Hey all, I'm aware I have a handful of followers from my one other story on the website, A Zero's Ace, and I just want you to know that it is not dead! I've been super busy with school, and during my relaxation time I've been playing Nier:Automata. After being absolutely blown away by the game (seriously, I think it belongs on the same tier as masterpieces like Bioshock and Dark Souls), I just had to get this idea out first. I might be focusing on this story for a while, so I'm apologizing now.
As for this story, it takes place after Ending E of Nier:Automata, which was left quite open, so people like me could take advantage artistically. As a result there are major spoilers, but I do kind of want this story to be enjoyable for the less informed as well, so there will be some explanation throughout the story. I hope you enjoy this crossover. Without further ado, let's begin!
A/N: Aw crap, I just learned after I finished the chapter that I can't count worth anything. The KanColle fleet that shows up has 7 members instead of 6. Oh well!
A Reason to Fight
Chapter 1: Another Place
"Good morning, 2B."
A voice that YoRHa No.2 Type B never expected to hear again rang in her ears. A young man's voice. Her companion's voice. Her most important person's voice. She couldn't believe it. She was supposed to be dead. But instead, she could feel herself going through the usual startup process. Her body was whole, undamaged. Everything was where it was supposed to be.
She opened her eyes, wincing as sunlight flooded her vision. A person's face came into focus. A familiar white-haired boy, complete with the black blindfold that acted as a military visor covering his eyes. It really was him. YoRHa No.9 Type S, or as she called him:
"...9S."
9S smiled in response. His smile was warm, full of happiness. 2B felt a distinct sense of relief. She'd been worried. Too many people she knew had become full of rage, bent on revenge. It hadn't been her intention, but she knew that 9S had witnessed her final moments, he'd seen her death at the hands of the rogue android YoRHa Type A No.2, or A2. She didn't get the chance to explain to him that A2 was fulfilling her final wish, inheriting her will as her own body was destroyed by the virus that had taken everything from them. Without her to explain what had happened, she was worried 9S wouldn't be able to forgive A2.
"2B? How long are you planning to lie there for?"
With a start, she realized her head was resting in 9S's lap. He couldn't move while she was like this. Testing out her limbs, she raised herself up carefully. She looked over herself, checking for any issues. Nothing seemed wrong, and she was wearing her standard black dress along with her black headband that kept her short white hair in place. Of course, she had an identical visor to 9S's on her face.
The both of them stood together on the roof of a ruined building. The problem was, she didn't know how she got there. Or why she was even alive, actually.
"How're you feeling, 2B?" 9S asked her worriedly.
"I'm fine, 9S. Do you know where we are? Or what's going on?"
"...I'm just as clueless as you are. I woke up a few minutes before you..." A darker expression crossed his face, his voice growing a bit heavier. 2B looked at him with surprise.
"...Are you alright?" 2B asked, after a moment of silence.
"Yeah...I'm fine. I'm just...glad you're back." 9S looked up at her, the relief plain on his face.
2B hesitated. Something had definitely happened in the time after her death. 9S was obviously happy to see her, but it felt like there was something weighing him down. She wanted to ask him what happened. To ask why he wasn't his normal cheerful self.
"9-" she began before being cut off.
"Good morning, 2B and 9S." Another two voices ran out in unison. It was their support pods, Pod 042 and Pod 153. They were rectangular machines, with small arms extending from the bottom. These pods were excellent sources of information, and could support their charges with an array of armaments. Their assistance had been indispensable throughout the conflicts that 2B and 9S found themselves in.
2B was a bit annoyed that she'd been cut off, but her happiness at seeing her old support pod, who was pretty much an extension of her body, outweighed her feelings of annoyance.
"Pod. What's going on?" 2B inquired calmly.
"Response: Units 2B and 9S have been repaired by us pods with their memories intact." 2B's pod, 042, answered. "We are currently located in the city ruins near the Resistance camp."
"Wait. Both of us were repaired? Why did 9S require repairs?" 2B looked at 9S, who avoided her eyes by looking at the ground. "What happened?"
"Reply: Unit 9S was killed in battle with Unit A2. Both androids suffered mutual destruction." 9S's pod, 153, that answered.
2B's eyes widened underneath her visor. What led to this? They weren't supposed to fight one another! 2B had told A2 protect 9S in her last moments...
Looking back, 2B didn't know why she thought A2 was someone she could trust. Perhaps it was because A2 seemed to have a deep hidden pain within her, just like 2B. She seemed to be the type who would have some kind of code of honor. But it looked like she'd been wrong to trust A2.
"That rotten traitor..." 2B began, her anger rising.
"No!" 9S spoke up forcefully, his head hanging in shame. "She...it was my fault. My pod can tell you more but...it was definitely my fault. I refused to listen to her. I was insane. After you were gone, I just wanted...I just wanted to kill everything. I wanted to kill the machines, to kill A2, and...to kill myself."
"..." 2B was shocked. She couldn't imagine a vengeful, hate-filled 9S. The one in her memories was a witty android that livened up her missions, someone who made her smile internally. Someone that she wanted to protect no matter what, but her duty had denied her that wish.
"Unit 2B, I will now show you my recording of unit 9S's operations after you were destroyed. Do you accept?" Pod 153 inquired. 2B glanced at the pod before returning her gaze to 9S, who only nodded slightly. She grit her teeth for a moment, wanting nothing more than to comfort 9S, before turning her full attention to his pod.
"I understand. Show me what happened after my death."
What followed was beyond anything 2B could've imagined. The truth about YoRHa, the truth about humanity, everything left her speechless. She was already aware about humanity's extinction, and what the Commander had told her about Project YoRHa, but 9S had discovered even more. He discovered that YoRHa was only supposed to exist until the end of the war, afterwards they would be disposed of.
And those discoveries had driven him mad. The Project Gestalt Files, YoRHa's expendable nature, the truth behind the virus. After destroying their supposed creators, 9S and A2 had fought to the death, with 9S driven by rage and hatred, and A2 trying her best to defend herself.
"I can't believe it..." The normally stoic 2B would've turned pale, if she could. That last recorded image of A2 and 9S lying in a pool of their own blood beside one another was burned into her mind.
Not only that, but their very existences weren't meant to be, if their creator's words were true.
"Statement: Most of this information is now irrelevant. Units 2B and 9S are here now, and can choose to live as they like. The electronic "images" of humanity no longer exist to control androids or machines." Pod 042 spoke up suddenly.
2B looked at the pod in surprise. He wasn't normally this verbose, let alone saying stuff like that of his own accord.
"Are you...comforting us?" 9S asked, "That's a first."
2B turned to look at 9S. He wasn't looking down anymore, instead, returning her gaze with a weak smile.
