Cooking
It was another morning at the Azur Lane naval base. Many ships continued to sleep during the early hours save for a few diligent early birds. The sun was just peaking over the horizon as a certain Sakura carrier was picking the lock to the commander's room.
"Hehehe… Shikikan~" Taihou giggled to herself as she worked with the lock tumblers, "There's no lock in the world that can stop my love- Aha!"
It was nearly love at first sight when Taihou laid eyes upon her new Commander. His adorably small frame gave rise to a strange feeling inside the phoenix's heart. A mixture of maternal instinct that mixed together with her usual yandere persona. It was a dangerous concoction that only heated up more when she saw how shy the Commander was on stage. He looked like a frozen little bunny waiting to be eaten. Oh, how she wished she could have leaped upon the stage and cocooned her in her bosom like a protective mother. Her sensible side, on the other hand, convinced her to wait.
It paid off as word of the commander's request for secretaries reached far and wide across the base. Several ships had sent their applications in hopes of becoming a secretary. Taihou was already one step ahead. She had sent countless letters to Commander Emile, espousing her undying devotion to him. Plus, the scent of her perfume for good measure. And it worked. Taihou had been called for an interview, which would take place today. However, Taihou rationalized that to show her true devotion, she would arrive much earlier than scheduled.
A loud click resonated from the lock's socket. A triumphant smile grew across the busty carrier's face as she slowly opened the door. To her luck, it looked like the hinges were well oiled because they didn't even make a creak. Taihou felt the fortune of the Gods as she silently stepped inside her target's abode.
The curtains were parted just wide enough for the various details of the room to be illuminated. Taihou eyed the various knickknacks, scale models, figurines, posters, and plushies that dotted the room. Several of these things piqued her interest in her Commander's hobbies. The figurines lining the shelves seemed to have originated from a Sakura origin, as they were mostly young women. There was also what appeared to be a scale model of some kind of dagger-shaped warship that was proudly displayed on the highest shelf. Two different posters were displayed side by side. One depicted several warriors wielding swords made out of light. The title 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' was overlayed in front of the warriors. Another poster was definitely of anime origin as it depicted several high school girls in front of tanks. The title was written in English as 'Girls und Panzer'.
Taihou wasn't familiar with any of these media, but she was willing to learn for herself in the interest of getting to know her Commander better. After all, what better way to win her Commander's heart than to share his interests? But that would have to wait. The Sakura carrier stood menacingly over her prey's bed. The cartoonish expressions of the countryball plushies that lined the headboard shifted to worry.
The covers moved up and down at a steady pace, signaling the Commander was still asleep. Taihou silently giggled to herself as she reached down to yank the covers away. And to look upon the adorable visage of her future love.
"Ohaiyo Gozaimasu~, it's time to get up, Shiki-kun~," Taihou lovingly called as she yanked off the covers, "Nice to finally meet- AHH!"
Taihou jumped back in surprise as she found an unexpected person laying in the place where her Commander was supposed to be and smugly smiling.
"Hello There." Maddy greeted.
"Lieutenant Maddy?!" Taihou responded in shock.
"You are a bold one, Taihou," Maddy commented as she sat up in a more comfortable position. The smug smile still decorated her face, "And it's Lieutenant Commander."
"What are you doing in the Commander's room?" Taihou asked, recomposing herself.
"I should be asking you the same thing," Maddy replied while getting up. The smug smile never leaving her face as she patted herself down, "I knew a plump breasted bird would come to my little bro's room the second he accepted your application."
Taihou scoffed to herself. She didn't take the Commander's older sister into account. The carrier believed that the lanky Lieutenant would only be a minor annoyance in her quest. Now it was clear that Maddy intended to be an obstacle between Taihou and her beloved Commander. However, she was still one of Taihou's superiors, which meant that Taihou needed to respect her on the same level as Emile. After all, Maddy was family to the Commander, and respect towards seniority is a cornerstone tradition within the Sakura Empire. So, Taihou humbly bowed her head to the surprised face of Lieutenant Maddy.
"Humble apologies, Lieutenant Commander," Taihou spoke while still keeping her head bowed, "Forgive Taihou for her transgression against you and the Commander."
"Umm…" A confused Maddy was trying to form a response, "…you are forgiven, I guess."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander," Taihou said, lifting her head. Her expression was different from her usual giggling yandere persona. Instead, it was a composed neutral expression, one rarely seen on the armored carrier's face.
"Yes, all well and good. Just don't come barging into my brother's room whenever you want. He really likes his privacy. Plus, he doesn't want people touching his stuff." said Maddy.
"Well, except me of course."
Taihou hummed at Maddy's hypocrisy as she towered over her.
Good God! Thought Maddy, as she peered at Taihou's breasts and hips, capital ships are not only tall but also in other ways. They're massive.
"I'll make a note of that, Lieutenant Commander," Taihou said, making a mental note to be extra stealthy when visiting the Commander's room. She still wanted to know more about her adorable little beloved. Anything to get closer to him.
