September 1st, 1945
× I have arrived at an island that seems to house a military instalation of some kind. There is a massive array of docks, dorms, warehouses, and several buildings I have yet to identify. First priority is finding food. ×
Isaac placed his Journal into his pack and stood up. After a quick look around, he continued up a worn concrete path. At the top of the path, he came upon a courtyard with what used to be a fountain. He saw dorms lined up on one side with a path leading to each building.
"Night is coming. I should probably check these dorms and see what i have to work with." Isaac told himself as he pushed open the door to the first Dormhouse. Upon opening the door, Isaac was shocked at how clean everything was.
"It's like somebody has just cleaned this place." Isaac spoke to the empty room before setting his bag next to the nearest cot and laying down for the night.
September 2nd, 1945
× The night here felt surprisingly comfortable. Maybe its the shore batteries on the beach but I felt safe. Going to explore a little bit more today, maybe crack open a warehouse to see if anything there can be used for food or communication. ×
Isaac yawned as he placed his Journal on the bed. He slowly rolled out of bed and stretched. His eyes drew to a soft blue glow under one of the beds.
"How didnt I notice this before?" Isaac asked as he knelt down to examine. He picked up a small blue cube, its size was comparable to a ping pong ball. The cube flowed and hummed with energy. Isaac felt compelled to follow the directions he was seeing. Isaac stood and walked out of the dorm. The cube began to shine brighter as he walked towards the warehouses.
"Hmm. It's reacting as I get closer to this building here." Isaac said as he looked at a pristine warehouse that stood in front of a dry dock. Isaac pushed open the door and saw a machine. A simple disk on the floor connected to wires and computers. Isaac took a leap and placed the cube on the disk. The computers lit up and began a countdown on screen.
"Half an hour? I guess i can wait. Not like there's anything exciting to do." Isaac said as he sat next to the entrance of the building.
Isaac shook awake at the sound of beeping coming from the computer. The words 'finish now' flashing on screen. Isaac went up to it and tapped a button on the computer. Isaac turned his head to see the center of the disk rise up revealing a chamber beneath it. He peered into the chamber and saw a girl floating inside. Isaac was shocked. He was face to face with a girl who was just floating in a tube who mere minutes before, did not exist.
"Woah. What the hell?" Isaac whispered as the girl's eyes opened and looked at him. Seconds later, the chamber opened and the girl almost fell out. Isaac lent her his shoulder for support.
"This is so weird." Isaac thought to himself.
"Hey... lady, are you okay?" Isaac asked as he took off his jacket to cover her.
"This lady has a name, nyaa." The girl replied.
"Thats Sakura language! Wait... I know that, but how do i understand it?" Isaac thought for a moment.
"Shikikan? Are you alright, nya?" The girl asked.
"I shouldnt even know what youre saying, I never learned Sakura language. So how can I understand you!?" Isaac freaked out as he sat against the wall. The girl came over and softly hit him on the head, a gentle "nyaa" accompanied each strike. Isaac began to laugh as he found humor in the girls antics.
"Sorry. I guess on the totem pole of things, understanding you is the least of my concerns. I'm just glad to see someone other than sirens." Isaac spoke.
"Sirens, nyaa? Akashi's cube tells akashi that she is here to fight sirens, but she is a support ship. Akashi is not a combat vessel, nyaa." The green haired girl spoke as her green furred cat ears twitched with life like realism. Isaac resisted the urge to touch.
"So, you're the embodiment of the Akashi, huh? A little green cat?" Isaac asked.
Akashi nodded as she stood still for a moment. Isaac's jacket glowed and changed into i hooded dress with long sleeves ending in cat paws.
"Well, at least you arent naked anymore. Do you know where you are? Because I sure dont." Isaac spoke.
"Yes, nyaa. We are at the old Azur Lane facility in the south pacific, nyaa." Akashi said, her cat-like suffix was pleasing for Isaac's ears.
"Azur Lane. Azur Lane. I swear I've heard of it before... thats right! The Navy was putting it on Recruiting posters. Sailors would come here to assist the members of Azur lane in their fight against the sirens... before the second world war." Isaac said.
"Were you a sailor, Shikikan, nyaa?" Akashi asked.
"No. I never enlisted. Wouldnt have made a difference either way. Union ended up with a decisive victory over Sakura in the Pacific. But not even 24 hours later, the sirens attacked and enslaved humanity in its entirety." Isaac said.
"So, sirens have won, nyaa?" Akashi asked as she hung her head.
"Yeah. I barely got out alive. My parents... they fended off the sirens with rifles as I escaped. I watched from the shadows at they were publicly humiliated and then executed as a warning to others." Isaac told his story.
"Akashi is sorry, nyaa. But. Akashi remembers this base. Remembers where everything is, nyaa. Akashi can show Shikikan where more cubes are." Akashi said excitedly as she grabbed Isaac's hand and pulled. Isaac stood on his own power since Akashi didnt have the strength to move him.
"What are those cubes, Akashi?" Isaac asked.
"Wisdom cubes, dummy Shikikan. They hold data needed to create Kansen, like Akashi, nya." Akashi said.
"Ah. So more cubes means more ships?" Isaac asked as he pointed to a medium sized ship anchored in one of the wet berths. Even without crew, the ship released itself from drydock and moved to an open port.
"Im confused... but that is of no importance. You're saying we can get cubes here?" Isaac asked.
"Yes and no, dummy Shikikan. Only girls who were here when the Sirens took control, nyaa. Thankfully there were some capable fighters, nyaa." Akashi spoke as she began collecting cubes from various places inside the dorms.
"7 cubes, nyaa. Two destroyers, a cruiser, a battleship, and a carrier, nyaa. You're very lucky, Shikikan." Akashi spoke as she pointed to each one respectively.
"You said 7 cubes but only 5 ships, why?" Isaac asked, cursing that he didnt bring his journal.
"Nyaa, Akashi has to tell you everything. Okay. Destroyers and light cruisers take one cube. Smaller ship means less data. Heavy cruisers, battleships, and Carriers take 2 cubes. Bigger ships means more data, nyaa. Understand?" Akashi asked.
"It makes sense." Isaac spoke as she put the cubes in a pouch.
"So if you were here when that weapon went off, how come you cant tell me the names of who these are?" Isaac asked, referring to the cubes.
"Akashi only remembers the fleet left by the last Shikikan. Not the names but the formation. Strong defense fleet, nyaa." Akashi said proudly.
"I see. Well for now we need to eat. You wouldnt happen to know where the rations or any food would be, right?" Isaac asked as his stomach rumbled.
"Nyaa. Come. Come. There is food in the pantry. Canned food and other stuff like pasta." Akashi said as she dragged Isaac with her.
"Yeah i guess unless we manage to free some of the countries around this place, thats what we'll have to eat." Issac said as he sighed.
"Something wrong, Shikikan?" Akashi asked.
"I have to fight. I just have to. I want revenge for what those sirens did. I just know that I'm only one man. I never controlled ships or commanded a fleet. I was a mechanic, studying engineering. Not a commander." Isaac spoke.
"Thats good! Then you know how to fight dirty, nyaa. Sirens fight dirty too. Akashi believes in order to win, we need to build a force capable of beating them at their own game, nyaa." The green can spoke in a tone Isaac hadnt heard prior.
"Well we con focus on that later. The sirens seemed uninterested while i floated out in the ocean. So i think we have time to figure something out and build our force a little bit." Isaac said as he sat at the table. Akashi ran into the kitchen and got two Union Rations.
"Akashi doesnt want to make rice right now." She said as they dug in to their breakfast.