Papa: Indeed they are! And hopefully, this chapter does them some small amount of justice! Or, y'know, make things worse for everyone.
xxx xxx xxx
Chapter 9
- Outside of the battlefield where Liam's shipgirls and Tester's forces were fighting -
[Nautilus, Surcouf, Archerfish. Liam here; status report please.]
"Oh, Commander~! Hey, hey~!✩ Everything's good over here~!" answered the tanned, scantily dressed Archerfish.
"Um, Nautilus here Commander. Metis was right. The enemy only had a few Lurkers and Assassin submarine units around. I, um, I don't know if they were any more but we've succeeded in taking care of the ones we did find and finished lacing the battlefield's perimeter with 'charged proximity mines'."
[...Wow, you girls really did some great work out there! And nobody got hurt or spotted?]
"Mais bien sur, my dear Commander. After all, you did promise to 'treat us to any one wish we want' if did our job well, non? And not only did we succeed, but did so without getting so much as a single scratch too!"
[...Wait. Did I, did I really promise something like that? Er, anyway! Um, for now... I, I want Archerfish and Nautilus' fleets to go and aid the others by keeping the Sirens from properly coordinating with each other using hit and run tactics while Surcouf's fleet is to keep circling the perimeter and act as both an early detection and interception force in case any enemy reinforcements do show up. Don't worry Surcouf, you don't actually need to beat them; just slow them down after you alert us so we can deal with them from our end. Oh, and you can thank Metis for this plan too... anyway, good luck out there girls.]
"Alright girls~! First one to land a hit on the enemy is the first one allowed to get under the Commander's sheets when we get back~!" Archerfish cheekily declared with a wink and a smile before quickly leading her squad off at top speed. Yeah, she really, REALLY wanted to get in Liam's pants. Incidentally most, if not all, submarines were INCREDIBLY thirsty perverts with next to no shame willing to do damn near anything to get what they wanted. Luckily for him though, Liam had Belfast, the other Royal Maids, Akagi, Taihou... and, Eldridge('s high voltage zapping) to keep their poor, inexperienced in love (and idiot of a closet pervert) Commander from being 'devoured' by a horde of scantily clad, hormonal little devils.
"Oooohhhhh!" chorused the remaining very, very enthusiastic submarines as they broke off into their respective groups with only one single thought shared between them. '...These Siren bitches won't know what hit 'em!'
xxx xxx xxx
*Ssshhhiiinnnggg!*
Sparks flew and metal screeched as Tester and Prinz Eugen's blades met in yet another clash of rapid, high speed exchanges across the ocean's surface. However, their little waltz atop the roaring, turbulent waves was about to amp up as two new 'dance partners' were about to join the fray, their own blades in hand.
'...Hoh? Looks like her friends decided to join in. No doubt to try and force me to keep this a pure melee and prevent me from fighting at range. Not a bad plan actually. And probably the best move they could make, all things considered.' Tester thought, eyes flashing with excitement while a predatory smile formed at the thought of such a challenge. 'That's it! Show me what you can do little kansen! Ah, and do try not to disappoint me!'
- With Strasser and Saratoga -
"...And! Sister Sara makes her grand entrance~!✩ Eeeeiiii!"
With a mighty shout, and far more strength than one might expect from such a small and slender looking shipgirl, the petite pinkette swung her large and long hammer staff into Tester's exposed left side. And, while not quite breaking through her reactive shields, she still did more than enough damage to send the Siren Elite skidding back... right into Strasser, who simply smiled viciously as she went in to stab the now defenseless Tester with her ready and waiting rapier.
"...!" '...Not good!'
Moving completely on pure instinct at that point, Tester used her superhuman reflexes and speed to quickly twist her body at a ridiculous angle in order to intercept the incoming blade with her manta themed rigging before retaliating with by roughly forcing the raven haired Iron Blood shipgirl away with a solid kick to her stomach using her own tremendous Siren enhanced strength.
"...Scheiße! Kuh!"
"Oh wow! You okay Strasser?" asked the concerned pinkette as she moved in front of her still recovering fellow aircraft carrier.
