Azur Lane: Strange,Real Waters Chapter 41: (FILLER) Vulture's Wild Ride, an Ace Combat + Azur Lane/碧蓝航线 Crossover fanfic

"Hmph! Took them long enough."

Following their queen's gaze, Warspite and Javelin spotted them coming down the road, a dark block emerging from over the ridge like ships on the horizon. The day was sunny as always with the heat baking the asphalt; but the approaching car was not a mirage. Sleek and curvy yet fundamentally recognized as a motorized carriage, their ride was unmistakable real.

Stepping forward, Queen Elizabeth made sure she was the transport's first stop. The car slowed to a stop in front of them with only a faint whine far unlike any engine they've heard. The door promptly opened, swinging up with an elegant whoosh, and from it Buzzard stepped out, followed by Enterprise.

"Greetings," began the Federation ship. "We are pleased to see you."

Queen Elizabeth puffed out her chest with a pompous smirk. "As you should be. We have been eagerly anticipating your arrival."

"As have we," Buzzard remarked courteously. Before she could continue, she noticed Javelin having broken rank, ogling at the vehicle up-close.

"Never seen any lorry like this before!" the destroyer noted with fascination in her voice.

Buzzard couldn't contain a sly smile. "Heh. Boasting the highest quality material to ensure a very economical and sturdy ride while crammed with a vast arsenal of luxuries and conveniences as possible. Even has a refined hybrid engine that combines performance with practicality and efficiency. No expense was spared. Our top-class passenger cars are well worth their weight in the expense needed to own one. They're a rare sight even around here."

"So who is the driver?" Warspite asked, her interest piqued. She and Javelin attempted to peer inside but the opaque tinted windows made it hard for them to scrutinize the details.

This time, it was Enterprise who delivered the answer. "No one. It's entirely self-driven. Pretty advanced considering it got us this far without any incident. I've been assured it is capable of more, but we'll be here all day."

The two Royal Navy ships were in awe. And so was Queen Elizabeth who, despite having lost the luster of attention to the technological wagon, couldn't help but be impressed with it. And more so what it meant, to be provided such privilege for today's special occasion.

"We're… quite flattered."

Beaming with pride behind her glasses, Buzzard shifted gears. "With Eagle Union's representative already present as is the Royal Navy, shall we begin?"

"N-not quite," Warspite said apologetically. "There is quite a matter to attend to first before we can depart…"

Intrigued by the claim, Buzzard looked behind the battleship, whereupon her heart sunk. Piled behind the Royal Navy ships were a vast armada of luggage and crates, all fancy, ornate, and adorned with the royal emblem that all bespoke of the contents' immense value. And to cap it all off, they had been accompanied by Belfast who greeted Buzzard from afar with a curtsy.

As Buzzard gaped in stupefaction, Queen Elizabeth stepped in to explain. "'Tis but a necessity for such visits. Every queen worth their salt arrives with a consort reflecting their value. They contain naught but homely amenities and comestibles; the crown carries a piece of their sovereignty wherever they go."

Enterprise glanced toward the carrier with apologetic eyes. "I suppose I should have brought this up when we first planned this. She does this often."

With a sigh, Buzzard turned back to their transport. "I had not anticipated this… our car wouldn't be able to hold all of us, let alone all the luggage."

"That is quite the predicament…" Warspite worried. "Is there another transport we can call upon?"

Buzzard whipped out her phone, initiating speed-dial. "Buzzard here. We have a situation."

On the other end, Andromeda's voice was heard. "Right… I figured something like this would happen."

"Headquarters decided not to notify me of this?" the Federation carrier asked.

"We had the intel but we weren't able to amend the plan on time," the intelligence vessel admitted. "Stand by, a solution has been routed to you. It'll arrive very shortly…"

Buzzard's eyes narrowed, catching Andromeda's tone. "What's wrong?"

"... You won't like it."

Buzzard's gaze turned suspicious and concerned, but before she had the courage to ascertain what the worry was about, Enterprise's call grabbed everyone's attention. "Look! Here comes another car."

Everyone came forward, their eyes glued to the same horizon, witnessing another approaching car. It came swiftly over the ridge, down the road as if in hurry to aid them. Coming close, it screeched to a halt, the door opening to reveal…

"Kept ya'll waiting, huh?" Vulture joked.

Behind everyone's backs, Buzzard could only bury her face in the palm of her hand.

Oblivious to this, Enterprise and Belfast walked up to Vulture's vehicle, taking in its shape and peering inside. "Not too shabby. Plenty of seats inside."

"But not as spacious as the other," observed Belfast with some concern. "I doubt we will be able to fit all our belongings inside."

"Then it's obvious!" the Royal Navy monarch declared. "We will simply use the first to deliver our goods while the rest of us ride in the second, courtesy of Vulture!"

She twirled to her aides. "Well, what are we dilly-dallying for? Let's get to it!"

Like an orchestra, the Royal ships immediately went to work, loading their mound of boxes inside the lavish automated car. The interior rapidly filled up as leather seats and groomed carpet found themselves home to inanimate cargo now stacked from floor to ceiling. When the mound disappeared with the last of the cargo trickling in, Queen Elizabeth's face shone brightly.

