"Did it work? Are they all right?" Sparviero asked the women around him with concern in his voice.
Ark Royal squinted her eyes to look in the distance where the shipboy had opened his portal, right where Enterprise and the others were, then turned toward him with a smile and a reassuring tone. "It worked. Your brother is safe, and the girls are also okay; you can rest assured."
"I'm so glad," the shipboy let out a long breath as relief washed over him, then he addressed the Iron Blood cruiser next to him. "Thank you, Miss Hipper. It's because of you that everything went well in the end."
"Huh? Why are you thanking me? It was all thanks to Nimi and the others; I merely made a suggestion," the heavy cruiser shrugged. "And Hipper will do just fine."
Hiding the destroyers inside his pocket dimension and then opening it right above the enemy's head was Hipper's idea. Sparviero had never even thought about having someone jump into it to make them cover a great distance in the blink of an eye, so this was the first time he tried it. The risks were many, but Carabiniere and the others had accepted to run them nonetheless, and seeing how it all turned out, he was grateful they did.
"It's not yet time to lower our guard. Empress has retreated, but there are still stragglers running around. We should regroup with the others and start mopping up," King George V declared with a serious tone.
A chorus of acknowledgements answered back at her, and the small group of Kansen started making their way toward their comrades, with Howe moving to flank the shipboy and grab his arm to help him navigate around the scrap-littered sea.
"Master, the situation is under control," Belfast's voice came through the comms. "There are no casualties on our side, but we've got plenty of wounded to attend to."
Ryan breathed a sigh of relief and slumped into his chair. "Good work, Belfast. Have the others set up a perimeter around the base. I'll have the manjuus arrange the cafeteria as a temporary field hospital; you can start taking the wounded there."
"Understood."
Ryan closed the channel and took off his headset, running his hand through his hair as he contemplated what to do next.
After running out of energy, the barrier around the base had disappeared. At the beginning of the siege, most of the damage had been contained by the shield, but a few of the enemy volleys still managed to connect with their target right before he was able to activate it.
Based on what Vestal had told him, the hospital was among the buildings that had received a considerable amount of damage, and for that reason, Ryan had decided to turn the spacious main hall of the cafeteria into a temporary shelter where the repair ship could take care of the wounded Kansen with the most severe injuries.
Outside of that, he didn't know the true extent of the damage the rest of the port had sustained, so he had already ordered Akashi and the bulins to run a thorough inspection of the entire base and compile a detailed report for him.
"Good work, Commander," Helena's gentle voice graced his ears from behind. Next to the blue-haired cruiser were Hood and Yorktown.
Right after raising the alarm, he had called the three of them to take refuge with him inside the command center. The two senior Kansen were staring intently at the red dots on the holographic grid, which were slowly disappearing one after the other as the shipgirls out there took care of the remaining enemy forces around the base.
"Thanks, although I did basically nothing this time," Ryan said, turning his chair toward the light cruiser and hanging his head.
Now that the battle was over and the imminent danger had passed, the feeling of inadequacy was starting to get to him again. By now, he had gotten used to standing by the sidelines, barking orders while his subordinates did the heavy lifting, and he had long since accepted the fact that he couldn't do much more than that. But hiding inside a bunker while the girls took hits to protect their home was a completely different story.
Hood looked up from the table and moved toward him, leaning over her cane and limping slightly, offering him a smile of her own. "While modesty does suit you well, Commander, we must give credit where it's due. Don't you think so too, Miss Yorktown?"
"Indeed. Your timely intervention helped contain the damage to the base, and it was by following your orders that we were able to subjugate the enemy without suffering any losses," Yorktown replied as she stroked Grim's feathers. Being cooped up in an enclosed space was making her pet eagle restless, and she was trying her best to keep him calm.
Deep down, the two shipgirls were feeling as frustrated as he was. Because of their condition, they hadn't been able to fight side by side with their comrades for a long time now, and even though they were aware that such things weren't an uncommon occurrence during war, it still didn't help with their sense of impotence.
Of course, it meant that they could empathize rather well with their commander's feelings, and they were always ready to cheer him up when the need arose, just like he always did with them.
Ryan was able to send a genuine smile back at the women in front of him, knowing that they meant every word they said. "Hood, Yorktown… What would I do without you?"
