Kaga strolled down a narrow concrete corridor. A small part of a larger structure which laid underneath the island's still green surface. One of the few facilities on the island that could be considered part of a military installation, as well. However, that would soon change when the more strategic-minded would get their turn to rule.

Her walk was long, and her steps echoed into the walls that contained nothing but stone. The walls were spartan, with ventilation shafts and interior lights becoming the only things that managed to break its bleak and cold surface texture.

The weather above had forced its freezing temperature down below, bringing with it the chilly feel of dread she felt. But it fit in a way, with the situation that had been brought to her hands.

It was a sensation she could indulge with others, at least, never alone in the endless tunnels and walkways that existed. They never greeted her, as she never greeted them. There was simply no point to it. The Commander wasn't there with them, and so, neither was the purpose of the doll house act.

An atmosphere of isolation had been created because of it. One that seemed to be almost purposely designed to make someone lose themselves in their own mind, to ensure that any traveler walking down this path would know of the destination's danger.

She knew it from first-hand experience, making even the cold unable to stop the few beads of sweat from running down her neck.

The places she sought were guarded by two shipgirls, Fusou and Yamashiro, standing silently beside a single door, praying. A prayer that ended with the sound of Kaga's approaching footsteps as Fusou opened her eyes to greet their guest.

"Welcome back, Kaga. Here for another visit?"

"If only. I'm here to set her free. The Commander has demanded her presence in Operation Siren."

Tension filled the air, just as reluctance filled the two shipgirls before her. It was a sour subject, after all. So it was only to be expected.

"... Is that so wise? I fret that our lord does not know what he is truly dealing with, and therefore naught of the consequences that may arise from it."

Kaga gave Fusou a sharp glare. The decision had already been made. Showing a weak will by questioning it afterward was only cowardly.

"Then you should be pleased to hear that I know what we're dealing with. So does the rest of the council, and with the stipulations of the accords behind me, shall that not be questioned. Is that clear, Fusou?"

Nothing was said for a few seconds, but it was all too clear that no one liked the situation they found themselves in. However, no one could do anything about it, especially the two sister ships, as they relented and let Kaga through unopposed.

Yamashiro couldn't help but jump at the heavy closing of the door behind her, the ears on top of her head hanging low as she looked towards her sister with a crooked smile.

"Just our bad luck…"


Rain pelted endlessly down on the dock they stood upon, and not even the waves shunned from showing their power against it when the wind could carry them. A great storm had reached the pacific and, in turn, the island.

It was merely evening, but not a single stream of the sun's waning light was left to be seen. The dark clouds above refused to let it reach them over the gleaming horizon, bringing the darkness of a night without stars. Their only salvation was a single beacon up above, the island's lighthouse, which fought bravely against the dark nightfall that had fallen upon them.

"How much longer till she gets here?"

The Commander screamed his question over the howling wind. It was an open-ended question, the detail of who would answer not particularly important to him.

His navy coat fluttered violently in the wind, glistening from its wet surface as the beacon momentarily shined its light upon them. Both his hands were busy, one holding on to the cap on his head while the other carried a pocket watch.

Every minute spent outside in this storm was a minute too much. The wind, rain, and darkness that came with it brought a feeling of unease.

"She just passed by our fourth ring of security patrols. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes, even with the added caution from the weather conditions!"

Helena yelled back in return, her soft voice having trouble breaking through the wind.

The whole trio of his secretaries was present, barely minding the weather like himself. As far as he knew and as far as they were concerned, could they neither get cold nor sick, no matter their clothing. They were not human, even though they took that form, and would not experience the ailments humanity suffered.

Vestal had initially kicked up a storm when he had announced that he would personally receive the convoy, stating that he was not impervious to the elements outside, unlike them. Sickness followed cold, and death followed sickness. Pure cause and effect, according to the shipgirl. The Commander had not heeded her advice, however. Much to her dismay.

Their suffocating behavior had slowly taken a toll on him, especially when he didn't follow along with it. He had almost gotten into a screaming match with her before Atago stepped in, and only then did he get his way.

