Chapter 18: Everyone Returns and New Faces Emerge!
"A place where someone still thinks about you is a place you can call home." Jiraiya -Naruto
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second!"
"Hmm? What's wrong Commander? Not happy you'll have even more pretty girls back on base?" The President of the Eagle Union smugly asked him.
"Of course, I'm hap—that's not what I meant!" He blushed. "What about the defense for this city and harbor? Was this decided in that meeting too? And who do you mean when you say, 'you all'?"
"The city and harbor will be fine, especially with all the incoming manpower coming in to bolster the defenses here. Nope, just something I decided right now. And everyone in this base of course, well save for Brooklyn, Biloxi, Memphis, and Bataan since I need them with me for a while longer before I have them join you back on that base as well." Rosalia replied, answering all of his questions with experienced ease.
"But isn't this one of your most important harbors? Wouldn't you want to play it safe and have the girls be around in case they try again?" Shikikan reasoned.
"It is, but after investigating the reason as to how the Sirens got in so easily, we confirmed that the only reason those Siren droids managed to sneak in and destroy our comms was because they managed to study the patrol patterns and shift changes well enough to know when would be the easiest to waltz right on in. Believe it or not, NY Harbor, despite formerly being one of the safest places in the world, wasn't doing so hot in terms of manpower after the war with the Crimson Axis and especially so after the Sirens initially arrival and wiping the floor with everyone." Biloxi sighed.
"But thanks to everyone's hard work and your heroism, tens of thousands of inspired recruits and reinvigorated veterans signed up to join this war with hundreds more pouring in as we speak!" Rosalia cheered. "And to add to that Commander, the Kansen based here were mostly on standby due to the lack of proper funding to resupply them after they sortie."
"Yeah, it really sucked just watching trade and cargo ships come in and out of the harbor all day every day. You wouldn't believe how much I wanted something to happen. I swear that I could feel my skills and rigging rust up with each day of zero action that passed by." Washington grumbled.
"That said, rest assured, Commander. The main reason we decided to have all the Kansen stationed here join you back on that base wasn't to just alleviate them of their boredom or just a whimsical decision, but to have everyone here improve their skills by training with the other factions and fighting on the frontlines. And with all the new approved funding, the Kansen further inland will be able to act as well and take over the role of port defenders while the others head back to that base with you." Brooklyn added.
"Now that you mention it, everyone who came and helped us out here did seem a lot stronger since I last saw them…" Baltimore pondered.
"Actually yeah, I remember Cleveland's sisters talking about how they all thought that she, Helena, Laffey, and even Sandy all seemed like they powered up." Washington added before scratching her head in a mix of confusion and annoyance. "And not to mention Saratoga, Hornet, and Enterprise here were already some of our top hitters, but even then I thought their punches had a lot more 'oomph' behind them. Ugh….I hate this! It feels like everyone 'cept me is getting stronger!"
"Well, Commander has been having us all undergo specialized training exercises alongside the other factions." Enterprise retorted. "In addition to commissions and reclaiming areas from the Sirens, we've all done a lot of training through exercises like raid and defense scenarios, rigging proficiency and stamina training, strategic and tactical warfare education courses, and even joint battle sessions."
"Not to mention the benefits outside of battle too!" Vestal jumped in. "Getting to interact with the other factions amicably, learning each other's traditions and cultures and establishing camaraderie, and of course, occasionally getting Commander to cook are all truly wonderful experiences that the base over their provides us with~."
"Um, Vestal? One of those things is not like the others." Shikikan sweat-dropped.
Upon hearing this, a heavy air of awe and jealousy filled up the large break room.
"Now I'm starting to feel a bit jealous." Baltimore admitted as everyone nodded in agreement.
"Getting back to business, we've all seen the clips, heck, the whole world has." Rosalia started. "You turned a hopeless defeat into a roaring victory and showed that the Sirens are not here to stay. You've done great work so far, Commander, but I'm 100% sure the battles are going to get tougher and tougher as time goes on, so you're probably gonna want to increase your arsenal. Arsenal being cute, gorgeous, and powerful Kansen of course."
"Won't you let us join you on the frontlines, Commander?" North Carolina asked, her ocean blue eyes sparkling with hope and determination.
'They all seem dead set on this, not that I'm complaining of course. I'm definitely going to need more allies if I'm really going to take the offensive and kick them off this planet.' Shikikan reasoned. "Alright, well if you're sure about this, then I'll gratefully have everyone on board with me back to the base and the frontlines."
"Great! Then we have a deal! The girls currently stationed here won't be dying of boredom anymore, will get to train and power up with the other factions' Kansen at your base, and in exchange you'll get a lot more beauties to romance with back there! It's a win-win-win situation!" Rosalia laughed haughtily.
"What do you mean by romance with!?" Shikikan shouted.
"Is that what actually goes on over there?" Baltimore sweat dropped.
"Of course not!" Shikikan and Enterprise yelled in unison.
"Aww…are you against the idea?" Rosalia questioned him in specific.
"…"
"I knew it~ " Rosalia sung knowingly before donning a serious look once more. "But back to business Commander. Whether they be friend or foe and whether if you like it or not, all eyes are on you right now. And as unfortunate as it sounds, not everyone is willing to stand up and fight against the Sirens, let alone cooperate with each other. Some even think the Sirens are divine entities here to punish humanity for all of our sins throughout the ages and what not. While I'm not the religious type, that just sounds like a lot of nonsense to me."
"…You're joking…right?" Shikikan asked, hearing the annoyance in his tone quickly rising.
"Unfortunately, no." Rosalia sighed. "Ignorance is going to be both their bliss and their reckoning."
"And while yours and everyone else's efforts did help boost morale, many are still refusing to see the light of day so to speak." Memphis added.
"What do you mean?" Enterprise asked.
"Don't flip out, but some ignorant groups of people even have the audacity to say that the Sirens let you win, that you are actually one of them, and that this was all some sort of elaborate plan to get humanity to lower their guard around you before you stab us all in the back." Biloxi informed.
"…Come again?" A rather miffed Shikikan asked, his face twitching in annoyance and his knuckles turning white with how hard he was clenching his fists.