"Please, Commander, you'd be doing wonderfully even without us," Hood tittered.
He wasn't talking with levity. The two senior Kansen had been by his side since his first day, and it was also thanks to them that he was able to fit so well in the port. They had eased his inexperienced self into his new position with courtesy and zeal, offering him many words of advice that he still treasures to this day, both about his job and on how to deal with the more "troublesome" Kansen under his command.
Based on the way they acted around him, one could even mistake them for his guardians if he weren't officially their superior.
"I wouldn't be so sure," he declared as another figure descended the stairs to the command room.
"The coast is clear, Commander. There's no sign of danger outside, but I'd still keep my guard up. We've seen how cunning those Elites can be," South Dakota declared. After what had happened with Empress, the battleship had refused to leave their side until the emergency was over and had just returned from a quick inspection of the surroundings.
"Thanks for the heads-up, Dakota. Come on, let's go to the others. We've been cooped up in here long enough," Ryan said to the other women in the room.
He offered his arm to Hood, who accepted it graciously, and the group made their way outside the building toward the docks.
The first order of business was welcoming the Sakura delegation, whose timely intervention was able to tip the scales of the battle in their favor. After that, a long day of inspecting and filing damage reports awaited him, although he didn't know exactly how he'd be able to handle it now that his office had been reduced to rubble. But that was a problem for later; he had more important stuff to think about, like checking on the wounded.
He only hoped the girls weren't hurting too much from their injuries.
While Littorio and the other shipgirls stayed behind to take care of the remaining enemy units still loitering around, Hornet and Shoukaku, after receiving permission from Peter Strasser, moved toward where the vanguard had been fighting until now with the goal of checking on their sisters' wellness.
"Zuikaku!" Enterprise moved to the side as a very distressed Shoukaku tackled her sister with a hug that almost sent them down into the water.
"Woah, Shoukaku-nee, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Zuikaku exclaimed in surprise, trying to keep herself upright.
"What's wrong?! You were being held hostage by those Sirens and you are asking me what's wrong?!" Shoukaku was on the verge of tears.
"Look, Shoukaku-nee, I'm totally fine. It's true that they got me for a second, but I'm not injured or anything," Zuikaku tried her best to console her sister.
Enterprise looked at the two of them with a smile as Hornet came to a stop right next to her.
"Hey sis, I'd ask you if you're hurt, but you look as fresh as a daisy," the twin-tailed blonde winked at her sister.
"Thanks, Hornet, but I'm fine," Enterprise smiled back at her, and then a more serious expression took over her face. "The same cannot be said for the others."
They both turned their gaze toward their comrades.
Cleveland and her sisters were running around the place, helping their injured friends up while also lending a shoulder to those who had trouble sailing on their own. The Royal maids were doing the same, with Belfast directing them around, giving first aid to the wounded while they waited for Vestal to come and attend to them.
Alabama had received a heavy hit from Empress' rigging; she wasn't heavily injured, but her own rigging, with which she had tried to shield herself, was half-destroyed. Although she seemed unbothered by it; her main concern was her sister.
Massachusetts was kneeling on the water, holding Freedom's unconscious form in her arms with a distraught expression on her face. She had removed his black tank top and was using it as a makeshift gauze to stem the bleeding from the hole in his stomach, keeping him steady while Vestal attended to him as best as she could with the specialized surgical equipment her rigging came with.
"Don't worry, Massachusetts; he's out of danger," Vestal declared as she finished her job and stood up straight. "Take him to the manjuus in the cafeteria; I'll come check on him later. Now I must go look after the others too."
"Thank you, Vestal," Massachusetts tried to thank her, but the repair ship had already moved on to her next patient; apparently, St. Louis got hit pretty hard by the monster and was bleeding profusely from the side of her head…
Massachusetts shook her head, fighting back her concern for her friends. She knew that they were in good hands with Vestal, and she had to focus on bringing Freedom back to the base, where he'd be able to receive more treatment. She put his arm around her shoulders and lifted him up. Alabama moved to her side and did the same with his other arm.
"Sister, don't strain yourself; you are also hurt," Massachusetts said to her sister.
"Don't worry about me, Mamie; this is nothing. Freedom is in much worse shape than me; he takes priority," Alabama reassured her sister as the two dragged the shipboy back to the port.