So now he could stand in the raging storm, its pouring downfall both cooling him physically and mentally. Vestal only meant well, and she was appointed to look over his personal health, but it bothered him nonetheless. Her eyes had troubled him most, reminding him most of one special shipgirl.

Slowly as their argument had fallen down upon the company, so had the life in Vestal's eyes. He couldn't remember any other time it had happened with her, so it was slightly concerning that it manifested now.

The only reason he cared or even noticed it at all was because of one other shipgirl, Akagi.

They rarely met, but she always left a strong impression on him when they did. Nothing could compare to the time they first met at Midway, as she gave her surrender, dead shipgirl in hand. Her eyes that Vestal now reminded him of, made him shudder to this day.

The shipgirls, for all intents and purposes, were designed as weapons of war. That they also came with their own humanity didn't take away from that one fact. He only hoped they weren't losing it the further the war raged on like she apparently had. But that could only time tell.

The faint sound of ringing bells took him out of his pondering, their disharmonious song accompanied by strong lights that barely pierced through the elements.

"Looks like she's finally here…"

He sighed, happy to soon leave the weather and outside behind him. They really came in the nick of time, any longer, and he would've started sulking over how he didn't follow Vestal's pleading after all.

Pocketing his watch in a chest pocket, he began barking orders to the Bulins stationed around the dock. Several more lights turned on at a moment's notice, guiding the ship to its proper course as the final preparations to receive it was completed.

The shipgirls, even though they could control their vessel in a way an ordinary captain could only dream of, were still not goddesses. The sea could still prove perilous if one were not cautious in these moments.

But they were cautious, and she soon reached their dock without trouble. But that would perhaps be a foregone conclusion. She was an expert and veteran.

For a few seconds could only the storm be heard once again, the creaking of steel finally laid at rest where it belonged. But soon came the sound of quick footsteps that ended with what he could only believe to be a skip as a shipgirl leaped over her own railing down to the concrete of their harbor. Her wet pink hair still managed to flutter in the wind as she descended, glistening gently in the artificial light of the island.

Her landing was surprisingly soft, with barely any strain or compensation as her feet touched the ground. A nice little show that certainly got the blood pumping. It wasn't every day you see a small girl jump down from a giant warship into hard concrete, after all.

"Welcome back, Memphis. I hope all is well!"

Her cheerful expression removed any thought that it wasn't, full of energy as if the day of sunshine was still upon them. But it was still pleasant to hear her say it aloud.

"Sure is! Though I'm still busy as always…"

She waved a hand in front of herself to dissipate any bitterness that could be perceived by her words. Her gripes were no longer relevant now that she was back here with the Commander.

"And it's even better now that I'm back here. You weren't lonely, right? Cause you're staring a bit more than usual, perhaps curious about a little package I've got for you?"

Memphis held up a single black box, its design sleek to the point of monotony. Perhaps the poor lighting did it a disservice, but that was something only time would tell.

He chuckled slightly, finding humor in her simple yet straightforward question.

"Well, it is the reason why I'm standing in this blasted rain after all. And I can only assume you are as tired as I am of getting soaked? Let's get inside and let the Bulins unload everything that's left."

The Commander looked around. He wanted to see if he would get any complaints again but found none. Not like he would heed them, but it was a small test to see if this would become more frequent. Thankfully it hadn't, and they soon began to leave the dock behind them.

Though as they made their way across the harbor grazed Atago's voice in his ears with a simple, innocent question.

"I would've thought that you enjoyed the rain, Commander? As a sort of remainder of your home. You were very adamant about being out here after all."

Her question had logic in it, which only forced him to actually gather his thoughts about his opinion of the storm around them.

"It does bring a feeling of safety with it. I'll agree with that. At least speaking from the perspective of a man of the isles. But as a man of the navy. Well, that's an entirely different outlook."

He gazed out towards the black waves crashing into each other, their force ever to be reckoned with. Several memories flashed by, none particularly pleasant.

"I was there defending my homeland when it rained more than just water… One could only get relief when the sky looked like it does now."

Silence reigned as the Commander took a deep breath, taking in the salty nature of the ocean as a single lightning strike lit up the sky. Soon came its sound, breaking and silencing everything else before relinquishing its power and returning the status quo.