"Alright, let's quit awkwardly standing in Em's room," Maddy tapped on her wristwatch before gesturing to Taihou, "Come on, let's head over to Emile's office for your interview."
The smile returned to Taihou's face once more at the mention of the Commander's name. His name even sounds adorable too. Oh, how she couldn't wait to finally speak to him. To finally touch him. To finally squeeze him between her breasts. Perhaps, even finally…
"Okay Taihou, you can stop drooling now," Maddy spoke, which awoke Taihou from her little daydream.
"My apologies," Taihou gave a slight apologetic bow, "Let us go meet the Commander."
"Yeah," Maddy rolled her eyes as the two exited the room, "Just don't do anything weird, got it?"
A sinister smile once again returned to Taihou's face. Maddy didn't even notice it as she walked ahead of the carrier. Taihou's mind was racing with scenarios of what she would do if the Lieutenant in front of her interfered with her love.
The walk to the commander's office was relatively calm considering the two unique personalities walking down it. This meant that there was surprisingly no conflict between Taihou and Maddy. The two had laughed and chatted away. Maddy, in particular, had started to tell a couple of embarrassing stories about her younger brother. Taihou's craving curiosity ate up every single word coming out of her Lieutenant Commander's mouth. Her mind digested all the precious information relating to the Commander. Oh, how hopeless her little Commander was. How she wished to be there to offer him comfort and service. To make him feel appreciated is how she wanted to feel as well. The carrier's imagination was filled with various blissful thoughts before she snapped herself back into reality.
She couldn't lose focus; she needed to make an honest first impression. For the sake of her future love. Taihou continued to listen to Maddy's story.
"So yeah, he had to borrow one of my friend's skirts and repaint it to look like a kilt…" Maddy laughed as she reminisced a little high school incident, "…needless to say, it was still too short. Aheeheheh."
"Hehehe~ Commander in a skirt. Oh, how adorable such a sight would be," Taihou cooed.
"Well, a pair of knee socks and an oversized sweatshirt would have perfected the look. Ahahaha!" Maddy gave a hearty laugh with Taihou joining in.
The pair laughed and giggled away like a pair of schoolgirls. Without a care in the world and at the misfortune of a cute boy.
The office came into sight as the pair collected themselves from their schoolgirl gossip. However, Taihou's smile turned into a deep frown as she spotted two ships standing in front of the door. Taihou recognized them from the Sakura Empire. Why were they here she wondered? Perhaps they were trying to steal the Commander away from her? Taihou knew she couldn't allow that and marched her way to the door but was stopped by Maddy, who raised her arm to stop the carrier and shook her head silently. The Lieutenant Commander's face stared at Taihou in seriousness before turning and smiling at the two new guests at the scene.
"Hey! Atago, Takao, nice to know you got the message!" Maddy greeted with her usual spirit.
"Ara~ Ohaiyo Gozaimasu, Lieutenant-sama," Atago greeted with a polite bow.
"Ohaiyo Gozaimasu, Lieutenant-sama," Takao formally bowed alongside her sister.
"Oh wow, genuine respect. Haven't gotten that since high school," Maddy joked, "But anyway, good morning to you too. Hope you're ready for your screenin- I mean interviews as well."
"Ah yes, I'm prepared to meet with our lovely Shikikan~," Atago spoke with a hint of a wistful sigh in her voice, "Oh, you've been summoned as well Taihou?"
Taihou exchanged gazes with the woman she suddenly saw as a competitor for her Commander's affections. A deadly adversary. Someone who exuded the presence of a big sister. This was going to be a tough fight for Taihou, but the Sakura carrier didn't get this far by being petty. She decided to play along with her fellow kansen-in-arms.
"Why of course, Taihou would respond to any order my Commander gives me~," Taihou said with her signature smile, "It is only proper for his future secretary."
"Aha, indeed it is," Atago agreed.
Taihou and Atago then locked eyes with each other for an uncomfortable amount of time. The two stared at each other in silence. No movements, only smiles. To outside observers, it seemed as though a menacing cloud of aura had appeared between the two. Or at least, this was the image that was formed in Maddy's mind as she observed the two ships. The Lieutenant flipped her gaze between the pair of potential crazies and a silent Takao. During all of this, a thought sprang into Maddy's mind.
Is this how her brother felt?
Maddy noticed how short she was when compared to everyone else in the hallway. Her forehead barely peaked above the Takao-class's chest. She started to get an understanding of her brother's height situation. However, now was not the time to dwindle on such a thought.
"All right, now that were done gazing into each other's eyes romantically," Maddy's statement caught the flustered attention of the three Sakura ships, "Let's get on with it."
Maddy managed to calm the tension between the two ships as they offered their apologies to her. Maddy quickly accepted them before reminding them of why they were there by pointing her thumb to the door. A couple of muffled voices could be heard from behind. The Sakura ships were confused as to who could also be in the office with the Commander so early in the morning? Maddy was just about to open the door until a bloodcurdling scream resonated from behind the frame.