"I had reacted the same way so I can't blame you, but know that it's only a very special few, too blinded in their own misgivings and, if we are being honest here, too dumb to understand common sense and face reality." Rosalia reassured him.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked up and noticed Baltimore looking down at him and smiling reassuringly.
"Just leave the thoughts and opinions of clowns to the other clowns, Commander."
"And don't you worry! I'll be more than happy to knock some sense into them if they do rear their ugly heads around, the hard way of course." Washington declared as she cracked her knuckles.
"Ignorance and violence aside, you'll always be a good person to us, Commander." Vestal smiled as everyone nodded in agreement.
Knowing that the girls were right and that they were on his side, he put aside the annoyed anger for now.
"You'll have to get used to dealing with and ignoring the haters soon, Commander. Take it from someone whose job requires her to deal with them on the daily." Rosalia advised.
"Well at least I have people I can relate and complain to." He sighed heavily before smiling gratefully at everyone.
"I can be there for you whenever, you know?~ All you have to do is let me know you want to transfer over to the Eagle Union~" She sung.
"Ahaha…" Shikikan nervously laughed her off.
"Hehe, just say the word, Commander, and I'll take care of the transfer work ~. But now other than all that discussion, that's it from me. I'll head over to the storage area where that ship is and have to dock workers get it ready for you. It really shouldn't take too long to clean and fuel up but since you're here, take this time to enjoy the wonders of NY City! There's countless things you can do here, so I'd highly recommend making a trip downtown while you still can!"
"I'll take your word for it. Thanks for everything Rosalia, really."
"Don't mention it Commander, this is nothing compared to what you've done for us. I'll let you know when the ship is ready, so take it easy 'til then! Oh! And before I forget, let's exchange numbers!" She whipped out her phone.
Now with her number saved into his phone, she bid them adieu once more before taking her leave.
"Shall I come with you?" Memphis asked.
"Sure, but let's make a pitstop first. Only one of those fluffy pancakes isn't an option!~" Rosalia happily cheered before exiting out of the room with the cruiser.
"Well….she seems nice." Shikikan commented as he relaxed back into the couch .
"A bit childish and whimsical, but she's a very dependable and charismatic leader." Brooklyn replied.
"Looks like your wish came true, Washy." North Carolina giggled happily.
"Right!? It's the best news I've heard all year!"
"Hmm? Wish?" Shikikan asked.
"Washington's been jealous ever since she found out that she didn't get picked for the first fleet being sent to your base."
"But now I get to brawl with the Sirens and big shots from the other factions!" She happily laughed before looking over at Shikikan. "Hope you weren't planning your good-byes just yet, Commander, cuz you're stuck with me now whether you like it or not ahaha!"
"My, how wonderful. Let's go tell everyone the good news, Yorky!" Lexington giggled before she grabbed the silver-haired beauties by her hand and rushed out the door.
"So, Commander, did you decide on what you want to do while you wait for the ship to be ready?" Biloxi asked.
"I think I'll take Rosalia's advice and head into the city to see what it's like. How about you girls?"
Upon hearing this all the girls simultaneously jumped in.
"I'll come with you. NY City is huge, so it be best to have someone as a guide so you don't get lost." Enterprise offered.
"I'll come too since a lot of things have changed since you were last here, Enterprise~." North Carolina sung as she smiled challengingly at the carrier.
"…Commander, I'm worried about the radicals making a move, so as your shield, I shall accompany and protect you." South Dakota stated.
"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go! The quicker we get out there, the more we can do!" Baltimore cheered before grabbing him by his arm and bolting out of the room with him in tow.
"Wait-don't-A!" Shikikan yelled as he felt as if he was on a runaway train.
"Hey! Don't just Commander-nap him!" Washington yelled.
"Wait Baltimore! He's still not fully healed yet!" Vestal added before she and the rest of the gang followed suit.
"Well, aren't you a popular fellow? Guess I might as well go and make sure you make it out of here alive." Biloxi chuckled to herself as she was now the last one left to leave the room.
{Unspecified Ironblood research facility}
"The kommandant has agreed to the PR plan! Begin everything now! The Ironblood will not stand by and let anyone get ahead of us! Why? Because Ironblood science is the finest in the world!".
"Abteilungsleiter! I bring news from Ihre Exzellenz!"
"W-what is it now?" A bespectacled old man wearing a white lab coat asked nervously.
"The kommandant has agreed to the PR plan! Begin everything now!"
"Wunderbar! Let's-!"
"T-there's more…." The messenger gulped before continuing. "We are to not stop until this project is done. Ironblood science is the finest in the world und if we fail to live up to that und aren't the first to deliver….well…."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the lab went pale and began sweating profusely.
"Hurry up! I refuse to be her next victim!" The old man roared before all of them began to start running around in a terrified frenzy and beginning their new research and development project.
[Back at NY City: A few hours later…]
'Phew….never thought I'd be so happy to find a shaded spot of grass.'
Currently, Shikikan is flat on his back on the soft grass under a large willow tree in the middle of a large open park. After having been dragged around all over the huge city, trying all sorts of foods, and seeing all sorts of sights, he breathed a sigh of relief to rest his weary self.
"I'll admit, I did not expect it to be this bustling."
"Don't underestimate the Eagle Union will, Commander!" Baltimore grinned. "Everyone's hard at work to get everything up and running again, but as you saw, the NY City landmark priorities were already done for you to see them in their full glory!"
"Yeah, and I still can't believe all those hole-in-the-wall restaurants were willing to give us all their specialty food for free." Admittedly, Shikikan did try to get the owners to accept some sort of payment as he did feel very guilty about them giving away so much food for him and the Kansen, but they were all resolute in it being their way of showing gratitude towards them all for saving their city, their businesses, and most importantly, their home.
"Oh, hold up." Baltimore said before reading something on her phone. "I'll be right back, Commander. Gotta go see if something my sister wants is in stock somewhere nearby!"
With the other Kansen, save for one little one, out and about in the city, Shikikan reveled in his moment of relaxation.
"Commander….can I go pick out some souvenirs for Javelin, Nimi, and Ayanami?"
"Yeah go ahead, Laffey. You don't have to ask for my permis-oh wait, did you ask because you needed money?" Shikikan asked as he began pulling out his wallet upon seeing the bunny girl lazily nod.