"...Ja. I'm *cough, cough* I'm, f-fine, really... But goddamn that really hurt!" Strasser replied after wiping away a trickle of blood from her mouth and rubbing her stomach to make sure she hadn't suffered any serious damage. "Ugh. Well, at least one of us managed to land a good hit though. Tch! And I was really hoping to get a good shot in myself...!"
"Hehehe~! ... 'V'~!"
"...Bitch. Wipe that smug grin off your face!"
"Oh, don't be like that. You know being all angr... -Whoa there!"
And before Saratoga could finish teasing the ever super serious twintailed ravenette, a flash of ebony steel came within centimeters of her small and cute face only to barely be deflected thanks to Eugen's timely intervention.
"...Too close! ...Way too close! Er, thanks for the save, Eugen...!"
"Just join for me a nice cold beer sometime and we'll call it even, alright?" replied the silver haired Iron Blood beauty with a wink and her usual teasing smile before she turned around to once again face the already recovering, and now very much annoyed, Siren Elite.
Just then.
"Hmm? It looks like the little dears finally showed up."
"...Huh? What are you talking about?" Saratoga asked, cutely tilting her head ever so slightly to the side.
"Open up your comm line's combat channel," replied the silverette.
"...Oh, right!" Then, after following Eugen's suggestion, Saratoga heard them; the countless real-time combat reports suddenly coming in from all across the battlefield. "Wow, they really don't mess around, do they?"
Strasser just shrugged. "Well, they're pretty good at motivating themselves, if nothing else."
"...Huh?"
"She means that those little devils are only working so hard in order to get a reward out of our dear Kommandant," Eugen answered after successfully parrying a Tester who was now radiating a faintly visible haze of energy that, based on combat records of the 'First Siren War', was sometimes seen in Siren Elites and above.
"...Looks like she's finally gotten serious. Great. Just, great..," Strasser muttered as she and the others braced themselves for what would very likely be a very long fight ahead. 'I wonder if I should follow the submarines' example and work my butt off for a reward later too...?'
xxx xxx xxx
- With Nautilus' fleet -
...
*BBBOOOMMM*
"Nice! And that's one more Siren sent to the briny deep below, hehe!" I-26 cheerfully proclaimed with a wide smile as she took in the frutis of her handiwork. "Go me!"
"Um, 26? 'Briny deep', really...?" teasingly asked her buxom and blonde sister, I-25 while swimming up next to her tanned, sporty, and svelte little sister.
"What? I thought it sounded cool..! Jeez."
Instead of replying, the buxom blonde submarine just giggled at her antics.
"What?"
"...Dork."
"Hey!"
"Ufufu~"
"...Jeez."
"Um, guys? There are still Pawns and Explorers left y'know..," I-19 reminded, rolling her eyes and pointing over to the group of Sirens right above them.
"19? Wow, it's so weird seeing you act anything like anything other than a bubbly and thirsty airhead. Why so serious?"
"One, fuck you. And two, because we have a race to win and a Shikikan to give us headpats/spoil us rotten on the line, that's why! And I will have my headpats, dammit!" I-19 declared with a fire in her ruby red eyes.
...
"But, I want more than headpats though," I-26 admitted while imagining getting in some 'exercising' with her beloved Shikikan. 'Oh yeah, and we can't forget about those cool-off stretches too...Oooohhhh! The possibilities...~!' Yes, I-26 was absolutely drooling at the thought of getting all hot, sweaty and exhausted...
"Hehehe~ Now that's quite the lewd face you got there, imouto-chan~!" teased her blonde (with a tinge of pink) older sister as she moved to sink a few more unsuspecting Sirens with a swift barrage of torpedoes.
*BBBBOOOOOMMMM*
"...I am so glad we got rid of those enemy submarines earlier. It really makes this whole 'surprise hit and run' thing a whole lot easier for us," Nautilus said from the rear of their formation as she reviewed the latest battlefield reports Archerfish and Surcouf's fleets sent her way. 'Still, I'm not sure what to make of the Sirens' current actions though. I mean, I get that we got the jump on them but... it's like they don't even really care about winning or losing this battle... How very strange.'
*BBOOOOMMMM*
"...What the!? Hey, incoming enemy depth charge mines!" I-19 called out. "Enemy reinforcements too! Looks like we missed a few Assassins!"
