-Last Chapter-

"What is it?" He asked.

"What are your thoughts on the girls you met today?" She questioned putting her pen down to focus her attention on him. "Did you like them?"

"The Royal Navy girls?..." He closed his eyes and mental images of the three women he'd met earlier sprung to mind. "I liked them... the tall blond one is funny but kinda stubborn, and the other two were really nice to me." He noted before looking back at her. "Why?"...

"You've been formally invited to visit the Royal Navy dorms for tea time as a thank you for your help." She informed resting her chin on her palm. "Apparently, you made quite an impression since the request was delivered shortly after they returned."

His eyes widened slightly and he looked at the envelope with a bit more care now that he was aware of its contents, an invitation to meet with the Royal Navy…

~Present~

"Hello again, Naru-chan!"

Atago smiled playfully as she kneeled down and happily took her newest charge into her arms, his light frame fitting easily in her grip as she smothered the boy in her affection, not that he seemed to mind all that much, being more than content to allow her to do as she pleased.

"Hello, Onee-chan." He greeted, his voice slightly muffled from his position within her chest but she caught it nonetheless and giggled softly at his usual deadpan manner of speaking. She had made a silent vow to fluster him one day but that would have to wait for another time. She was here to escort him per the Commander's orders.

That didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun on the way though.

Releasing him from her hold she quickly took his smaller hand in her own and the two began their walk over to the blond's current destination, the dorm belonging to the Royal Navy. The Commander had filled her in on the details and in her personal opinion, she thought this was probably the best way to introduce him to their neighboring faction. Of all the groups comprising Azur Lane, the Royal Navy was arguably the most stable in terms of its members. The Iron Bloods could be a bit… intense, while the Eagle Union was home to some very overwhelming personalities.

She also couldn't deny that even Among the Sakura Empire there were a few troublesome spirits though rumors seemed to suggest the boy had evidently managed to tame some of the more… problematic girls within their little family.

Out at sea a certain foxy carrier sneezed violently, unintentionally setting fire to a whole swath of ocean in the process.

"So, I hear someone has a meeting with the Royals today... how are you feeling about that?" She asked sparing him a brief look to get a gauge of his thoughts. Naturally, his impassive expression gave nothing away and she was reminded of a certain Union destroyer that'd she'd had the distinct pleasure of working with on occasion.

"Nervous… I'm not sure what to do." He admitted allowing a small frown to grace his features while clutching his cloak tightly. "The Commander said not to worry, but…" He trailed off and unconsciously clutched her hand a bit tighter than he'd probably meant to.

He was so adorable.

"Poor boy." She knelt down and gently rubbed at his cheeks to calm him down. "They are going to love you so don't worry about a thing, okay? Just be yourself and the rest will come naturally." She reassured.

"If you say so…" He nodded feeling the slight tension that had plagued him melt away under her ministrations, his breathing leveling out and his shoulders slumping ever so slightly as he forced himself to relax somewhat. He was still nervous but he wasn't as worried.

"Good boy." She praised and stood back up once more taking his hand as they continued their walk. Along the way, they made idle conversation and she was internally pleased to see him speak much more actively than he had before, he wasn't a motormouth by any means but he could carry a conversation with greater ease than before.

A small bit of progress was better than nothing.

It didn't take them too long to reach the Royal Navy dorms, they were built fairly close together to encourage the factions to interact rather than limit themselves to small pockets of the base and for the most part, had proven successful in their goal. It also helped to have a common enemy of course, it was easier to trust one another when the need to cooperate superseded any old grudges.

Not to say that coming together had entirely removed the bad blood but in her mind, a friendly rivalry wasn't a bad thing. It pushed them to do better in the end.

"Miss Atago? I wasn't expecting to see you today."

So caught up in her thoughts she'd completely overlooked the waiting cruiser standing at the ornate entrance of their destination.

"Hello Belfast, you are looking as elegant as ever." She greeted with a friendly grin. The two of them were much closer than some might have imagined, having been forced to work together quite closely during the earliest days of Azur Lane's inception they had come to find some common ground during their service. There was a great deal of mutual respect shared between them as well as a bit of healthy competition but it was all in good fun.

