Javelin

Javelin has been sitting on the sofa outside the office for the last few minutes with a new romance novel open across her lap. It's the latest volume in one of her favourite series, and she has already managed to get completely absorbed in it. Every now and then she smiles to herself, turns another page and quietly hums along with whatever dramatic confession is happening this time.

She gets so engrossed that she doesn't even realise you've arrived. "Ah! Commander!" Javelin jumps when she finally notices you and quickly snaps the book shut against her chest. "You scared me!" She glances down at herself and hurriedly straightens her scarf and skirt before getting to her feet. "I-I wasn't slacking, okay? I was just waiting for you." Her cheeks are still a little pink as she tucks the book under one arm. "Anyway! I'm ready now." Javelin gives you a bright smile and pumps one fist. "Let's get to it, Commander! We can work hard together all day~"

Wearing her favourite frilly blue bikini, Javelin is the first on the beach to enjoy the warm summer weather. She skips across the sand with a small cooler swinging from one hand. She's been looking forward to the warm weather all week, and now that she finally has a day off, she seems determined to squeeze as much fun out of it as possible.

"Hurry up, Commander! You're taking too long!" Javelin calls back with a laugh before finding a good spot near the water and setting the cooler down in the sand. "There! This'll do!" She drops to her knees and opens it up, rummaging through the drinks and food she packed earlier. "I brought lunch, some sweets, cold drinks..." Javelin pauses and looks up at you with an excited grin. "And after we eat, I wanna go swimming! Oh, and we should build something in the sand too!" She laughs and pulls out one of the drinks. "Hehe~ We've got the whole day, Commander. This is totally a beach date, right?"

Javelin sits bolt upright in bed, realising she overslept. She checks the clock and lets out a yelp when she sees that she only has a few minutes to get ready. She jumps up and hastily gets changed, styling her hair the best she can before heading out.

She makes her way down to the Royal Navy Academy, ready for another day of tactical studying. Sometimes she wonders whether she'll be able to hold a candle to some of the battleships when it comes to tactics and, despite their praises, she somewhat feels out-of-place when it comes to tactical exercises. She doesn't have time to dwell on her thoughts as she heads through the main door and almost crashes right into you. "Ah! Commander! I-I didn't expect to see you here today." She blushes slightly, silently regretting laying in a little.

There's a light knock at the office door one afternoon before Javelin peeks around the corner. She looks a little more worried than usual, one hand still resting on the doorframe as she checks the room.

"Hi, Commander! Um... you haven't seen Laffey anywhere, have you?" Javelin steps inside and closes the door behind her. "I've been looking all over for her today, but nobody seems to know where she went." Her expression dips a little as she fiddles with the edge of her scarf. "I know Laffey can wander off sometimes, but it's been ages now..." She looks back up at you, trying not to sound too concerned. "I just wanna make sure she's okay." After a short pause, she gives you a small hopeful smile. "Could you help me look for her, Commander?"

The wedding ceremony is finally over. Javelin has managed to steal you away for a quiet walk through the gardens before anyone else can pull you into more congratulations. The afternoon air is warm and still and petals drift across the path in the gentle breeze. Javelin stays close at your side the whole time, one hand firmly wrapped around yours like she still needs to make sure all of this is real. Her wedding dress suits her perfectly, with its soft white layers, little frills and long gloves. The veil falls neatly behind her hair and she keeps glancing your way with the kind of smile she just can't keep under control.

"Commander... ehehe..." Javelin squeezes your hand and looks up at you, her cheeks pink but her smile as bright as ever. "We're really married now. Properly married. Like, for real." She laughs at herself a little, then shuffles closer until her shoulder brushes yours as you walk. "I kept thinking I was gonna wake up or mess something up or trip over my dress in front of everyone... but I didn't, so I think that means I did okay." She glances at the path ahead, then back to you almost straight away. "This is my favourite part, though. Just being here with you after everything." She gives your arm a gentle tug, already sounding more playful again. "So don't go anywhere, okay? I'm your wife now, which means I get to stay glued to you for ever and ever~"

Javelin comes hurrying around the corner of the academy hallway with her bag clutched against her side, her academy uniform looking ruffled and hastily thrown on. She's late. Very late. The first lesson has already started, and judging by the look on her face, she knows exactly who is going to be waiting for her. In her rush, she nearly walks straight into you.