"It was my fault. I can't go back and change what I've done." 9S sighed, "Your pod went to assist A2 after your death. Was it your decision?"
"Yes...I did give it that order."
"Well, A2 did a lot more good than me. I saw the footage from 042. She tried to save Pascal and his village while I...I was just killing things." 9S said gloomily.
"Pascal..." 2B felt a pang in her chest. The amiable machine was one of the few individuals on the surface she considered an ally, maybe even a friend. She had seen the memory-wiped Pascal in 9S's memory when he passed through the destroyed and empty village. It'd been a colony of machines that were friendly, even to the androids, which were supposed to be their mortal enemies. She'd felt a certain fondness for the peaceful place and its curiosity-filled leader.
"Even if she couldn't save them, she was doing what was right. What I did was wrong... just wrong." 9S clenched his fists. 2B reached out and took his hand, squeezing tightly. He looked at her in surprise, "2B?"
"9S...it's like you said. The past cannot be changed. But we're here now. Pod 042 is right." 2B comforted him. Without the weight of her secret assignment as Unit 2E weighing her down, she felt like her restrictions had been lifted. The past 2B would never would've acted this way. Even though what happened was regrettable, she couldn't help a small happiness that came with the knowledge that she no longer had to execute 9S for attempting to access confidential information. It was a burden she was glad to be rid of.
"...Thanks, 2B." 9S smiled, a bit wider this time, "But... I wish I could apologize to A2. Tell her that I'm sorry."
9S's smile turned a bit sad. Before 2B could say anything else, someone spoke up from behind the group.
"Well...apology accepted."
2B and 9S spun around. Standing on the other side of the roof was A2, looking just like she did when they first met. Her white hair was back to its long, messy appearance. She wasn't wearing anything except random undergarments from her old uniform, but all the dirt she once had covering her body was gone.
"A2...?" 9S's jaw dropped.
"Yeah." A2 approached the two of them, "2B, good to see you alive and well, I guess."
"Me too." 2B answered with her standard taciturn attitude.
"That stupid pod of yours turned out to be pretty useful, so I suppose I owe you some thanks." A2 glared pointedly at Pod 042, who hovered innocently in response, ignoring her comment. She hadn't forgotten 042's passive-aggressive insults during their time together. 2B probably didn't suffer any such abuse.
"Don't mention it." 2B said, folding her arms "Were you repaired too?"
"That's right. The pods helped me out a little." A2 replied.
"They didn't tell us that." It was 2B's turn to send a look at her pod.
"Response: You didn't ask." Pod 042 replied, seemingly imitating 2B's curt manner of speech.
"You have a smartass pod." A2 pointed out, a little bit amused. For some odd reason, the three androids were relaxed, giving off the atmosphere of old friends meeting again.
Perhaps it was because of the sense of liberation that all three androids were feeling, or maybe just a sense of relief, but the air felt friendly and inviting. None of the previous tension from their earlier meetings were present.
"Um...A2?" 9S spoke up timidly, "I have to admit, I had you all wrong. After reading all the data in the tower I-."
"Don't worry about it. We've all had some pretty painful experiences, so I won't play the victim here." A2 cut him off, "I think Pod 042 said it right. It's over now, so we should think about what to do next."
"We?" 9S looked at her in surprise as 2B also tilted her head questioningly.
"Sure. I don't have anywhere to go. Unless there's an issue...?"
"That's not it! I mean...if you're okay with being near us... well, me, specifically." 9S stumbled over his words, "I don't have any problems."
"Me neither." 2B chimed in.
"That's settled then." A2 nodded, before noticing 9S staring at her, "Hm? What is it? Something on my face?"
"To be honest, At first I thought you were more like 2B. Quiet and serious and all that. But you're kinda snarky, like my old operator. And more emotional in general." 9S pointed out, remembering A2's conversations from the recordings he saw.
"Is there a problem with how I act?" A2 glared at him.
"No! Nothing! Nothing. Just... I was thinking that understanding others can be pretty hard, right? My first impression of you was completely wrong." 9S pondered, "Were humans like this?"
"..." A2 and 2B didn't reply, going over his words in their heads. In truth, all three of them wondered if their emotions were a result of being made in the image of their creators, or why they even felt emotions in the first place. It was question that couldn't be answered any longer.
"Oh, forget it. It's no use thinking about this," A2 sighed, scratching her head, "Let's just get moving."
"Alright then." 9S frowned, his mind still running at high speeds, while 2B simply nodded in response.
Before they could talk about where to go, both of the pods suddenly went into high alert.
"Warning: High energy anomaly detected." Pod 042 spoke up, a hint of urgency in his robotic voice.
"What? What kind of anomaly?" 9S asked, everyone tensing up for combat.
"Unknown. Cannot trace."
"Then what do we do?" 2B asked, scanning her surroundings, her sword at the ready.
"Unknown. Not enough information."
"I knew this pod was useless!" A2 chimed in. The three of them were all back to back covering one another, but they still couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Proposal: Units should all leave this are immediately." Pod 153 suggested.
"Alright, let's get off the roof!" 9S shouted.
But before they could move, the space around them began distorting, the air twisting and spiraling, like a sheet of paper being crumpled up.
"What's going on!?" 9S screamed as the three of them and the two pods grouped together. Their vision continued to swim as the space around them convulsed, until they were suddenly struck by an unseen force.
"9S!" "2B!" "Urgh!"
The three of them shouted out in surprise, before their visions faded to black. When everything settled and the area returned to normal, the roof of the collapsed building was empty. The five individuals that were there a moment ago had vanished without a trace.
"Hawa! W-Was that lightning?" Japanese Destroyer Inazuma asked frantically. She was a ship girl, the personified souls of warships from the past. Externally, they resembled human females, but they were a lot stronger, heavier, and associated with their strange equipment, called outfits. Outfits consist of various parts of warships changed or adjusted to fit the human body like shoulder mounts, handheld turrets, etc. Inazuma was equipped with a back mounted 12.7 cm double turret, with a quadruple torpedo launcher on each side of her waist. She also carried a smokestack as a backpack.
The ship girl's existences were shrouded in mystery, but they'd been summoned for in a time of crisis, and they answered the call. Inazuma was a part of a standard patrol being performed near their temporary base of operations in the Solomon Islands. For some reason, their opponents, the Abyssal Fleet, were concentrating their forces in the surrounding seas.
Accompanying the shy brunette was fellow Destroyer Shigure, Light Cruiser Tenryuu, Heavy Cruiser Mogami, Battleships Fusou and Yamashiro, and the Light Aircraft Carrier Zuihou. They were on the lookout for an enemy fleet that consisted mainly of surface combat ships that'd been spotted a few hours earlier.