"Thank you." She bowed at the compliment before turning her attention to the youth at her friend's side. "Would it be incorrect to assume you are here to deliver young Naruto to us?" She asked with a hint of mirth seeing how close her old friend was to the child at her hip. It wasn't too surprising given Atago's sisterly tendencies that she would connect quickly with the boy.

Not that she could blame the woman, the boy was just too adorable for his own good.

Atago laughed and nodded. "You would be correct, I trust you will take care of him for me? I must say I have grown quite attached to him." She admitted shamelessly while running her gloved fingers through his yellow mane much to the boy's quiet pleasure and the cruiser's amusement.

"Of course, he will be treated to the full extent of Royal hospitality." Belfast smiled and nodded stepping forward and kneeling to greet the boy herself. "It is a pleasure to have you with us today, Naruto." She reached out and traced her fingers along his whiskers earning a slight purr from the blond who happily leaned into her touch.

"Thank you for inviting me." He said and offered a little bow as Kaga had instructed him to do. The Carrier had taken the time to give him a crash course on proper etiquette in secret since, unlike her sister she had no real issues with him interacting with the other girls.

Out at sea another foxy carrier felt a slight flash of possessiveness come over her and she mercilessly sunk yet another fleet in her anger before quickly squashing those feelings down before they could take hold.

"Of course, everyone is very eager to meet you." She said.

She wasn't lying either, the knowledge of any Siren, even a half-Siren living within their HQ was more than enough to stir conversation. Out of respect for the Commander, she had only informed her leaders of his existence but had omitted many details under the pretense of having them meet him and judge for themselves.

Atago nodded and handed the Naruto off to the head maid.

"I wish I could stay and join in the festivities but unfortunately other matters require my attention so I must take my leave." She said giving her farewells and offering her old friend a brief nod before turning on her heel and leaving the pair to watch her, her swaying form vanishing from sight as she rounded a corner leading off deeper into the base.

...

"Well, I think we've waited long enough." Belfast broke the silence between them, gently taking his hand in hers and began leading him inside. "Her Majesty's patience can only hold for so long and for everyone's sake it would be in our best interest to hurry along." She explained.

"Okay…" He nodded and quietly took a moment to prepare himself.

It would be his first time in front of true Royalty after all...

…

"Fancy."

There was no other way to describe the scene laid out before him, a long stain glass dining table stretched out from one end of the beautifully maintained garden to the other. Arranged with perfect symmetry was a buffet of delicious looking cakes, crackers, cookies, and tea just begging to be consumed. Plates were pre-set for every seat and there was no lack of space for any extra guests should the need arise.

The garden itself was also a sight to behold on its own. Full of blossoming flowers of every shade and hue but all trimmed neatly in a row forming perfectly symmetrical patterns and designs that drew in the eye. The grass was trimmed down neatly and shined with health that could only be obtained with laborious acts of care and dedication, while overhead rows of archways marked pathways to various verandas and small outcroppings that dotted the massive greenery.

It was the perfect setting to hold tea time.

"Her Majesty and her court are still inside but will be out shortly." Belfast explained seeing the youth at her side staring curiously at the array of empty seats. "I just wished to take you aside and give you a small word of advice before you meet my fellow sisters in arms."

He turned and gave the head maid his full attention prompting her to proceed.

"You will be in the presence of some of the most prestigious maidens in the world, it is important to remember to mind your manners but don't be afraid to be yourself either." She advised. "A compliment here and there will no doubt ingratiate you so feel free to lay on a bit of charm." She suggested subtly.

That last bit wasn't entirely unnecessary in actuality but it would no doubt garner some very entertaining reactions which were more than enough for her. She'd heard rumblings that the Sakura girls were already absolutely smitten with the boy and she had no doubt he'd win over many of the softer hearted members of their court even with his unique position.

He might even crack their resident ice queen of a maid if he tried hard enough.

…

"Where is she?"

Queen Elizabeth huffed upon her throne while impatient blue eyes scanned over her assembled entourage in search of the head of her maid forces. Gloved fingers tapped rapidly against the gilded arms of her seat while her other hand rested against her cheek holding her head up as she sat slumped in her chair. "It has been entirely too long since she departed."