"Um, let's see hmm…" Shikikan pondered as he noticed his wallet was all cards and no cash. "Oh wait, I know."
He added as a lightbulb went off in his head and he pulled out his phone. 'If I remember what Victoria said right, I should be able to manage all my earnings and be able to pay for anything with GemApp.'
Launching the app, he discovered that the reward money from both Azur Lane HQ and the Mayor had already been transferred into his account, all six million coins to be exact. Now inputting Laffey's username, he transferred about five thousand coins over to the destroyer's phone."
"M'kay got it, thanks Commander." Laffey glomped him with an affectionate hug before scurrying off to what seemed to be a souvenir shop.
'Now that I think about it, I did promise Deutschland and Spee gifts before leaving for that island right? Wonder if there's anything they'll like?' Shikikan thought as he reclined into the soft grass and looked up at the cloudy blue sky.
'So much has happened in this past month…from waking up in a hospital, to becoming a commander, to meeting the girls, and to even saving a whole city from certain destruction….it all feels so surreal, almost as if all those endless years in that hellhole was just a distant, horrible nightmare…' He thought as he looked around as he saw the girls playing around and chatting away in the open fields of the park.
'They're such hard workers, so it's really nice to see them be able to unwind and genuinely smile.' Shikikan chuckled to himself as he brought himself up into a sitting position and leaned back against the base of the tree.
As he kept watch over the girls, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Yorktown, who was quietly standing in front of one of many shelves belonging to a large outdoor kiosk.
"Hmm?" Shikikan wondered as his curiosity brought him out from under the tree and towards the hesitating carrier.
"Is she trying to decide if she wants to buy something or not?' He wondered. 'She seems really shy and on guard around me, but maybe if we talk a little bit, she can start to relax?'
Walking up, he called out to her. "Um, hey Yorktown."
Hearing her name being called, she was brought out of her trance and spun around to the source, only to start slightly fidgeting when she discovered that it was him.
"O-oh, hello Commander." She shyly greeted. "Did you need something?"
"Nope, I saw you hesitating over here, and I just got curious." He admitted before glancing over to what she was looking at. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a familiar looking high school romance novel with a very short and aggressive-looking girl on the front cover.
"Oh hey, that's the first volume of that really popular romance manga I was planning to start at some point! The bookshop back in the town outside the base only had volumes two and up so I thought I'd have to buy the first one online when I get the time."
Upon hearing this, a very surprised expression formed on Yorktown's face. "Commander, you like romance novels?"
"Kinda, it honestly depends on if I like the characters or find the story interesting. What about you? Thinking of trying this one out?
"Well…" She seemed to hesitate to speak for a little bit before deciding to continue. "Not exactly, the girl on the cover just reminded me of Hammann and I couldn't help but think of her wearing that cute school uniform."
'Now that she mentions it, she and Hammann spend a lot of time together.' He thought before chuckling.
"Commander?"
"Oh sorry, I was just thinking about how happy Hammann and your sisters look whenever they're with you."
"….." Not sure how to respond, the beauty shyly looked away.
Worried the 'get to know Yorktown better' mission failed, he apologized, or was planning to up until Yorktown finally spoke,
"If there's still time, maybe you should spend it with my younger sisters... I'm fine on my own. You don't have to worry about me…"
Feeling a melancholic aura radiating out of the beauty, Shikikan began to worry.
'I want to ask if she's okay, but she still seems hesitant to even make eye contact with me. I'd hate to increase to distance between us…What do I do? Oh, wait!' A lightbulb lit up in his head. 'On one of the news articles I saw after first waking up in that hospital, there were a lot of headlines about how she and Lexington had miraculously returned after having been previously sunk in the war with Crimson Axis. Is that the reason why she seems so unconfident and self-effacing?'
Concluding with his train of thoughts on how to proceed, he made up his mind and spoke.
"Yorktown, I know we barely know each other, but just know that I'm always ready and willing to lend an ear to any of your troubles."
"…."
The carrier silently stood with an arm around her shoulder and a conflicted expression on her face.
"We've all been through a lot, so I really do think it be for the best that everyone support each other, especially since we're all fighting on the same side. That said, there's no need to rush anything. Take your time and whenever you're ready, anytime and anywhere, I'll be all ears." He smiled reassuringly.
"Enty was right. You really are a weird person. Weird, but also really kind. Thank you, Commander." The carrier replied as she couldn't help but find the heavy feeling in her chest get lighter the more she spoke with him and everyone.
"I guess I can live with that." Shikikan chuckled as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So, did you decide on getting that book or something else? I'm sure Hammann will…"
"Don't talk about me when I'm right here!"
Looking over, the two noticed the pouty destroyer in question looking at the two of them with an impatient and annoyed expression.
"Big Sis Yorktown!" Hammann called out as she rushed over to stand in front of the carrier defensively. "You better not have been a pervert to her or I'll…!"
She tried to threaten before feeling a hand on her head.
"Now, now Hammann. You know better than to assume things. Commander was just a bit concerned about me is all." Yorktown explained.
'Definitely need to have her and Hipper meet up.' Shikikan made a mental note before deciding to let his playful side get the better of him. "I didn't know you had such a cute bodyguard, Yorktown. I'm jealous."
"... I'm c-c-cute? D-did you really think just c-complimenting me would make me h-happy? You moron!" She huffed, but not without rosy, red cheeks quickly darkening on her face.
'Too cute.' He chuckled. "Hey Hammann, is there anything in this kiosk that you want?"
"Really!? I mean… Hmph, flattering me won't get you anywhere! It's not like I wanted a picture book of cute animals or a big fluffy teddy bear or anything!" She crossed her arms and looked away in expert tsundere fashion.
Looking up to Yorktown, the two shared a stifled laugh before the carrier picked up the book and Shikikan walked further into the large kiosk looking for a section of stuffed plushies.
Moments later, Shikikan came back out with a large snow-white teddy bear and walked over to the awaiting Yorktown and Hammann as they were seemingly enjoying each other's company, with the latter happily holding onto the picture book in her hands.
"Hey, Hammann, could you do me a favor and adopt this teddy bear for me? I bought it on the spur of the moment before realizing I have no space for it back in my room."
"H-hmph, I-I guess." She huffed as she eagerly hugged her new plushie.
