Author's Note: Hello everyone, brand new author here. I present to you a story that will be a long one, if you don't like long stories this won't be for you. I will also be using many girls from the series in this story, and some WILL NOT have their personalities mirror their personalities in the game/anime. I will try to keep it as accurate as I can, but I may tweak them as I see fit to suit what I feel the story needs. If your shipfu doesn't behave like she normally does and you don't like it, the back button is in the top left hand corner.
(Updated 26th Dec, 2017) This story is going to explore a wide variety of topics, and no specific genre will fit it. It is important to note, however that this story is intended ONLY for mature audiences who are considered an adult in their respective country. It will range from incredibly heavy stuff, all the way to light-hearted feel good moments. rated M for the following reasons, including, but not limited to: mature language, intense violence, some gore, torture and 'night battles'. By 'night battles' I mean sex, in case you're not in with the lingo. As such, if you are NOT and adult in your respective country, or are uncomfortable with any of the aforementioned topics, DO NOT READ THIS STORY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
On the topic of 'Night Battles': I recognize that FFnet has a policy against explicit descriptions of sexual behavior, but at the same time, lemons on this site are a dime a dozen. However, I am thinking about making a separate story and filling them with detailed descriptions of those 'fade to black' moments that will occur. That way, in case the admins ever sniff me out one day, only the sex scenes and other highly explicit material are deleted instead of the entire story. But you know what? I can't find it in me to give up the natural flow of my story to cater to a policy I think would be solved by one extra rating in the rating system and adequate warnings, so I'd appreciate some feedback. It would be a break in immersion if I had to refer you (the reader) to a separate story and a specific chapter, and it would completely ruin the flow of events in my opinion. That's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned. I've decided I'll always have a heads up whenever explicit content is incoming so that those uninterested can skip, but I'm on the fence about it. Let me know what you would prefer I do. Oh, and by the way, in regards to 'Night Battles', there are going to be quite a few of them. While some will simply be fap material for those who prefer written erotica (like myself), most will actually offer something to the story... At least, in theory. It's also safe to say that Yuri will definitely be involved. Anyway, leave a review or just PM me with your thoughts, I hope I'll get a lot of responses on this topic. I'll also update this Author's Note when I make a final decision. In any case, I will be crossposting the story to Ao3 regardless of my decision.
With that said, just to avoid confusion, this story is beginning in a flashback. Please enjoy, and feel free to leave a review criticizing any writing errors, or leave your general feedback. Whether you want to praise me or fling mud at me, I want to hear it. Thanks, and I hope to hear from you soon.
"You're being reassigned. Again." Said the Grand Admiral behind his desk, glaring at the young woman in front of him. "This is the Fifth time I've had to reassign you for the same reason as the first. Please explain to me what the issue is, the only thing the Admirals I assign you to tell me is that you are 'unfit', and immediately request a transfer." The older gentleman in his white uniform re-positioned himself in his seat before lighting a cigar, waiting for her response.
The young girl looked down to the floorboards. She shifted her weight about uncomfortably, as she tried to think of anything that she could tell him.
"I... I'm not sure.. Admiral." The girl muttered. She knew the Grand Admiral's patience with her was wearing thin.
The Grand Admiral puffed his cigar before billowing out a lungful of smoke. He sat up, and placed his cigar in his ash tray, and stared at her for a few moments. "You're lucky, normally we'd have nowhere to put you if not for current circumstances. We're opening a brand new Naval District, and we're assigning you to the Admiral responsible for it, you will be his starter. He's young, fresh out of the academy, but from what I'm told by his Instructors, he's a prodigy. Do everything you can to help him and make yourself useful to him."
The Grand Admiral then looked at her with a dead serious face. "If this new Admiral is displeased with you, he is under orders to have you scrapped." He picked up his cigar again and took another puff.
The young girl's eyes widened, and her heart skipped multiple beats. She clenched her arms tight to her chest, placing her hands under her chin. "S-Scrapped? As in..." She said as she felt daggers sink deep into her heart.