She detested waiting.

"I'm sure Miss Belfast will arrive shortly my Queen, I'm sure she is simply ensuring everything is up to your standards." Warspite assured standing calmly at her side, as the Queen's most trusted guard she also doubled as the voice of reason that could temper their lovely leaders… strong personality.

Sometimes anyway.

"Hmph, you are probably correct… that doesn't mean I enjoy all this sitting around." She sighed sliding further into her seat in a manner unbecoming of one with the title of Queen. "If she does not return soon I might expire from hunger." She moaned drawing a sweatdrop from her attendant.

"My Queen… you just ate not even over an hour ago… your hull might start to sag if you keep snacking between meals" She lectured.

Elizabeth blushed and sat up straighter in her seat sucking in her stomach as she did so in spite of herself. "W-Warspite I'll not have you commenting on weight so casually! Least of all with these dairy cows present!" She wailed throwing glances of hatred towards a few specific members of her court that seemed to be taunting her.

At least the main offender was nowhere to be seen… for now…

"My Queen you are a paragon of nobility, you have nothing to be ashamed of." Warspite encouraged hastily trying to avoid one of her Majesty's many tirades on the injustice of her lacking chest department. It was a common occurrence during these gatherings as it seemed God saw fit to bless many within their fleet with sizable… chest protections, much to the ire of her Majesty.

Of course, she had tried to assure her Queen that chest size wasn't everything, though such advice often fell on deaf ears.

"I'll bet that guest of ours is yet another one of those over-endowed heathens…" She grumbled already too far gone into her bout of melancholy to entertain any other ideas. "Watch Warspite, at any moment those doors are going to open and some big titted co-"

"Good day everyone! Please forgive the delay." Belfast chimed offering a deep bow of apology as she made her way inside the main hall and unknowingly silencing the incoming insults of her Queen. "I know you have all been waiting but I simply had to give our guest a brief tour of our home." She explained with an easy-going smile that drew a few chuckles from around the room.

From behind her skirt, Naruto peeked his head out immediately drawing the attention of the room to the maids hip. Those who had been filled in on her report paying special attention to the youth using the cruiser like a curtain

Belfast continued undaunted, sauntering into the room with all the grace she was known for. "I would like to introduce our guest for the afternoon." She gently brought Naruto out from behind her dress allowing the assembly to witness him in full. "As you may have heard my party and I were ambushed a few days ago, Our situation was truly dire but with young Naruto's assistance we escaped without harm." She explained.

Naruto blushed a bit at the unexpected praise his eyes falling to his feet in embarrassment as Belfast relayed the extent of his assistance.

"As such, it brings me great joy to have him here as my guest and to meet the rest of our lovely family. Please treat him well." She finished resting a gentle hand upon his head the smile never leaving her face as quite a few of her companions that hadn't been privy to her briefing sputtered at the sight of a Siren within their home.

This was going to be quite a sight~

...

"Feel free to mingle amongst the crowd while you wait, I must finish the preparations for her Majesty." Belfast whispered pushing the boy forward. "In fact, you have your first pair of visitors incoming now so I think I'll leave you in their capable hands." She giggled before sashaying

away with a click of her heels, leaving him on his own.

He blinked slowly at her sudden departure but took it in stride turning his attention away from the departing maid and to the figures making their way towards him. His eyes lighting up in recollection at the sight of a familiar face.

"Nel-chan" He greeted happily, excited to see the stubborn but amusing blond once again.

He'd initially thought Nelson didn't like him much given her less than kind tone when addressing him but Nachi told him that the battleship was something called a "tsundere". He didn't fully get it but apparently, that just meant she would say the opposite of what she really meant which was a bit silly to him but he wouldn't judge her for it. Everyone has stuff they struggled with after all.

He also felt like she reminded him of someone but who exactly still eluded him, there was a soft clench in his chest when she looked upon him, the flickering image of another well endowed blond woman appearing briefly over her scowling figure before disappearing just as quickly as it had arrived much to his annoyance.