"I don't know..." the soft-spoken Shigure replied, furrowing her brow. She and Inazuma were at the front of their formation since they were the fastest and most maneuverable in the fleet. Shigure's outfit consisted of a handheld 12.7 cm single turret, a back mounted 12.7 cm double turret, and a quadruple torpedo launcher on each thigh.
"We should slow down, I'll contact command for orders. We might have to go investigate the source of that strange flash just now." Fusou commanded from the rear. She was the acting flagship for their patrol operation. Fusou appeared to be a young woman, with bright red eyes and long black hair. She wore a white and red uniform that vaguely resembled a shrine maiden's uniform. Giving off the presence of a traditional Japanese beauty, she made a good and calm leader under pressure. Her outfit consists of a massive conglomeration of turrets mounted on her back. They included her terrifying 35.6 cm main guns along with tons of secondary turrets and anti-air batteries.
"What about the enemy? We're easy prey for 'em out here!" Tenryuu growled. The complete opposite of her flagship, Tenryuu was tomboyish, with short purple hair and an eye patch. She wore a black vest and skirt, along with same-colored finger-less gloves. She spoke in a rough manner, but was truthfully a considerate person. Her outfit was made up of a back mounted ship tower with two 14 cm single turrets on each side, along with a sword that she rarely got to use due to the long range nature of ship warfare.
"We're barely 45 minutes out from base. The predicted enemy location is another hour away. We'll be alright!" Mogami replied, stretching as the fleet lowered their speed to cruising levels. Mogami also had a tomboyish air, but unlike the delinquent-like Tenryuu, Mogami carried more a sporty appearance, like an athlete. Her clothing was a pair of red shorts with a thick red longsleeve sailor top. She had 4 155 cm triple turrets, one on each arm and thigh, along with a smokestack as a backpack.
"Fine. I'm just saying though." Tenryuu waved her hand dismissively, "Besides, that was probably just some weird tropical weather or something."
"I've never seen weather like that before..." Inazuma said timidly, "S-Something might be going on over there, don't you think?"
"Zuihou, could you please send some planes out? I want some more information on what happened near or on that island." Fusou asked politely.
"Understood! Launching recon squadron now!" Zuihou, a small grey-haired girl in a red-white Japanese-style archery uniform, pulled out her bow and arrows and launched several arrows into the sky. The arrows transformed into planes in sudden bursts of light, and flew off into the distance.
Of all the strange technology the ship girls brought with them, the way aircraft and aircraft carriers worked still eluded the minds of many. The ship girls themselves couldn't answer any questions either, as they only knew how to use and control their bodies. Not create more of them. Even the repair/research ship Akashi didn't really know what she was working with on a base level.
Yamashiro, the last member of their little fleet was virtually identical to her sister, Fusou, aside from shorter hair, and a much different personality. She was short tempered, irrational, but very, very protective of her allies. At least the ones she cared about.
"Shigure, stay behind me. At low speeds you're vulnerable." Yamashiro said, moving up to Shigure protectively. She'd always had a soft spot for the destroyer, ever since they were both assigned to the Nishimura fleet in their original bodies.
"Yamashiro-san, that'll disrupt the formation..." Shigure replied, staying right where she was. She was blushing a little bit, though. She had a lot of affection for Yamashiro, Fusou, Mogami, and the other members of the Nishimura fleet. And a bit of survivor's guilt as well, but the others assured her that they would never blame her for what happened back then.
"Besides, I'm already near Shigu, Yama-chan. I wouldn't let anything happen to her." Mogami puffed out her chest proudly. As the only cruiser in the Nishimura fleet, Mogami felt a responsibility to play a proper supporting role for the two capital ships, but also felt she had to protect the smaller destroyers.
"I'm a little jealous of how close you all are..." Inazuma said quietly, smiling warmly at the rest of them. The ship girls tended to get along well, but there was a certain closeness between those who served together in their original bodies, so Inazuma was suddenly filled with the desire to see her sisters again.
In response to Inazuma's shy comment, Yamashiro just gave a small huff of denial, while Shigure's blush deepened. Mogami went up to Inazuma and rubbed her head affectionately, a grin on her face. Inazuma let Mogami pet her, closing her eyes contentedly.
"She'll be fine, Yamashiro. Come back to your position." Fusou interjected, chiding her sister gently.
"Understood, Nee-sama!" Yamashiro rushed back to her position, referring to her sister with utmost respect and seriousness. The others could only sigh in response. Yamashiro was difficult to deal with for most of them, but she followed her older sister with almost fanatical devotion.
"By the way, we'll have to to turn soon if we're going the first plan. And that's away from the lightning flash." Tenryuu notified the rest of the fleet. She'd been on guard the entire time, but it hadn't stopped her from cracking a grin at the friendly conversation between the others. She took a glance over at Zuihou, who was being unusually quiet, but didn't say anything when she saw how concentrated the girl was.
"Just a moment, Secretary Yamato-san and the others are still in discussion." Fusou replied, before returning to radio communication, "Yes, Ooyodo-san. No, I'm waiting on Zuihou's recon report. Yes, we're still in position to either investigate or continue the operation."
"Fusou-san! My planes spotted three people lying on the shore of that island we saw the light come from. I think they're unconscious, we should go help them!" Zuihou spoke up excitedly. Zuihou was the type of girl to always give 110%, many of the other ship girls appreciated the small carrier's determination and effort, but she was subject to a lot of good-natured teasing due to her straightforward personality.
"Alright, I'll let command know." Fusou nodded, a bit anxiously, going back to radio communication "You heard? Okay. Yes, we'll go assist them. Thank you very much."
Most ship girls were summoned in the factory, a strange structure that consumed resources like fuel and steel in order to bring a ship girl into existence, but once in a blue moon they would find a ship girl out on the battlefield. No one knew why, but it was dangerous for ship girls to be alone against the Abyssal Fleet. Teamwork was a must. These unconscious people might be lost ship girls, or survivors from a vessel that was attacked by Abyssals.
"Everyone to full speed, we're heading to that island to help those people!" Fusou said. The rest of the fleet shouted in response.
Though they weren't aware of any enemies, everyone was fully alert, guns at the ready, or in Zuihou's case, planes in the air. There was a possibility of abyssals in the area, waiting to ambush anyone who went to help bystanders or lost ship girls. Fusou grimaced, the abyssal fleet didn't always use such tactics, but as the war progressed, both sides continued to evolve in both strategy and equipment.
"No signs of any enemy fleet," Zuihou reported periodically. With air support, spotting became a lot easier so the others could relax a little.
"Hey Zuihou, what'd they look like anyways? See any weapons or anything?" Tenryuu asked casually.
"I think there are two girls and young boy." Zuihou said a little hesitantly, "But there's something strange about them."
"Strange? And hey, if there's a boy, that probably means they're survivors from an abyssal attack or something, right?" Tenryuu suggested.