Instinctively, the three ships crashed through the door, running over the Lieutenant Commander in the process. Maddy let out a comedic squeal of pain as she was trampled under the weight of three personified warships. As they entered the room, the three ships assumed their battle stances. Atago and Takao both had their hands on the hilts of their blades, ready to strike. Taihou prepared her planes for any threat to her Commander. Their expressions changed to confusion when they saw a relatively calm scene in contrast to the bloodcurdling screech.
Sitting comfortably in his chair and in front of a gaming laptop, little Emile beamed triumphantly. Sitting opposite of him sat Queen Elizabeth, who was also in front of a laptop and slumped over in defeat. Her knight retainer, Warspite, was wide eyed at both her Queen's computer screen and the three Sakura ships that broke the door of its hinges. Maddy's groans filled the air as she tried to pull herself back off the broken door.
"Cease Action! The battle is won." A German voice sounded from Emile's laptop.
"Time to pull back and regroup… they've won." A disappointed British voice sounded from Elizabeth's. In response, the Queen let a small, muffled scream of frustration into her palms.
"You put up a good fight, your majesty. Now -oh hello. " Emile finally noticed the three Sakura ships in his office and his sister on the floor. The victory high he achieved was finally subsiding as he finally made the realization. He was going to have to buy a new door from Akashi. But that would be for later, right now he had some important guests to entertain.
Emile had managed to brush up on his Sakura culture knowledge and decided to greet them in a friendly manner. He stood up and walked in front of the three ships, trying not to tremble at their enormous size. He had to be tough. He couldn't always rely on his sister to bail him out of trouble. Besides, Maddy was already laying on the floor. The Commander took a deep breath and saluted his secretary candidates with a full bow. It's as simple as maintaining a straight posture, leaning in at thirty degrees, and avoiding eye contact.
"Ohaiyo gozaimasu, thank you for answering my message," Emile greeted the three ships, who were flattered by the gesture. Respectfully, they bowed in greeting as well.
Atago and Taihou were having to internally restrain themselves. That greeting was just too cute in their eyes. It took every ounce of strength to prevent themselves from pouncing on the petite figure in front of them. Atago let herself drool a bit as her head was facing downwards before finally recomposing herself as she lifted her head. Taihou herself was in the same boat as she wanted to smother the commander with her bountiful bosom. But that would be inappropriate and risky. Especially with the two Royal Navy girls and Takao class cruisers. Maddy was still on the floor, so she was not a threat.
"Is Queen Elizabeth alright, Commander?" Takao asked with concern. Elizabeth was still slumped over in her seat as Warspite comforted her.
"Hopefully she is. Are you alright, your majesty? " Emile worriedly turned towards her.
"She's alright, commander, it's just her pride took a bit of a beating." Warspite reassured. Elizabeth groaned a bit before facing the commander, and groaned again when she saw the three massive pairs of breasts in the room.
"Fantastic, first my Churchill gets destroyed in the most arduous way possible, and now in defeat I have to witness a couple of oversized udders," Queen Elizabeth complained before looking at the clock, "And breakfast hasn't even started yet. Perfect."
Emile smiled, seeing that the Queen was handling her defeat quite well. Her attitude was certainly much tamer compared to most people he faced. However, it was onto business. The paperwork had piled up again, and it was going to take a few more hands to properly file them. Luckily, two ships were quite enthusiastic about signing their names on a ballot, and the other was chosen by Maddy for special purposes.
Emile clasped his hands together and faced his guests once again. Elizabeth and Warspite, in the background, observed him while Maddy slowly recovered on the floor.
"It's wonderful that you two are excited about the position of secretary. Help is always needed when you mpphhff-," Emile was suddenly cut off with a hug from Atago. The action caught most of the participants of the room off guard, except Takao.
Taihou's face became red from both frustration and anger. How dare that that wench attempt to make the first move. Taihou herself had planned to envelop the commander in a hug first. Her breasts were certainly bigger and definitely more comfortable thanks to having her kimono hang low. Taihou decided to make her move, she immediately pounced on her Commander in an attempt to pry off Atago. However, Taihou's action caused Emile to be sandwiched between the two's massive breasts. His senses were overwhelmed with soft sensations and scent of the two that it almost made him faint. Both from losing oxygen and the red-hot embarrassment of being smothered by two beautiful women.
His morning would have ended there if it wasn't for a certain Queen and Maddy who had just recovered.
"Oi, get your hands off my servant," Elizabeth demanded as she rushed to rescue the Commander with Warspite in tow. Both of them grabbed Taihou's arms.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hands off!" Maddy charged forth and tried to get in between the two ships to push them apart.
"Nee-san please," Takao begged her sister as she tried to pull her off. Thankfully Atago was the first to oblige and she let go with a giggle.