"Don't call me that!" She hissed stomping her way over with a scowl and a slight dust of red gracing her cheeks. "I'm only here because I have to be! I already told you we aren't friends so don't address me so casually!" She huffed crossing her arms under her bust. "You will address me by my proper name!"

"I like you too Nel-chan." He continued not at all bothered by the hostility in her tone and utterly ignoring her wishes.

"What did I just say!"

By her side, her companion giggled into her hand at the battleships ire drawing the duo's attention to her, Naruto with curiosity while Nelson felt embarrassment burning through her veins.

"Rodney stop laughing this isn't funny!" Nelson growled but it did little to stem her sister's laughter much to her annoyance if anything she laughed harder.

"Oh do forgive me, Nel-chan~" Rodney apologized smiling to herself as steam practically poured from her sister's ears. "It's just nice to see you enjoying yourself with your little friend here." She explained offering a sincere smile to the source of her sister's embarrassment.

Nelson sputtered and stomped a heeled boot onto the floor. "Are you not paying attention, he is not my friend!" She repeated. "And don't encourage him!"

"Hmm?" Rodney hummed curiously turning her amused gaze directly onto her bumbling sister. "But you haven't stopped talking about him ever since you returned? I thought you two were close?" She revealed with an innocent tilt of her head causing Nelson to choke on her spit as that little detail came to light while Naruto smiled happily at the thought of making such a good impression.

The Commander would be proud of him for sure.

"Stop talking!" She hissed but her anger was made rather comical by the atomic flush covering her face ruining her facade of rage and revealing the extent of her embarrassment. Nelson rounded on the blond who was watching the back and forth with amusement, these two were so different from Akagi and Kaga, even Takao and Atago weren't this funny to watch.

"I can't deal with either of you right now! Just know I am keeping an eye on you and stay away from me!" She huffed before turning on her heel and stomping away no doubt off to hide before she passed out from a mixture of humiliation and fury.

...

"Ahh… did I do something wrong?" He asked blinking at the battleships abrupt departure, he thought they were having fun? Why did she seem so upset?

Rodney merely laughed and shook her head at her sister's antics, for someone so proud she was so easily brought low by a bit of teasing. Part of her wished her sister would relax a bit but another part couldn't help but enjoy seeing her so wound up.

The duality of sisterhood.

"Don't worry about her she is just happy to see you, I promise." She assured before remembering her manners and offering him a small bow of courtesy. "Forgive me I have not properly introduced myself, Nelson-class battleship - Rodney at your service~" She greeted offering him a kind smile.

"Hybrid-class battleship - Naruto." He greeted in return with a short bow and a soft smile. Despite having just met her he felt that she was a kind woman at heart, she just gave off a slightly mischievous but very loving aura. Though he wouldn't have guessed she was Nel-chan's sister since other than their… sizable chest plating, the two didn't look that much alike.

Rodney's features were much softer than her sisters with kind light purple eyes and long white hair, she made quite a contrast to her sister's brighter blond hair and stern ruby eyes. She also seemed to possess a much softer demeanor than her sister that reminded him a bit of Atago.

"So very cute." She couldn't help but run her fingers across his cheeks taking great joy in the soft purr that escaped his throat. "Are you really part Siren?" She asked though it did nothing to stop her gentle stroking.

"Hai, I was created based on data and scraps collected from encounters with Sirens as well as data from all members of the Sakura Empire." He revealed having been given a bit more detail on the circumstances of his birth. "The Commander hopes I will be able to give more insight into the Siren's evolution as well as help push them back for good." He relayed while doing his best not to inch his way closer to the woman mid-explanation.

Her hands were very soft...

"How novel, to think such a thing was possible..." Her eyes shined with curiosity before she tempered her emotions back down and stood. "I look forward to working with you in the future then, perhaps my dear elder sister will even join us." She mused, curious to see the small battleship in action. From how Nelson had described him he was quite a force on the battlefield.

Naruto blinked at that little nugget of information, elder sister?

"Ano, is Nelson really your older sister?"

He would have assumed she was older given her temperament. "Are you sure?" He asked sending a slightly disbelieving look towards a still red faced Nelson off in the corner of the room. He could see her glaring at him while nursing a glass of something in her hand, she huffed and looked away when their eyes met though, shrinking in on herself.