"That is correct. After this new Naval Base we have nowhere to send you. So, regrettably, it is the only option we'd have left." The Grand Admiral looked on at the girl with a stone cold face. He never did enjoy breaking bad news, but someone had to do it.
The young girl's breathing became sporadic as the thought of being slowly torn apart piece by piece entered her mind. She felt her knees getting weak. She choked back tears before making her statement. "I will do nothing but my very best, sir." She said, trying to maintain composure.
"That's good to hear... I can tell you are shaken up. Go ahead and get some rest so you can have a clear head." The Grand Admiral said, with a hint of sympathy in his voice. "You will report to this room exactly 7 days from today at 0700 hours to meet your new Admiral, and you will depart for your new Naval Base at 0900 hours that same day." The Grand Admiral flicked the ashes off his cigar into his ash tray before continuing.
"All facilities have already been constructed and several fairies of various types have already taken up residence, however you will be the only ship girl available until more are constructed. All you need to do is maintain a good impression on him, and don't fall out of his good graces... That is my final piece of advice to you." The Grand Admiral stood up from his seat and walked over to her.
"With that aside, I am now speaking to you, not as an Admiral, but as a friend. You're a wonderful girl, nobody wants to see you scrapped. So if you have any need for help at all, just send a message." The Grand Admiral said as he extended his hand for a handshake. "I'll do what I can."
The young girl smiled and met his hand with hers, giving it a nice shake. "I..I will, thank you. You've always been very kind to me. For that... For that I can't thank you enough." She felt somewhat better after hearing the Admiral's kind words.
"Anytime. I care a lot about the people under me." The Admiral said proudly with a smile. He let go of her hand, immediately raising it up to the brim of his white hat in a salute. She immediately returned the salute. "Dismissed." The Grand Admiral said before turning around, starting to walk back to his desk.
The young girl turned around and walked out of the Grand Admiral's Office, and after shutting the door, gazed at her feet for a few moments. 'Scrapped? Like some dysfunctional piece of equipment? I can't let that happen.' She thought to herself. She started walking down the hallway that lead to the front door, so she could go back to her room in the Crew Quarters.
The young girl strode with her head down, thinking about what the Grand Admiral told her last week as she walked over to the Pacific Theater HQ. The area was bustling with activity, pallets of cargo moving about, cranes operating at every turn, and drums of fuel being transported to the docks via truck. She walked through the door to the massive building, and immediately began navigating her way to the Grand Admiral's Office. 'I hope my new Admiral is nice.' She thought to herself as her heart rate escalated. She could already feel the nervous energy accumulating within her. 'What if he's not? What will I do? No, every Admiral I've ever met has been a genuinely nice person.' She thought to herself, trying to wipe off her concerns. She reached her destination. She could hear the echoes of two voices within the room, one was completely unfamiliar. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and took a deep breath. She knocked three times on the door.
"Enter." Said the Grand Admiral in a raised voice. She turned the knob on the door and swung it open.
Her heart immediately sunk. Standing beside the Grand Admiral was a taller man, in the same white uniform, however, brandishing a different rank. He was built heavily, with broad shoulders, and an aura that radiated authority. He had black hair, and a cleanly shaven face, with a slightly larger than average jawline. He had an almost emotionless scowl on his face as he examined his first ship girl, looking down his own nose at her.
"This is her?" He asked blandly, without taking his eyes off of her. He had a surprisingly average voice considering his stature.
"That's right." The Grand Admiral said simply.
The young girl immediately felt uncomfortable and placed her arms behind her back, and began fiddling with her fingers. Her gaze dropped to the floor for a moment or two before returning to look back at her new Admiral, opening her mouth to speak as she did.
"What do you mean I don't get to pick my own starter? I thought every new Admiral had a choice. Are we really running that low in numbers?" Admiral Daimlon said, slightly concerned.