Enterprise watched as the three limped away, relieved that their new friend was out of danger. Just standing there and watching while Vestal and the others ran around helping their injured comrades may have seemed a bit uncaring of her, but relief operations weren't her forte, and she felt more at ease by standing as close as possible to one of the objects of their woe, that is, Observer. She'd rather stay in close proximity in case the Siren tried something, but apparently, there was no need to worry.
She glanced back over her shoulder, where the five brave destroyers were 'taking care' of the Siren. Carabiniere was keeping her firearm aimed at her head, while Ayanami and Shimakaze were holding the unresponsive Siren steady, and Z23 ran her hands over her body, trying to ascertain her condition. Laffey was just trying her best to stay awake.
"I don't think there's anything we can do; she's too far gone," the Iron Blood destroyer declared. "I think we overdid it a little earlier," she mused to herself and to her friends.
After the end of the battle, the Siren could barely be considered alive. They were hoping to take her in for questioning, but the damage they had inflicted on her was too severe, and any attempt at reanimating her had been for naught.
"What gave it away? The fact that her guts are basically spilling out, or the missing chunk of her head?" Hornet chuckled.
The destroyers flinched at her words and looked down at their feet in shame. They had to admit that they had gotten a little carried away with their surprise attack, but who could blame them? They had every reason to be upset at the Siren for attacking them out of nowhere, interrupting their leisure day at the beach, and trying to kidnap their friend; no wonder they went a bit too hard on her once they had the chance.
"Don't stress over it. If we can't have her alive for questioning, we'll just settle for her Cube. I believe Freedom should be able to do something with it," Enterprise reassured the destroyers.
"That sounds quite interesting. Would you mind filling us in?" A haughty, familiar voice was heard, and they all turned toward its source.
The First Carrier Division was approaching the group of shipgirls, followed by the rest of the Sakura delegation, with Akagi at the head of it, sporting an amused grin on her face.
"It's been so long, Grey Ghost! How have you and your sisters been?" Akagi's conceited tone of voice reached Enterprise's ears, making her clench her jaw in annoyance.
"Akagi, Kaga, long time no see," she tried to keep her voice steady and her tone polite, but facing the reason for her sister's condition wasn't exactly making it easy.
Well, to be fair, Akagi wasn't directly responsible for what happened to Yorktown, but she did play a role in those circumstances.
It was during a joint operation between the Eagle Union and the Sakura Empire, right after the start of the peace negotiations. A small, combined fleet of shipgirls from both navies was supposed to escort a convoy on a long journey; the operation was carried out as a sign of goodwill between the two factions, and for that reason, Akagi and Yorktown had been appointed as the leaders of their respective groups.
The two carriers were supposed to work together, acting as a symbol for the newfound amity between the factions, and that's exactly what they did. Against all odds, the two hit it off rather well, even if their personalities were polar opposites. Thanks to her mature and gentle disposition, Yorktown was able to navigate through Akagi's abrasive and condescending demeanor, and after a shaky start, the Sakura carrier had come to at least tolerate the presence of the other woman.
Things seemed to be going well for a while; the fact that the trip had been uneventful for the most part helped a lot, until the fleet walked into a Siren ambush. All of a sudden, they found themselves surrounded and outnumbered, with a slow convoy of cargo ships to protect. After a few minutes of strenuous fighting, they realized that the only way they could get out of that situation was for someone to distract the Sirens, and when Yorktown volunteered to remain behind to buy time for everyone else to escape, Akagi took off to lead the convoy to safety, leaving the other carrier behind to cover their retreat without batting an eye.
From that point on, the versions of the story started to clash. Once she had ensured the convoy's safety, Akagi did in fact come back to help Yorktown, but whether it was out of genuine concern or because her pride wouldn't allow her to just flee the scene without fighting, no one could say. Someone even wondered if the Sakura shipgirl had intentionally taken her time to go help the other carrier simply out of spite; considering their history and knowing the character of the fox, the speculation was totally plausible.
The only thing that was certain, though, was that when Akagi had arrived, Yorktown was on the brink of death, and the fact that she was able to pull through was essentially a miracle. The injuries she had received were so severe and the trauma so deep that her ability to maneuver her craft and her rigging had been compromised, maybe even irreparably. From that moment on, she had been assigned to Vestal's care, and after the end of the negotiations, she was sent to Azur Lane with her sisters and the repair ship.