Taihou fell backwards from the recoil but Maddy managed to stop her flustered brother from falling to the ground. A couple of light slaps later and Emile returned to his senses, though still a little embarrassed. Maddy shook her head in disappointment. Atago still kept the same happy smile on her face as if she had been satisfied. Taihou though, had a look of murderous rage directed at the cruiser.
"I knew this would happen eventually," Maddy sighed, "And it hasn't even been a week yet."
This was another opportunity, Taihou thought to herself. If she could get the Lieutenant commander on her side, then her chances of getting close to the Commander would skyrocket. All she needed to do was play her cards right and make it seem like she was innocent. No don't smile Taihou, you just need to play the act.
"My apologies Lieutenant Commander-sama, Commander-sama," Taihou bowed to Emile and Maddy, "Taihou was only trying to rescue the Commander from Atago's uncouth behavior."
"Ara~? I was only trying to give our cute Commander a proper morning hug as a loving Onee-san should. Besides, weren't you also trying to give him a wonderful morning hug too?" Atago asked back with a teasing smile. Taihou flustered at the accusation. Though she didn't deny that she wanted to give the Commander a good morning cuddle. He was too cute to pass up.
No Taihou. Don't let that she-wolf control the conversation, Taihou's inner voice reminded her. She prepared to respond and give that smug dog a piece of her mind. Luckily, Queen Elizabeth's voice caught everyone's attention before the phoenix could do anything regrettable.
"Alright! There shall be no conflict within the Queen's presence," Elizabeth announced loudly, "Instead, there shall be breakfast because I am famished."
Several stomach growls could be heard from the shortest people in the room as soon as the Queen finished her brief speech. Emile blushed, embarrassed by the fact that he and his two Royal Navy buddies had spent the entire early morning playing a quick computer game. Only half of the paperwork had been completed, and there was still a lot more to go through. Then there was the fact that he was starving. Maddy had already taken a quick detour in the kitchen. The young boy swore that his older sister could subsist entirely off of raw Ramen and function for the whole day. Or maybe the excess salt from the noodles was the root of her insanity. Who knows?
Wait, that's it! Emile hatched an idea that would kill two birds with one stone, an idea that solved not only his secretary situation but, most importantly, his lack of breakfast.
"May I also have your attention," All eyes were locked onto the Commander which caused him to shrink back a bit, "I have a proposition that will solve not only breakfast but also my secretary debacle."
"Ara~, please tell us, Commander." "Tell Taihou anything, Commander." Both Atago and Taihou spoke. The two turning to glare at each other. Well, smile teasingly in Atago's case.
"Let us here your idea, servant," Elizabeth asked with genuine curiosity.
"We'll have a cook off," Emile announced.
"I approve," The Queen instantly replied, "Come Warspite to the mess hall."
In a quick flash, the Queen immediately sped out the door with a surprised Warspite in tow. Maddy let out an excited battle cry before charging out the door herself. The Sakura trio were a little dumbfounded at the sudden display. Emile gave an awkward laugh to help stifle their worries. Takao nodded her head in acknowledgement before she and her sister exited the room as well. Atago managed to snag a little head rub on the Commander before disappearing out the door. This just left Emile and Taihou…
A heavy aura filled the air as Emile turned to see Taihou's expression turn heavy. A dark shadow hovered over her eyes as she marched forward towards the door and her Commander. Emile gave a nervous nod before quickly turning towards the door as well. However, Taihou managed to catch the Commander in her arms and pressed her body against his back as the two made their way out. Taihou's two soft breasts cuddled the top of Emile's head as he resigned himself to the whims of the Sakura carrier. He kept himself calm by reassuring himself that if Taihou did anything, then all he had to do was holler and Maddy would come charging down the hall with a dropkick.
Taihou, though, knew well to restrain herself, as she had done throughout this eventful morning. You don't want to come on too strong, or else you might scare away your prey. This cooking contest was her chance to prove herself worthy. To finally show her Commander how much Taihou could provide for him. This was the first step to the Commander's heart. She just needed to get through his stomach to do so. And that dog, Atago.
Taihou gave a sinister smile. Emile could sense that smile even if he couldn't see it.
"Taihou, can you tone down the creepy smile?" Emile asked.
"Oh, hehehe, sorry," Taihou obliged with a giggle.
Setting up the competition was a simple affair. It was still a little early for any other ship girl to barge into the mess hall. Well, except for Hammann, Glowworm, and Swiftsure, who were there preparing food for the day. However, Maddy told them to take a little break and keep the mess hall locked down for a while. Also, to have the Royal Maid Corps on standby just in case a terrible accident happens. The three acknowledged their Lieutenant Commander, with Hammann giving a minor protest. Luckily, Maddy was quite immune to the complaints of a tsundere and gave the destroyer a head pat on her way out.