"On the seas, however… Well, it brings me discomfort. Let's just leave it at that."


Shelter wasn't hard to either find or reach on the island, and the group had quickly taken refugees in the practically empty Iron Blood dorm.

After the destruction of his office, the Commander had decided not to claim any permanent spot until Operation Siren ended. It hadn't been necessary for him to have one anyway. His days were now filled with nothing but meetings and quality controls, and it was much faster for him to travel wherever he needed to be instead of taking the work to him.

The silence and alone time were the overwhelming reasons he decided to go here. It had a single occupant, Nimi. Z23 officially. He had asked her on multiple occasions if she had ever felt left out, but she insisted that the classes she held, among other duties, got her more than sufficient social engagement. However, she had been clear that he was free to visit if he ever felt that was a genuine concern. Encouraged it, really.

And that's what he decided to do, making this his go-to place whenever he needed a place just to sit down and relax or do some meaningless paperwork.

Nimi was a hardworking girl who never disturbed his work, and her calm nature was always pleasant to have when the time for a break was upon him. She was studious but never became too engrossed in her books, and she was always happy to pass on her knowledge. Jealousy wouldn't be the right word to describe how effortlessly he thought she balanced her work life, but it would be right after his respect for it. Perhaps someday he could learn her way too.

He shook his head as if to physically try and remove that thought. He didn't have that privilege, not yet. He wouldn't until the day victory was upon him.

The small shipgirl greeted them upon their return, relieved of his safe return from the rain hidden within her. Though also apprehension about another shipgirls addition to the company.

She knew from experience that larger groups never worked quite how one wanted them to. Too many differing goals, aspirations, and wills clashed against each other like the roaring sea outside. But she welcomed them all the same, happy to spend more time with the Commander.

However, as they made their way inside, her fears were somewhat alleviated as the Commander asked if Vestal could brew them some tea, which Atago quickly volunteered to help with as well, leaving the group much more manageable than previously feared.

So the group split up. The Commander, Nimi, Memphis, and Helena, going further inside as both Vestal and Atago broke away for the nearby kitchen. Tea would not be the first thing one would typically find in the Iron Blood dorm, as the nation was much more into coffee than anything else. However, because of the circumstances and Nimi being its sole official resident, were most of the food and beverages taken from other nations' storages.

Vestal wasn't happy to be sent away, unable to monitor if the rain had indeed managed to deprive the Commander of his health. But that unhappiness was nothing compared to the unease and edge that Atagos volunteering to help her brought. It was out of character for any shipgirl to choose anything other than being beside their dear Commander. Which only meant that nothing good could be waiting.

She tried to steel herself because of these thoughts, to be prepared for any possible outcome. But nothing would be able to save her as the door closed shut.

She was thrown to the wall within the blink of an eye, her throat held by the one who promised to help her.

"Could you tell me why you acted the way you did earlier, Vestal? This big sister would really like to know~."

She could only writhe in response, gasping desperately for air that had been knocked out of her. She only felt shocked, a moment's panic that turned into rage as she understood the what and why.

Blue light surrounded her briefly as her rigging became summoned, its anti-air armaments immediately aiming for Atago's head. However, their presence did not seem to bother her at all, as she only glanced at them once before continuing her leer at Vestal.

"Please, the only thing those might scratch is a destroyer."

Atago's grip clasped a little harder around Vestal's throat as her other hand guided one of the shipgirl's barrels down to her lips, kissing the metal pipe's tip. Vestal was thrown to the floor a second later, the need to fill her lungs becoming her number one priority as adrenaline filled her.

Atago merely walked by as Vestal struggled on the floor, placing herself on top of the kitchen island as she took a moment to stretch before finding a comfortable position on it.

She slowly leaned forward, letting her head rest on an open palm. She sat there cross-legged, her legs bearing stockings squishing lightly into each other. The same way her breast pressed into her arm, putting her beauty on full display. A beauty only another shipgirl could ever hope to match.

"And believe me, I'm just a little bit bigger~."