The two carriers hadn't even been able to have a proper talk after the event, mainly because the Eagle Union veteran had been in a coma for several weeks before she woke up, and the Sakura carrier had to go back to her homeland after the end of the mission. But now that the Sakura delegation had arrived, their reunion was imminent, and Enterprise wasn't sure she liked the idea.
"Such a cold welcome, Grey Ghost. Are you still blaming me for what happened to your sister?" Akagi sneered. Enterprise narrowed her eyes at her, and Hornet was about to tell her off, but Shoukaku interjected before the other carrier could give her a piece of her mind.
"What are you doing here, Akagi-senpai? I figured Amagi-san was keeping you on a tight leash after all the trouble you caused back home," Shoukaku addressed her senior with a tight smile on her face.
"Ara, Shoukaku, I see you haven't lost your impudent attitude. Has your skill gotten as sharp as your tongue, or are you as worthless as you've always been?" Akagi's eyes glowed with a menacing red hue for an instant as she mocked her junior.
Shoukaku's eyebrow twitched. "Your concern is appreciated, Akagi-senpai, but I've met plenty of outstanding individuals that helped me hone my ability, and I've achieved far better results than I could have ever hoped to accomplish under your wing."
Akagi reacted just as Shoukaku expected. Her nostrils flared, and her ears twitched in disdain at her insinuation.
The two carriers stared each other down, as if they were ready to jump each other's bones, all under the concerned looks of the other shipgirls around them. The heated reunion between the two long-separated comrades clashed with the more laid-back exchange that was taking place right next to them.
"It's good to see you again, Kaga-senpai," Zuikaku bowed her head in front of the white-haired Kitsune.
"Likewise, Zuikaku. You look well; have you been working hard?" Kaga greeted her kohai.
"Indeed, I've been testing myself with the Grey Ghost and training under the shipboy called Freedom. It's been an illuminating experience."
"You too, mmh?" Kaga mused under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Come, let's do something before those two start throwing bombs at each other."
Luckily, there was no need for the two of them to step in.
"Akagi, Shoukaku, it hasn't even been five minutes, and you two are already at each other's throats? Show some restraint in front of our allies," Nagato intervened, coming to a stop right between the two bickering carriers.
"Forgive me, Nagato-sama; it's good to see you in good health," Shoukaku bowed apologetically as the two carriers drew apart, but not before exchanging one last glare.
The two Sakura destroyers, who had stayed on the side up until then, jumped to their feet at the sight of their flagship.
"N-N-Nagato-sama, i-it's an honor to be in your presence after so long," Shimakaze nervously greeted their leader as Ayanami casually waved her hand at her with a smile.
Before her sister could greet them back, Mutsu jumped onto her friends' necks, wrapping them in a bear hug. "Shimakaze! Ayanami! I missed you so much! Wait, why are you guys wearing your swimsuits?"
Nagato smiled at the interaction between her sister and the two destroyers, then turned to address Enterprise, who had been respectfully waiting for her comrades to finish greeting their flagship.
"Enterprise-san, you must be tired; let us handle the cleanup duties while you and the rest of the fleet head back to the base."
"Thank you for your concern, Nagato. Your arrival was providential," Enterprise replied, but then her gaze turned toward the nine massive columns of fire shuffling in the distance that resembled the tentacles of a giant sea monster from that perspective. "Did you bring that thing with you? What is that supposed to be?" Enterprise asked as the pillars slowly receded in stature until they completely disappeared, leaving only an orange spot in the distance in their place.
"That's the third male Kansen, correct?" Another voice joined in, and they turned to see Musashi approaching the group with a small retinue of Kansen behind her.
The Sakura battleship had been responsible for dealing with the left side of the Siren formation during the battle and had brought along the two fellow Sakura battleships, Ise and Hyuuga, and the four submarines stationed at the base, I-19, Albacore, U-81, and U-96. While the three dreadnoughts drew enemy fire on themselves, the four subs swiftly dealt with all the mass-produced vessels, one after another, until, slowly but surely, they had wiped out the entire left side of the enemy formation by themselves.
After another round of formal greetings, Musashi informed the others that the mop-up operations had concluded and that Littorio and Peter Strasser were bringing most of the uninjured Kansen to patrol around the area to prevent any other infiltration attempt by the Sirens, at least until Yuubari was able to fix the security system.
