Azur Heroes
Chapter 8
There's gonna be a bit of a time skip this time. Didn't feel the need to go through an events of every day kind of situation. So we'll get a bit more set up and then skip ahead to a new story line. On with the show.
(No POV)
"Quite the spectacle you two made." Sugita said to Izuku and Atago after the pair had returned to the base. Izuku was blushing a bit while Atago had a proud look on her face. On the admiral's computer was a video of the attack by Starservant. And how Atago fought the villain and then Midnight giving the two praise for saving everyone. With the rest of the fleet nodding in approval at how the two handled themselves. Inko meanwhile was slightly panicked about the fact her son had been involved in a villain attack. But also extremely proud of the way he handled himself in the situation.
Sugita sighed before noting that they would have to make a statement to the press. "We had been keeping the shipgirls a secret for the last week. But now the genie is out of the bottle." "I guess I'll have to talk about some of this?" Izuku said with a nervous look to his commanding officer. Sugita nodded before noting that one of his ships would have to speak as well. Izuku noted that it should be Atago that is the ship that explains more to the public.
"Aside from having a friendly and warm demeanor, you look the most professional and military out of the girls. No offense to the rest of you." "None taken commander. Quite a few of us have attires that would be more distracting." Kii notes while looking down at her own semi exposed breasts. Ayanami agreed, noting that her, Akashi, Nagato and Kawakaze looked too young to be taken seriously.
This comment makes Nagato mad though and she says, "I am a member of the Big Seven! And one of the leading battleships of the Sakura Empire! I can act asth! I bit my tongue." This gets a few snorts of laughter with Kawakaze rolling her eyes at the rest for being childish. After the room has calmed again, Sugita notes that they will call a conference in a few days to address the situation.
Before then though, rumors and details kept circulating about the hero who had fought a villain and the person who had directed her and Midnight to defeat Starservant. Some even wondering if Atago was just an extension of the boy's quirk. But those ideas were pushed aside when the press conference started.
"I know many of you have at least heard about the invasions happening around the nation and the world. What most do not know is that the heroes have not been able to fight back against this threat. The ones who have been aiding humanity against our new enemy are these ladies. Atago." Sugita explains before deferring to the heavy cruiser. She stands with gives a professional bow to the reporters before telling some of her tale.
How she and a few others were the spirits of ships long in the past. "From a war we started, others finished, but now we all have the same enemy. I myself am the spirit of the IJN Heavy Cruiser, Atago. But I owe my existence on this plane to someone else." She looks to Izuku and the boy stands. He was wearing a proper uniform fitting his new rank, and his normally wild hair was somewhat tamed. But that didn't ease his nerves or stage fright with having to speak before all the reporters.
Atago places a calming hand on his shoulder and it slightly alleviates his panic. He takes a deep breath before saying, "I'm sorry. To anyone who may have lost their homes or were forced out of their homes due to my orders. But this was necessary. The Sirens seek to end as many lives as they can and destroy almost anything in their path to see if we can hope to defeat them. And I refuse….. to let them take anymore lives than they already have."
As Izuku says this he gains a stern determined look on his face. One that shocks many as this was just a young boy. Not a seasoned hero or soldier, who was showing a level of determination that few others could or would in the current age. With that done, Izuku and Himori then explain that they had managed to summon a few other ships and push back the Sirens. "But we cannot become complacent. The enemy is still out there and they will keep coming. And we and our fleets will be there to stop them, and we will guide them to protect all we can." Himori says.
With these words, a few more are put at ease with what could be coming in the future. Though there were those who were shocked and angered at who was now the biggest hero of the nation. "Deku! He just got lucky! He managed to find one of those things that brings those ship bitches! I'm still going to be the best hero!" Bakugo shouts after seeing the conference and video of Izuku helping to defeat a villain and guiding his fleet to fight Sirens.
Though he would later be angered at the fact that hero schools would be shifting from combat focused elements to primarily focusing on rescue and evacuation. Meaning his hopes to be a combat hero just like he saw his idol as were practically dashed. Even more so when more villains were helping with evacs and even surrendering. A few even saying, "there's no point to attacking or rampaging now. Not with what is out there." A large shark faced villain who was originally a purse snatcher. Others even helped to bring in other dangerous or rampaging villains like Muscular.
During that time, elsewhere in the world the fleets summoned manage to make some headway in pushing back some of the Sirens. The west coast fleet managed to break down and push out the Sirens that were setting up fortresses in Portland and Seattle. Though the fighting ended up leveling what was left of the cities.
But this also allowed for the finding of more survivors and cubes to summon more allies. With a bit of help from John, a young woman named Mara managed to summon her own ships. She had lived in Portland with her family but was the only survivor after the first wave of attacks. And was trapped and trying to survive when the fleet showed up and helped her. "So I just need to focus on my feelings?" "That's about the only way I can explain it. It may help you to imagine someone. Or to focus on trying to feel something from the other side." John said while handing the woman a cube.