The rest of the group set up chairs, tables, and cooking equipment. The main competitors would be Atago, Taihou, and Maddy, who enthusiastically insisted she show off her skills. There would be only one round, one meal, to prove who had the superior skills. The three judging the food would be none other than Queen Elizabeth, her colleague Warspite, and Commander Emile. Takao acted as a referee to ensure that no one was caught using questionable ingredients in their dishes. The samurai cruiser kept a close eye on Taihou and her sister. She was aware of some of the things they could hide in food. The Commander also mentioned keeping an eye out for Maddy's cooking. Something about it potentially coming to life and attacking everyone. Takao was deeply concerned by this statement.
Taihou, on the other hand, was filled with a renewed sense of confidence. Finally, an opportunity to impress the Commander with Taihou's culinary prowess. To show him how deserving Taihou was of his love. All she had to do was beat Atago's simple dish and she'd be appointed as Commander's personal... secretary. As bombastic as the Lieutenant was, Taihou didn't consider her a threat. What kind of dish can such an unladylike older sister even make? Taihou even considered usurping the title of Onee-san from the Lieutenant, who was currently fumbling with a piece of sliced cheese. Oh, this is too easy. Yet victory isn't always guaranteed. Taihou knew Atago's cooking was one of the best in the Sakura Empire, rivaled only by that whore, Akagi. However, Taihou figured that Atago wouldn't be as ruthless as her loathsome senpai. That's why she kept a secret ingredient hidden within her kimono. A special 'honey' concoction to enhance the flavor of any dish.
Before the match could start and with Takao looking away for a split second, Taihou's sleight of hand switched a bottle of cooking oil with her secret weapon. The judges and other contestants were none the wiser. Taihou could prematurely taste sweet victory, imagining it to taste as sweet as her Commander.
"All right everyone the rules are simple. One round, twenty minutes, to make the most delicious breakfast. Her majesty, Warspite, and I will rate your dish out of ten. The winner will be the one with the highest cumulative total. Understood?" Emile addressed the competitors.
"Hai~" "Hai~" "Oh God please stay dead"
Everyone cast a few quick glances at Maddy's strange acknowledgement. She responded with a nervous laugh and a joking wink. Moving on.
"Okay?" Emile cleared his throat, "Ready. Set. Cook!"
A small buzzer went off and the contestants ignited their stoves. Taihou and Atago immediately went to work, expertly cutting the required ingredients. Meat, vegetables, and noodles were being chopped with expert precision. Atago's sword skills translated nicely to kitchen work as she wielded her knife with finesse. Taihou didn't lag behind. She had secretly trained herself in the art of cutlery in order to prepare to impress someone important to her. The carrier had already envisioned the breakfast that would secure her victory. A special Sakura meal, complete with rice, handcrafted noodle egg soup, and perfectly grilled fish, all topped with her top secret 'honey' of course. Taihou began to steam the rice and took a look at what her opponents were up to.
She saw Atago cutting a couple of tiny sausages into the shape of an octopus. Tako Sausages. That dog was trying to appeal to Commander's childlike nature with those treats, Taihou internally snarled. How dastardly, but it matters not. Taihou was still confident that her elegant presentation would impress the Commander. Now it was time to see what her other opponent was up to. Taihou turned to see what Maddy was up to, and the carrier's face was filled with concern.
"Oh lord, please don't come to life again," Taihou could hear her Lieutenant mumble.
Maddy was using a heavy mallet to mash a pile of mystery meat into the frying pan. She mashed it vigorously, as if tenderizing an animal's freshly killed corpse. Maddy was determined not to have another incident like the one at her fast-food job. She only wanted to make an appetizer. She decided, however, to take the necessary precautions just in case. Takao stood a few feet away, a revolver in one hand. No meat monster will ever ruin her or her brother's breakfast again. The Lieutenant would prepare a simple meal for her. A corn beef hash served with rice and mashed potatoes. Perhaps some macaroni and cheese on the side.
"Well, that's one less insect to worry about," Taihou assured herself under her breath as she gazed upon her Lieutenant's cooking skills.
The competition continued as the minutes dragged on. The fresh aromas of food filled the air, which caused the hunger in the judges to grow. The smell teased Queen Elizabeth's nose and made her stomach growl. The wait was torture for the Royal Navy battleships. Luckily, Emile distracted their hunger pains with some small talk. The topic of which was about the history of the Royal Navy and how warships compared to tanks. It was mostly Warspite and the Commander who led the discussion. The Queen appreciated the conversation but would appreciate it more if food filled her belly.
Queen Elizabeth didn't have to wait too long. With five minutes left on the clock, the contestants prepared the finishing touches to their dish. With confidence, Taihou picked up the bottle containing her secret ingredient and began to pour it on her dish. She then caught a glimpse of the label and then gave a double take. The label read 'sesame seed oil', not her special honey. Taihou almost flailed her arms in panic but caught herself before she could. Her eyes scanned the surroundings in search of her missing bottle.