"Well, It's true we are running low in terms of numbers of active ships, but ultimately it was decided because of one girl in particular. For whatever reason, every Admiral I've assigned her to has shipped her back with a letter in her hand stating she is 'unfit to serve this particular base', Demanding she be reassigned elsewhere." The Grand Admiral explained, as he walked over to the window. "She has been assigned to every Admiral in the Pacific Fleet, and every single one sent her back. The longest she lasted with any single Admiral was about a month and a half." He said as he turned around to face Admiral Daimlon.
"So, let me get this straight. I'm receiving a hand-me-down misfit based solely on the fact that I'm the only one that she has not worked under, despite significant evidence that she is incapable. Am I getting that right?" Admiral Daimlon said, seeking clarification. He hoped he was wrong.
"Yeah, that's putting it bluntly, but yes. That is exactly what's happening." The Grand Admiral said simply.
"Do you have any idea why these Admirals are telling you she is 'unfit'?" Admiral Daimlon asked.
"None of the Admirals have bothered telling me, they dodge the question when asked, and if I do get a response they simply brush it off by saying that it's complicated." The Grand Admiral said, he walked across the room, and stood next to Admiral Daimlon, before turning to him.
"So you're going to impose hard mode on me before I even begin by giving me a dysfunctional starter." Admiral Daimlon said bluntly as he crossed his arms.
"I feel bad for the poor girl, and I wanted to give her one final chance." The Grand Admiral said. He took a deep breath. "I want you to do what you can to help her, she's a fine young girl, and I don't want to see her scrapped. Find out what could be causing these problems, and help her in whatever capacity you can. However, if you feel that she is truly unfit to serve you, do not send her back to me with a letter asking to reassign her, I have nowhere left for this girl... If she proves herself a liability, you are under orders to scrap her on site, understood?" The Grand Admiral said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"It won't be an issue, Admiral. I'll take care of it." Admiral Daimlon said, his voice resonating with confidence.
"Keep me updated on what you find out, as well as your thoughts. I would also like to know should you decide to scrap her." The Grand Admiral continued to order.
"Understood. I'll keep you posted." Admiral Daimlon said before glancing at the clock. "It's 0703. She's already late." He stated.
"Relax, It matters not if she is late by only five minutes." The Grand Admiral said to his newest Admiral. "It gave us the chance to discuss her situation now instead of later. I wouldn't have had the chance to discuss it with you until you were about to leave for your ship had she shown up on time." The Grand Admiral said with a slight smirk on his face.
A few moments of silence passed.
"So why would you want to know if I scrap her. Are you going to hold a funeral service for her?" Admiral Daimlon inquired.
The Grand Admiral chuckled a bit. "Yes, just like every other girl, she is still a comrade who deserves the honors of a proper funeral. I want you to put the resources you gain from her to use, and notify me. She will be symbolically buried here with her own grave. If you wish to attend her funeral, you are permitted." The Grand Admiral explained.
"Emotions are tertiary in times of war. My duties, and the girls remaining under me come first." Admiral Daimlon stated.
"A respectable response, I'd expect nothing less. I believe you will do just fine, you're the best student we've had in a long time. And I'm sure she'll do just fine as well... It just might take a little time." The Grand Admiral said proudly.
"Thank you, Admiral. I'm itching to get started." Admiral Daimlon said with a hint of excitement.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Looks like you're about to right now." The Grand Admiral stated, as both, he and Daimlon, turned to face the door. "Enter." He said in a raised voice.
The doorknob began to turn slowly, and Daimlon expected the worst. A young girl walked through, and entered the room. He pointed his nose skyward slightly in interest. She wore a peach and white colored uniform, with a black skirt that flowed down to mid-thigh level. She had black sleeves that were separate from her uniform, and black shin-high socks. Her hair was lengthy, and brown, with bangs that swept sharply to either side of her face. It shone elegantly in the lighting of the room. Her eyes were a matching shade of brown, however, they were not as bright as the rest of her appearance. They were the eyes of someone who hadn't slept well, and had a lot on their mind.
