The man slept well after his first victory, he managed to get his pass his first test of many. This morning he felt different, as if full of energy, so after getting ready he leaves for his office. In his way he saw a pair of girls running around, it was Shiratsuyu again, this time followed closely by Hatsuharu, it seems they leave their differences behind.
-Good morning Ooyodo- After entering the building, it was when he found the black haired girl already waiting for him.
-Hello Admiral, you receive a telegram early morning- She answered and salute, she then proceeds to smile again as she has always been.
-¿A message? - The man was concerned about this, not always he gets news at this time of the day.
-It appears they will send more ships to this place pretty soon, also we will receive some workers to install a training field- She briefly explains what the message was about. Ooyodo was intrigued by this decision of the leaders, as sending equipment for this base would not be uncommon, to send training devices would mean they will send ships that are quite inexperienced in actual combat.
-That is actually pretty good. I will wait for them and inspect their work- The man knew that they would send this eventually, as every base needs some kind of training grounds in order to maintain their fleets in shape. But still how many devices would prove essential, because this number would mean its true purpose… if they send lots then it would mean this would turn into a training base… Even if it's better than being a supply base, it wasn't very great as most of the ships would leave eventually and his fleet would not be in the front lines.
-Yes sir, I leave the file in your desk for you to check up, if you excuse me I'll be in the communication room- Ooyodo step aside and let the admiral walk into his office.
-Perhaps we will need more supplies after we get more people around here, ask central base for some backup- The man suddenly said to the girl, even if he didn't expect this turn of events, maybe it would prove for the best.
-Yes Admiral- The girl with glasses watched how the commander write something on a note.
-Here´s the list of thing we may need in the future, let's hope they can send us this much- he give the note to her and wait for the best, it wasn't anything special, more supplies and metal, as Akashi has been using a lot since she first arrived, in order to produce both outfits and the redesign of the communication prototype.
-I will do my best- Ooyodo read the note and salute the admiral again, then leave to the communication room, that day she would need to coordinate this new shipment and perhaps reassign the base supplies in order to get more.
After a few minutes the admiral read the official transmission, it seems like the base indeed was likely to receive more ships and workers, finally he will see more people around and that also means more people to coordinate… maybe he will need a secretary pretty soon.
-Hello Admiral! how are you doing today- The pink haired girl appeared from the door smiling as always with he r positive attitude.
-Doing fine Akashi and you- The man answered getting used to her unexpected apparitions.
-Pretty much the same, even if I already finished repairing some bruises on the outfits. Maybe I will need to do something else around here or else I will feel useless- She said both feeling excited and bored, she wants to do even more and if she didn't find something new to design or ships to repair, she may end exploring the base looking for its mysterious secrets…
-What do you have in mind? - The admiral wanted to give her a new task if she was willing to have it. She has proven to be efficient, so he may approve any idea she would come with.
-Maybe I can run a shop around here… you know with all the good stuff you can buy thanks to the navy trade agreement- Akashi got an idea she saw once on television, one of those boring days on her previous base. She would indeed get her own shop where all girls can get pretty things and whatever would be on sale.
-Right, I know about that but I didn't know when to ask for something- the admiral was a little too ignorant about this trade deals, it was supposed to be able to get those items by first sending his desired selection in a telegram, then his payment would be deduced from his account and then his desired item would be send right away… or at least that was the basic idea, but this sometimes was delayed by common problems.
-You can leave that to me Admiral, I can take care of cataloging all stuff you can buy this season and Ooyodo can ask for it, we are a good team. After all, not only you can buy things, we can ask for other stuff too, we are girls you know… we can't sit around all day without a new dress once in a while- Akashi was serious about those words because they were not slaves or mindless weapons. All fleet girls are humans and girls… and girls have needs.
-Guess I can't deny that as you all well deserved it…. Fine you can take care of it if you want. Just find around a good place and we´ll discuss it later okay? – He accepted her idea, as it proves to be a really good one, if Akashi can take care of it she will have more things to do and also it would maintain the moral of this base, even if it would cost him most of his income.
