayashi turned around, her heart was flooded with mixed feelings to see her maid, Momoe. She had only seen her in such fancy dress once before: when she caught her trying on a dress, she had just bought for an important party. When Kobayashi sighed to let out a little bit of her emotion, Momoe recoiled and waved her hand in front of her nose. “H… how much have you had to drink?”
She was struggling to simply just keep her head up straight. Forming full sentences in her mind was almost impossible. Seeing the woman she truly loved in front of her, right then, just after what had transpired shattered her already cracked will. “Aoba?!” Momoe cried in visceral shock, having never in her life seen her love cry before. She froze for a moment, not knowing what to do for a moment before grasping Aoba’s hand and pulling her away from the bar. “Let’s get out of here.”
The maid quickly pulled her out of the increasingly packed room and through to a back hallway, though as they got away from the crowds, Kobayashi nearly toppled over mid-step, stumbling. “I’m gonna puke,” she managed to slur out before dry heaving. Momoe quickly lead her to one of the backroom staff bathrooms and into a stall. She held back her master’s hair as the woman voided the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
As Momoe held back her hair, Kobayashi continued weeping between her heaving. Momoe softly patted her back and cooed softly. “It’s okay. Let it all out.”
“Just go. Leave me.” Kobayashi slurred as she clutched the bowl of the toilet. “I know you don’t want to actually be with me.” After a few more purges she collapsed to the side and looked up and her maid who looked back down on her with shock and pain.
The words struck at Momoe’s heart, but she was ready to write it off as the alcohol and began wiping the vomit off her mouth with a bit of toilet paper. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be with you Aoba.”
The river of tears continued to run down the officer’s face. Through hiccups, drying heaving, and weeping she still managed to speak. “No. You wanna be with ‘Fleet Admiral’ Aoba Kobayashi. Not Aoba Kobayashi…” This was something that was on her mind when Momoe had initially confessed her feelings, but she didn’t think it mattered since her position within the Royal Battle Fleet was solid.
Momoe continued wiping off vomit from her face. “What are you talking about silly girl? I am with Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi.” She punctuated her statement by tossing the paper in the toilet and flushing it.
“Not anymore.” She hiccupped and sniffled, “The Empress… demoted me to Captain.” Her room span, not just from the booze but from the finality of what she just said. Her entire way of life was collapsing. The sheer level of opulence she had become accustomed to had been revoked with a word, herself torn from grace and power like a garbage bag hurled off the deck. “So go ahead. Leave me. You’re not my maid anymore. Captains don’t get maids. Go kiss up to Hana. She’s gonna be the new Fleet Admiral.”
She felt her shoulders weigh as if the entire fleet pressed against her, sagging, trembling. The finality of the Empress’ words finally sank in as she stared through blurred eyes into the dark exit of the toilet bowl, where the light no longer touched. Her career, her life, gone, gone into the deep deep blue, never to return. An anchor would be an apt description, but the chain had broken and left the grand mast of metal to rust beneath the waves.
The new information had completely stunned the maid. She physically reeled away from Kobayashi and felt dizzy for a few moments. “Aoba. I am so sorry. I had no idea this happened.” She knelt down next to the former Admiral and embraced her softly. “But I love Aoba Kobayashi. Whether she’s Fleet Admiral Aoba Kobayashi or Seaman Recruit Aoba Kobayashi.”
Aoba’s stream of tears turned into an absolute flood. She latched onto Momoe and clutched her tight enough for her nails to break the skin. Despite the pain she felt, she continued the hug and stroked Kobayashi’s hair. “I’ve been a maid for over fifteen years. I’ve served many women just as and even more powerful and rich than you. Yet I never felt a thing for any of them until I met you. I fell for you the day I met you Aoba, I’ve been in love with you for years. That won’t ever go away. I promise.”
Aoba adjusted her clutch so that her nails would no longer pierce Momoe, and instead wrapped up and around her shoulders. “I love you so much Momoe.” She pressed her face into Momoe’s bosom. “But you can’t stay with me.”
“Why not?” She tried to ask in an assuring tone. “I love you Aoba. I want to be with you. No matter what.” She continued to hold her love, gently cupping her face as she spoke.
“The Empress is deploying me to Elenria.” The Captain hiccupped. “I can’t make you move there. I can’t make you move to the colonies.”
“I would go anywhere for you, Aoba.” She answered firmly, and with as much love in her heart as she could muster.
“I can’t make you leave your job for me. I’m a disgraced officer. The Empress’s eye is on me and not in a good way. My career is over, and I’m going to be an outcast even in Elenria.” She cried as she continued to spiral. “I can’t make you leave your friends, your family, your job, and Kumosenkan for me.” She hiccuped again, “I can’t owe someone that much.”
“I don’t have any family, and I’ll make new friends in Elenria.” She assured and continued patting, “I can always get a new job and I have plenty in savings. The only thing I can’t replace is you Aoba. So if you can’t owe me that much to have me come with you. Imagine what you’d owe me by leaving without me.”