It took a few tries but she eventually summoned Lexington and Saratoga with Portland and Indianapolis. Upon seeing how each of the sisters acted, Mara started to tear up. "What's wrong?" Saratoga said with a tilt of her head. "It's just… *sniff* the way you are acting….. it's a lot like my sisters….. but I never understood. I just felt they were stifling or treating me like a kid because I was the youngest. *sob*" Mara starts to break down and Lexington gently glides over to the girl before wrapping her in a hug.
She pats her summoner's head a few times before saying, "just let it out. Plenty of us who are shipgirls know what it is like to lose sisters. And we may not be the same, but if you want to you can think of us like your sisters too." Mara tears up more before gripping Lexington tighter and crying more. Each of her other ships come forward and hug her tight to help the comfort the young woman.
John and Yorktown then help walk Mara through guiding her ships and organizing the fleet. And they hit a few more stragglers from the Sirens and the girl gets enough cubes to summon another pair of ships. Being California and Atlanta. With this help they were able to punch a way toward Hawaii. Giving the beleaguered forces of Pearl Harbor the strength push back the invading forces.
"Glad to see you held out. We're the relief forces." John said while walking on the new metal leg and with a cane. Marcus Miller greeted the new fleet with his flagship Arizona. "We finally got some breathing room. I'd say it took you long enough, but I'm guessing you've had a rough time too." John just smirks before lifting up his pant leg and tapping his metal limb. "You could say that."
They get a rundown from the pair of commanders on the island. While some of the ships they brought are helping people to load up and leave the islands. Aside from Arizona, Marcus's fleet had Downes, Cassin, Bogue, Vestal, and Montpelier. With Honolulu and Mullany in reserve. They had been focused on defense and been shooting down whatever air forces sent to attack the islands.
David Rasmussen meets the group next with his flagship Enterprise. "Glad to see some friendly faces. My fleet's been going out on strikes, but the enemy seems to always have plenty in reserve." Aside from E, North Carolina (affectionately called Carol after some pushing from said ship) and Minneapolis, thanks to all the battles they had fought there were six other ships with for the strike fleet. Namely Eldrige, Denver, Quincy, Gridley (who starts snapping pictures of Saratoga. And said girl is eating up the attention), San Juan and Independence.
"Well you've had plenty of fighting. Any chance you've got some extra cubes?" John says with a raise of his eyebrow. The two commanders then show the way to the warehouse where they have eight cubes. "We couldn't get them to work. Nothing we did made anything appear." Marcus notes with a shrug.
John hums before picking one up. He reaches out as best he can before feeling something odd. "Joking? No… fun loving and…wet? What?" "What are you doing and saying?" Mara says with a skeptical look at the man. John tries to explain what he was thinking and feeling from the cubes. Before he wonders if submarines could be shipgirls as well.
"They can." Arizona says with calm look. Marcus then asks, "why didn't you tell us that earlier?!" "You didn't ask. And I thought it was obvious." Mara and David facepalm before each take a pair of cubes. They follow John's suggestions and finally get the cubes to work. With Mara summoning Dace, John summoning Albacore, David awakening Nautilus, and Marcus calling forth Archerfish.
The two A subs though automatically trying to push their commander's buttons. "Is this normal?" John asks Yorktown. Who titters before confirming that it was. "At least for our subs. They tend to joke around more and try to prank people." John and Marcus let out annoyed sighs before the former chops the top of Albacore's head. And the latter giving a rundown of what had happened in the last month and a half.
Though none of the commander's had enough for full sub fleets, they each agreed to leave them in the command of Marcus for now. "We need deep probe scouts. And subs are best for that. Better they be here than anywhere else." Mara notes while the rest help with offloading supplies and signal boosters for Pearl Harbor. Once the resupply was done, and the civilians had been evacuated from the Hawaiian Islands, Mara and John's fleets escorted the transport ships back to the mainland. With the latter noting, "this war has only just begun."
Over the next three years, this general trend continues. With Sirens appearing and attacking from the seas and attacking the bases where shipgirls were stationed. But each time they were rebuffed. With minimal casualties on the human side of the war. Izuku who at this time was 14 years old had grown into a capable commander and strategist for the JMSDF. Having tricked enough of the high rank Sirens to where they rarely attacked where he was directing his fleets.
Thanks to this, a few people had started to move back into the coastal areas. Especially those near Mustafa city. "Quite the impact you've made commander. If only we could fully end this conflict." Izuku's current secretary ship Kongo, one of the ships Izuku had summoned over the three years, had commented. Currently Izuku commanded 15 shipgirls on his base. Though Akashi was almost constantly at base due to her position as a repair ship.