Little did Taihou know, Maddy had switched the bottle with sesame seed oil while Taihou wasn't paying attention. Not because she knew the contents of the bottle. No, it was a completely unrelated reason. The Lieutenant thought that her dish needed some extra flavor and caught a glimpse of Taihou's seasoning, thinking that it was a secret spice. With a casual, inconspicuous whistle, Maddy used her sleight of hand to snag the bottle and pour the contents on her corn beef hash. She swore she heard a painful squeal of agony coming from the corn beef as she poured the liquid on it. Oh well, it was probably nothing.
The clock was running down to the last minute. Taihou was in full panic mode as she scrambled to find any sort of substitute for her dish. NO! She screamed in her head. This is her big chance to impress the Commander. If she loses to Atago, then the Commander will forget about her. She can't lose, she can't be overshadowed again. Taihou made a last-ditch effort and seasoned her rice with whatever spice she found in the pantry. Then the buzzer went off.
"All right, time is up! Contestants, please put your dishes on the serving trays and present them to the judges," Emile announced as the two ships and her sister organized their food.
It was Atago that was up first. She presented a wonderful breakfast consisting of finely cut and seasoned salmon with a side of rice. The Queen, being the hungriest, took the first bite of the salmon. She made a scrumptious expression and gave a pleased hum as she slowly chewed the fish, savoring the flavor. Emile and Warspite followed suit, the two having nearly identical reactions to the Queen.
"Simply exquisite," The Queen complimented, which earned a delighted giggle from the cruiser, "I give lady Atago a solid, 8 out of 10."
"I agree with her majesty's judgement, 8 out of 10." Warspite answered.
"The rice goes great with it," Emile spoke with his mouth full as he scoffed down some rice with the meat, "I give it a 9 out of 10 which brings your score to a solid 25 points."
Atago gave a humble bow to the judges. A smile crept onto her beautiful face as she felt the sweet touch of victory upon her. Her eyes shifted right to get a glance at the jealous expression that lined Taihou's face. Oh, what a cute sight it was, Atago thought, seeing Taihou's frustration. But not as cute as the little Commander of course. Onee-san has got this in the bag.
Taihou was up next. She placed the tray in front of her Commander and quickly bowed. Her expression was completely normal on the outside, but she was panicking on the inside. The Commander struggled with chopsticks and instead used a spoon. Taihou wished she could have assisted him in learning to use such simple utensils, but that would have to wait for another time. Taihou eyes followed the noodles' movements from the bowl to their commander's mouth. Emile gave a satisfied nod as he gulped down the dish, rice and meat included. Soon after, Queen Elizabeth and Warspite joined in.
"I must say the flavoring is quite unique, it's almost has the taste of sesame seed," Taihou laughed nervously at the Queen's comment, "But it does lack a certain zing to it. I give it a 7 out of 10."
"I don't think it's that bad. The noodles are very well done, and the fish is well seasoned," Warspite commented, "It's just the rice feels a little too oily for my tastes. 8 out of 10."
Taihou could feel a bead of sweat trickle down her face. She wasn't going to win this, was she? Unless the Commander gives her dish a perfect score.
"Honestly, the taste is absolutely divine. I give it 9 out of 10," Taihou could feel her heart collapse at the Commander's score. She lost to Atago, "Which gives Taihou a wonderful 24 points."
Taihou did her best to hide the sadness building in her heart. She expended every effort to keep a straight face. She gave a bow of respect to the judges before sauntering off to the side. It was Maddy's turn.
When the tray landed in front of the judges, needless to say, impressions were a bit on the concerned side. Maddy gave a hearty laugh as she gave a long spiel on how hard she worked to tame the meat. However, no one really paid attention, they were more concerned by the slight jiggling motions of the corn beef. Takao and Warspite had their hands on their sword hilts just in case the meat gained sentience. At least the mac and cheese looked normal. The Queen was a little too disgusted to even try grabbing a bite and was almost ready to demand an explanation from the Lieutenant. That was until Emile took the first bite out of it, to the shock of everyone present. He chewed slowly and methodically, making sure the meat stayed dead. His eyes widened in surprise. It was actually good. He immediately took another bite and encouraged Elizabeth and Warspite to do the same. They reluctantly obliged and took a bite. Their eyes widened. As soon as the flavor hit their tongues, they immediately took another bite to confirm they were not imagining things. They found that the dish actually tasted good despite its putrid appearance.
"I must say, if it wasn't for the initial presentation, I would have loved it. 5 out of 10," The Queen rated.
"I kind of agree with her majesty. My appetite would have been much better if the meat didn't look… alive. 6 out of 10," Warspite gave her rating.
"You're improving sis I'll give you that. But you are nowhere close to mom's level. 7 out of 10." Emile gave his rating, "That brings your total to 21 points. Congrats sis, you lost."
"Well way to rub it in, Em," Maddy gave a small chuckle.
Emile then stood up and walked towards Atago and gave his congratulations. Atago responded by giving him a big, warm hug, which lasted a little longer than was comfortable. The cruiser did manage to let go. Everyone gave their congratulations to the Sakura cruiser, who blushed at the praise she was getting.