And, just as the redhead said, a group of four to six mass produced Siren subs were headed straight for them at top combat speed.
"Damn mines!" I-26 thought aloud as she quickly moved out of range of the latest nearby exploding mine and the shock wave it produced, followed by a string of similar explosions going off shortly after. However...
"Hey, look!" I-25 replied, pointing at the exact spot her sister was and where the small enemy submarines were currently nearby.
"Wait, are you serious?"
"Oh wow...!" '...Talk about some seriously bad timing! Oof! I mean, good for us but still.'
I-25 and I-26 couldn't believe what they just saw... and it wasn't just them either.
"...Did they seriously just-" Nautilus started to ask.
"-Yeah, they did. They totally took out their own submarines just now." I-19 finished.
Thankfully with a little help from one little blonde devil calling over the comm lines, everyone was quickly able to recover and get back on task. After all...
[Hey! The hell are you girls waiting for? Or do you not want Commander to spoil you rotten when we come back all victorious and triumphant? I mean, I really don't mind having him all to myself but...~]
"..."
"..."
"..."
...
"...Oh no you don't you horny little bitch!" came I-19's blunt and brutal reply as the second thirstiest submarine of the bunch. "I will not be denied my headpats (read: headpats and sweet, sweet 'spoiling') dammit! CCHHAARRGGEE!"
Not wanting to get shown up again, Nautilus and her fleet not only took advantage of the chaos the Sirens were causing their own forces, but mercilessly and ruthlessly finished them off too before speeding off to find more prey to add to their kill count and finally, FINALLY shut that uppity blonde slut up once and for all.
- Back with Tester, still in the heat of battle -
[Tracker Unit 211 of combat group 4 to Operations Leader Tester: Assassin reserve force eliminated due to unknown targeting error while deploying category 3 depth charge mines. Remaining submarine support fleets depleted. Requesting orders.]
"...Tch!" 'Damned jamming1 I didn't properly account for how strong it'd be...! Well then, what to do now...'
While still lost in her thoughts and in the middle of a three on one fight with those three annoyingly stubborn kansen, Tester was less than thrilled to also have to devote so much of her processing power just to compensate for the enemy's surprisingly powerful jamming field blanketing the area. That said, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little bit impressed at how thorough these newcomers were. Still, she couldn't afford to waste much more time here regardless of how much valuable data they were giving her. She still had her own job to finish after all.
[Operations Leader Tester to remaining combat groups: Cease all probing and data collection operations and withdraw. While you are still not permitted the use of lethal force, you are also not to let the enemy follow after you. That being the case, I authorize the use of 'Maneuver 034' to better facilitate your retreat efforts. To that end, I shall also remain behind to keep them distracted and focused on me while you retreat.]
...
...
[Tracker Unit 211 of combat group 4 to Operations Leader Tester: Understood. Now beginning withdrawal.]
[Good.]
Communication ended ant her orders given, Tester mentally breathed a sigh of relief now that she had access to all of her processing power again... which she'd need if she was going to buy her forces the time they'd need to safely get away.
'...I don't know whether it's the ship itself or something onboard it, but whichever it is could become a real problem for us in the future. Still, if that ship accurately reflects what the others are even remotely capable of then I'll still take it as a win if it'll help us better prepare for our real targets. Still, if the reports on the enemy's jamming messing with our sensors rather than our communications network is true, then... But, that shouldn't be possible though, unless... Hmm. Just one more thing to investigate later I suppose.'
- With Archerfish's submarine fleet -
"...Hehehe...~!"
"Y'know Archerfish. It'll totally be your fault if Nautilus' group does end up showing us up, right?" I-58 remarked, shaking her head at her leader's antics.
"Oh whatever, don't be such a buzzkill I-58. Not like they're gonna beat our lead this late in the game! All I'm doing is giving them a little motivation and last minute push to try harder, that's all~!" Archerfish replied, not at all concerned.
"You say that, but did you check the latest score count? They're like, totally on the warpath now thanks to you," a now very annoyed U-37 added after finishing off a pair of helpless pawns that happened to be nearby. "Anyway, you're welcome. Now, we're still barely ahead thanks to yours truly so, if we still do somehow manage to win, then I get first dibs on the Kommandant!"