Rodney nodded with a teasing smile having witnessed the short exchange. "Haha, yes I am the younger of the two of us." She confirmed. "Many think I am older but that is just my sister's spirited personality working against her." She giggled recalling the many shocked faces that were left from that particular revelation.

Truly her sister was her own worst enemy at times~

"Ohhh." He nodded. He supposed that wasn't impossible to believe, Kaga-nee was a lot more patient and level headed than Akagi-nee despite being a bit younger so he guessed that it wasn't that strange.

"Indeed, but if you will excuse me, I shall take my leave for now as I am sure there are many other eager to meet you and it would be rude of me to keep you." She explained noting more than a few faces turned in the direction of their conversation. Honestly, her peers enjoyed gossip far too much but she supposed that was the nature of court intrigue.

Waving goodbye and promising to speak again Naruto watched as the woman returned to her sister's side leaving him once more on his own.

Though not for very long.

"Excuse me? Naruto was it?" A soft yet mature voice called prompting him to turn to face the new arrival, his eyes were drawn immediately to her face as she stepped into his view.

Or at least they would have if his view of her features hadn't been obscured by her chest.

"Um, yes?" He answered but internally he was wondering how she could even stand upright being that top heavy, a strong gust of wind would likely send her tumbling over not that it would do any real damage with such cushioning at her disposal.

"Oh do forgive me, I struggle with distance sometimes." She apologized, taking a few steps back allowing both to finally catch sight of each other's facial features. "This is much better don't you agree~" She chimed offering a practically radiant smile that left him breathless.

"Beautiful…" He whispered. He'd meant to say that internally but his lapse in attention made such efforts rather fruitless.

Dressed in all white the woman standing before his was practically angelic in appearance. She wore a long white silk dress that was just transparent enough for her long shapely legs to be in view underneath garbed in long white stockings and capped with a short skirt underneath. Her bulging chest was bound in a simple but elegant top that left her shoulders bare while her arms were covered well past her forearms by a tight pair of gloves.

Her soft features were framed by a curtain of flowing white hair and kind blue eyes looked down upon him with a mixture of wonderment and curiosity that made blood unconsciously rush to his cheeks. If he thought Kaga-nee was pretty than this woman was practically in a whole other league.

Her eyes fell closed as a beaming smile that somehow eclipsed her prior one made its way onto her face.

"Why thank you! How sweet~" She preened offering a slight bow of gratitude at his unintended compliment and unintentionally pushing bulging her chest out further which only served to worsen his predicament as he struggled to find a safe place to look that didn't awaken strange feelings within him.

In her office, Mirai was suddenly hit with the feeling that she would have to have a greatly needed and very uncomfortable conversation in the near future.

"Ano… who are you miss?" He asked finally gathering his thoughts enough to seek an introduction.

"Me?" She asked with a puzzled look before she seemed to realize that he would naturally have never heard of her given the circumstances of his birth and softly tapped her cheek in embarrassment. "Ah, forgive my rudeness! My name is Illustrious, armored carrier of the Royal Navy." She introduced with a hint of pride.

"Illustrious…" Her name was unique for sure but he couldn't say it was fitting for such a stunning woman either. "It is nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine! I am aware this is very sudden but would you walk with me for just a moment? I would like to get to know you a bit more while I get settled in if that would be acceptable?" She asked, reaching out to take his hand if he accepted which he did with little hesitation to her delight as she began leading him through the room.

The two made quite a pair with Illustrious asking him all sorts of questions regarding his time on the base, his thoughts on the Royal Navy so far, and some of his personal relations. He answered as best he could but also couldn't help but notice the less than subtle looks being sent their way as she led him through the large gathering, only pausing to offer a few quick greetings in passing before whisking him away elsewhere before he had time to process it.

He inwardly marveled at her ability to shrug off such blatant staring but chalked it up to her perhaps being used to it, especially given his own reaction to meeting her.

"Ah, if only little Unicorn was here I think you two would make wonderful friends." She giggled having gotten a decent grasp of his personality in their brief talk. "Perhaps I should arrange something in the future, maybe an outing with the rest of her group~" She mused aloud.