"Maybe... We should go see for ourselves!" Zuihou declared, nodding to herself with confidence.
"Yeah, that's right." Tenryuu agreed.
The fleet soon arrived at the target location. Just as Zuihou said, there were three figures lying on the ground but...
"What are those?" Mogami asked curiously. She was pointing at two strange-looking machines hovering above the three bodies.
"I dunno. Drones?" Tenryuu replied, squinting at the machines. They were shaped like vertical rectangles, with arms sticking out of the bottom. "New Abyssal planes?"
"They don't look like Abyssals." Fusou was observing the hovering machines as well, "Hold your fire for now."
"Got it." "Roger" "Understood!"
"Zuihou, how come you didn't spot those things before?" Yamashiro asked.
"Ah! Um... they do look a little bit familiar. I think they were on the ground near the people when I had my planes over the island. I didn't know what they were, but they weren't moving at the time." Zuihou said apologetically.
They finally arrived at the shore, switching over the land configuration. The fleet approached the unconscious people at a slow, steady pace, not wanting to alarm anyone/anything. Fusou noted that the three people wore similar clothing, and all had white hair. One of the girls and the boy were both blindfolded as well.
"Demand: Unknown units detected. State your designation and intention." A deep male voice suddenly came out of one of the floating machines. The one that spoke was a silver color, while the other one was painted black and red.
"Eh?" The ship girls halted. They didn't expect to be challenged as they went to render aid.
"Any attempts to approach will be interpreted as hostile intention. Please state your purpose." The other machine added.
"We're here to help. Are those people alright?" Fusou quickly recovered and smiled gently, but she was a bit suspicious of the blindfolds.
"Reply: Units 2B, 9S, and A2 are in sleep mode. No abnormalities detected. No aid needed." The first machine replied in monotone.
"To...be? 9S?" Fusou didn't know what the machine was talking about. Before she could come up with a reply, Tenryuu stepped forward.
"Oi, they sure don't look okay! How do we know you aren't holding them prisoner or something!" Tenryuu strode forward aggressively.
"Tenryuu-san don-" Fusou began to call her back before the hovering machines moved with surprising agility between the ship girls and the "sleeping" people.
"Activating defense mode. Requesting assistance from Pod 153 to keep barrier intact." The first machine declared as Tenryuu got closer. The area around the white-haired individuals and the machines was suddenly covered in a strange glowing barrier made up of what resembled turning wheels.
"What the-" Tenryuu was right at the edge and ran straight into the barrier. She was immediately pushed back forcefully. "Guh!"
"Tenryuu-san!" Inazuma ran up and helped Tenryuu to her feet, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just lost my balance. We're warships, a little push like that won't hurt at all." Tenryuu reassured the nervous destroyer.
Everyone looked at the barrier the floating machines had put up, unsure about what to do.
The barrier stayed in place for a couple more seconds before it dissipated, but before anyone could act, the other machine moved forward and put up the same exact barrier. They watched for a bit more, and the machines switched again to maintain the barrier.
"Oh, that's smart." Mogami commented, "Like how continuous fire is done, huh?"
The other ship girls looked to Fusou, who was pursing her lips in thought.
"Um...we really don't mean any harm. What can we do to get you to trust us?" Fusou asked them. The machines replied instantly, as if they expected it.
"Proposal: Support pods cannot act without consent of their unit. Further communication can occur once one of the units has awoken." The first pod suggested.
"Support pods?" Shigure tilted her head questioningly.
"Correct. We are support pods. We will do whatever is necessary to assist our units." The second pod added.
"What the hell is going on?" Tenryuu complained, "This some kind of Navy experiment?"
"I don't know..." Fusou answered, "Um, how did you get here?"
"Unknown." the pods replied in unison.
"Okay, so, these people are your 'units'?" Fusou asked.
"Correct. Proposal: Further communication should cease until a unit has awoken."
"Hm, okay then. I'll contact the Admiral and the others. Everyone, keep an eye out for abyssals, and wait for one of those people to wake up."
"Roger." "Understood." "Got it."
The pods stopped maintaining the barrier, but remained floating protectively over the still unconscious people.
Zuihou sent out her planes once again in order to perform reconnaissance. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she could see the pods tilt their... bodies? in surprise. The others didn't put away their outfits, but noticeably relaxed. Mogami sat down on the sand and stretched her legs, while Tenryuu took out her sword to sharpen it. The destroyers were observing the pods curiously, sometimes switching their attention to the pod's "units".
Yamashiro was eyeing the pods with suspicion, unaware that the pods were carrying out a secret conversation between one another.
"Pod 153, how are units 2B, 9S, and A2?" Pod 042 asked.
"All diagnostic tests have finished, so their OS chips should be rebooting themselves soon. No problems detected."
"Good." If pods had heads, 042 would've been nodding his approvingly.
"What about you, Pod 042? Have you finished analyzing these unknown units?"
"Unknown. They resemble androids, but their weaponry does not exist anywhere in our database. Note: Judging from the way they move, even the smallest one is much heavier than conventional androids. Hypothesis: They are most likely suited for heavy combat."
"Any scan results?"
"No scan performed. Risk of scanner detection and misunderstanding."
"Understood. I have also performed a general search of the surrounding area. This area does not match any existing locations near YoRHa or Resistance operations. There is also a distinct lack of pollution, and no signs of warfare between machines and androids. The air is also full of noise, but no analysis has been done on any intercepted radio waves yet."
"Hypothesis: We may have been brought to an entirely new dimension. Last readings of the high energy anomaly indicate a warping of space and time that resemble the mythological records of several ancient civilizations."
"The chances of such an occurrence are negligible."
"But it is the only answer. There are no signs of any familiar androids within hundreds of miles, yet the air is full of signals and radio waves. This indicates the presence of several active communities or groups that can contact one another."
"More information must be gathered."
"Agreed."
"It appears A2 has begun waking up. 2B and 9S should be waking soon as well."
"Roger, we will facilitate the communication between the androids and these strangers."
A2 groaned and rolled to her side, before snapping wide awake and jumping up onto her feet.
"Hawa!" Inazuma gasped in surprise as the other ship girls stood up, ready for combat. A2 scanned her surrounding, eyeing the ship girls suspiciously. Before she could do anything rash, Pod 042 hovered in front of her.
"Unit A2 has awoken. Now initiating data transfer." Pod 042 showed her what seemed to be a projection of sped up text and images. It didn't make any sense to the ship girls who were watching.
"What...?" A2's eyes widened in surprise for moment, before becoming serious as she turned to face the ship girls. She addressed Fusou, who she saw to be the leader from the pod's recording, "Where are we?"