"...Ugh. Dammit! Me and my big mouth...!" Oh yes. There was much regret to be had when the tanned, cheeky blonde saw just how close Nautilus and her fleet really was to not just catching up to them, but overtaking her too.
"It was their boobs, wasn't it? You were just mad that I-25 and I-19 have bigger racks and couldn't resist trolling them them over it, could you?" U-37 pointed out and sighing when she saw the blonde flinch ever so slightly. "...I knew it. You really gotta stop jumping the gun like that. Dummkopf!"
However, truth or not, let it never be said that Archerfish wasn't a very stubborn and prideful shipgirl...
"...I, have no idea what you're talking about! A, As if I'd need to feel inadequate or insecure because of those big tittied cows! Hmph!"
"Take a cue from I-58 why don't you! Hydrodynamic bodies are the best! FLAT. IS. JUSTICE! Besides, it's not like our gentleman pervert of a Kommandant is gonna care whose tits are bigger than whose, right? That and we submarines have a lot more to offer than our tits, ja? Even compared to our big sisters, we were built for stamina and sensitivity!" U-37 declared with a triumphant, shit eating grin.
While everyone else seemed to actually feel a bit better hearing U-37's words... I-56, on the other hand, wasn't really paying any attention and was far too busy silently blushing at the chance to try out some of the scenes and ideas from the latest book she's been reading since waking up and coming online. "...Heh, hehehe...~!"
"See? I-56's got the right idea!"
"I get it, I get it! Point taken! Fine, you're right! Ugh!"
Archerfish, now once again fully reinvigorated, decided to put everything she had in staking her claim on her beloved commander and vent her frustrations all at the same time on the poor Sirens unlucky enough not to have been sunk yet by activating her 'All Out Assault' skill as she headed towards the closest group nearby who, luckily for her, happened to be in the middle of fighting off the rest of Saratoga, Eugen, and Strasser's fleets.
- Meanwhile, with Saratoga, Eugen and Strasser's fleets -
Fifteen or so minutes into their battle.
*ZZZZAAAAPPPP*
...
*BOOOM*
"...Huff, huff...! Ugh. So tired...!"
Now, despite what one may think of our favorite little blonde zapper and her tendency to just say and do what she wants, Eldridge was still very much one of the best and most reliable shipgirls you'd want in your fleet in a battle. Why is that you may wonder? Simple; her ability to discharge absurd, almost obscene amounts of high voltage bio-electricity that she can also control like extensions of her own body with as much ease as breathing was just too damn overpowered and useful 'not' to use. That said-
"...So, so many Sirens...!"
-even an undeniable powerhouse like Eldridge still had her limits. While dealing with the wave tactics Sirens like to employ was a main focus of their training simulations were still just simulations; reality would always be much more troublesome and unpredictable. Things were so rough right now that even the normally carefree and childlike Anchorage had to focus and fight much more seriously if she wanted to avoid getting sunk herself for being too careless.
"...Eldridge, okay?"
Eldridge nodded while giving her concerned friend a reassuring smile in return. "...Okay. Just, tired. Anchorage too, okay?"
Anchorage smiled. "Mm. Lots of bad Sirens though...!"
"...Too many...!"
Just then, a giant pillar of water suddenly and violently rose up into the air before just as quickly coming back down like falling rain drew their attention.
"What?"
"...Ooh! Pretty, rainbow!"
And, while the two eternally laid back and somewhat childlike duo were busy being enthralled by the sight, the more serious of their big sisters were breathing a collective sigh of relief since they knew the source behind the explosions.
"Well now. Submarines really don't waste any time, do they?" Jean Bart whistled as she watched another set of Pawns suddenly get sunk from their surprise attacks. "Still, they really do have a lot of nerve, don't they? It's almost impressive even."
"...Damned cheeky little succubi! Thinking they can get the chance to devour my dear Shikikan before I," Akagi then paused, threw a glance at Taihou, and quickly cleared her throat before continuing. "... 'We' get to! What nerve! No, this will not stand, not at all!"
"...Maybe, we should act more like the big sisters we are and thoroughly... discipline them, perhaps?" Taihou suggested in her usual sweet but somehow still undeniably menacing voice, her crimson eyes softly glowing at the thought. "You know, to set down some ground rules and teach them the proper order of things?"