"Hammann, what do you say when someone gives you something?" Yorktown questioned.
"….Thank you, Commander. I really do love it." The tsundere mumbled before hiding embarrassingly behind the large teddy bear.
"Glad you like it, Hammann." Shikikan happily replied.
"Hey Commander! Got a sec?"
Looking over, Shikikan noticed a familiar group of sisters calling out to him.
"I wonder what's up?" He thought aloud. "Have fun you two. I'll see you later."
But before he left, he turned around once more to the carrier. "And again, if you ever need help with anything, I'll be there for you."
Smiling gratefully in response, the carrier silently nodded her head at him before watching him go off in the distance towards the group of battleships.
'Perhaps I really should start mulling things over with everyone.' She thought before returning her attention back to the destroyer still burying her face into the teddy bear.
{With Shikikan}
"Hey Maryland, what's up?"
"Good news! While we couldn't find someone to fix up your weapons or flight shoes, we did find a place to get you a better gun than that peashooter you were carrying!"
'Peashooter? Wait, now that I think about it, compared to their massive cannons, it might as well be one.' He sweat dropped at the thought of having one pointed directly at him.
"And rest assured, the Eagle Union's gunsmiths are top notch. I can assure you that even your highest expectations will be met with ease." West Virginia proclaimed.
"How long will it take? I promised Vestal and Helena that I'd go window shopping with them for a bit."
"Depends on how decisive you'll be once you see the place." Maryland shrugged.
"Well, they didn't really specify a time…and…I do want new gear…..Alright where to?" He decided.
"Over here. Follow me." Colorado nodded towards the park entrance before walking on ahead.
'This might take a while, so just in case…' Shikikan thought before he pulled out his phone and sent a text to a certain cruiser.
Leaving the park, the group of four were able to walk for about ten minutes before….
"Look! It's him!" A kid shouted before Shikikan found himself swarmed by a whole group of children.
"Mr. Commander! Mr. Commander! Can I please, please, please get a picture with you?"
"Mr. Commander! Please sign my captain's hat!"
"Can I hold your sword and gun!?"
Overwhelmed by the hyperactive children's bombardment of requests, Shikikan could only stand there with an awkward smile as he tried to calm them all down.
"Hey kiddos, um…my weapons were destroyed, and I don't have a pen, but we can take a quick photo or two if you want."
"I call his shoulder!" One kid shouted before they all began to try to climb him.
"Hey kids! Stop that right now!" A young woman called out to them. "I'm so sorry about them, Sir! They're just really big fans and.."
"Ahaha, it's fine." Shikikan chuckled awkwardly as the kids jumped down from him.
"Thank you." She nodded gratefully. "Now kids, what do you say to someone when you did something bad?"
"We're sorry." The kids sung apologetically.
"Like I said it's fine." He patted two on their heads before picking up the one in the middle. "Still want that photo?"
"Yeah!" The child cheered before she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled for the young woman's camera.
"Me too! Me too!" The other kids gathered around him once more and posed for the camera.
Click
"Wait, that's the Commander! And he's taking pictures!?" A random by passer exclaimed before a group of other people in the area also noticed and began to rush towards him.
"Uh, girls?" Shikikan paled as he freed himself from the children and started backing away.
"You got it!" Maryland laughed heartily before grabbing him by the arm and making a break for it.
"You'll all have to excuse us. Commander is on important busy right now." West Virginia informed the incoming crowd before she and Colorado ran after their sister and Shikikan.
After a few minutes, the girls managed to easily outrun the crowd with a very out of breath Shikikan in tow.
"We should be fine now. You alright over there, Commander?" Colorado asked.
"Y-yeah…..just g-give me a minute…" He panted in between breaths after being dragged around at breakneck speeds.
"You should've just picked him up instead, Maryland. He's still injured and only human you know?" West Virginia sighed.
"I must admit though Commander, I can say for sure I'm not envious of your popularity." Colorado admitted.
"Yeah, we occasionally get asked for photos and autographs too, but it's a whole another level with you." Maryland laughed.
"Oh, it's the Commander."
Worried that he was going to be dragged around again, he was about to run but halted when another voice spoke up.
"Yo Commander, what's got you all sweaty and outta breath?"
Looking back, he noticed that it was just Alabama and Washington, both carrying some shopping bags in one hand and an oxy-cola in the other.
"We were on our way to the Gunnery Depot, but Commander ended up getting surrounded by a bunch of people wanting his autograph and pictures, so we had to drag him out of there." Colorado informed.
"They weren't…kidding about the dragging part…" Shikikan heaved as he finally began to catch his breath. "But still, thanks."
"Don't mention it." Maryland grinned. "You pretty much weigh the same as my pillow."
'Never knew they sold pillows weighing in the triple digits.' Shikikan deadpanned. "So, you mentioned a depot or something?"
"Funny you asked." The redhead said before pointing behind him. "Look over there."
Looking back, he saw a wide brick building with the words "Gunnery Depot" plastered above the entrance. The building seemed to still be in repairs as there were a bunch of construction workers on platforms rebuilding broken walls.
"They're not done rebuilding it, but the owner said he would be more than happy to open it up for us." Colorado informed before the group of Kansen and Shikikan made their way inside.
The walls inside were lined up with all sorts of guns and various other close combat weaponry with a massive eagle statue in the center with battleship cannons and Eagle Union flags jutting out from behind.
"Ah Commander! Yer finally here! Welcome to the Eagle Union's finest arsenal!" A middle-aged man with grayish-red hair and sideburns loudly called out as he vigorously shook Shikikan's hands.
"Name's Shaymus, the owner of this ole store. Ya sure did save my arse by coming and kicking all em Sirens out when ya did mate cuz otherwise I'd be outta home, a job, and a store ahaha!" He cackled in a very thick accent. "So, I heard ya needed some new gear?"
"Shaymus here specializes in high quality weapons, but only sells those to people he can respect." Maryland informed.
"The lass is right! Seeing ya hack and slash through those metal things gave me chills! I'd be more surprised if that blade and pea shooter didn't break after all that, so follow me and ol' Shaymus here'll show ya to me treasure trove!" He laughed as he waved for Shikikan and his group to follow him all the way into the back end of the store, where strangely enough, a large boxing ring could be seen in one corner.