"You're currently on a small uninhabited island that is a part of the Solomon Islands in Oceania." Fusou replied, and upon seeing the confused expression on A2's face she went on, "But before we discuss anything further, can I have your name?"
"...I'm A2." A2 replied curtly.
"Wha-? Um, is that really your name?" Fusou asked skeptically.
"It's short for YoRHa Type A No. 2" A2 explained not-so-helpfully, "Now who are you people? Resistance? Some other group?"
Before Fusou could reply, Tenryuu stepped forward (again).
"We 'people' are the ship girls in charge of protecting this area." Tenryuu interjected aggressively, "We should be asking you that. Why do you have two blindfolded people with you? You a kidnapper?"
"I told you who I was. And I've never even heard of a ship girl before. As for those 'blindfolds', they're just military visors that we use." A2 replied coolly.
"Visors? The hell?" Tenryuu looked at the unconscious 2B and 9S incredulously. But the other ship girls looked noticeably shocked at A2's other statement.
"You don't know what a ship girl is?" Fusou asked with obvious confusion, "I'm sure everyone's at least heard of us. We're the only defense against Abyssal attacks."
"Don't know what an Abyssal is either. Some kind of new machine lifeform?"
"You've never heard of an Abyssal either...?" There was an outbreak of muttering between the other ship girls.
"Nope. What the hell are you guys anyways? What's a ship girl? Some kinda slang for a naval-based android model?"
"Android?" Fusou didn't understand the question.
Before she could ask another question, the other two people began moving. They groaned, shifting around sluggishly. 2B opened her eyes and saw 9S lying beside her. She was immediately hit with a feeling of alarm.
"9S! Are you okay? 9S!"
"Urgh...2B?" 9S opened his eyes as well, making eye contact with her through their visors, "I'm fine, don't worry."
"...Good." 2B and 9S stared at one another, lying on the ground. 2B was about to reach out and grab his hand but she became aware of other people around her. A2 cleared her throat.
"Glad you could join us. We're busy getting nowhere and learning nothing." A2 said, helping the two of them to their feet. She turned to the ship girls, "Give us a moment."
"Ah...um...okay." Fusou nodded, before gesturing at the other ship girls to come closer. She wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the situation with them.
The androids turned away from the talking ship girls, creating some distance between the two groups. A2 nodded to the pods, who approached the freshly awoken androids and transferred their data to them. 2B had no noticeable change in expression, but 9S's eyes widened with curiosity. After the process was finished, Pod 042 floated down in front of the three of them.
"Proposal: Unit A2's communication skills leave much to be desired. Suggested contacts should be Pod 153 and Unit 9S. 2B and A2 should remain on standby." Pod 042 suggested innocently.
"Oi." A2 growled, but couldn't deny the pod's statement.
"I agree with this proposal." Pod 153 added.
"I don't mind." 2B replied.
"If you guys say so." 9S agreed. The three of them turned back to the ship girls, who had also finished their conversation.
Tenryuu was noticeably absent. Fusou sent her off to do some scouting at sea. She had the same issues as A2 when it came to civilized interactions, after all. Tenryuu wasn't meant for scouting alone, however, so Fusou sent Zuihou as well. Tenryuu was to act as an escort for Zuihou, who was helpless when it came to surface combat.
A2 approached Fusou along with 9S.
"I guess this guy's taking over now." A2 gestured at 9S, who nodded with a friendly smile.
"Oh, okay." Fusou replied with some bewilderment. These three strangers were very calm given their mysterious arrival and the strange situation they found themselves in. Perhaps they were used to it.
In truth, 9S was dying to ask questions and learn about everything that was going on, but 2B and A2 were content to let the thinkers do the thinking. They were meant for battle, after all.
"Hm, I didn't get your name. I told you mine, so I think you owe me yours." A2 said.
"Oh, my apologies. I'm the Battleship Fusou." Fusou bowed politely.
"Fusou. Got it." A2 stepped back, going to stand next to 2B.
"Well...umm...Fusou-san? I'm YoRHa No.9 Type S. You can call me 9S. Our last companion is YoRHa No.2 Type B, or 2B for short." 9S took a step forward, "It looks like we have a lot to discuss."
"Yes, I believe we do. Let me get in contact with my commanders. We can all talk together. I feel like this meeting might become something major..."
"I'll go with you, Nee-sama!" Yamashiro declared with determination, "It wouldn't do for you to be alone with these strangers!"
"...We don't mind." 2B stated flatly when Fusou looked at them questioningly. Fusou nodded, shooting them an apologetic smile.
"Lead the way, Fusou-san" 9S said. The three of them (+ Pod 153) walked a small distance away from the gathering of ship girls and androids before going into a very active conversation.
Without 9S on the android's side, and their leader, Fusou, on the ship girl's side, the group that was left behind lapsed into an awkward silence.
"So... you guys are... androids, right? I'm Mogami, by the way. These two are Shigure and Inazuma." Mogami asked tentatively, p
"I'm 2B. And yes, we are androids." 2B replied.
Mogami had been hoping for some more information, but 2B continued to stand there silently. The heavy cruiser could only scratch her head and stand there, before letting out a sigh.
"Um...2B-san, can you see through those blindfolds?" Shigure asked, trying to help Mogami out.
"Yes."
"..." The silence continued. 2B continued to stand there stoically, while the ship girls shuffled their feet awkwardly and avoided eye contact. A2 on the other hand, who normally preferred being alone, actually became irritated at the lack of conversation now that she was in a group. She noticed Inazuma standing to the side, fidgeting and stealing glances at the two androids.
"You. The brat with brown hair. Inazuma, right?" A2 addressed her.
"Ah! Y-Yes?" Inazuma asked timidly.
"You guys're in some sort of military unit, right?"
"Th-That's right." Inazuma replied.
"Why'd they build you so small? Even 9S is taller than you. That can't be practical."
"Eh? Umm..." Inazuma was at a loss.
"It's actually quite helpful for mobility, but we weren't actually built, per se." Mogami answered for her, "We just came to be."
"...That doesn't make any sense." A2 replied blankly.
"Query: Are the ship girls fully mechanical?" Pod 042 asked, leading the conversation on.
"I guess we are. We can get repaired, refueled, stuff like that. I don't think about it." Mogami replied, shrugging, "But we don't know anything about why we're the way we are."
"So you are like androids, then." A2 suggested.
"Maybe, I don't really know what an android is either. Sounds like something about of science fiction." Mogami frowned.
"Science fiction?" A2 didn't know the term.
"Answer: Science fiction refers to a genre of storytelling concerning concepts that aren't achievable with modern technology, but the writer believe may be possible to achieve." Pod 042 explained to A2.
"Huh, so androids don't exist here?" A2 frowned, "But you people are like androids so..."
"Um, we weren't in these bodies before..." Shigure added, "We just answered the call for assistance."