There would no doubt be a bevy of picturesque moments for her to capture and she quite enjoyed outings with her dear sister.

"Unicorn? Who is that?" He asked.

"Unicorn is my little sister. She is a sweetheart but she's a bit shy when it comes to meeting new people." She explained while finally ending their little walk. "But I think such a polite and charming young man such as yourself could get through to her with no trouble~" She praised causing him to shrink into his cloak slight at the compliment.

"Ah, if you honestly think so." He admitted that after his encounter with Nelson and Rodney he was rather curious to see what the little sister of someone like Illustrious was like. Would she be just like her sister or would she be the complete opposite?

"So modest." She smirked and took a seat prompting him to climb up next to her the pair watching the mingling guests in comfortable silence for a few minutes simply enjoying one another company before she spoke up again shifting her sight to a particular individual watching their interaction from a distance.

"By any chance have you yet had the pleasure of meeting her Majesty?" She asked suddenly causing him to snap out of his thoughts to answer her.

"Not yet no, Belfast didn't tell me what she looked like and I haven't had the chance to meet everyone yet." He answered.

"How unlike her, or perhaps that was intentional." She mused muttering that last bit to herself before standing from her seat and once more taking his hand in hers. "Come, let us pay her Majesty a visit~" She declared suddenly, making her way once more across the room with him in tow.

…

"Warspite she is coming right for us!" Elizabeth fretted her eyes narrowed upon the one woman who served as perhaps the greatest insult to her position as Queen. The mammary monster stepped ever closer no doubt fully aware of how the sway of her body made her most defining features ever more prominent as if that was needed. "And she's entrapped the siren boy with her sinful body as well, has she no shame?!"

Such frightening power… one that should belong to her damn it!

"Your Majesty I do not think that is necessarily true..." Warspite sighed trying her hardest not to allow her queen's ravings to affect her too much. "Miss Illustrious would never do something so uncouth." She noted. Granted underneath that kindly exterior Illustrious was actually quite devious but that little bit of information would likely not do much to calm her Queen.

"Never underestimate those devilish succubi Warspite." She warned before quickly adopting a neutral expression as the duo approached, her falling into a half-lidded state of disinterest as was fitting for one of her status.

"Oh, Illustrious you are here… I'm happy to see you could make it." She greeted offering a strained smile towards the carrier who was either seemingly ignorant to the forced nature of her greeting or uncaring of it, merely offering one of her famed smiles in return.

"Of course, it would be terribly rude of me to miss out on such a gathering especially with such an interesting guest present." She answered before turning to Warspite and offering a slight bow in greeting. "Hello Madam Warspite, I hope you are enjoying yourself as well?"

Warspite smiled and bowed back in respect for the carrier. "While I do not think one such as I am suited to such delicate affairs I do enjoy seeing our comrades mingling so freely. It is a pleasure to see you in such high spirits as well."

"Blame it on having such good company~" She chirped resting her hands upon her tag along shoulders. "Young Naruto has been kind enough to indulge my curiosity with such charm that I can't help but find myself enraptured." She explained unconsciously resting her chest upon his head due to the difference in their heights causing his cheeks to flush once again and Elizabeth to quietly grind her teeth in annoyance at the perceived shot to her pride.

"I see." She ground out

"Your Majesty…" Warspite sent a look towards her Queen that did little to stall her twitching but kept her from throwing a fit.

Illustrious smiled innocently and spared a quick glance around the room before bringing a gloved hand up to her mouth to hide a smirk. "Oh dear, there is something I need to discuss with Madam Hood so I beg you to excuse me for one moment. Naruto would you be a dear a keep her Majesty and Madam Warspite company in my stead?"

Not precisely understanding the reason for her abrupt departure he still nodded regardless prompting her to make a polite but swift exit leaving the trio of battleships on their own.

…

"Ano… It is nice to meet you." He greeted realizing that he'd not formally introduced himself. "Thank you for allowing me to join you today." He said bowing respectfully towards the Queen and her attendant. His words seemingly snapping the duo out of their trance, their eyes leaving the now mingling form of Illustrious to focus back on him. Something that they'd somewhat neglected since his arrival.