"That's correct. How did you know, Musashi?" Nagato cocked her head to the side, perplexed.
"Shinano visited me in my dreams recently and told me about their first encounter," Musashi solemnly declared. "She regrets not being able to depart with you, so she asked me to soothe his troubled soul in her place. From what I was able to gather, he seems to be desperately needing it."
Nagato perked up at her words. The shipboy was indeed a troubled soul. His tragic backstory was proof of that, but the visceral fear she started harboring for him after what she saw inside that Mirror Sea prevented her from looking beyond the appearance, making her question his true motivation and making her always feel on edge around him.
It was a foolish and irrational thought, and Nagato knew it. She was well aware of Kurama's good intentions, especially after watching how he acted around Mutsu and Kawakaze. She had long since realized that her fears of him turning on them were absurd and unfounded, but she still couldn't shake that feeling from the back of her mind, and she had been desperately looking for a way to quell it.
And now the solution was being handed to her on a silver platter. If there was anyone who could mitigate his temper, that was Musashi, and with her presence next to the shipboy, Nagato's worries would be assuaged.
"Very well, I'll leave him in your capable hands, Musashi," Nagato declared happily.
"That would be a problem," Kaga blurted out from the side, drawing the perplexed look of the Kansen around her.
Despite the multiple pairs of eyes fixed on her, the white-haired carrier was able to keep her cool and her poker face. "What I'm trying to say is... that Musashi-sama already has her duty as a representative to attend to; she can't possibly be expected to waste her precious time behind a fool like him."
"I sincerely hope you are not referring to me, Snowflake," an unfamiliar voice, at least for most of them, intruded on the conversation, drawing their attention.
Kurama was standing a few feet away from them with his arms crossed over his chest, the mass of orange fur that were his tails swaying behind him, dwarfing those of every other Kitsune present. Kaga stiffened in her place, but the fright of having openly insulted him was soon replaced by the embarrassment of him using that nickname in front of everyone.
"Will you stop calling me that?" Kaga spoke through clenched teeth, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, trying to hold back from jumping on him.
"You'll have to make me, Snowflake, and we both know you can't."
"You are truly insufferable!"
The two kept telling each other off, right in front of everyonr. Mutsu snickered, and Kawakaze rolled her eyes. The Sakura delegation had gotten used to it, but Enterprise, Zuikaku, and the others didn't know what to make of the situation. They had never seen Kaga act in such a demure way after being so openly taunted; sure, she was still talking back to him, but they expected her to just jump his bones without thinking twice.
Musashi simply stood there in contemplation, humming to herself and smiling at the sight of the two Kitsunes bickering in front of her.
"Nagato-sama, in the end, it seems there will be no need for me to intervene," Musashi said to her flagship.
And with that, Nagato's hopes died out like a dry flower.
The sound of aircraft engines in the distance, the sloshing of the waves at his feet, the blowing of the wind that ruffled his hair, and the voices of the Kansen that became increasingly more distinct with every passing second—all those sounds merged with each other as Sparviero was led forward by Howe.
The blind shipboy tried to focus on the voices coming from ahead. Some of them he recognized, but others were unfamiliar, and one of them in particular stood out from the others.
"I'm sure Nagato's already told you about me, so let's skip the formalities. I was told that two of my brothers have already arrived; where are they?"
"Kurama? Is that you?" Sparviero held his breath as Howe came to a stop and let go of his arm, gently pushing him forward.
Without the support he was so used to, the shipboy found himself lost in the dark. He tried to extend his arm forward, but then he felt something grab his wrist and pull him in, making him lose his balance.
He felt confusion at first when two strong arms wrapped around him in a hug, but then realization settled in when a blanket of soft fur was draped all over him. He returned the hug and sank into his brother's embrace.
They stood like that for a few seconds in silence. Carabiniere and the others smiled softly at the interaction but didn't utter a word, not wanting to interrupt the moment between the two. After a few moments, Kurama let go of his brother and clasped his shoulders with his hands.
"You are not here alone, are you? Where's Freedom? I didn't see him flying around when I arrived," Kurama asked him.
"I-I don't know. He was taken hostage, but then we were able to help him, and I thought he was still here, but…" Sparviero trailed off in confusion. He was sure he'd find Freedom waiting for him once he arrived, but he didn't expect to find Kurama.