"In these bodies?" A2 tilted her head questioningly, "And what's this 'answering the call' stuff?"
"We were warships originally." Mogami explained, "But when we came back, we were in these bodies. Hence the name."
"Warships... as in, a seaborne vessel for combat?" A2 was steadily getting more and more confused, "I guess it's not strange for vehicles to be autonomous, but we didn't really do that where we're from."
"Whoa, autonomous? I wish we were that advanced back then. We were just plain old metal boats that people used for warfare." Mogami laughed. Inazuma and Shigure giggled softly as well.
"Then, how are you the same as those vessels you're talking about...?"
"It's hard to explain. We're the souls of those ships. We have all the memories of our original bodies, even though we weren't sentient at the time. Like I said, don't ask me how this works."
"...That's crazy." A2 looked at them as if they were insane.
"It's the truth." Mogami shrugged, "Take it or leave it."
A2 looked over at Inazuma and Shigure, who nodded in agreement with Mogami.
"I've seen crazier I guess." A2 sighed, stretching her arms behind her, "So, what's going on? You fighting against something?"
"We're fighting the abyssals. The largest threat to humanity they've ever encountered." Mogami replied.
"Y'don't say." A2 let out a yawn, then froze, "Did you say threat to humanity?"
"Yeah. Nothing any country's military had could counter the abyssals, so in their time of need they called out for help and we came ba-"
"There are still humans here!?" A2 grabbed Mogami's shoulder, and 2B, who'd been listening the entire time, stiffened up.
"Well, yeah. Who else would we be fighting for?" Mogami winced, "Ouch, you're really strong! I can't believe you're actually hurting me with just your grip!"
"S-Sorry..." A2's released her, her face the very picture of surprise.
"How did we not realize..." 2B muttered.
"2B... Humanity is still here..." A2 had a complicated expression on her face. Most of her life had been spent fighting alone, filled with bitterness towards both her old commander and her extinct creators. But with the knowledge that humans were still alive in this place, she felt an overwhelming urge to fight for them, even though she hadn't even met them. One look at 2B told A2 that she felt the same.
"How many are there? Are you winning the war?" 2B asked Mogami, who was rubbing her shoulder gingerly.
"Eh? How many? Uh...I dunno." Mogami shrugged, "Too many to count, I think."
"I read that the current world population is in the billions..." Inazuma said helpfully.
"B-Billions!?" 2B and A2 exclaimed at the same time.
"Kyah! U-Um...yes, that's right..." Inazuma shrunk away from the excited androids.
"That's...ridiculous." A2 breathed a sigh of disbelief. 2B nodded in agreement.
"Hey, are you guys okay? You've been acting like you've seen a ghost or something." Mogami said, looking at them with concern.
"We... where we were before..." 2B began, choking up as she remembered the truth behind the android's mission, "Humans were all gone. Extinct."
"...What?" The ship girls looked at A2 and 2B with surprise, "As in... no people. At all?"
2B nodded, as A2 stared past them with unfocused eyes.
"We were supposed to fight for them... but we didn't know. We had no idea that humans were all gone already..." 2B explained.
"But they're here... maybe, this is our chance to do what we were meant to do. At least, what we thought we were meant to do." A2 returned to the conversation, with conviction in her voice. She had no idea where her determination was coming from. It scared her. She made a note to make sure she would never blindly follow orders again.
"Um, it seems like you guys had a lot on your plate." Mogami said, "Do you want to talk about it? I can tell you more about the abyssals too."
"Yeah. That would be good." A2 agreed, "But 9S would be better for explaining our side of things. Tell us more about these abyssals first."
"If they're threatening humanity, then we'll fight them." 2B stated.
"But we'll need more information, too. I won't fight for the humans if they're anything like those damned beings in the tower." A2 added, struggling with the urge to shout in agreement with 2B's declaration. Were their hardwired feelings towards humanity really that strong?
"9S will want to help the humans." 2B replied simply.
"Why doesn't that surprise me..." A2 sighed, "I already said I'd stick with you two, so I guess I'll go along with whatever you decide. Mogami, go ahead."
"Okay." Mogami took a deep breath, "The abyssals came out of the sea. No one knows where from, but their weapons, mobility, and armor were far superior to anything humanity could field against them. All attempts at communication failed, they just go around spreading death and destruction from the oceans."
"What are they? Machines?" A2 asked curiously.
"Monsters..." Shigure replied, shivering a little, "The small ones look like monsters, made out of metal and guns."
"Well, that's pretty much right. The stronger ones resemble us ship girls. They look humanoid." Mogami continued, putting a hand on Shigure's head.
"Not again..." 2B muttered to herself.
"Hm?" Mogami turned to 2B inquisitively.
"It's nothing. Keep going." 2B replied, shaking her head and focusing.
"I'm sure A2-san realized it after she grabbed me, but both us and the abyssals are like condensed warships. Our skin is as strong as the armored hulls of our historical counterparts, and our guns pack just as much punch even though they look smaller."
"Yeah, you're pretty tough." A2 agreed, "But we androids are pretty tough too. We're also made with a much lighter material, and we can still take quite a beating."
"I believe you." Mogami grinned, "Anyways, because the abyssals are pretty much warships compressed to a much smaller size, the only ones that can fight them are us, the ship girls. We're humanity's last resort."
"Last resort, huh?" A2 said thoughtfully. "I want to see one now. I want to know whether I can kill it or not."
"Statement: YoRHa androids most likely possess the ability to fight against the enemies known as 'abyssals'. However, most of our ranged attacks would not work, due to the thickness and strength of this world's warship armor." Pod 042 suddenly explained, "Hypothesis: Close range combat would most likely be ideal. However, warships specialize in ranged attacks. This may pose a problem. More information is needed."
Everyone stared at the floating pod.
"Pod, where did you get this information?" 2B asked.
"Answer: Pod 042 is constantly in sync with Pod 153. 9S is currently receiving a similar explanation about the situation from the ship girl Fusou. He has expressed the desire to fight alongside the ship girls as well."
"I wasn't aware you had that kind of function," 2B said with suspicion.
"Answer: You didn't ask." Pod 042 replied. A2 swore she heard smugness in its normally monotone voice.
"That's a pretty impressive gadget you have there." Mogami whistled in appreciation, "I wish my planes could do the same thing."
"It's just a smartass that can't get it done when it matters." A2 snorted.
"Statement: Pod 042 is concerned with unit A2's logical capacity. She does not realize how useful support pods have been for YoRHa androids since their inception."
"You little..." A2 growled at the pod, who retreated behind 2B. The destroyers giggled at the sight. Mogami grinned widely before turning to A2.
"So, that's the gist of things." Mogami finished, "What do you think?"
"2B?" A2 looked to 2B to answer.