Emile noticed Taihou was not with the group during the small victory celebrations. He looked around and noticed she was sulking in a chair, solemnly observing the group. Emile could tell something was wrong with her.
"Hey Everyone, why don't you help yourselves to the dishes. We'll be reopening the mess hall soon," Everyone acknowledged the Commander and went to town on the competition food. Even Maddy's weird meat hash. At least the mac and cheese were normal. Emile leaned in towards his sister.
"Hey Maddy," Emile whispered, "Can you distract everyone for a bit?"
"Sure," Maddy replied. Her brother nodded with a grateful smile and made his way towards the Sakura carrier.
"Can we talk for a bit Taihou?" Emile asked with a hint of worry.
"Oh… sure, Commander," Taihou said without her usual flare.
As the two exited the mess, a sinister smile creeped onto Maddy's face. She turned to address the remaining ships in the room.
"Who wants to see some funny videos of my brother?"
The hallway leading to the mess hall was quiet. Rays of morning sunlight beamed through the windows, illuminating Commander Emile as he stood in the middle of the hall. Taihou, in contrast, had her back against the wall and her figure was hidden in the shadow. She fidgeted around as she tried her best to look away from her Commander's eyes. This was the opportunity she dreamed of having to be alone with him. Yet, she couldn't bear to look him in the eyes unless she wanted to die from embarrassment.
Emile tried to put on his friendliest smile, the one his sister had warned him not to use around women. Perhaps he could use it to calm Taihou down. Something was clearly bothering her, and now was the time to figure out what it was. Plus, despite his reluctance to admit it, Emile noticed something in Taihou. Something told him she wasn't just a creepy yandere.
"Is anything bothering you Taihou," Emile prodded.
Taihou did her best to keep herself from looking for an escape route. Oh, how the tables have turned on her.
"No, I'm perfectly fine Commander," Taihou lied, "I was just taking in…I mean…Taihou was just…"
Taihou's words began to devolve into a stuttering mess. Her mind was trying to make up an excuse for her aloof behavior, but every word that came out of her mouth only confirmed Emile's suspicion. He decided to try and steer her down the path of honesty.
"Taihou, your food was delicious," Emile spoke.
Taihou looked straight down into Emile's eyes for a brief second.
"Don't lie to me, Commander," Taihou said with a deadpanned voice.
"I'm not lying. Your food was amazing," Emile said again.
"Don't lie to me, Commander. I couldn't even beat Atago how could I…" Taihou's words drifted off a bit. Tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes.
Emile sighed and leaned his body up against the wall next to Taihou.
"It's not just about the food is it?" Emile asked rhetorically. Taihou was silent.
"Taihou, you don't have to worry about the position. In fact, both you and Atago are going to be my secretaries regardless," Emile's words caused Taihou to stare at him with wide eyes.
"But the competition and the interview selection-"
"-were all just ploys and an excuse to get some food." Emile cut to answer Taihou.
"No, I chose Atago because she had that homely sister vibe that my real sister lacked. Plus, I heard she had some skills in administering paperwork. But do you know why I chose you over other applicants like Prinz Eugen, St. Louis, and even Akagi?" Emile stared directly into Taihou's eyes. Even Akagi? The statement rang in Taihou's mind as she tried to process what it meant. At the same time, she was confused and a bit intimidated by the usually shy Commander's bravado, and she couldn't find the answer to his question. So Taihou just shook her head.
"It's because you were denied your potential," Emile said. Taihou raised a confused eyebrow as Emile stepped back a bit to try and form his explanation.
"I've read your history," Taihou's ears perked with curiosity, "Honestly, it wasn't exactly your fault. I put the blame more on poor damage control training. "
"Oh, so you know about that day," Taihou responded glumly, "The day of my greatest shame."
Taihou's face flushed at the Commander's knowledge of her past. In particular, her most shameful reason for sinking. She was made to be the pride of Sakura engineering. A modern carrier which would match the likes of the new Essex class. Through her pride, Taihou believed she could have survived Albacore's torpedo, but unfortunately, fate was a cruel mistress. One of her aviation gas tanks leaked fumes, which permeated throughout her hull. Her incompetent damage control team lacked the experience to deal with it. It would take just one spark to finally set the phoenix aflame. Oh, how she felt the flames to this day.
She knew the reason for her fate, her inexperience. Her senpai's always pointed it out by calling her a child. Especially Akagi. The thought of her senpai's harsh criticism echoed in her mind. She was too childish, too obsessive, too overconfident in her design, and she lacked the experience to be truly worthy of standing by her Commander's side. The seeds of self-deprecation began to fester in Taihou's mind once again. Looking back at her actions when trying to meet with her commander. What was she thinking? Breaking into the Commander's room and to do what? Perhaps she really was too much for the Commander. Too dangerous. Too childish. Too obsessive. Perhaps she should just…
"I like your design," The voice of Commander Emile snapped Taihou back into reality. She looked down to see a smiling little Emile who was gently holding her hand.
"Eh?"