-Thanks Admiral!... I will find a place near your office so we can see each other a lot more- She said excited as this would mean that at least she can be around him at least once a day.
-Fine, just don't go crazy and install it next to me- He meant that part as somehow this would downplay his place as commander.
-I will… maybe- She was caught before doing it… but maybe she can install this on the lower floor, after all there is plenty of space near the entrance.
Later that day after filling the last battle report, he was about to leave when he heard a few shots near the wharf, so he leaves his office in a hurry. Until then he thought many things could happen, but as his eyes catch the glimpse of a ship with three supplies containers. The girl that was leading these containers got short dark green hair, a white and green sailor dress, a white hat and an outfit with a single 14cm gun mount and quadruple torpedo mount too…
The commander of the base goes into the anchorage in order to greet her, as she is of course a new ship of his fleet.
The dark haired girl arrives in a flashy manner as if she was just showing off, all six destroyers came to this place too when they heard the cannon shots. The girl continued to show her skills detaching all three containers at the same time, and as all went in different directions she jumped out of the water and landed on the wharf where the admiral was standing.
-I'm Kiso. I'll bestow upon you the absolute best victory- She introduce herself and at that same moment all three containers each reached a different wharf, indeed it appears she likes to show off as if she was on an action movie...
-Good day Kiso…- The admiral was pretty impressed at how this girl just appear, and now that she appreciates her single eyepatch on top of her right side. Her tough attitude and the way she speaks was kind of cool…
-Admiral, I'm here to show my great deeds to you and join your fleet from now on! – She salute the admiral with one hand as her main cannon returned to the original position.
-You already are, care if I show you this base- The admiral was amazed at her, indeed she appears to have a lot more experience compared to the other girls, yet perhaps this was because she was a different type of ship.
-Ready to go- She answered full of energy, just then she whistles and all three containers opened their doors at same time, revealing the interior. Right inside were a lot of boxes, tubes, metal wires and other stuff he couldn't identify right away.
"I thought there would be more people around… not more fairies" the man silent words describe the scene, because at least twenty fairies appeared from all those containers, and all start disembark they bring with them boxes. The commander turns back and ordered the destroyers to help the fairies just as he was about to do.
-Ya wanna get this done quickly! I like that- Kiso went in and help all with the disembark of all supplies and the training devices.
-You are a light Cruiser right? I´m happy to have my first one around here- He said remembering that just like the old ships that fight in the war, all fleet girls have different types, each one with different strengths and abilities.
-Light cruiser, Kuma-class "Kiso". My regards… By the way what da ya mean I'm the first one here? - She was pulling a heavy metal tube when she asked this, she is indeed stronger than most destroyers and this can easily be seen here.
-There´s only six destroyers in this base and now you are the first light cruiser- The commander was carrying a box full of electronic components, on top of it was a sleepy fairy that didn't mind being moved by the man.
-Ya got to be kiddin me- She answered with some disbelief as if he was just joking or trying to fool her.
-It's true, this base is relatively new, so there is not much firepower around- The man answered honestly, there were not many people around, only ten so far.
-Six destroyers are worth nothing! - She suddenly stop and throw the metal item into the ground ahead, it made a huge sound but it didn't break.
-That´s…- The man was off guard, even the sleepy fairy wakes up for a moment because of this.
-I can't believe that the god damned ghost base is this weak… I was pretty excited to be sent to this cursed island but now I´m disappointed– She speaks angry, as if everything she was expecting suddenly disappeared leaving only a charade. She actually heard so many rumors about this place that maybe she fantasized too much…
-I don't think this island is cursed… at least not now. Sorry if this is not what you expected– The admiral got to hear this again, even now if this island is quite lonely is by far pretty normal, nothing out of reality happened.
-But… What about the stories about dead people and those ships that went missing? - Kiso asked as if pleading for bad news, she really wanted to hear about all those people that died in terrible ways or about those ship girls that disappeared in this island years ago and nothing was ever found.