"We'll help you." 2B declared, "For as long as we can."
"I'll help. This is a chance to fight for an actual cause." 9S said, around the same time 2B made her declaration, "It looks like 2B and A2 will come too."
"Well, we appreciate the thought, but I feel like this is a bit hasty..." Fusou said hesitantly.
"Oh, give me a moment everyone." A ship girl named Ooyodo had joined the discussion once Fusou contacted her base. Pod 153 easily tuned herself into the radio channel so 9S, Fusou, and Ooyodo could talk to one another in real time. Yamashiro didn't participate in the conversation, and instead stood protectively near Fusou the whole time. Though about halfway through she seemed to realize that there wasn't any threat from the small boy so she dozed off.
"Fusou-san, the admiral wants to talk to the both of you." Ooyodo announced.
"Has he been listening in?" Fusou asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, he wants to have a word with 9S-san." Ooyodo replied.
"This admiral, is he a human?" 9S asked, some excitement creeping into his voice.
"That's right. He's the one that oversees us and gives us commands. You won't find a better leader anywhere else." Fusou said proudly.
"Hello." A man's voice sounded from the radio. He sounded surprisingly young to 9S, who was expecting a gruff male equivalent to the YoRHa commander's voice. "I'm Vice Admiral Itsushi Manobu. It's a pleasure to meet you, 9S-san."
"The pleasure's all mine, sir." 9S replied, bowing his head on instinct even though the other party couldn't see him.
"Let me begin by saying that hearing your conviction to help us is reassuring." Admiral Itsushi said, "I also understand that you've told us a little bit about the androids and the mysterious circumstances concerning your arrival here in the Solomon Islands. You were part of a military unit called 'YoRHa', correct?"
"That's right, sir."
"That's good. You seem confident that you and your companions can fight against the abyssals, but the problem's that we really don't know enough about any of you. I'd like to hear about more than just what you are. I want to know who you are, what kind people you all are. I want to know where you're from, and why humanity was no longer around in your homeland. And why you wish to help us so badly, what drove you to so easily decide to help us? These questions might be uncomfortable, but if we become allies, we'll be trusting you with our secrets as well. If you're going to fight under my command, I have to know everything about you."
"I see..." 9S frowned, "Pardon me sir, but I think I should ask 2B and A2 before saying anything recklessly."
"No problem. I'd like to meet you in person for this conversation anyways. If you're serious about helping us out, come to our base along with Fusou and her group. I'll be waiting."
There was some shuffling, before Ooyodo came back on the line.
"That's the situation, Fusou-san. Nothing like this has ever happened before, so the admiral wants to meet them before making any decisions."
"Understood." Fusou replied, turning to face 9S, "We can leave whenever you li- Um, are you alright?"
"That was really a human, huh?" 9S said in awe, "I can't believe it. I never thought... this would be possible."
"9S-san?" Fusou noticed tears coming down 9S's cheeks, "Do you need a moment?"
"N-No. Pod, do you have our discussions recorded?" 9S wiped his face with his sleeve, "Let's go talk to A2 and 2B."
"Answer: According to Pod 042, 2B and A2 have finished having a similar conversation with the other ship girls. Data transfer can be used to fill in any gaps." Pod 153 replied.
"You go on ahead, 9S-san. I'm going to explain what's going on to the others." Fusou gestured towards the shore at Zuihou and Tenryuu, who had just returned from their patrol.
"Got it" 9S nodded as he headed back towards A2 and 2B.
"I don't care." "No reason to keep what happened to us a secret."
9S received instantaneous answers.
"That takes care of that then." 9S smiled wryly, "Let's do a quick data sync. Pods."
"Roger. Performing data synchronization now." The pods circled around the three androids, transferring memories and data between them.
"I think the important part is getting the humans, and these ship girls, to trust us." 9S sighed, "I'd be pretty suspicious if some random strangers showed up suddenly wanting to fight in a deadly war. For this world's standards, it looks like the abyssals have caused an extremely high casualty count."
"Seems so." A2 frowned, "On that note, do these ship girls make any sense to you, 9S?"
"Not really. Then again, think about everything that happened since 2B... died." 9S grimaced, then smiled reassuringly when 2B put hand on his shoulder, "Those records we uncovered pretty much said there was once magic in our world. Doesn't make sense to me. Don't forget, we got sucked into some kinda inter-dimensional rift to end up here, remember?"
"Heh. Some Scanner unit you are." A2 grunted, "Well, not like it matters or anything. We'll fight, because it's our job."
"U-Um..." Someone tapped A2 on the back. She turned around to find Inazuma standing there, fidgeting and looking at the ground.
"What is it?" A2 asked roughly.
"S-So you're joining us, A2-san?"
"Looks like it." A2 answered, "There a problem?"
"Oh... that's good!" Inazuma smiled happily, catching A2 off guard, "A2-san seems really strong, so I'm happy!"
"E-Eh? Um... thanks." A2 replied sheepishly.
"Heheh... we got more friends."
"..." A2 stared at the smiling destroyer. Without thinking about it, she reached forward and began rubbing her head, "Watch my back, okay?"
"Ah! U-Um... Yes!" Inazuma nodded seriously.
"Getting along already, huh? You'll fit in just fine, A2." Mogami said approvingly.
"I prefer to work alone." A2 stated, "Besides, we probably fight in completely different ways."
"You just told Inazuma to watch your back." Mogami pointed out.
"That was... I was just..." A2 faltered, "I meant it as a general statement!"
"Sure, sure." Mogami grinned knowingly.
"Wipe that smirk off your face, or you'll find out just how strong we are." A2 growled. Shigure, who'd been standing there watching, took the opportunity to speak up.
"A2-san, please take care of us." Shigure bowed. A2 shot one last glare at the smug Mogami before turning her attention to the other destroyer.
"...Likewise." A2 replied, scratching her cheek sheepishly.
During this time, 2B and 9S were standing off to the side, watching the scene unfold.
"She looks like she's having fun." 9S commented.
"Yeah." 2B agreed.
"Have we been forgotten?"
"Yeah."
"I knew it."
They continued watching A2 interact with the two destroyers and the heavy cruiser.
"She was all alone before, huh?" 9S shook his head, "At least you and I were a team. But A2, well... I'm happy for her."
"Yeah." 2B nodded, "I don't think these ship girls are bad people. They remind me of the other YoRHa units."
"...They sure do, huh?" 9S sighed, "It's unbelievable. Humans are here right now, and they need help. I don't know if it's just our programming, but I'll fight with everything I've got for them. It feels like the right thing to do."
2B remained silent, slipping her hand into 9S's.
"...2B." 9S squeezed her hand, "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."