"...You Sakura Empire girls are freakin' scary as hell," Alabama noted while backing up just a bit from the pair of demonesses.
"Hey! Don't go thinking that those two maniacs accurately represent the Sakura Empire!" Kii protested before clearing her throat. "...That said, I do kind of get where they're coming from though. Just a little bit I mean..."
"..Uh huh. Totally not battle junkie psychos. Gotcha."
"I think, we should leave that sort of thing to Miss Belfast. Dealing with the submarines, that is.," Black Prince quietly suggested while working to finish off a pair of nearby damaged Trackers.
"...Yyaawwnn...~! ...Yeah. Let's just, leave it to Belfast..," were the little rabbit's two cents before magically producing yet another bottle of oxy-cola(?) from... somewhere.
"Like, seriously. Where the hell does she keep pulling those from?" Javelin wondered aloud for the umpteenth time while hastily blocking yet another volley of Siren cannon fire with her trusty spear. "Oh no you don't!"
"...Magic! Yes!"
"...Magic? Really, Ayaya?"
"Yes!"
"Hahaha! Why not? I mean, magic's a big reason why we shipgirls even exist in the first place, right?" New Jersey pointed out with a hearty laugh and bright smile even as she deftly evaded the now retreating Sirens' intense covering fire. "Honestly, I wish I could magically summon up some soda on command too, y'know?"
...
"How come none of you are worried about what those cheeky little brats said?" Akagi asked now that there was a lull in the fighting, annoyed that she now lost her only real outlet to vent her frustrations. "And are we really going to just let those Siren vermin run away like that?"
"On the matter of the Sirens, I think we should just let them go and take the chance to catch our breath while we can. As for our younger fleet sisters? Like Miss Black Prince suggested, please leave them to this humble maid," calmly said the ever reliable, silver haired super maid. "And you all needn't worry; I'll be sure to straighten them out."
"I bet!" Alabama replied with a chuckle.
However, instead of heeding the maid's advice, four of the nine remaining shipgirls began to head off towards where the others were still fighting Tester instead.
"...Akagi, Taihou, Kii, and Jean Bart too? Shouldn't you guys take this chance to rest?" New Jersey asked, completely baffled at her friends' decision.
Jean Bart, for her part, just shrugged. "You guys go and rest if you want. As for me? Well, as long as there are still Sirens to fight, then resting can wait for later."
"...Total battle junkies... Yes!"
"Oh, don't be like that Ayanami-chan~ Akagi-chan and I simply want to quickly wrap things up so that we might get back to our dear Shikikan-sama that much faster, that's all~ You know, before anyone else thinks of trying to 'cut in line', as they say." Everyone couldn't help but shudder hearing that.
"...Wow. Even when she sounds all sweet and friendly like that, Taihou's still scary as hell," Alabama remarked with a slight shudder running down her spine. "A, Anyway... Good luck and all that, I guess..?"
...
Luckily, Eldridge and Laffey were already used to it while Anchorage, bless her sweet heart, was just too innocent for her own good to notice. Well, not like it mattered since those three were now sound asleep and under Black Prince's watchful eye, fully taking advantage of the chance to take a break while Belfast, Alabama, and New Jersey reported back to Liam.
- Around the same time, with Nautilus and Archerfish's fleets -
"...Crap. I um... forgot about those two psycho big sisters...!" Archerfish muttered as she recalled the image of a demonic nine tailed fox and phoenix looming over them and wreathed in ominous crimson light. "...Ugh. Damned open channels! Fuck!" [Comm lines now switched over from 'Open' to 'Private'] "Anyway, there! Now we should be A-OK!"
I-19, and many of the other submarines for that matter, felt that Belfast was the much scarier big sister/threat to them.
"Akagi-neesama and Taihou-neesama are scary, sure... but it's Belfast-neesama that we should be worrying about!"
"What, the super maid? Really? Why?" Archerfish asked the shaking like a leaf I-19, genuinely curious and a little confused.
"It's too much to get into right now, but what I can tell you is that we better just focus on getting the most kills and securing our time with Shikikan so that we can get him to save us from Belfast-neesama before she, 'disciplines' us...!" replied the buxom redheaded submarine shaking like a leaf in the wind at the thought.