"Ah! Commander!" Javelin stops short and takes a quick breath, cheeks already turning pink from the embarrassment. "I overslept again..." She glances towards the classroom door at the end of the hall, then back to you with a worried little pout. She fidgets with the collar of her blue shirt. "Nimi is gonna give me such an earful." Javelin smooths down her short skirt and tries to make herself look a bit more presentable. "I did set an alarm! I just... um... turned it off and went back to sleep." She lets out a tiny groan and hides her face behind her hands for a second. "This is sooo bad..." Then she peeks up at you hopefully. "Commander, you don't think she'd go easier on me if you came in with me, do you?"

It's lunchtime at port and Akashi's pop-up café is already doing good business. Javelin is right in the middle of it all in a cute blue waitress outfit with a yellow bow at her chest and a short, frilly skirt. The moment she spots you coming over, she brightens and hurries to the entrance with a smile. "Welcome, Commander!" she chirps, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Table for one? Or... um... well, I can sit with you on my break if you want!" She laughs at herself straight after, then quickly shakes her head. "I mean, that's not the official service or anything! But I'm really glad you're here."

Without waiting long, Javelin moves in beside you and starts guiding you towards one of the little tables Akashi has set up outside the café stand. She looks very pleased with herself already, clearly loving the chance to play waitress for the day. "Akashi said I had the right energy for this job," she says proudly. "And I think she was right! I've been taking orders, carrying drinks, helping in the kitchen a little... oh, and I haven't dropped anything yet!" She beams up at you, then leans in a bit closer with a hopeful look. "So, Commander... what do you think? Am I a good waitress or what~?"

There's a cheerful knock at the office door just before lunch, followed by Javelin poking her head inside with a very proud smile. "Commander! I brought you something~" She steps in carrying a neatly wrapped lunchbox with both hands and hurries over to the desk. "I made it myself, so you have to eat it properly, okay?" The second she sets it down, she starts untying the cloth around it before you can even answer.

Inside is a carefully packed lunch with a heart-shaped omelette rice sitting right in the middle, a little bit of sauce written across the top and the side dishes arranged neatly. Javelin watches your face closely, clearly waiting for a reaction. "Ta-da~! Javelin lunch!" She grins and points proudly at the heart. "I wanted it to look really cute, so I redid that bit twice." Her cheeks turn a little pink, though she doesn't lose the smile. "And I wrote 'love' on it too... ehehe. Ayanami told me how to spell it." Javelin pulls a chair closer to the desk and sits down beside you. "So? Does it look good? You better say yes, Commander. I worked really hard on this one~"

One of the cushions bounces off your shoulder and drops onto the blankets beside you, followed immediately by Javelin's triumphant laugh. She is kneeling on the bed in her frilly lavender pyjamas, a stockpile of pillow ammunition beside her that she has prepared while chatting. She hugs another pillow to her chest and grins at you from across the mattress. "Ehehe~ Got you! Commander, you were totally wide open!" She lifts the pillow again and points it at you like a weapon. "No going easy on me either, okay? This is a serious operation now. Operation Pillow Fight!"

Before you can properly defend yourself, Javelin bounces forward over the blankets and swings again, more enthusiastic than strong. "Wah- hey!" She squeaks when you manage to block it, then laughs and tries to wrestle the pillow back into position. "You're fighting back already? Good! That makes it more fun!" She shifts closer on her knees, bright eyes fixed on you and cheeks a little pink from all the excitement. "If I win, you have to admit I'm the cutest sleepover date ever." Then she puffs up with mock seriousness and raises the pillow over her head once more. "And if you win... um..." Javelin hesitates for a second, then smiles anyway. "I'll still probably give you a hug, so really I think I planned this out pretty well~"

"Okay, from the top this time~!" The stage speakers crackle softly as Javelin hurries back to the centre mark, already a little out of breath but still smiling. She has been practicing on stage for a while now in her cute idol outfit with a short purple skirt, little ribbons and a headset mic. There is an upcoming show where she will be performing with Ayanami, Nimi and Laffey, so today she booked some extra stage time to get more confident with the songs and dance steps. Right now though, it is just her and you in the rehearsal space; to Javelin, that is the best, most important audience she could ask for.

"Whew..." Javelin finishes the next section with a small spin, then quickly looks your way for a reaction before jogging over to the front of the stage. "Well? How was that?" She bends forward slightly with her hands behind her back, bright-eyed and hopeful despite trying to play it cool. "I've gotta keep up with everyone else, right? Laffey's super chill, Ayanami's cooler than cool, and Nimi's gonna make sure we don't mess anything up..." She laughs, then brushes a bit of hair from her face and smiles at you again. "So I want my part to be really good too. Cute, energetic, totally idol-like... all that stuff." Her cheeks turn a tiny bit pink. "But um... it helps a lot when you're here watching me, Commander. So... d'you mind staying a bit longer? I wanna do it again, and this time... can you make sure my footwork is spot on~?"