In the meantime, Fusou had finished bringing Tenryuu and Zuihou up to speed, and was now talking to Yamashiro. Tenryuu and Zuihou went to go rejoin the group, but Tenryuu stopped walking as she watched what was going on.
"Tenryuu-san? What's wrong?" Zuihou asked curiously.
"Those guys..." Tenryuu saw A2 getting caught up in Mogami's pace, along with already growing affection between the rough android and the two destroyers. To the side, she saw the other two androids standing together contentedly, "..."
"They already look like friends, huh?" Zuihou commented.
"I guess so." Tenryuu rubbed the back of her head, "Damn, I'll just leave 'em be for now."
"Really? Weren't you going to 'Make sure those white-haired weirdos don't get any strange ideas?'" Zuihou asked innocently.
"Oh shaddup. Cheeky runt." Tenryuu glared at the light carrier.
"Hey, I'm bigger than you! At least, I was!" Zuihou puffed her cheeks out indignantly, "I can't help the body I was given, though..."
"Well, I'm bigger than you now, so you're a runt." Tenryuu declared.
"Jeez, Tenryuu-san is a bully!"
Zuihou continued to fume at Tenryuu as they casually rejoined the group. Tenryuu nodded at the androids, before sitting down and taking out her sword to sharpen. She'd barely gotten started when 9S suddenly gasped. Everyone's attention was immediately on the small boy.
"We have no way of crossing the water!" 9S said dramatically.
Tenryuu almost dropped her sword. The way the boy acted made it seem like there was an enemy attack or something!
"Don't worry about that" Fusou said, rejoining the group, "You can hang on to our outfits. As in our equipment and weapons. You're light enough that it won't really affect anything."
"Wha- Nee-sama!?" Yamashiro, who had returned with Fusou, protested.
"We didn't bring anything to transport people with. If they were survivors from an attack, we would've carried them by hand anyways."
"...You're right." Yamashiro pouted a little, before turning to address the androids, "I still think you three are suspicious, but the admiral has the final say. But, if you hurt any one of us, I'll send you to the bottom of the sea myself."
Tenryuu almost groaned. That battleship had no idea how to read the mood.
"Noted." 2B answered before A2 could say anything. Judging from the scoff A2 had on her face, it was the right thing to do.
"Yamashiro-san," Shigure looked a bit unhappy as she went to talk to the much larger battleship.
"What's wrong, Shigure?" Yamashiro asked with confusion.
"They seem like good people. I don't think you should pick so many fights." Shigure admonished her.
"Eh? I wasn't really-" Yamashiro tried to defend herself.
"In the first place, you always go and say stuff like that..." Shigure continued on, scolding the faltering battleship. It was quite the comical sight.
"U-Um, Tenryuu-san?" Inazuma had wandered over to where Tenryuu was sitting. She and Mogami had left the androids to discuss travel methods with Fusou.
"Hiya, you seemed like you were having fun with A2 or whatever her name was." Tenryuu grinned. Inazuma nodded in response.
"But Tenryuu-san doesn't like strangers right? Will you be okay?" Inazuma asked shyly.
"Don't worry about me. Besides, any friend of yours is a friend of mine." Tenryuu reassured her, ruffling the destroyer's hair.
"That's not what she originally said~." Zuihou chose this moment to chime in.
"Can it." Tenryuu growled.
"U-Um... I think, they must've been fighting for a long time." Inazuma suddenly said.
"Hm?" Zuihou and Tenryuu looked at her questioningly.
"They seem like... they feel free now. Like they weren't before."
"They did say something like this was a second chance for them, right?" Tenryuu recalled what Fusou said.
"I wonder what that means." Zuihou pondered.
"We'll find out when they tell the Admiral their story." Tenryuu shrugged, "Besides, if they can kill abyssals, they're okay in my book."
"We don't know for sure." Zuihou reminded her.
"Ah, A2-san hurt Mogami on accident, when she grabbed her shoulder." Inazuma remembered, "I think she might've bruised her."
"No way, just by grabbing her shoulder?" Tenryuu's jaw dropped, "That's some physical strength, then."
"But they move so gracefully!" Zuihou sighed, watching the androids walk around, "We're so clumsy in comparison."
"Everyone! We're moving out. Let's get back to base before the sun sets!" Fusou called out. The travel plans have been decided. 9S would hang on to Mogami's smokestack, as he was the lightest android. A2 and 2B would hang onto Fusou and Yamashiro's guns, respectively. Fusou reassured them that even the destroyers could carry the androids, but they had insisted.
"Hang on tight, okay?" Mogami grinned at 9S as the fleet departed.
"You got it." 9S replied, grabbing onto her rigging. The androids were strong enough to support themselves with one arm, so 9S just looked like he was grabbing her backpack from behind, when in reality he was using it to hold himself above the waterline with just his right arm. His feet glided along the water's surface, creating a small wake behind him.
2B and A2 were also hanging on to Fusou and Yamashiro in a similar manner, except that they each also carried a pod under their arms. To a casual observer, the androids looked like they were skiing on top of the water, except instead of a speed boat, they were being pulled along by ship girls.
"Don't break anything." Yamashiro warned 2B as they gained speed.
"I won't." 2B replied flatly.
A2 simply nodded at Fusou when they departed, traveling in silence.
"Wow, they even look graceful while being pulled along." Zuihou commented from the rear.
"Yeah. If they weren't holding onto their rides, and I didn't know any better, they'd look just like ship girls following a little too closely behind." Tenryuu agreed.
"9S is a boy, though."
"You get what I mean."
Once he was sure he could hang on properly, 9S decided to call out to Fusou.
"Fusou-san! Thank you for believing us! I promise, if everything goes well, we'll do whatever it takes to help you all."
"Thank you, 9S. I hope the admiral accepts you all. I look forward to fighting alongside you." Fusou replied politely.
"...Yeah." 9S said softly.
"Something wrong?" Mogami asked from in front of him.
"It's nothing. We three were alone for a long time, so it's been awhile since we've been part of a group."
"Oh yeah, I heard a little about that... will you be okay?"
"We'll be fine. You'll understand when you hear what we have to say to your commander. All we really want is to fight for something worthwhile. And I think threats to humanity are pretty worthwhile."
"I won't argue with you there," Mogami laughed, turning back to the front. She began cheerfully humming a song to herself.
9S looked around, making eye contact with 2B and A2.
They nodded at one another, faces set with determination.
They could only move forward. Because this could be it. They might've finally found it.
A Reason to Fight.
Wow. I didn't expect to write this much. It's a pretty dialogue heavy introduction, so I hope I didn't bore you guys too much. We'll be getting into some action in the next chapter, as the Android Trio get into testing out their weapons in the KanColle world.
I honestly feel like this might've dragged too much, but I can't think of how I'd change it. I just hope you all are interested enough to read a second chapter!