"The lasses here came by a while back and showed me ya broken gear. The gun wouldn't have been worth fixin' in me honest opinion and all me smithers said they couldn't fix up that broken blade. But don't ya worry! I got plenty of better replacements for ya! So, take a gander around and let me know if anything catches yer eye!"
Nodding his head thankfully, Shikikan began to browse the large collection of weaponry. From swords to maces to war hammers to halberds to daggers, there were endless options to choose from.
'He sure wasn't kidding about this being a treasure trove. All these swords look like grade 'S' quality and up.'
"Any idea what you're looking for Commander? I can help you look." West Virginia offered.
"Not really no, but definitely something effective against hordes of those droids would be great." He guessed.
"Then how about this big one?" West Virginia asked as she pointed at a massive buster sword mounted on the wall. The handle was long enough to comfortably fit two hands, but still looked tiny in comparison to the comically large blade.
"Ah, the Final Buster, eh?" Shaymus asked. "Feel free to hold it, but fair warnin', it weighs as much as it looks."
Walking over, Shikikan took it off its mount, only for him to stumble a bit at the sheer weight of the solid wall of pure sharpened steel.
'Jeez, there's no way a normal human being can just casually swing this around, let alone single-handedly.' He thought as he tried to regain his footing and eventually managing to lift the gigantic sword up with both hands. "Well…it would definitely be more than enough to decimate a whole group of them, but the weight's a bit much."
"You think so?" Alabama walked up and asked. "Can I see?"
Handing over the buster sword, the battleship singlehanded lifted it up and rested it on her shoulder, as if it weighed as much as a metal bat.
"Hmm, I still think my scythe weighs more. Here." She added before materializing her scythe and handing it over the Shikikan, which upon letting it go in his hands, caused the poor man to drop to the floor with a loud thud.
'Holy fu-!? It's like five times my weight! She was swinging this around in that fight like nothing!?'
"See? Heavier right?"
"Y-yeah, just a little bit." Shikikan replied as he struggled to bring the scythe up into an upright position. "Can we trade back?"
Now free from the impossibly heavy scythe weighing him down, the buster sword strangely felt lighter to him. "I can probably slice through anything with this, but the amount of energy it will take to swing this around is still a big con."
"Hey Commander, how about this then? You could definitely slice through some droids while also keeping your distance." Colorado asked as she brought him a large halberd with a golden shaft, a red tassel under the bladed end, and a sharp pointed tip at the other end.
"Ah, the Sky Slayer can definitely do you some good." Shaymus commented.
Putting the buster sword back, he walked over to wield the imposing halberd. Walking over to a nearby empty and open space, Shikikan began to twirl the halberd in his hand before performing a few thrusts and slashes with it.
"Oh? You kind of look like one of those fighters in those Dragon Empery kung-fu films." Washington thought.
"It's heavier than I thought, and the range is nice, but I'm not sure how well I'd managed in very close quarters with it."
"If you're worried about that, how about these ones then?" Maryland asked as she glanced over to a pair of twin short swords, one with handles of pure white and gold and the other with handles of black and red. The blades of both were single edged and of a pristine silver hue.
"Good eye lass! Clarity and Chaos are among me newest wares, alongside their larger twin single-edged broad sword alternatives, Divine Clarity and Absolute Chaos." The depot owner added as he jutted his finger to his right where the much larger alternatives were.
Starting with the shorter versions first, Shikikan spun the twin swords around in his hands, getting a feel of how they felt.
"I like them, but maybe too short of a range now." He surmised before switching over to the twin broad sword alternatives.
"So much better! Definitely liking these!" He cheered happily before looking back over Shaymus. "How much are they?"
"Usually I'd barter around with ya, but as thanks for everything ya done for me and the city, I'm willing to make an exception for ya mate."
"Oh, so a discount then?" Shikikan guessed.
"Well, kinda." Shaymus started before he began to grin and look over to the boxing ring on the other end of the store. "Ol Shaymus here used to be a pretty good boxer, ya see? And 'member how I said watchin' ya fight gave me the shivers?"
Quickly putting the piece together and not looking to get yelled at by Vestal for not letting his body fully heal, Shikikan tried to dissuade the burly man.
"You want to fight against an injured guy? I can barely fully clench my fists." Shikikan tried.
"Bwahaha! Don't ya sell yourself short matey! I've seen you fight against hundreds of them soulless robots all covered in blood and sweat. We won't be fighting to the death, just a quick couple of rounds is all I ask of ya."
"I've never boxed before though?"
"Ya don't have to box, mate. You can use whatever style you want so long as you ain't going below the belt. Man's honor. Don't tell me yer scared of losing in front of all your lasses to ol' Shaymus here? Who knew you'd be such a wee little baby without yer toys?" He taunted.
Normally, Shikikan wouldn't have fallen for such an obvious taunt, but for some reason the burly man's tone and the stares from the Kansen all seemingly saying 'just do it or else I'll lose respect for you' got to him.
"Ugh, fine. But this better be a good discount." Shikikan sighed.
"So yer do got some fire in ya!" Shaymus laughed. "Tell ya what. I'll base the discount off how long ya last against me."
"Ho? He seems pretty confident in kicking your ass, Commander." Washington smirked.
"Just make sure Vestal doesn't get a word of this." Shikikan groaned before hopping up into the ring.
"I'll ref." Maryland offered as she stood on one end of the ring.
"Hope yer ready, mate. You might've been able to hack and slash through all 'em robots, but ol Shaymus here has been on a hot streak in this here ring!" Shaymus grinned as he donned two green boxing gloves and crashed them together.
"Alright you two, I want a good clean fight. Nothing below the belt. Got it?" Maryland asked.
"Yeah/Ya"
"Good. Touch gloves…or uh hands, and I'll ring this bell."
"It's gonna be a shame once I damage that pretty face." Shaymus grinned arrogantly as he tapped his gloves against Shikikan's hands before stepping back into his corner.
Ignoring the cocky man's taunts, Shikikan sighed before taking his stance, of which he stood with his legs slightly bent and slightly apart, his right arm outstretched halfway with an opened hand and his left arm hovering over his right elbow.
"Haven't seen that stance before. Any idea, Colorado?" West Virginia asked.