"...But, how?" asked the sporty, tanned I-26. "I mean, aren't they headed to where Eugen-neesama and the others are fighting?"
"Simple. We swim like our lives depended on it (which they really kinda do...), wait for the just the right moment to strike, and then, deliver the final blow to the Siren Elite ourselves!" Archerfish declared. "It's the only way!"
"...What? A, Are you serious!?" Nautilus asked in an uncharacteristically loud (for her, anyway) voice. "There's no way we can pull that off!"
"It's either that or get disciplined by three very scary big sisters. And I dunno about you, but I have NOT given up hope on getting Commander to spoil us lots dammit!"
"...Um, I a, agree with Archerfish-chan...!" timidly said the book(read: porn) loving I-56.
A re-energized and confident looking Archerfish smiled and nodded. "Right? And luckily for us, we're closer to Eugen and the rest too, so come on!" And with that, the tanned, flirty blonde darted off like a rocket.
"...sigh... Not like we have any other options..," U-37 said with a resigned smile before following after her squad leader.
Agreeing with U-37 and hoping against hope that they can get Liam to save them somehow, the others silently followed after their best and last hope to avoid the two demons and the super maid.
xxx xxx xxx
- Side:: Tester -
'Damn jamming field...! No wonder my troops took out their own reinforcements.'
The worst part about the jamming wasn't just that it made communication across the Siren network difficult, but rather that it seemed aimed to specifically disrupt their sensors so heavily that they were forced to rely on conventional direct visual or sonar detection methods to track their targets instead. To the Sirens, it really was the worst countermeasure to deploy against their kind.
'The fact that the aerial ship hasn't moved or attacked since getting closer after that one blocked cannon blast from earlier is quite telling though... Anyway, just another thing to keep in mind for later.'
Though she could barely detect anything outside of the immediate area around her, Tester was still more than confident that, so long as she kept her guard up and nothing unexpected happened, she would be fine. After all, she wasn't a Siren Elite, a 'Commander Unit', for nothing.
'Still, if I want to ensure that I have a chance to get away. First thing's first then.'
...
[Now engaging second stage combat limiter release: 50%, gradual increase - set and engaged]
- Side: Strasser, and Saratoga -
"Saratoga, look out!" Strasser yelled out as she noticed Tester quickly moving from a defensive stance back into an offensive one, sword in hand and the cannons on her rigging charging up to fire off a close ranged burst aimed squarely at the petite pinkette's head. "Stop spacing out and move!"
"...Huh? Oh, crap, oh crap, oh crap!"
Moving with swiftness that only desperately trying not to get killed could grant her, Saratoga ducked and moved out of the way of not just an insanely fast horizontal slash, but several beam cannon shots fired in rapid succession right after and at near point blank range, barely managing to get away... only to land gracelessly on her cute behind and nearly drown right behind a sighing Strasser.
"...Serious-blurgh!"
*splash!*
"Easy does it! Here, grab on!"
"...Cough, cough! Th, Thanks. Anyway, I'm okay now," Saratoga said as she took Strasser's hand before looking over to the one again preoccupied Tester engaging a now slightly scuffed up Eugen. "...Hey. Is it me, or is that Siren even stronger now? Like, not overwhelmingly so, but just enough to notice."
Strasser shook her head. "No, it's not just you. She really has gotten stronger. And what's worse is that her power is steadily growing too, which means that we won't be able to keep up this pace for much longer..."
"...So this is what a Siren Elite is really capable of... Well damn. That little trick wasn't in any of our simulation battles either."
"Well, to be fair, even during the Second Siren War, there wasn't much record of them doing something like that either... probably because there wasn't a reason to. No shipgirls like us and all that," Strasser conjectured with a frown while checking the status of her shields and rapier. "A real oversight on our part, but in that sense, I'm actually grateful the Siren's been going easy on us for whatever reason then. Enough chit-chat though, we need to get back in there and help Eugen!"
"Right! Sister Sara is still good to go~!✩" replied the pumped up pinkette, eyes burning with fire and passion... and a deep desire to make up for nearly getting cut in half and drowning a moment ago.