-Haven´t heard about that before, maybe they were just a rumor in the first place- He only knew the story about the sudden attack in Island H, nothing about more deaths or disappearances, but maybe Ooyodo know more about that.
-Tsk… damn, and here I thought I would be battling demons and zombies alike- the girl with the eyepatch now got a sad look, mostly because she did believe in those paranormal stories that lurk around, she even heard that the base was a secret one, where terrible experiments happened and that even aliens where involved.
-The only monsters you need to take care of are out in the sea… Perhaps you got the wrong idea in the first place, the waters around here are quite calm- He was sure of it, even only a few enemies where to appear like the ones from the day before.
-Shit they cheated me!... they said I would be able to show my true strength if I were transferred here- She was again pissed off, mostly because the ones in charge encourage her to accept her transfer, but in reality they only wanted to get rid of her by sending her far away.
-I think you cheat yourself believing that in the first place- The commander couldn't understand how she can believe in such ideas, even if she looks like a tough warrior she may have childish ideas.
-Shut up! - She was angry because now everything looks too normal for her style, even kind of boring to her.
-I´m your superior now, so please calm down and accept your decision- The man got no choice but to correct her now, she seems to lose her temper quickly but she doesn't look like a bad girl.
-Fuck…. whatever- She blame again and stay in silence, returning to help with all the stuff left.
-Are you alright? - the admiral questioned her as she looks down again.
-Yeah… guess I'll be under your command from now on- She reply with less effort. It appears that even if she is pretty good at fighting most officers didn't want her around because of her personality and maybe the way she is… maybe this was the reason she was tricked into transferring again.
-So who are they… I mean who are the destroyers- Kiso asked her now commander
-Murakumo, Hatsuharu, Shiratsuyu, Shigure, Murasame and Yuudachi- He answered and point with his eyes at the girls in the order he said.
-Too weak! - Kiso said with disappoint again, she didn't expect too much from destroyers but to her eye, all of them look inexperienced.
-They seem to be quite good at combat, they already sunk enemy ships that happened to be nearby- The admiral tried to defend his fleet, after all they already showed him how powerful they can be.
-A lucky shot… I guess I can train them with all this stuff, what da ya say? - Kiso sigh and remembered that she was send with quite a lot of training devices to install.
-Guess some training would prove useful for them- The admiral thought for a second, he would need to use all of this equipment but as now it would take time and effort to do so, also Akashi may need to be involved to do it properly so...
Afterwards everyone help until the last part was landed, then those containers activated their automatic pilot and slowly return from where they came.
-Thanks for your hard work girls! How are you girls today- The admiral thanks his fleet and every fairy that help with the task. Now all six destroyers round up near the commander to be praised.
-Pretty good Commander- Hatsuharu answered and take out her well custom fan.
-Yes Poi doing fine- Yuudachi tried her best to help around.
-So… who´s that girl with you? - Murakumo was the first to ask the obvious question as she has been watching them all this time, so much in fact that she almost tripped over some fairies carrying a box.
-The name´s Kiso, perhaps some of you may heard of my great deeds- She wanted to show off again, because she was pretty known at every base she was before, so maybe everyone heard her name and heroic feats… like the time she alone saved a base from the all mighty devil cat, enemy of mankind or the time she alone destroyed a fleet of abyssal enemies before they arise from the depths, she hit them so hard that only seaweed remained.
-Nope- Murasame couldn't remember hearing anything that came with the name "Kiso".
-I have not- Shigure replied too.
-Never Poi- Yuudachi said with effort.
-First time hearing it- Shiratsuyu tried to recall her memory but nothing appeared.
-Ya all have been anchored all this time then- Kiso said reluctantly as if she didn't believe her great efforts to save mankind were unknown to everyone, but perhaps that was for the best, because she is a silent guardian, a watchful protector… a dark knight…
-Actually I have been send here to join this fleet to show ya all a few things- She returned to reality after imagining herself again covered by a black cloak and said what actually she was told to do.