"Not a clue. How about you, Washington?"
"Uh, if I'm remembering right, I think it's called 'wing chun'? SoDak and I saw it one of the Dragon Empery films I mentioned earlier, but I don't remember much else since it was like real late at night."
"Guess we'll just have to see for ourselves then. Either way, my interest is piqued." The dark-haired battleship replied before the Kansen turned their attention back towards Shikikan.
Ding!
"I don't know what kind of style ya got going on there, but don't be using it as an excuse once I knock ya flat on yer arse!" He arrogantly announced before steadily making his way to the center where Shikikan calmly and silently awaited.
Now standing face to face, the burly man bounced in place for a bit before taking a quick right jab at Shikikan, or so he had hoped.
As soon as he saw Shaymus's arm twitch, Shikikan, with blindingly fast speed, slapped the jab out with his outstretched arm and launched an even faster vertical punch with the other, landing a direct hit dead center on Shaymus's face.
"Guh!" The red head grunted as he took three slow step backs with his head still looking up. As soon as he brought his head down, blood starting to drip down from his nose.
"So, about that discount.." Shikikan started.
"Urgh…this ain't over yet!" He roared before rushing Shikikan with a flurry of combination punches.
Unfortunately for him, Shikikan was more than ready.
First was a left hook.
Blocked.
Then a right uppercut.
Sidestepped.
An annoyed flurry of jabs and wild swings was next.
Blocked, dodged, and parried with another vertical fist to the face.
"Argh! Damn it!" Shaymus cried out as he wiped his bloody mess of a nose before charging once more at Shikikan.
'I should hurry before he loses too much blood…" Shikikan thought. Focusing back on the fight, he blocked both incoming jabs with his elbows before delivering 6 insanely fast chain punches to the man's diaphragm and finishing with a swift elbow strike to the man's jaw, sending him crashing down.
Ding!
22 seconds have passed.
"Winner by knockout: Commander!" Maryland announced as she raised Shikikan's arm up in victory. Walking back to the still downed Shaymus, she lightly slapped the man's face four times. "Don't sleep just yet. C'mon, up and at 'em."
"Urgh, ah, morning already?" The man groaned as he sat up, cradling his ringing head and aching chest.
"Welcome back. You remember your name, where you are, and what you promised?" West Virginia asked.
"Uh, Shaymus, my store, and uh, no."
Knowing that he was lying, Shikikan smirked. "Aw, that's too bad. You had promised us some free stuff, but it doesn't seem like you even remember how your hot streak just went ice cold."
"I never said free! It was a dis-!...count." He grumbled in defeat as he realized that he fell for Shikikan's trap. "Tsk, yer got me. Have yer half off discount."
"Heh, pleasure doing business with you, Shaymus." Shikikan joked as he offered him a hand up.
"Yeah, yeah." Shaymus chuckled as he took the hand. "So which ones did ya end up deciding on?"
"Well, since you so generously offered half off, I'll take everything I touched." Shikikan smirked.
"Urgh, remind me to never make a deal with the devil ever again." Shaymus grumbled. "But a deal's a deal, and I'm a man of me words".
"Rather unique moves you got there, Commander." Maryland grinned. "Once you're fully healed up, how about the two of us step into a ring?"
"Uh…" Shikikan sweat-dropped as he really didn't want to be hospitalized as soon as he fully recovered. With quick thinking, he moved behind Washington and Alabama and gave them both a nudge forward. "Well….uh….. I'm sure these two here won't mind taking you up on that offer instead! Just make sure you'll all be fit for sorties the next day."
"Huh? I mean sure but I also wanted to.." Alabama started.
"Oh hey West Virginia, Colorado, mind helping me bring all the stuff over to the counter thanks!" He grabbed both battleships by their hands before making a run for it.
'Guess yer sure do got it a bit rough.' Shaymus chuckled to himself as he wiped away his bleeding nose.
With the Final Buster, the Sky Slayer, Clarity and Chaos, and Divine Clarity and Absolute Chaos all wrapped up and locked into a heavy looking chest, Shikikan paid the still hefty price and some.
"Ight mate. Here's ya bill. Just sign right here and I'll get ya a cart so ya aren't lifting that hefty chest around.
"It's fine. I got it." Alabama interrupted as she easily lifted the chest up and rested it on her shoulder.
"….Just what have you been feeding the lasses?" Shaymus whispered as he stared in awe.
"Pancakes." Shikikan chuckled as he finished signing. "Here you go."
"Thank—wait a minute, mate. I think yer added an extra zero to the commission."
"Nope, consider it my thanks for letting me in outside your normal hours and showing me your best items."
"Bwahaha! You got a heart o' gold on ya mate! Guess I won't have to water down me booze after all!" He bellowed as he heavily slammed his hand on Shikikan's back. "Oh right! You still need a replacement for that pea shooter right?"
Pulling out a small chain of keys, the red head walked over to a nearby display shelf and took out a rather wide black gold box. Bringing it back to the counter and opening it with another key, he revealed the contents to be a large, intimating revolver that was purely shiny silver in color save for a black and gold grip. "This little one's a secret project my buddies and I worked on. We ended up callin' it the Nova. It's got a .50-caliber punch, five rounds, and can splatter a grizzly with a good shot, so you can bet them trashy robots got no chance against it! As a show of good will and thanks for well everything, I'll add this in. Free of charge!"
Handing the gun over, Shikikan could immediately tell from the weight that this gun meant business and that it put his deceased desert eagle to shame in terms of sheer power.
"How much for all your bullets and can we set up a shipment schedule for when you get more?"
"You're surprisingly more of a typical guy than I thought." Washington admitted.
"Bwahaha! This calls for some booze!" He laughed before opening up a nearby fridge and grabbing a bunch of beers.
As soon as everyone cheered and Shikikan was about to take his first drink, he heard a rather unhappy, familiar voice calling him from afar.
"Oh Commander~? I've been looking everywhere for you after you kept Helena and I waiting, but here I find you fighting instead of taking it easy like I asked?" A very displeased voice rumbled from the near the entrance to the store.
"V-Vestal?" Shikikan panicked.
"Oh. Whoops. My bad, Commander." Alabama casually blurted out.
"A-Alabama? W-what do you mean by that?" Shikikan asked as his face went pale.