- Side: Eugen -
'...Okay, this is getting a bit rough now...!' Eugen mentally groaned as she felt her arms go momentarily numb from blocking the Siren Elite's latest sword focused assault with Eugen gradually being pushed back further and further as the minutes ticked by... and roughly fifteen minutes have already passed so far, leading to her current, exhausted state. 'Damn cheating bitch!'
"What's the matter little shipgirl? Having some trouble?" Tester asked with mocking concern and the most smug little grin Eugen had ever seen (besides her own, that is). "If you're feeling tired, I don't mind having another round with your two friends while you catch your breath. I promise we'll have a lovely time too!"
"...Tch! Dammed arrogant Siren cunt!"
"Now, now. A proper lady mustn't resort to using such foul and uncalled for language just because she isn't getting her way. Whatever would all the strapping young gentlemen of the world think hearing such vulgarities coming from such a pretty young flower, hmm?"
"...Oh fuck you! As if my Kommandant cares about crap like that! And who are you to go around preaching to me about a 'lady's modesty' dressed like that, huh? ...Slunt!" Eugen hissed as she moved on the counterattack that much more fiercely, utterly infuriated that this scantily clad Siren slut had the nerve to lecture her about a proper lady's etiquette. Really, what nerve! 'That's right. Keep up your smug trash talk and lower your guard while thinking you're getting under my skin!' ...Or so it seemed, at least.
"Ooh! Touched a nerve, did I?" Tester mockingly teased, totally enjoying the sheer anger she finally managed to get out of the otherwise calm, cool and collected Iron Blood kansen in front of her. A testament to just how much of a toll this continuous, high speed battle was likely taking on her and her friends. '...Hmm. Either I gave them too much credit, or...-What!?'
"And here comes Sister Sara once again~!✩ Take... THAT!"
"...Don't forget about me! HAH!"
"...!"
It was only thanks to her finely ingrained, highly tuned combat instincts and quick reflexes as a Siren Elite that Tester was able to move back just in time to avoid getting both run through the chest by Saratoga and get her head taken off by Strasser's rapier, only having a few strands of her long, light blue hair getting cut off instead.
"My, and here I thought you two would need a bit longer to catch your breath. I suppose that's my fault for underestimating you, huh?"
"...Tch."
"Ah, dammit! Oi, Miss Eugen! You alright over there?"
"I'm alright. Sorry. I was hoping to keep her distracted a bit longer, but I didn't think she'd be able to move like that..."
"...Hoh? So you tried to pull off a coordinated surprise attack then huh? Well, color me impressed!"
"...Oh screw you!"
"No, I mean it. Anyway, enough's enough. I have places to be and a mission to complete. And, seeing as my dear troops have have successfully withdrawn, that just leaves you lot and that bothersome aerial combat carrier. Ah, but don't worry. I only need to cripple you though, so just stand still for me, pretty please? With a cherry on top?"
"Wow. You really are an annoying bitch...! Strasser spat out with a frown and rapier raised. "As if we'd just let you get anywhere near our Kommandant, you Siren whore!"
"...Right, right! I'd heard that you kansen were obsessively loyal to your commanders, but to see it for myself though, wow!" '...Well, not like we're really any different... Oh well.'
...
Just then-
"AHAHAHAHA~!"
"...Hmm? Wait, what!?"
"Ufufu~! Ojamashimasudesuwa~!✩"
"...O, Oji... Ojamashi... what now?"
"Focus! I'll tell you later! Taihou-chan's just being overly dramatic, that's all."
-Four newcomers in red and black came charging in and more than a little eager to draw some Siren blood(?).
"Taihou, Akagi, Kii... and Jean Bart too!? Wow, lucky us!"
"...Lucky!? Um, do you see the look in Akagi and Taihou's eyes!? And they're smiling! SMILING!" Saratoga all but shouted as she shakily pointed at the two demons in question, utterly and completely terrified at the sight of their beautiful figures now wreathed in an ominous, crimson aura and flames.
"Yeah, but they're on our side," Eugen said while reassuringly patting the pinkette's shoulder. "Besides, at least it's not us they're showing those smiles for, right?"
"...Oh, good point. But, but they're still hella scary...!"