Warspite instinctually found herself slightly on edge at his presence, she may have been the one who detests war but she was a warrior at her core and being so close to a figure that donned the colors of the enemy triggered that tick in the back of her mind. However, she was not without reason and so would withhold judging him too harshly.

He had helped three of their own so she owed him that at least.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Belfast spoke very highly of you in her report." She answered offering him a nod of acknowledgment. "She also mentioned you are a fellow battleship, it pleases me to meet another of our own. I also hear you are quite strong, I do hope I am granted the chance to see your combat ability firsthand."

His eyes lit up slightly at that little tidbit, it wasn't often he got to meet others within his own class. He had only briefly met a few of the Sakura Empires Battleships but those meetings had been few and far between, sadly.

"That's exciting… would you like to spar with me sometime?" He asked hopefully.

He had developed an urge to push himself after his first less than fulfilling sortie, Kaga had been content to humor him but he'd never tested himself against another of comparable firepower to himself.

Warspite smirked at the fire that appeared in those blue eyes of his upon hearing his request, it seemed that despite his size he was a fellow warrior at heart. She could respect that and she would not pass up a chance to test herself against his steel.

"I would be honored to test myself against you, perhaps we can set up some war games between the Royal Navy and the Sakura Empire in the near future." She suggested, it wasn't uncommon for the different factions to do this so she saw no harm in it. "Just know I won't be holding back against you so I expect you to treat me with the same respect."

"Hai, I will do my best!"

From the sidelines Elizabeth watched the two interact with a slight pout, she was being completely ignored! Her! The Queen of the most powerful navy in the world!

Ignoring this grave insult to her pride she took a moment to inspect the male much more thoroughly and she had to fight the slight feeling of kinship that bubbled up within her. Excluding Warspite it was rare for a Kansen of their… smaller stature to be manifested as battleships, there were many powerful and renowned battleships within their walls but they were the exceptions. Of course, she was also struck by the glowing spatterings of yellow that dotted his attire that signaled the truth of Belfast's report.

The Commander really had created a Siren…

She didn't know how to feel about that, on one had the risk were plainly obvious to everyone but at the same time, it was a breakthrough that couldn't be understated. She would need to speak with the woman about doing such things without at least informing them but the results were speaking for themselves in the form the blond conversing with her attendant.

Her eyes wandered idly to his and she was struck by how rich a shade of blue his were. Her own eyes were more of a milky blue but his reminded her of the seas, an endless expanse that could swallow all within their sight. There was also none of the cruelty or apathy present in his gaze that she'd witnessed in her past battles with the Sirens and instead she found kindness, curiosity, and excitement. She was reminded of her sisters in arms much more so than any Siren which did soften her defenses ever so slightly.

Her gaze moved to his odd cheek markings where she remained fixated for a moment, while animalistic features were not anything special among the Sakura Empire she had never seen any of them sporting genuine whiskers. They moved so naturally with his speech that any idea of them being fake were tossed out and she couldn't deny that she felt a strong urge to simply reach out and see how the felt…

Of course, she would never embarrass herself by doing such a thing! A queen had to be dignified at all times and carry herself with the utmost grace after all!

…

"Your Majesty… I think this might be a breach of authority..."

"Eh?" She blinked as she realized that perhaps she'd been a bit too into her thoughts that her body had attacked without her prompting. Her face lit up as she recognized the position she'd found herself in.

Her fingers had unconsciously found themselves lightly running over his markings, the light material surrounding her digits doing little guard her from feeling the texture of his facial markings. Absentmindedly she noted that they seemed like actual grooves in his face but that thought took a back seat to the main source of her discomfort and embarrassment.

Just when had he gotten so close to her and just what in God's name was she doing?!

The pair were now hovering mere inches away from one another and she became very cognizant of his eyes boring unflinchingly into hers in an impromptu staredown that left her feeling lightheaded at his intensity. Despite her embarrassment, she felt a flash of disbelief seeing that he looked no worse for wear! Did he not realize how improper this was?! How they must look to the rest of her court?! She sputtered as she hastily removed her hand as though she'd been burned and hoped to God that he would take the hint and move away.