Enterprise stepped forward and addressed the two shipboys. "Freedom's been badly injured by Empress, but Massachusetts brought him back to safety."
"Injured?! Is he all right?!" Sparviero asked her in apprehension.
"Don't worry, he's being treated as we speak," Enterprise reassured him.
"Empress? Who's that supposed to be?" Kurama questioned the carrier.
"One of the Elites who attacked us. We were able to subdue the other one, but Empress managed to slip away," Zuikaku intervened. "By now, she must have gotten too far to chase after her."
"Are you talking about the Siren with big, whale-like rigging?" Kurama inquired. Upon receiving an affirmative reply from the woman, he produced a small, cubic object from his large sleeves and showed it to the shipgirls. "She didn't put up much of a fight; I disposed of her easily."
Enterprise raised an eyebrow in surprise at the sight of the Cube, and an astonished expression adorned Zuikaku's face. The Elite that had given them so much trouble had been defeated so easily. How did the shipboy even manage to counter her regenerative ability?
"How did you do it on your own? She was essentially immortal!" Zuikaku asked him in disbelief.
A sinister smile came to Kurama's lips as he put the Cube back into his sleeves. "Let's just say that I'm glad I did what I did since she tried to kidnap my brothers."
Enterprise frowned, but she decided not to push the matter; the glint that flashed through his eyes told her that she wouldn't like the answer.
"Fine, we won't pry," she dropped the matter, then addressed the Sakura flagship. "Nagato, I think it's best if we head back now. The Commander will want to speak with you."
"Indeed. We have much to discuss with Shikikan Travis," Nagato replied as a dangerous, unnoticed glint passed through Akagi's eyes.
With that said, the Kansen started making their way back to the docks, where Ryan and the others were waiting for them.
Ryan was standing on the docks with both Yorktown and South Dakota next to him. They were all looking out to the sea, watching as the small crowd of Kansen entered the bay and approached the pier.
They had just come out of the improvised hospital that was the cafeteria, where Vestal was being helped by the maids to attend to the wounded, and they were glad to discover that none of the shipgirls had received any permanent injuries.
The most serious one was Freedom, with the gaping hole in his stomach; upon seeing his condition, Ryan was once again reminded of the Kansen's incredible durability and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing him alive, even if unconscious. If he could make it with such an awful injury, the others could too.
After that, Hood and Helena had remained behind to help while the others headed to the docks, ready to meet Nagato and her retinue.
The crowd of shipgirls had gotten close enough that he could distinguish the features on their faces. Shoukaku and Enterprise with their sisters, Musashi, King George V and the shipgirls they had chosen for the operation, the group of destroyers, Sparviero and the unknown shipboy that Nagato had brought with her, and…
His blood ran cold in his veins. There she was, with her piercing red eyes, her dark, lustrous hair, and her nine bushy tails. When her gaze locked onto him and a crazy smirk made its way across her face, he felt a shiver run down his spine.
Why her?! Why did Nagato have to bring Akagi, of all people?
"Oh, I see that Nagato has brought the First Carrier Division with her," Yorktown mused next to him. "I'm glad; I never got a chance to have a proper talk with Akagi after what happened."
"Good for you, Yorktown. It seems that you'll be getting some closure soon," Ryan grimaced but didn't voice that thought aloud.
The first time he had met Akagi was during the celebration for the reestablishment of the alliance, and she didn't exactly leave a good impression on him. From the moment he was officially introduced as Commander of Azur Lane, the Kitsune had set her eyes on him. Ryan had tried to distract himself by talking with the flagships present at the time, but he could feel her predatory eyes follow his every step from across the room.
Akagi had tried to accost him multiple times during the party, but Ryan had always managed to slip away from her grasp by coming up with some kind of excuse. By the end of it, he believed he had managed to escape her, but she exploited a moment of distraction to drag him away to a secluded place.
He didn't precisely remember what she had told him; he was too preoccupied with fearing for his life to listen to her ramblings—something about "them being destined to be together" and "her helping him manage his fleet" and "disposing of the many eyesores around him."
He remembered being able to escape her clutches thanks to Admiral Nimitz calling his name, allowing him to come out unscathed from that encounter. He also remembered the bone-chilling nightmares that had kept him from sleeping for the next few days.