"South Dakota had asked where I was, so I sent her a video of you fighting in the ring and ended up uploading it to Juustagram."
"Rest in peace, Commander." Washington patted him on the shoulder pitifully.
Shikikan knew he had two choices. One is beg Vestal for mercy and two is to run for the hills. In the back of his mind, he knew he'd only get so far, but given the tone in Vestal's voice…
"Shaymus, you got an emergency exit or something?"
"Huh? Uh, ya, lookie over there." He pointed to an emergency exit to his left.
"If anyone asks, I was never here." Shikikan quickly stated before making a break for it.
"Wait Commander! We brought you here, so you don't have to -!" Colorado called out fell on deaf ears hallway through as Shikikan had just swung open the emergency exit. But alas, a familiar bluenette was already one step ahead of him.
"H-hey Helena. How did you..?" He nervously asked as the bluenette had appeared right before him as he swung open the door.
"Are you trying to hide, Commander? No matter where you hide, I know where you are." She smiled sweetly despite her rather terrifyingly yandere-esque words.
"Oh, there's the naughty Commander." Vestal sung as she appeared behind him.
"W-wait Vestal, I can explain..." Shikikan nervously started as the repair ship slowly approached him. Although she was smiling, he swore he saw some sort of eldritch horror behind her.
[One hour later]
"Really now, Commander? I thought you knew better than to respond to taunts." Vestal sighed.
"B-but he.."
"No, buts." She shushed him with a fork of something soft, smooth, and sweet to his mouth. "Not only did you leave poor Helena and I waiting, but you also had us looking all over for you, only for us to find out that you disregarded my doctor's orders of not straining your still injured body, let alone fighting a civilian."
Currently, Shikikan was back in the park with an unhappy Vestal. Although he was being scolded, he was now flat on his back on a park bench with his head in the repair ship's lap and being fed something called NY cheesecake as 'punishment'.
"But Vestal, I feel fine…errrr better. Plus, I did need to get new stuff after.."
"Oh, Commander." A sultry voice playfully sighed. "We really are going to need to work on that obliviousness of yours."
"Eh? What do you mean?" Looking over, he noticed that it was St. Louis and Honolulu, who both had overheard the situation and decided to join in, well the former did at least while the latter got seemingly pulled into it.
"You shouldn't…leave people…hanging." Honolulu mumbled.
'Oh….' He realized as the guilt began to take over.
"I'm really sorry, Vestal, Helena. I-" He started as he tried to get up off Vestal's surprisingly soft lap pillow, only to be brought back down by none other than Vestal herself who brought another forkful of cheesecake up to his mouth.
"It's fine, Commander. It's also our fault for not specifying when and where we'd meet either, but I'm still not satisfied, so as punishment, you are to stay there until the rest of the cakes are gone. So open wide. Ah~" She ordered before feeding him another bite.
"W-wait, there's still enough cakes for like five people!"
"Normally, I'd say you should be wary of how many sweets you eat, but I'll make an exception just this once since this is punishment after all. Now say 'Ah'~". Vestal giggled.
"Go on Helena." St. Louis said as she gave her little sister a light shove.
"Um, Vestal….could I..?"
"But of course!" Vestal beamed. "Commander also made you wait and worry so it's only fair~." She added before forcefully feeding Shikikan the last bit of the slice in his hands and getting up so that she could swap with Helena.
"H-how's my lap, Commander?"
"R-really nice." He admitted, feeling the embarrassment building up as the stares from the parkgoers grew exponentially and glaringly so.
"O-oh, really?" She felt her face get exceedingly hot. "T-then going from where Vestal left off…"
With a plate of strawberry shortcake in her hands, she began to continue with the 'punishment'.
'Ugh, I feel bloated already.' He paled seeing the amount of cake left. 'Well at least it tastes great. If I don't end up hating it after all this, maybe I should look into making some my own?'
"Hey Commander, perhaps a change of pace is in order? Here, try this nice, warm, and freshly baked salted pretzel." St. Louis sung.
'Honolulu! Help!' Shikikan pleaded as he tried to use telekinetic powers and send a distress signal to the shy redhead.
"Do you want this...? Here, take it..." Honolulu shyly mumbled as she offered him her boba tea.
But it failed.
As the punishment went on, nearby on-lookers and park-goers who saw the scene could only look at Shikikan with the phrase 'lucky bastard' emanating from their jealous glares.
After what seemed like an eternity of being glared at by all the jealous on-lookers, the very, very full Shikikan finally received word that the ship was ready.
Now at the dockyard, Shikikan spotted a cruiser five times the size of his old one sailing out from a nearby ship warehouse.
"That's one hell of a gift…"
"It's so much bigger and looks so nice! I can't wait to explore it!" San Diego bounced about happily.
"We'll be in your care, Commander." South Dakota nodded as she and the rest of the new Kansen under his command made their way down towards the pier.
"Man, I can't wait to start kicking some ass!" Washington grinned excitingly as she appeared with two huge suitcases behind her.
"So, Commander, how'd you enjoy NY City?" North Carolina asked.
"Loved it! I wish I could stay and see more, but Victoria seemed as if she was at her wit's end back on base so we should probably hurry and save her."
"Heh, there's always next time!" Baltimore cheered. "Plus, everything'll probably be fully rebuilt and some next time we're here!"
"Looking forward to it." Shikikan agreed as he turned back to the cruiser that had weighed anchor right alongside the edge of the pier. "But for now, let's get everyone and their stuff on-board!"
"Yes, sir!"
As he oversaw them and the Manjuus get settled in he heard a familiar voice call for him.
"Hey Commander!"
"Hmm? What's up, Cleveland? And what's that?" He asked, noticing that the cruiser was carrying a small potted tree in her hands.
"Oh this? I like trees and saw some folks selling bonsais like this one at the farmer's market, so I ended up wanting to grow one myself!" She happily grinned as she showed off the tiny tree before realizing what she had to tell him.
"But wait! What I really wanted to tell you was that the Knights of the Sea have successfully returned with all the stuff on the list you gave us!" She and said knights saluted triumphantly.
"And before you ask, it's all loaded up nice and snug aboard the ship!" Columbia added.