Unfortunately for her, no such thing happened and If anything he had the nerve to look disappointed and step even deeper into her personal space much to her growing unease and distress!

"Why'd you stop?" He asked, frowning and feeling slightly annoyed that she'd stopped her ministrations. The fine material of her gloves having sent a pleasant tingling down his spine that he wished to experience further. "Keep going." He insisted seemingly unbothered by the whole affair.

He was a simple boy, as long as he was being spoiled any other concerns flew out the window.

Warspite could only let out a weary sigh as a chorus of whispers broke out among the now very interested groups who were all watching the proceedings with various levels of scandalous amusement. From her position, she was forced to realize that the pair actually looked rather intimate from a distance and already she could hear the rumors spreading like wildfire that their Queen had taken on some sort of consort or other such nonsense.

This was going to end poorly...

"B-BAKA WHY ARE YOU SO CLOSE?! B-BACK UP AT ONCE!"

Towards the back of the room, Belfast and Illustrious stood side by side, matching smiles gracing their faces as their Queen began yet another one of her glorious meltdowns. Did they feel a bit bad for their Queen? Yes, in fairness they knew that this was going to haunt the halls with conversations for weeks to come. However, Did they regret their actions?

Absolutely not.

AN. Chapter Complete!

So chapters are taking me a bit longer due to finals prep but I am trying to take the time that I can to work on each of my stories so do bear with me. I will likely be working on "The Hero's Journey" next so not sure when the next chapter of this will go up (it's also why this chapter might feel a bit chaotic since that's the kind of mood I'm in so sorry about that!) but in the meantime, there are others who are trying their hand at this crossover so I encourage you to give those a read if you haven't already!

Anyway I hope this chapter came out okay, it took me a while to realize just how many girls are in the Royal Navy and even though I did try and limit the number there were still way more than I would have done but at least a few got through. The rest will come in waves over time, I know I want to have him and Hood sit down for a talk and I would love to write a little bit with someone like Ajax.

Can the sadist be tamed? Who knows lol.

If your favorite RN girl wasn't here don't worry I do plan to have Naruto working with the Royals fairly often so we'll see a lot of them. What his relationship will be with them is up in the air for now though, depends on the girl. Anyway, we saw some familiar faces and some new ones, Nelson and Belfast obviously returned and got a bit of fleshing out. Belfast will have her own moments since I do want Naruto to meet the maids in less crowded space (mainly so I can have my favorite RN girl Sheffy have her moment) and Nelson will have her time to be super Tsundere as well.

As for the new girls, Rodney just made sense to introduce with Nelson and since I am actually currently using her in-game right now I thought it would be fun to put her in as a counter to Nelson's personality. Illustrious also shows up and I tried to lean into my own first impressions of seeing her. Mainly being that she became my favorite ship for a looonnggg time. Not just for her hull thickness but her personality and voice lines just made me laugh as she walked the line of being very sweet and playful to almost scary at times. She also seems to have caught Naruto's eye, perhaps a young boy's first crush?

Who is to say in the end.

Warspite I want to flesh out in having her become something of a mentor to him and their relationship will grow as they interact more in the coming chapters. With so many characters I decided to hold off with her just for the moment, even though I am very fond of her (I have retrofitted her)

Lastly, we have none other than QE! I adore Queen Elizabeth and the Queen's Orders manga only made that worse. I wanted to capture a lot of her personality here in that she can be very rational and dedicated when she needs/wants to be but at the same time is also very susceptible to her own pride and impulses. I do look forward to having the Queen of the lolis and Naruto interacting often going forward.

Again, I want to see about doing chapters in the future that have Naruto sitting one on one with another character rather than group settings where I have to move between a ton of characters.

Last up is a question I have gotten a few times that I want to address now. This is about whether or not Naruto will ever manifest himself fully in ship form and the answer to that is currently up in the air. As of present, I have no plans for it because I fully admit I was/am working more off what I know from the game than the Anime or other material. That is not to say it could never happen but it is a backburner idea for right now.

Anyway, that's enough out of me, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you all again at some point!

New AL Ships Featured:

Rodney

Illustrious

Warspite

Queen Elizabeth