"This is her?" Daimlon asked without breaking his gaze from her, still gathering information on her from appearance.
"That's right." The Grand Admiral said simply.
She averted her gaze downward, then back before she spoke.
"I-I.. My name is Jintsuu of the Sendai-Class Light Cruisers. It.. It's a pleasure to meet you." She spoke incredibly softly, almost in a mumble. She had her hands behind her back, and she shifted her weight around from one leg to the other as she spoke.
"This is Admiral Daimlon, your new Commanding Officer starting now." The Grand Admiral explained.
Jintsuu gave a surprisingly sharp salute. "I look forward to working with you, s-sir." Jintsuu said, stammering on the final part of her sentence.
"A Light Cruiser? I thought only Destroyers were able to be starters." Daimlon questioned the Admiral.
"A special exception just for you, my boy!" The Grand Admiral joked with a smile.
Daimlon looked back to Jintsuu, who was still holding her salute, and returned it properly.
"At ease." He stated. Both parties dropped their salutes. Daimlon maintained his stone faced expression, took a step or two forward, and extended his hand for a handshake. "The feeling is mutual, Jintsuu. My friends call me Don, you are permitted to call me by either name." Daimlon said blandly.
Jintsuu reached out to grasp his hand, and gave it a shake. When their hands grasped, Daimlon took another step forward and planted his left hand on her shoulder.
After breaking the handshake, Daimlon immediately turned to the Grand Admiral. "So what kind of Abyssal forces can we expect in the waters surrounding the Island?" He questioned.
"We have no reports of anything bigger than a Heavy Cruiser in the area, However, most reports indicate a large number of Destroyers and Light Cruisers. Assume submarines to be present as well, we haven't gotten any reports of them, but they're sneaky little bastards." The Grand Admiral reported.
"U-Ummm... Uh, I don't think I would be ab- be able to take on multiple ships at once, let alone a Heavy Cruiser... H-How are we going to operate safely?" Jintsuu asked nervously.
"Don't worry about that, Jintsuu, We'll establish that when we arrive at the base and get a SitRep, as well as a visual on our surroundings. For now we just bite our cheek and hope for the best." Daimlon explained professionally.
Jintsuu became increasingly uneasy at hearing this. 'I can already tell he doesn't really know what he's doing, and worse he's admitting it. He already seems like he's going to be difficult to please, and I'd be willing to bet he already doesn't like me... It doesn't matter. I need to give him my best and nothing less.' Jintsuu thought to herself, trying to get a feel for her new commander.
The three of them continued to bounce various topics of discussion off one another, mostly revolving around the base itself, and Jintsuu stayed quiet most of the time.
"What kind of Anti-Aircraft capability will we have? What if their Carriers decide to strike before we get on our feet. And what about defensive capabilities available for construction?" Daimlon asked, eager to learn as much as he could.
"For now it is minimal, besides Jintsuu herself, you have about 2 flak batteries total, with a couple machine guns placed on rooftops of essential buildings." The Grand Admiral explained. "However, with time you can upgrade these defenses at the cost of resources. While you don't have any yet, the same goes for coastal Anti-Ship batteries, and even an Island based Airfield. As far as enemy Carriers, it is highly unlikely that any are in the area. I would not send you in with just Jintsuu if I had even the slightest feeling you could encounter enemy Battleships or Carriers, or even a number of Heavy Cruisers greater than two." He said.
"What about land based radar systems? Will we have those available to us at any time?" Daimlon questioned further.
"Eventually, yes, however it is incredibly expensive to build and maintain, so I advise you to take care when considering it's construction, it is not to be taken lightly." The Grand Admiral stated.
"Alright, what about resources available to us?" Daimlon asked.
"For now you have a steady trickle of resources coming from the Island itself, any extra resources will need to be found on expeditions. We are sending, along with you and Jintsuu, on your transport ship, a small shipment of resources to help kick start your operations. Do with these resources as you please." The Grand Admiral said. He scratched his beard intently as Admiral Daimlon continued his barrage of questions.