"Oh, I knew I could count on you all! Thanks for the help!" He saluted back before high-fiving Cleveland, Columbia, and Denver. All that was left was Montpelier.
"…It was nothing for us but sure, you're welcome." She sighed before also high-fiving him.
"Commander." Enterprise called out. "Everyone's fully settled in and the Manjuus said they're ready to set sail on your command."
"Sounds good. Alright everyone, let's—"
"Hold up!" Another voice cried out, this time from below near the boarding stairs.
"Madame President? I thought you had to run to your next conference?" Lexington questioned.
"I do, but what leader and host would I be if I didn't see my girls and the hero of NY City off?" Rosalia smiled before walking up to him and handing him a large bouquet of roses. "Please take good care of them and yourself as well, Commander. And if you ever do change your mind, well, you know how to reach me~" She smirked playfully as she jiggled her phone.
"Ahaha….will do." He awkwardly laughed her off. "Best of luck to you as well. Maybe we can meet again under less….stressful circumstances."
"Aw~ I'll miss you too!" She pounced on him and gave him a tight squeeze. She then leaned right up and whispered seductively into his ear.
"Maybe a goodbye kiss is in order?"
"NO!"
Before she could even get another breath in, a collective group of 'No's!' from the girls deafened out all other noises in the harbor area.
"Come along now, Ma'am. At this rate, you'll be too late to the meeting to brush it off as fashionably late this time." Brooklyn sighed as she, Biloxi, Bataan, and Birmingham appeared and easily pried her off of him.
"Safe travels, Commander. I look forward to seeing how far you've progressed next time we meet. And to you girls: Stay safe and try not to cause Commander too much trouble." Brooklyn smiled back towards everyone before dragging Rosalia off the ship.
"Boo…." Rosalia pouted. "Well anyway, bon voyage, everyone! And don't forget to write!" She added before being fully towed off the ship.
"Thank you again everyone for all your hard work this past week! Stay safe and see you all hopefully soon!" Bataan beamed as Birmingham gave a silent farewell nod before the two followed after Brooklyn together.
"Good luck, Cleve." Biloxi nodded to the blonde before looking towards the other knights. "She's got stiff competition here, let alone back on base, so give her a push for me will ya?"
"Will do!" The trio replied in unison.
"Hey! You guys!" A flustered Cleveland complained.
"Heh, well then. Best of luck to you as well, Commander." The bluenette added before she too departed from the ship.
"Uh, Cleve?" Shikikan started.
"Y-y-yeah?"
"What did she mean by-?"
"Oh, whoops look at the time! We're burning daylight when we could be burning some oil and getting a move on back to base! Let's hurry, Commander! I'll go double check to make sure everything's safely loaded up! Laters!" Cleveland spoke at two times speed before making a beeline for the cargo bay.
"….Knights, looks like this will be our hardest mission yet." Columbia sweat dropped.
"Agreed." Denver and Montpelier deadpanned before the trio followed after their runaway sister.
"Uh…." Shikikan wondered dumbfoundedly.
"I'll admit, I didn't expect one of your weaknesses to be reading between the lines during times like this." Hornet sighed jokingly.
"Wait what's that-" He tried to argue before feeling a tug on his sleeve.
"Commander… I found a nice shady napping spot at the bow. Want to come take a nap with me?" Laffey yawned.
"Thank you, but I really should…" He started before finding himself yawning as well. 'Maybe staying up all night was a bad idea after all...'
"Go take a rest, Commander. You can count on us to get us back there safely!" Enterprise smiled as everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Well, if you all insist….Thanks." He yawned heavily before letting the destroyer pull him towards the bow.
"Yawnn…..I guess I'll join them." Long Island spoke as she began to follow after them, but not before feeling an arm on her shoulder.
"We're on scouting duty, Long Island! Come on let's go!" Saratoga winked.
"Ehhhhh…" The light carrier groaned with comical teary eyes as she was dragged off towards the stern of the ship.
Back towards the bow, Shikikan could be seen resting under a canopied lounge chair with Laffey fast asleep on his lap.
'Warm sun…gentle breeze…full stomach…what else would this call for but a siesta?' He lazily leaned back into the chair and let his increasingly heavy eyes close and send him off towards the land of snooze.
[Sometime later….]
Less than half-awake, Shikikan could barely make out the noises he was hearing.
"Oh hey….island…..looks…!"
"…..wait what's that…over there?"
"Ah!...Attack...!?"
"No…look! It's…her….she's….Commander!"
He then felt his chair slightly rocking about and a familiarly warm and soft sensation slowly wrap around him.
"Hmm?" He hummed as he slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see the lounge chair's canopy. But instead, he saw brown tails, nine of them to be exact, and open water all around him.
"Ara, ohayo gozaimasu, Shikikan-sama. Did you enjoy your mid-afternoon rest?"
"H-huh? Wait? Akagi?" He murmured before going wide-eyed "W-wait, Akagi!?"
"Hai, your Akagi is right here, endearingly embracing you in the soft, fluffy tails you oh so love~. No need to fret, Shikikan-sama. You're safe now that you are with me~. We'll be back in my room in the new Sakura Empire dorms momentarily so please do enjoy my whole being as I bring us there!"
Now fully awake, he looked around and noticed that the ship he thought he was on was now in the far distance behind him.
"Hey Akagi! This wasn't part of the deal!" A voice turning out to be a very displeased Atago yelled from near the front of the ship.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing commander-napping Commander!?" Saratoga added as she and Enterprise were hot on Akagi's tails.
'What just happened? Where are we? And why does that island look so familiar, yet also not at all?" Questions flooded Shikikan's mind as he saw an island come increasingly better into view. Aside from a few familiar buildings and structures, the majority of them were new to him.
"Uhhhh Akagi? What exactly is going on here?" He asked dumbfoundedly.
"Why, nothing else but our reunion and engagement ceremony of course, Shikikan-sama~!"
"….Eh?"
And scene! Sorry for the long, long, LONG wait y'all. I've never been busier in my life and am just glad I finally got this chapter out!
High fives to everyone who got the videogame/anime weapons I referred to for SKK's new weapons!
Thanks again so, so much for all of your support and patience!
See y'all next time in the next chapter: Chapter 19: Everyone Returns and New Faces Emerge! (Part 2/2)