Vestal could only stare murder towards Atago as she hacked out the last of her coughs, a gaze Atago gladly returned towards her in turn.

"W-what is your problem!"

Atago's brows furrowed at that, shocked that that question would be directed at her and not the other way around. But she went with it, feigning concern as if the last minute hadn't happened at all.

"Oh my… My problem? And I came here to talk about yours… Don't tell me that you nearly destroying our little doll house charade can't be seen as that, especially considering it all started because you feared the Commander getting a little wet."

"WET?! Don't dare take his health lightly in front of me, Atago."

She put a hand to her chest, her anger coming out as near panic in an attempt to justify her means.

"I-I'm his guardian angel! I need to protect him in these needless situations! I would never forgive myself if he got ill because I failed to stop him. That you don't prioritize his well-being only means that I'm the one better for him!"

Atago's gaze turned ugly at that statement, an accomplishment in and of itself with her already unhappy mood.

"Now you're just being mean, Vestal~. Who are you to decide if you're in the right when our little pact says the complete opposite? But to still your aching little heart, I actually do care for his health. However, I would much prefer to gently nurse him from a common cold than to lock him up in an attempt to prevent it in the first place. It provides a lot more opportunities to give a bit of special service on the side~."

Atago licked her lips, nearly drowning herself in one of her nectar-sweet daydreams before continuing to speak.

"But to get back on topic… Control yourself or be replaced. I don't want to ask again, Okay~?"

Atago let silence reign for a few seconds, waiting. But the moment she thought their discussion was done, raised Vestal her voice, and the look she gave was nothing less than confident.

"No one can replace me, Atago. I'm the most qualified, making me the only one qualified."

A last moment of defiance, one Atago couldn't care for, even if it was correct, making her way to leave the shipgirl alone to prepare the tea.

"Well, that's up to the test now, isn't it? I'll leave the rest to you, don't try to blow up the kitchen while I'm gone~."


The Commander relished in the room's warmth as they entered, ditching his soaked cap and coat in front of its active heating stove. Nimi had known of their arrival and had prepared accordingly, letting the stove take its time to work its magic. And what a blessing that was.

The room itself could be seen as a fancy office, but it would be fairer to describe it as a common room. Fine Burgundian leather chairs littered the room, centered around a single table, while the fire's glow gave a nice orange glint to everything from the tapestry to the chandeliers. Iron Bloods were usually the ones that partook in the more frugal lifestyle. They were nearly spartan in nature, but they didn't hold back when they decided to decorate something, and it showed.

They all took a place by the small table, settling themselves in respective chairs just as the black box got to rest on the table's surface before them. All except Helena, who decided to stand by one of the room's windows instead, staring out into the dark whirlwind outside.

The package contents were still a mystery to the Commander. The High Command had been quite secretive in both radio and mail, fearing it becoming intercepted. As such, the only ones who knew what was inside weren't there. That wasn't to say that he didn't have a clue, he did. But nothing that could be considered concrete.

"Have you been told anything I should know before opening this, Memphis?"

She lightly shook her head at his question, shrugging.

"Nope, I'm as much in the dark as everyone else. Basically just got told that it was important and that I needed to deliver it as soon as possible."

He did a quick groan in affirmation. Her response didn't surprise him. The package was to be delivered to him, handled by him, and was only to be opened by him.

The room's light was on the dimmer scale, forcing him to trace the box's outline with his fingers. They were a little unstable, shaking from the residue cold of the weather outside, but he managed for the most part.

His search was rather long, the dim light of the room not making his journey easy upon its smooth surface. But the storm outside had only grown worse, and with a few helpful lightning strikes providing light, found the Commander the lock he had such a hard time finding. It was but a small indenture, just enough to fit one's own fingertip, and so he put his thumb into it, applying a small amount of pressure onto it.

It responded immediately, splitting horizontally as the top lifted off slowly. The Commander pulled away his hands in response, the cold gas escaping from it not helping his already frozen fingers.

It didn't stay for long, disintegrating in the warm air around it, revealing the insides from a small sliver that had opened. It gave a gentle blue light as a Wisdom Cube, something the Commander had come to know very well.