"Your wisdom cube made a really interesting interpretation of your form," Emile looked around at the intricate designs of Taihou's attire with the curiosity of a child. That didn't stop a blush from forming on his face whenever his eyes glanced over her breasts. His adorable actions caused a bit of a rise in Taihou and her sadness began to drain just a bit from her emotions.
"Your hull and flight deck combine aspects of both Royal Navy and Sakura elegance into a modern package, despite being a little top-heavy. Your hull has a very aesthetically pleasing look. Like a truly modern aircraft carrier," The compliment caused Taihou to blush.
"Taihou, you shouldn't let your death define your actions. Nor should you compare yourself to your senpais or to Atago's accomplishments." Emile reassured the carrier.
"But they have so much to their names compared to me…"
"And yet they have their own set of issues and have also met similar fates," Emile countered, "Akagi and Kaga met their fates at Midway, at the turning point of the war. Even Atago met a similar end by a submarine like you. Yet, they don't let the actions of the past stop them from being themselves. As it shouldn't stop you from being… well… Taihou."
Taihou's heart swelled at the encouraging words of her Commander. It felt like that she was receiving some genuine praise for once in her existence. But would the Commander really accept Taihou's love? The question still lingered in the forefront of her mind.
"Commander, are you scared of Taihou?" The carrier asked, "Are you afraid of the way I love you?"
The question took Emile aback a bit. He knew how obsessive the carrier was considering the number of letters he received from her. He did read them and they did come off strong. However, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt until they actually met. Honestly, Emile found her both scary and beautiful and talented. Especially her cooking. He wanted to see what other layers there were to this bird.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't," He answered with a straightforward tone, "But compared to the other women I've encountered, including my sister, you're not that bad. In fact, I kind of want to know more about you."
Yep, that's it. Taihou couldn't hold back much longer. Emile yelped as he was engulfed in the carrier's massive mammaries and held together in a hug. Emile's voice was muffled in Taihou's cleavage, but he didn't exactly deny the hug. He just let it happen, trusting that she wouldn't do anything too risqué to him.
"You're so sweet Commander," Taihou then leaned down to whisper sensually in his ear, "I'll gladly let you see all of Taihou's layers if you wish so. As your secretary, my body and soul belong to you."
The hot breath against his ear caused the small Commander to shudder a bit before trying to wiggle himself free. It was a good thing Taihou was able to read cues because she broke the hug. Although not before giving the Commander a small peck on the forehead. Emile gave the spot of the kiss a small, flustered rub before adjusting his uniform.
"I'm glad that you're okay Taihou," Emile's comment made the phoenix give her signature giggle in response, "Let's get some breakfast."
"Of course, my Commander," Taihou smiled with satisfaction.
To the surprise of both Emile and Taihou, the pair entered the mess hall only to be greeted by the roaring laughter of the group they had left behind. The crowd gathered around Maddy, who held up her phone and showed them a video. Everyone tried to hold back their laughter as Emile approached, but it was futile. Takao tried her best to hide the smile that had formed on her normally stoic face.
"What are you watching?" Emile asked before seeing the video that played on Maddy's phone.
"Don't mess with me! I'm a Jedi Knight of Ooarai Academy" A younger middle school version of Emile sounded from the phone. It was him cosplaying as Miho Nishizumi while also pretending to be a Jedi. It was one of the cringiest moments of his younger life, which he purged from his memory. And yet there it was again, back to haunt him. Everyone stared at Emile with an amused smile or the remnants of laughter. All the little Commander did in response was turn red and dilate his pupils while falling face first into Maddy's mystery hash.
Taihou couldn't help herself as she too broke down in a fit of laughter along with the rest of the cast. Her eyes glanced over to her Lieutenant Commander who greeted the carrier with a wink. Taihou smiled as she and Atago helped to pick their little Commander up.
The day passed quickly in a flurry of shenanigans and getting the new secretaries acquainted with the gigantic piles of paperwork in the office. Thanks to the extra hands, a week's work was accomplished in just a few hours and night once again passed over the base.
Emile was once again on his bed, reading another letter from Kesselring. Only this time it had some extras attached to it.
We have reports of Siren activity spotted around the Suez Canal. Maritime patrols have confirmed sightings of multiple mass production models and at least one humanoid model.
Attached to the letter was a photograph of the humanoid siren, which appeared to have rigging similar to the Tester classes Azur Lane had encountered before. There was a glowing object in one of her hands which looked like a fragmented wisdom cube, except something was off with the color of its blue hue.
It appears that this little Siren has something of great importance. If it chose to reveal itself and the object, then the Sirens must want us to take it. Standby Commander, my team will monitor the situation further.
In other news, I heard you have added Atago, Takao, and Taihou to your little harem. You must love living on the edge. However, this is a great opportunity for you to take notes on their behavior. Especially around young, adorable, little boys like yourself. It would certainly help me with my side projects. Continue your work Commander Emile.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this experiment plays out.
-Admiral Kesselring