"Haha! There, there."
"CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!*
Suddenly, the sound of blades clashing broke them out of their little chat, forcing Saratoga and the others to turn their attention back to the four on one battle going on just a few meters in front of them.
"Ah~! Nothing like a Siren Elite to help me work off some stress~!" Akagi cheerfully said as she continued to slash and thrust at Tester with her flame covered katana, her nine large and fluffy tails happily swishing about all the while. Meanwhile, Taihou was in perfect step right next to her, filling in the blanks of the vixen's onslaught with attacks from her own bladed, flame covered tessen. And, while all that was going on... Eugen decided to pick that moment to speak up while wearing her trademark smug little smirk.
"Might as well give them one more reason to go after that blue haired bitch then, ja?"
"Really? Are you serious, Eugen?"
"You bet your cute ass I am, Strasser dear!"
"...sigh..."
"Hey, Akagi, Taihou...~!"
"Hmm?"
"Eugen-chan?"
"Oh, I just thought you might want to know that, just before you four showed up, that the blue haired gutter slunt there said she was going to go after our dear Kommandant, that's all."
...
...
...
"...Nan, desutte...?" (x2)
And just like that, Akagi and Taihou's already ominous auras went from just plain scary to outright murderous as the pressure of their killing intents thickened to the point of feeling like it would literally choke the life out of everyone present.
"...Eugen. You dummkopf! Did you seriously need to egg those two battle maniacs on like that? And with that!?" Strasser half asked, half yelled at her fellow Iron Blood.
"What? All I did was tell them the truth. Besides, all of their rage is going to be directed at that Siren slunt."
"Okay, sure. But now we can't get anywhere near those two maniacs on the warpath!"
...
"...Oh, right. I uh, sorry about that..." 'Scheiße! I totally didn't think about that!'
"...Sorry she says."
"Oh wow! Even the ever cool Miss Eugen can slip up sometimes huh?" Saratoga couldn't help but giggle seeing that rare side of her otherwise unflappable fleet sister. But before she, or anyone else, could say or do anything else... something very unexpected happened right underneath where Tester, Akagi and Taihou were currently busy trying to kill each other.
*BBBBOOOOMMMM!*
"What the hell!?
"Wait, what!?"
"Where'd that come from!? Who did that!?"
"..Oh what NOW!?"
"...So help me, if this is another Siren attack...!"
- Under the water, right below Tester and the others -
"HAHAHAH! Take that! Total. SUCCESS!"
"...Um, Archerfish?"
"Yeah? What is it Nautilus?"
"...You got Akagi and Taihou too."
...
...
"...Ah, shit...!"
"Um, do you think Akagi-neesama and Taihou-neesama would let us go if we...-" I-26 began, only to be instantly be interrupted by her elder sister.
"-Don't even finish that thought imouto-chan. You know nothing we say or do is going to save us..."
"We are so screwed," was all U-37 could quietly groan out.
For their part, all I-56 and I-58 could do... was shudder in absolute fear in each other's arms.
"...You know what? Fuck it. If things have come this far and we're gonna get slaughtered later on either way, then... I say we go all in ladies! Torpedoes away!"
"...Sigh. At this point, there really isn't any other option left for us but to go all in. Thanks a lot by the way, Archerfish youoverzealous dumbass!"
"U-37?" I-56 couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What? It's true."
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't is it?" I-58 couldn't help but shake her head and sigh at the absolutely bottomless hole they'd dug for themselves. "Oh well. It is what it is and all that."
...
And, in a clear moment of what could only be described as utter insanity and stupidity on their part, everyone simply nodded in unison and let the bell toll one last time as they proceeded to unload everything they had left.
xxx xxx xxx
A/N:
And DONE!
The submarines have made their appearance and shook up the battle in their sisters' favor... only to ROYALLY screw themselves over just because they were horny and wanted to be spoiled rotten.
But! Like I said, they were the reason that Tester is really going to get away. Also, I mean, I couldn't really see any real way for submarines to deal with a Siren Elite other than by 'kill stealing'.
...Too bad an already pissed off Akagi and Taihou were right there.
Next up, the conclusion of the first engagement and its aftermath.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading and I'll see you next update.