-Are you kidding? - Murakumo can't understand why would they need to receive training of a light cruiser, they were not so different in abilities, perhaps she was stronger but only that.
-Actually… she is right, headquarters send some equipment to create a training area here at the docks and maybe the lake nearby- The man interrupted explaining that all those boxes were actually training devices.
-The lake… Why would a ship be in a lake? - Murakumo couldn't understand the meaning of his words.
-There´s plenty of space and I read an old file describing how it was used that way before, maybe there are still some unused installations over there- He told them about it, in the last days he found a file that describe many of the facilities in the island, many of them were still unused or fully automatic.
-But we need to be at the sea commander! - Murakumo tried her best to stop him but it seems he already made his choice.
-Don't worry, you can always use the river to get into the ocean- He explained that at the end of the shore, right at one side of the base, a small river connects the ocean with the lake, even there were some things build in already to facilitate their movement from one side to the other.
-Guess so…- Murakumo couldn't fight it anymore, even if she didn't really like the idea.
It was then that the admiral sent all six destroyers to get ready and meet him at the lake in half an hour. He went and explained the situation to Akashi and she accept to help the fairies with the installation of the training devices near the docks. Then took a pair of files from his office and leave with Kiso to reach the lake in time.
Kiso was already using her outfit so she entered the surface of the lake without effort, so the admiral shows him the location of the training device that was supposedly underwater. When she reaches it she waves her hand showing of that she found it and that it remained somehow operational, so when every destroyer was present Kiso returned.
-Commander! It seems like everything is in its place now- Kiso was excited as she presses around some buttons on one unique pole right in the middle of the lake, a black metal post with no lights on, difficult to spot even at day.
-Very well Kiso, you can start this training session- The admiral trusted those files, it seems that some kind of fast moving targets were used here for training, not much detail on it, as it seems to be an automatic system, like many other things in this base. It was amazing how all this technology was useful now, but the man didn't actually know what those targets were…
- I'll teach them the meaning of a real battle! – Kiso shouted and all of them accelerate to the middle of the lake. It was pretty far away, but he can still see it clearly.
-Hear me out weaklings! - The eye patch girl said out loud, and point at all of them as if was a challenge.
-You think you know how to fight the abyssal right? - She asked at the first one she stop his finger.
-Sure Poi! - Yuudachi answered fast and nervous, she didn't have much experience but she did know the basics and maybe some sea battles.
-Well you know nothing! Here I will show ya how to really fight, especially when ya all need to shoot them down fast- Kiso skate on the water showing of her speeds and return again near the post, she pressed a green button and wait for it to work.
-Look around! I want that ya´ll take out as many enemies as possible, if ya miss you can count yourself sunk! - She said staring at the empty lake, all girls did the same as if waiting for something to happen but nothing appear.
-This is insane…- Hatsuharu was not expecting much from the crazy girl, so when nothing happened she almost laugh.
-Where's the fool that dares challenge me? – Kiso said out loud waiting for an answer but Hatsuharu remained silent, perhaps behind her fan she had a smile but Kiso couldn't see it.
-That´s what I thought… we´ll start now! - Kiso pressed the buttons again and kick the pole out of anger.
At that moment a weird sound came from the inside the lake, strangely enough followed by lots of bubbles that came from deep underwater… Then at least twenty targets appear splashing and moving pretty fast. They actually look like black animated mannequins, they all look quite scary, as they got no face and a chain was attached to both sides of their bodies, only they got a red sphere in the middle of their body, meaning they will only stop moving if they are hit there.
The girls were armed with training rounds so they will not destroy their targets, at they appear to be quite costly and old and some have pretty big scars, perhaps of being used repeatedly years before. It's quite a miracle they still move so fast, however the admiral didn't know such things existed before as training targets, so how exactly they work is a mystery.
-Gu… A-are we really fighting those things? - Murakumo gulp and a chill run down her spine, she didn't like the look of those things but didn't want to show that she was scared.
-They are really creepy dolls Poi! - Yuudachi step back at the sight of those weird looking dummies, as some remained immobile and some move erratically.