But not all was as it seemed, as he lifted the lid of the metal box completely, revealing a device he did not predict. It did remind him of one, but it was encased, trapped in machinery he had not seen before. It was also smaller, not just able to fit in one's palm, but even a pocket if need be.

The Commander carefully removed it, much to the dismay of Nimi, who voiced a few complaints almost immediately. But the curiosity of the known clashing with its opposite was too much, and he didn't have time to even acknowledge her reprimands before the device began to shine brilliant light.

It was only for a moment as it scanned every inch of its surroundings, and it soon faded, revealing only a tiny girl clad in white. Though she didn't stay for long, disappearing in a stutter right after a flash of lightning struck from outside. It seemed like the cube inside had died for a few seconds, and the Commander could swear he even saw cracks on it, but after a few seconds, it began to shine as if nothing had happened. The girl returned, looking slightly bewildered in contrast to the monotone image she had given off before, but completely fine.

"Greetings, Commander. I am TB. I will be your identification interface digital assistant and navigator for Operation Siren. I will also act as a permanent replacement for the obsolete Shipgirl-Secretary system. I look forward to working with you."

The Commander was in shock at what he saw. He always thought that the technologies of the future were near, but this was something else. It was nearly unthinkable.

"TB… was it? Would you be so kind as to expand on that last part?"

"I would also like an explanation if you wouldn't mind."

Nimi had taken the Commander's silent awe as an opportunity to interject, followed soon after by Helena, who had ripped her eyes off the window and the outside. Her radar moved quite erratically as she stared down into the blue hologram, its smooth circular movements replaced with jerky twists as it tried its best to point toward the table before her.

"Z23… Helena. What part of my introduction did you perceive as unclear?"

But neither had the time to answer the question as the door to the room got slammed open, revealing Atago in her usual pleasing spirit.

"Big sister is back, Commander! Hope I didn't miss anything important while I was gone~."

She looked around the silent room, clearly seeing the dissatisfaction in the eyes of every shipgirl. Following their displeased gaze, she soon found the thing that had earned their gripe, a tiny little insignificant thing.

"Perhaps I did? Who are you, little one?"

"I am TB. I will be the Commanders identification interface digital assistant and navigator for Operation Siren. I will also act as a replacement for the obsolete Shipgirl-Secretary system. In other words, a replacement of you."

Ah, now she understood their anger. In fact, she felt it flare up herself. What a blunt litt-

"Welcome back, Atago! I can only assume Vestal is right behind you?"

Atago felt a hard brake in her line of thoughts. It always happened when the Commander came into the picture. She should be used to it by now, but the remainder that she let her thoughts wander to anything that wasn't him still hurt.

"Don't worry, Commander. Vestal will be here any second. Though if you're still freezing, then big sister could help you immediately~"

She made her way to the Commander while talking.

"Just. Like. This~"

Taking his hands in hers.

While the reactions from the others were more than expected, was the Commanders quite surprising to Atago. He quickly pulled them away from her, making it her time to freeze as he gave her a troubled and apologetic look. The rest of the room relaxed at this. Besides Helena, who never tensed up in the first place, wearing a smile only aimed to poke fun at Atago.

"I'm fine, but thank you for your care. But to steer back to something here… TB? You said you were becoming my new secretary. I'm sorry for doubting your abilities, but I can't really understand how you'll do that."

From rejected to ignored in a second, if her anger wasn't boiling before, it certainly was now. And the worst part was that she could also do nothing about it. She stepped back, feeling one of her ears flick uncontrollably against her head. When the time came, when the Commander would only be hers, then he would be reminded of this moment. But for now, she would swallow her disappointment, taking a seat of her own in silence, pouting.

"Do not apologize, Commander. It is a natural worry. So let me remove your doubts. In accordance with the Shipgirls Rights Act of 1940, were all shipgirls under the Commander's authority forbidden from tampering, writing, or submitting military reports. This, combined with the renewed Azur Lane Naval Treaty, Article 52, paragraph 4, and its subsequent ban on all unnecessary human personnel, has made your workload unsustainable. Therefore, I would like to personally give a proper apology in the name of the Director, but also happily announce that you will receive a Distinguished Service Medal for your work. It is usually only presented to those of Eagle Union rank. However, your work for Azur Lane was deemed satisfactory enough for your eligibility."

