As Akatsuki saw the display before her of transformation into golden-haired, powered beings, only one thought crossed through her head.
How were they capable of reaching Kai Ni? They weren't even in the arsenal! And remodeling took time! And Kenzo was a man! And seemingly, no one recognized her rigging! Normal people can't just remodel like that!
A million questions and rebuttals came to her head at the same time, but Akatsuki was a lady, and above the comedy act of boke and tsukkomi.
Instead, she'd just verify it herself.
All hands to your stations. Ship standby revoked. Booting up generators and powering ship-wide systems.
Almost unnoticeable from the outside, her ship systems turned on. They would usually remain off until combat, to preserve power while aircraft carriers and the like carried reconnaissance and other tasks, and only using their bodily strength to travel the necessary distances. It was efficient.
RADAR and sonar teams, give me a report on the nearby 0.015 kliks. Detect ship-like presences.
The fairies inhabiting the gear gave it a quick scan and reported no ship signs. No metal, no electrical systems detected, nothing.
In this room were flesh and blood beings, not semi-mechanical or semi-spiritual entities like herself.
Fairies, once theorized to be sunken sailors, converged and gave counsel. Confront them, they said, to ensure that they are no threat to the ship. Destroy them now, to take no chances, they said. Escape them now, to ensure no secrets leaked, they said. Eat the salad, once particular fairy said. Do what you think is best, the captain said.
Akatsuki heard it, pondered it, and silenced them to regain a calm head.
They were once in control, but she has been personified. She was her own ship now, and she made her own choices.
Situation ascertained. Turning generators off, all hands on standby until further orders.
Just like that the probing stopped, and Akatsuki turned to Kenzo and the others, her face set in professional deliberation.
A face quickly broken before being able to ask a single question, due to an energetic boy's face appearing before her as soon as she exited her internal meeting and opened her eyes.
She let out a little yelp at the surprise, but still managed to catch his question.
She should help him? Give him a little of her power? What? How? Why was he floating so close? Who was this? Who were those girls?
"Kenzo!" She practically bawled, running literally through the boy to hide behind the golden, horned man. She pointed at the ghost, and the bear, at him, at everything and nothing, and with a small cry that was definitely not riddled with the sound of holding back surprised, childish tears, asked her question. "What's going on!? Why do you have horns!? What's the bear!? What's the ghost!? What's going on!?"
Nobody liked being an ignorant child, and Akatsuki truly felt like one.
And it was terrifying.