"Exemplary! And with enough room for me to reside!"

"Um, what of your escort?" asked Warspite. "Who else should ride with you?"

Queen Elizabeth gave thought to the question for only a short second. "For today, I shall be content in the Silver Star Federation's company. There is something I would like to discuss with her."

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Buzzard began. But her mumbling fell on deaf ears as the Queen dragged her in.

Now left to themselves, the remaining ships all looked at each other. Vulture twirled the keys in her hand. "Well, what're we waiting for?"

Happily, Javelin dove inside followed shortly by Belfast and Warspite. But following up from the rear, Enterprise glanced back towards the first car with a bothered look. Beside her, Vulture noticed.

"What's up?"

Enterprise watched as the first car slowly trundled away, gliding down the road with mechanical precision and methodology as she recalled. As it drove away, her gaze was fixed to the windows as if trying to pierce through the darkened glass that denied her the view inside. Soon the first car drove away - like it, Enterprise decided so should her worries.

Turning away, she stepped inside, finding a suitable seat within. With four passengers bundled within, the second car was just the right size. Stepping back into the driver's seat, Vulture readied the ignition.

But in the back of her mind, Enterprise wondered why Buzzard felt the way she did.

Back inside the first car, Queen Elizabeth could not be any more happy. Even with crammed beside her regal treasury they did not subtract from the breath-taking experience she had being inside. Rested cozily on the leather whose texture she could sense were of high-class material and tailoring, the Royal battleship ogled at her surroundings. Spotless rug, sparkling overhead lights, sheening aluminum furniture cleverly disguised as polished red oak, and most prominently the abundance of bright eye-catching displays scattered throughout the interior. Everywhere she looked, especially at the front where the driver would be, there were screens that told her everything: their speed, their heading, their location, the date, the day, the weather, the inclement, the temperature both inside and out, the header of today's news…

"Truly, the automobile worthy of royalty! I must make arrangements to acquire one for myself!"

But her wonder stumbled when she noticed Buzzard. Seated opposite to her, she sat sternly, her arms and legs closing her off from the marvels that surrounded her. The carrier was busy staring off, away from their destination and from her esteemed guest.

"Is something the matter?"

Finally Buzzard spoke. "... Everything," she said curtly, almost bitterly. "Today could not deviate any further from the plan."

"Your vexations are understandable," Queen Elizabeth hummed. "Nothing slights us more than misfortune, particular those of inconvenience in the most mundane of plans. Even as simple as rain can ruin an anticipated tea party. Alas, we cannot be in control of every detail and we must adapt and overcome."

"Not this," the carrier replied. "Not with Vulture."

"Vulture? What misfactor does she bring in this arrangement?"

"It's…" Buzzard sighed. "It's the fact that she's behind a wheel."

Queen Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Surely she has the prerequisites to be entrusted with such task. After all, how could she not?"

The carrier shook her head. "You don't understand. Vulture, she's… different."

The battleship remained stumped. "Different how?"

Just then, a dark object whizzed past them, nearly brushing their vehicle as it raced fast like a bullet. With an object as large as it was, the speed at which it roared past them made for a frighteningly ferocious act. So fearsome was its sudden passage that Queen Elizabeth felt it in her bones. Like a full barrage but more intense, more worse. Not even battleship rounds went supersonic.

She fell off her seat. All dignity had vanished as Queen Elizabeth spun around deeply disturbed. "W-w-what the devil was THAT?!"

Buzzard refrained from answering, her hands covering her face in shame. Her shoulders shook almost as if in laughter but only the sounds of muffled sobbing came out.

Enterprise, Yorktown-class aircraft carrier CV-6 of Eagle Union, Azur Lane alliance, was no stranger to fear. She had faced it all throughout her life in the service of her nation. Threat of injury, life-or-death situations, the intimidation of improbable circumstances, the hopelessness of presumed lost battles, the impossible powers of the Sirens that would give a lesser woman nightmares that would question their reality and place in the universe, even the time she accidentally drank lemonade. She had seen it all, done it all, and knew how to deal with it. She knew fear but knew enough to combat it.

This time though, Enterprise was confronted by a foe that she knew no answer to. No tactic or experience had prepared her for the nightmare she had the misfortune to have the front-row seat of.

As she and all others hung on for dear life, Vulture remained gripping the steering wheel, laughing. The car's engine roared loudly, barreling down the road faster than any four wheels should ever in their life. Yet the sound continued to rise in volume, their limit unheard of as the tomboy floored it.

"S-SLOW DOWN!"
"You're going to get us all killed!"

"Relax guys, I know what I'm doing," Vulture insisted. "I'm a pretty good driver, trust me!"

Enterprise looked at her with baffled eyes as wide as dinner plates. "G-GOOD?! YOU CALL THIS GOOD?!"

Vulture smirked. "Don't believe me? Here, watch!"

Pedal already to the metal, Vulture's car continued to accelerate ever higher, the speedometer itself even losing count. All passengers hung on but dread filled their hearts when they realized this was just the beginning.

"Here, look! Wheelie!"