One of his best newly acquired ships though was a surprising carrier he had summoned a few months ago. That being Katsuragi. Though her competence wasn't what surprised Izuku and quite a few others on base. That was due to her appearance. Especially when compared with Taihou from Fodo base.
Speaking of, Himori had also gained new subordinates over the three years as well. Namely the subs I-19, I-25, destroyers Ooshio and Urakaze, cruisers Suzuya and Nachi, and the battleship Hiei. "I gotta wonder if you have like a breast fetish at time Himori-nee." "Not funny Izuku. And please be careful not to call me that next time we have a meeting." Himori says with a crimson blush to her face. All while Taihou and Hiei are both pushing their breasts against each other. While also resting on top of the girl's head.
Izuku gets a laugh at this while asking if any new had happened out her way. She notes that there hadn't been anything other than the usual Siren attacks. "Most of the villains have stopped trying anything. Some even joined the military to deal with certain problems. Not to say some of them might be out there plotting, but it probably won't be a problem for a while." Himori notes after finally getting her ships to stop arguing.
"That may not be a good thing though. There could be someone plotting in the background. To what end though, I don't know." Izuku says while leaning back in his big chair. Izuku's second secretary, Sendai comes in with some new reports. "Hey boss. We got some info from the first fleet. Kii and her group took out a couple of scout fleets and blew up another high rank clone."
Just as Izuku was telling the girl thanks for her report, the intruder siren went off in the base. Izuku then hangs up on Himori before pulling up the security screens around the base. He checks each before finally noticing where the intruder is. "By the mess hall dumpsters! Akatsuki! Kinu! Kirishima! Converge on that point but do not engage! I'll be there soon."
"Why are you going to where the intruder is commander?" Sendai questions as the boy holsters his pistol and some strength enhancer gauntlets. "I'm think they are intruding with a good reason. And I want to know what it is before I make any judgement." Izuku says with a determined look. While walking his way over Kawakaze joined him. She was still rude to him, but she had gained a bit of respect for him when he sparred with her. And kept coming even after getting knocked around multiple times.
Kawakaze draws two of her swords before passing another to Izuku. When they arrive, all three of the ships Izuku had called were around the dumpsters. Kinu and Kirishima were on either side of the receptacles, while Akatsuki was on the roof of the mess hall watching the intruder.
"Commander. I wasn't expecting this… but I think I know who it is who is intruding." Kinu says with a worried look. Izuku nods before sheathing the sword Kawakaze loaned him. He raises both hands before gently saying, "hey there. Any chance you could come out and talk to us? We won't hurt you."
Izuku hears a growling from beside the dumpsters and can see red eyes from the shadows. He walks over calmly before trying to kneel down to get eye level with whoever he was talking to. And then he noticed that whoever this was, they weren't alone. "Can you come out into the light a bit? I just want to talk." Izuku says while backing up from the pair.
Kinu had slipped away and gotten something from the mess hall. A plate of chicken katsu, and some spareribs. The intruder's eyes widen and Izuku can hear sniffing. The girl then walks out on all fours and he can see her white hair and dog ears. Or rather threes. In her arms is a little girl who looked to be only five years old. Who also looked scared with red eyes of her own, and silver hair with a horn peeking out of her forehead.
Izuku took the plate of food from Kinu before setting it down between the two of them. He then gestured that the girl could take what she wanted. The dog girl kept her eyes on Izuku before rapidly grabbing some of the chicken and scarfing it down. "Yuudachi." Kirishima said beside Izuku while sheathing her sword.
Izuku puts together that the girl was in fact a shipgirl. But that didn't answer why she was there. Or why she had that little girl in her arms. Yuudachi had set the little girl down and was sharing some of the food with her. And both were eating like they hadn't had food for a while. Izuku smiled at the pair before saying, "how about we go somewhere else? And eat plenty of good food." "Especially meat!" Kinu quickly adds while the two pale haired girls are eating.
Upon hearing that, Yuudachi's eye widen in happiness. While the other girl isn't sure on what to say. Looking between everyone with confusion and a bit of fear. "Yuu-neechan? Who are these people?" the little girl asks finally. Yuudachi finally snaps out of her meat daydream, and her face falls while looking between Izuku and her charge. She then puts herself between Izuku and the girl before saying, "I don't know for sure Eri. But I think… I know these people….. and I can trust them."
"You can indeed Yuudachi. I'm not sure what is going on, but we can find out together." Kinu says while putting out her hand as if to shake. While Yuudachi does give the larger girl her paw. And does the same when Izuku puts his own hands out to both Yuudachi and Eri. Who eventually is willing to take his hand. 'What could have happened?' Izuku questions in his mind while escorting Eri and Yuudachi to his house on the base.
I know I know, I'm jumping ahead quite a bit. But I needed to get into the big next stage. And lets be honest, going through the day to day of taking out small fleets of Sirens wouldn't be interesting in the long run. So I had to get to later on. Please review.