TB made a small step to the side as a screen got summoned forth, showing several texts flashing, all too familiar to the Commander.

"Every report you have sent, all calls you have dialed, and every letter deemed essential to your operations have been saved to my local database. This will be how you handle your work process from now on; through me. I have the right to manage documentation, unlike the shipgirls, and I will be sure to only leave you with the things that truly require your attention."

The Commander took a deep breath from the wall of information TB had given him. He felt relief wash over him, overpowering even the skepticism that held his heart. While she hadn't yet proved herself officially, his belief in her words was still strong. Hopefully, Vestal would be here with the tea soon, so he could have something he could put his focus on besides his rampant, though hidden, emotions.

"Well, that's certainly a way to raise morale before an operation. I'll have to thank the Director while we refuel in New York. But for now, I'll settle on welcoming our newest addition to this island. We're all happy to meet you, TB."


Kaga stood in a dark room, barely illuminated by the hundreds of lit incense sticks that covered it. The smell was unbearable, just like the company, but it served an all too important function; focus.

Sacred charms and shide covered the walls, bound by either rope or string, which convened in the middle of the room, keeping a single shipgirl secured in place.

She was on her knees with eyes bound, barely able to move a single muscle. That was not to say that she was perfectly still. No, she continuously struggled against her bindings, making them shake lightly in response.

Her expression was happy, almost ecstatic, even though the situation she had found herself in was a cruel one. The brown ears on her head twitched as her nine tails brushed the floor behind her. The movements were small, insignificant, and nonthreatening, but they all put Kaga on edge. Because even though they were sisters, had the thing before her become nothing more than an alien.

"Ah, welcome back, Kaga. Here to be my anchor again?~"

Faked ignorance trying to hide the bliss of soon hearing the news she already knew. An attempt that would ultimately fail as she would sense both Kaga's apprehension and disgust. She began to giggle, her laughter soon after filling every inch of the concrete complex under the earth as it echoed through its walls, raising the hair on the necks of every shipgirl that could hear.

"Sadly not. I'm here to set you free."

Her laughter never stopped, but it did get subdued after a while as the words that had left Kaga's mouth truly set in for the both of them.

"I know~ I knooow~."

"...Then you will be delighted to hear that it is to assist the Commander in a central thrust against the Siren forces. A great privilege, as most Sakura shipgirls will play the role of bored reserves or glorified escorts… I know you haven't been able to train together like everyone else but know this. If you manage to sully my name with your weakness, then there will be hell to pay."

Akagi went silent at Kaga's final words. The shipgirl that had let her head hang as she laughed her soul out finally lifted it, showing an expression far from happy, contradicting everything that had happened before. But a deep breath returned it again soon after. This time, laced with acid.

"Don't worry, my dear little sister… I would never want to disappoint our precious Commander."

The cloth around Akagi's eyes got unbound by her sister's hands at that moment, revealing the pitied stare Kaga cast down upon her. And, in turn, exposed Akagi's own, who met her sister's gaze with indifference. The brilliant ruby color of her eyes was long gone, replaced by a black mass that only carried a slight gleam of what once was. An enigma, which only drew Kaga in, and that truly felt like home.

"You already have, you monster."

Akagi couldn't help but laugh one last time at Kaga's statement. But this one lacked energy, nearly despondent in a way. But neither regret nor sadness was present in her eyes, like everything else. They lacked it all, becoming a void where its madness stared back.

"Wouldn't we all, for our own happiness?"


Authors notes

Another chapter has been released! Woohoo! Longer than ever, as well.

University wasn't what I expected, it's a lot harder than expected. But I completed my first exam today, and I couldn't be happier. That and we have a new season of anime stacked to the brim before us, which is also hype. Besides the heavy hitters this season, I would like to personally recommend "Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun" to anyone looking for something to watch. It's a nice little story with great characters. Benedictus guarantee!

With that, I want to thank everyone for reading yet another one of my chapters. Have a good one!

-Ben