Imagine his relief when, instead of the First Carrier Division, the Sakura Empire had decided to assign the Fifth to his command. Ryan thought he'd never see Akagi again, but there she was, right in front of him, in flesh and bones, sporting the same creepy smile that had haunted him for days after their first encounter.
"Shikikan-sama! We finally meet again after so long~" While he was lost in thoughts, the group had reached the pier, and Akagi had run up to him in excitement.
"H-hello Akagi, it's been a while," he tried his best not to show his discomfort at her proximity, but she was so close into his personal space that he had to recoil his head back to avoid bumping noses with her.
"Akagi, it's good to see you again," Yorktown greeted the other carrier with a smile and a kind tone of voice.
"Oh, hey, Yorktown, you look well," Akagi acknowledged her presence with a small smile, then snapped her head back to his face.
"Now, Shikikan-sama, you must be tired; why don't we head into your office? We have much to discuss~" She grabbed his wrist and started dragging him away, under the perplexed look of the other Kansen.
"Um… isn't that something I should do with Nagato?" Ryan tried to resist by planting his feet on the ground and looking back at the other women for help. South Dakota was about to intervene, but Shoukaku beat her to it.
"Akagi-senpai, don't be so pushy; you are troubling Shikikan Travis," Shoukaku moved to his side with a tight-lipped smile. She grabbed his other wrist and pulled him in the opposite direction.
"Oh? Are you trying to stand in our way, Shoukaku? You should know what happens to those who attempt to defy me," Akagi said, turning to glare at her.
"Whatever you are planning with him, I won't allow you to do as you please," the other carrier retorted.
As much as he was grateful to Shoukaku for coming to his rescue, he was well aware of their superhuman strength, and finding himself between two Kansen pulling at his arms from opposite sides was making him fear for his safety.
"That's quite enough, you two!" A childish but commanding voice rang with irritation. Nagato was finally stepping in to reprimand her subordinates, and the two carriers let go of his wrists with a dejected expression on their faces.
"Shikikan, I beg your forgiveness for their unsightly behavior. I will make sure to punish both as soon as we settle in," Nagato addressed the human officer, bowing her head to him in shame.
"That's alright, Nagato. I'm relieved to see that you were able to make it all the way without issues," Ryan replied, massaging his wrist. "I was hoping to welcome you and your retinue with all the honors, but unfortunately, things didn't go exactly as planned," he gestured to his surroundings; there were holes in the ground and chunks of concrete and rubble scattered everywhere, marking the spots where the enemy had landed their hits.
"Do not fret, Shikikan. If things always went as planned, our job would be much easier," Nagato reassured him.
"True. I would tell you to come into my office, but unfortunately, it collapsed during the attack…"
While Nagato and the Commander discussed things and the others started making their way to the base proper, Akagi and Shoukaku were standing on the side, still glaring at each other.
"The next time you try to stand in my way, I will strike you down without thinking twice, Shoukaku," Akagi whispered between her teeth.
"You can try, but you'll find out it won't be that easy, Akagi-senpai. I will protect Ryan with all my power," Shoukaku responded with a smile.
"You insolent pest, Shikikan Travis only belongs to me. If you think-" Akagi paused to process her words. What did she just call him? Ryan? Why was Shoukaku on a first-name basis with the Commander of Azur Lane?
"That's not true," another voice interjected in the conversation, and they both turned toward its source in surprise.
It was Laffey. She had appeared out of nowhere and was now standing between them with her usual half-lidded stare. The destroyer had happened to overhear their conversation and had decided to step in and say her part.
"The Commander already belongs to Shoukaku," she added with a deadpan expression.
Her words echoed in the air, and silence fell over the docks as everyone stopped in their tracks to process what she just said.
For an impossibly long second, everyone stared at the groggy destroyer, then they shifted their gaze to the Commander, who could only stand there petrified.
"Goddammit."
AN: Ah yes, 6k words of characters doing nothing but standing and talking; you love to see it… I got to get my shit together and learn to shorten these kinds of chapters.
If it wasn't clear, this chapter and the next one should have come out as one, but before I realized, it had gotten over 10k words, so I was forced to split it and even remove some of the interactions I wanted to show.
Oh well, I'll have to put them off for later. I just hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it.
Next Chapter: Rest and Rebuild