-Those are only moving targets! Remember the enemy wont stare at us idly, so we need to focus on defeating them fast or else we will be surrounded- Kiso tried to show them how to defeat as many enemies as they can take, because it was not a surprise to actually fight dozens or even hundreds of abyssal on a mission.
-Isn't this is a little hard for our first training? - Shigure didn't like the idea of fighting those mannequins, more likely because she remembered what her sister Harusame said once about the lake.
-Hell no, I wanna know if ya can take the pressure of real battles! - Kiso was excited, her blood boil as she tastes the air feeling danger.
-Start! - Kiso made the first shot and bring down a moving dummy, it was when the first started to sink, that all the remaining started to move and dash above the water, all in different directions.
-Those things are pretty fast! - Murasame can't follow the movements of more than two at the same time, and the problem was that they were surrounded.
-Yes Poi! How can they do all that- Yuudachi was amazed at the speed these dummies achieved, also the random directions they move made them really hard to track.
-Those things are scary! - Murakumo said out loud and shoot some rounds that hit nothing.
-Fine I´ll be the first to shoot one down! - Shiratsuyu step ahead and star moving tracking one, she aim and shoot at the abdomen of one, the red mark shine a little when it was hit and the dummy sink immediately.
-Yeah that's the spirit! - Kiso was trying to remained alert at all times, but these mannequins are like nothing she ever faced before.
-Good Job keep going! - The admiral was alarmed at first, the number of targets were more than he expected. But it was then when the training game turned into a survival one… All dummies stop their movements at the same time and instead of moving randomly they all launched in the girl's direction, and as they were surrounded it meant all around them.
-These things want to catch us! - Murakumo shout out of fear and tried to escape them, shooting desperately.
-Then sink them before they get ya! - Kiso was near her and covered her a few times, but she was forced to escape too, and suddenly all did the same, everyone lose formation and tried their best to avoid being captured by those fast moving horrors.
-Argh! - Murakumo was hit by one that she didn't saw, it hit her back and ripped a piece of her dress. Even if the dummies didn't got hands, it appears they got a vicious programming… as they move around the chains at both sides of their bodies trying to wrap any girl they can.
-Be Sunk! - The silver haired girl reacts fast and sink two mannequins as they try to flank her.
-Stop this or else we´ll be damaged! - Shigure couldn't stand it anymore. The words "Whatever you do sis, don't go near the lake, the black dummies are dangerous and sometimes they leave the lake on their own… especially at night…" repeat in her head over and over again as if she could have prevented this.
-A bit of pain is nothing! – Kiso was hit too by a pair of dummies that almost got her leg, but she still evades their attacks and sink them instead.
-Use your torpedoes and destroy them all! – Shigure wanted to finish them off as fast as she can in order to end this nightmare. She readied her torpedoes and as it was live ammunition, this would definitely stop these dummies in a second.
-Yeah! - Shiratsuyu followed up her sister and readied her torpedoes and both of them shoot at the same time. The admiral watched this but couldn't stop them, instead he wanted to finish this dangerous training session.
-No way I missed again! - Shiratsuyu failed to hit their target, but Shigure take out four with the explosion.
-We told you to focus first- Hatsuharu was quite calm, even in this situation she tried to fight the faster ones first and leave the slow one to deal with the torpedoes.
-There are still a few left- Shigure tried to shoot the last remaining, but they all now move in random patterns again, yet still tried to hit them with those chains.
-I'm almost out of rounds- Murakumo said after using her torpedoes, they were smaller types but pretty effective at close range.
-Ya kidding me that means ya are dead! - Kiso laugh as she knew that every round counts, then again she was almost empty too.
-I'll show some a little of Murasame's goodness! – The blond girl tried her best and shoot down her torpedoes after making some distance from the dummies, the hit was great and she destroyed the remaining three in a single blast.
-That was the last one right? - Murakumo sigh again looking around quite nervous looking for a hidden one.