"Are we able to increase the rate at which we gather these resources from the island? What about our storage capacity, can it also be upgraded to hold more at one time?" Daimlon continued to drill.
"The answer is yes, but frankly, these are the types of questions that should be asked to the fairies that will be on the Island to assist you." The Grand Admiral said plainly.
"I see. Very well. I appreciate all the information, it was all valuable." Daimlon said, realizing he may have been a little overbearing with his questions.
"Anytime, young man, I just wasn't expecting a pop quiz from you!" The Grand Admiral laughed. "Now, It's 0840, your ship sets sail in twenty. Make sure everything you're taking is stowed safely and double check you're not leaving anything important behind. You too, Jintsuu." He said abruptly.
"O-Of course, sir." Jintsuu said.
"Don't worry about us. We'll be just fine." Admiral Daimlon assured.
"I'm going to worry about you anyway, I worry about everyone. I look forward to hearing from you for a status update. Keep me posted on important events." The Grand Admiral ordered, as he raised his hand in salute.
Both Jintsuu and Daimlon returned the salute. "I Will, sir, take care. I'll see you on the ship, Jintsuu." Daimlon said, immediately dropping his salute and bolting from the room. The Grand Admiral barely managed to shout 'You as well!' before the door closed. Jintsuu dropped her salute as well and turned back for the door.
"Take care of yourself Jintsuu. Make him proud to have you." The Grand Admiral said reassuringly.
"I'll do everything I can, sir. Thank you again. G-Goodbye." Jintsuu said, as she calmly walked out the door and gently closed the door behind her.
"Anytime young one... Anytime." The Grand Admiral said to himself.
Admiral Daimlon rushed over to the Officer's Quarters, and grabbed his shoulder bag containing all the important documents he was taking, as well as a large tablet to be used on the base itself. He double checked all his things were packed and started out the door. He strode down the docks toward the ship that would take him to his new home. He had always loved the sea.
The constant chirping of the seagulls overhead, the sound of waves smashing against the concrete docks, and the smell of salt thick in the air all told him he was already at home. He proceeded up the ramp of the small sized cargo ship, and immediately headed over to the bow of the ship. He leaned over the edge and looked across the blue horizon as the sound of the ship's horn pierced the air, signifying it was leaving port soon.
He reached into his shoulder bag and drew out his tablet and turned it on. He swept across its face until he was staring at the screen he desired. A profile on Jintsuu, complete with picture and all the necessary information he'd ever need to know, was glaring back at him.
'So, she's shy and timid. Her posture screamed to me that she was nervous as all hell, and the way she shifted her weight from one leg to the other tells me she was uncomfortable. She had her hands behind her back, probably trying to work off nervous energy out of sight. Her handshake was weak, easily manipulated from my end, which tells me she's submissive. And when I placed my hand on her shoulder, she jolted, almost winced, which tells me she is probably intimidated by me. I can already see where this girl's problems begin, and I've just met her...
I'm not going to judge just yet though, She could quickly improve to normality, and her problems lie beyond. After all, If I were in her shoes, I would probably be more nervous than usual, only difference being I would know how to handle it. She clearly doesn't. Just gonna take it easy for now and continue taking notes.' Daimlon observed to himself as he let off an internal sigh.
"This is already getting complicated." Daimlon muttered to himself. He swept down the profile looking for any information that could be useful. His efforts were in vain, the profile told him nothing that he didn't already know. After digging fruitlessly for several more minutes he gave up. He placed his tablet inside a custom made pouch on the inside of his outer jacket. It was against Navy regulation to alter your uniform in any way, but Daimlon didn't care. The practicality of having it far outweighed any consequences he might receive. He returned his gaze out toward the horizon as he felt the ship begin to churn and come alive. He took a long, deep breath of the sea salt as he contemplated his first moves at his base.