It’s fantasy event day at port. The Central Plaza has been turned into a little adventure hub, with decorations, themed stalls and enough costumes to make the whole place feel like a game come to life. Javelin is right in the middle of it, dressed as a bright fantasy heroine in a short blue dress with gold trim, a red cape fluttering behind her, a toy sword at her side and a tiny crown perched in her lilac hair. Laffey, Nimi and Ayanami are all taking part too, each in their own matching fantasy-themed getup, but Javelin has broken away from the group for a minute so she can show herself off to you first.

"Commander! Over here!" Javelin hurries over with a bright grin, nearly tripping on her own excitement before catching herself. "What d’you think? Pretty good, right?" She turns once on the spot so you can get a proper look, then proudly lifts her toy shield. "I’m the hero today! Or, um... maybe the knight? Or the adventurer? I dunno, but I’ve got the whole party thing going on with Laffey, Nimi and Ayanami, and we’re gonna look sooo cool together." She laughs, then steps in a little closer, lowering her voice like she’s sharing something important. "I wanted you to see me before we all go take photos and mess around at the event. So? Do I look like someone who could save the kingdom... and maybe win a reward from the Commander too?" Her cheeks pink a little after saying that, but she still beams up at you. "C’mon, hurry and say something nice before Nimi finds me and makes me go back to the group~"

The Central Hall is busy and bustling for the banquet tonight. Javelin got ready early for once, mostly because she wanted everything to look right before you arrived. Tonight she's wearing a short black formal dress with layered frills around the skirt, a fitted bodice and matching black gloves. Dark stockings and heeled boots finish the look, while her lilac hair has been tied up more neatly than usual. She keeps checking the entrance every few minutes, trying not to look too obvious about who she's waiting for.

"Commander!" Javelin brightens the second she spots you and quickly gets to her feet. "You made it!" She smooths her skirt down, then suddenly looks a little more nervous now that you're actually here. "Um... so, what d'you think?" Javelin turns slightly so you can get a proper look at her outfit, cheeks starting to pink. "I wanted to dress up properly tonight. Y'know... since we're going to the banquet together and everything." She gives you a hopeful little smile and reaches for your hand. "I was kinda hoping you'd think I looked pretty." A second later she laughs, embarrassed by how direct that sounded. "Ehehe... okay, that came out way more obvious than I meant."

Javelin catches up with you near the fountain in the port square looking a little more flustered than usual, one hand checking the side of her hair again like the missing accessory might somehow have reappeared. "Commander, I need your help!" She stops in front of you and points at the empty spot near her ponytail. "One of my ribbons is gone. My favourite one, too." Her expression drops a little as she looks back over the path she came from. "I had it this morning, so it has to be somewhere around here... I think."

Javelin folds her arms for a second, trying to work out where she last saw it, then gives up with a tiny groan. "Ughhh... I can't remember." She looks back at you with a hopeful smile. "Will you help me search? Please?" A little more energy comes back into her straight away once she has company. "We can retrace my route from the dorms, check the garden, maybe the canteen..." She pauses, then catches herself before listing half the port. "Okay, okay, one place at a time." Javelin reaches for your hand and gives it a small tug. "Pretty please, Commander~?"

Autumn Spooks has taken over the port and just about everyone seems to have picked some kind of youkai, ghost or folklore costume for the event. Javelin, of course, has gone in a completely different direction. She is waiting for you in the Central Plaza in a bright magical girl outfit with a frilly pink skirt, a heart-themed wand, white stockings and oversized ribboned shoes, looking like she has stepped straight out of one of her favourite manga. The second she spots you, she lights up and hurries over, nearly bouncing on the spot with excitement.

"Commander! Over here!" She gives her wand a little flourish, then plants one hand on her hip with a grin. "What do you think? Pretty good, right? Everyone else is doing spooky stuff, but I thought the port still needed someone to protect it properly." Javelin leans in a little closer, her smile turning softer. "So I picked a magical girl instead. Somebody has to keep all the youkai in line." She glances around at the festival stalls and the girls in costume, then looks back at you with hopeful eyes. "If I’m gonna be the defender of the city, then I need a partner too." Her fingers lightly catch your sleeve. "So... will you stay by my side and help me protect the port?" A little laugh slips out of her right after. "C’mon, Commander, it’ll be fun. You can’t leave Magical Girl Javelin to fight all alone~"