-It seems so- Shigure said a bit calm now. The last mannequin sinks deep into the lake from where they appear and soon the water was at ease.
-That was a bit too intense…- The admiral couldn't do much but watch all the battle, it was quite insane as those targets appear to be more like enemies than actual training dummies, and something was a bit off about them... He could swear one of them watched in his direction and at one point he thought he could be a target too, even at one point he saw the head of one appearing near his position, but it quickly disappeared.
-Perhaps they should not try this training too often- He said for himself as all girls returned to the lakeside. From his perspective only Murasame, Kiso and Hatsuharu did not hesitate in this battle, showing how they seem to have more experience that the others.
-Commander! - Murakumo move pretty fast and jump out of the water, hugging the man, pressing her head in his chest, she was crying and didn't want to show it to the other girls...
-Thought I was a goner Poi! – Yuudachi barely escape the enemies, a few times she was covered by her sisters.
-That's one incompetent commander you got there! – Kiso laugh at him, right because she knew he was a rookie.
-Don't say that! He's really doing a great job- Shiratsuyu defend her commander immediately and stand in front of the man.
-Don´t be disrespectful- Shigure didn't like that comment and stand in front of him too.
-Ya can´t fool me… you are just new to all this and this is the result! These fleet is weak just like ya, especially that scaredy-cat Murakumo- Kiso said in a mocking way, she felt how untrained all these fleet was and how her commander have not even properly equipped them.
-Why you…- Hatsuharu couldn't stand her attitude and was about to start a fight when the man talked.
-She is right… but I will find a way to improve and make you stronger- He said feeling quite down at this results, not because he was a rookie, but because this training session returned him to reality.
-Admiral…- Murakumo was quite red, ashamed of her own actions, but didn't wanted to separate from him, at that moment he was her support and the only one she could cry like this. She was really scared, those things hit her bad and for a moment she couldn't imagine the idea of leaving this fleet and her commander.
-That´s what I wanted ta hear! - Kiso laugh again and all that tough attitude shattered in a moment when she coughs a few times, she took some damage and put this fleet in danger because she pressed the maximum difficulty on the training device. She also called the admiral a weakling and yet she was not punished for that… The only thing she could think at that time was "he is a good commander" after that she fainted because of her fatigue.
-All of you to the docks, you all need to regain your health! - Those words where the last Kiso could hear before losing consciousness.
At one point she woke up for a second and she was tired, felt her cold body pressed against something warm. She was enveloped with a strange aroma and someone strong was carrying her around. She could vaguely hear some words and saw the face of the commander so close she couldn't understand it.
Was she dreaming?
Later that day all girls went into the docks, where they all remained for a few hours inside the warm water that healed their wounds. That miraculous water helped Kiso recovered and when she opened her eyes, she was inside the large pool with all the rest of the fleet.
-What happened? - Kiso recovered her consciousness right inside the hot water, she was naked as every other girl.
-You almost kill us all yourself included- Hatsuharu answered fast, she was still mad at her but watching her so deeply hurt she couldn't help but feeling bad.
-Ha… really? Guess it was a good day- Kiso tried to pull up her head and her muscles felt stiff and hard, maybe she was hit harder than she imagined at first.
-No more of these days please- Murasame was quite angry at her too, even if she likes to battle. Doing something that dangerous against unknown things was a bit too much for one day.
-Yes, refrain yourself of this kind of training again- Shigure said politely, she didn't like the idea of returning ever again to that lake, at least not the water.
-Yes Poi! Never do that again- Yuudachi wasn't amused with being near the new girl, but she knew that somehow they all need to be a fleet, even if that means bearing with someone as reckless as her.
-I will not do it again I swear- Kiso learned her lesson that day, even if she was strong enough for this, trying too hard may end up killing you… so far only the threat of the devil cat remained.
The rest of the day remained quiet, with no more surprises or weird things, all the fleet went to Mamiya and recovered their strengths, while the admiral was scolded by Akashi and Ooyodo for using unknown and unused devices then destroying them and hurting the fleet in the process, all for his hasty decision.