"The Commander already belongs to Shoukaku."
Laffey's words echoed through 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 shifted their gaze to the Commander. The poor man could only stand there, petrified.
"What do you mean by that, little one?" Akagi, being the first to recover from the shock, encouraged her to speak with a dangerous smile plastered on her lips.
"I heard that the Commander was having his way with Shoukaku… that means pervy stuff, right? You can't have him because he already belongs to her," Laffey stated, unfazed by the threatening glare of the Kitsune.
Surprise and shock appeared on the faces of those present, and a buzz of whispering voices spread among the group. Shoukaku was too taken aback to react in any meaningful way, but Ryan managed to find his shaky voice.
"Before I start seeing pitchforks and torches, I'd like to say that-"
"How dare you take advantage of my precious subordinate in such a way, you ungrateful swine!" Led astray by the destroyer's ambiguous words, Nagato snapped at him without even letting him finish.
"Swine?!" Ryan let out a cry of disbelief.
"How could you?! I entrusted you with the lives of my beloved comrades! But you decided to betray my trust so that you could have your wicked way with them, disgusting pervert!" Nagato angrily pointed an accusatory finger at him. For the first time, maybe ever, genuine anger took over the Sakura priestess.
"Nagato-sama, wait! This is all a huge misunderstanding," Shoukaku intervened, rushing next to the Commander. "He didn't take advantage of me; it was entirely consensual!"
Nagato paused her outburst and looked at her with eyes wide and mouth agape in disbelief, and only at that moment did Shoukaku realize what she just said. If Laffey's statement had left any room for doubt, her own words just confirmed it.
It only took a fraction of a second for the two of them to find themselves swarmed by the group of shipgirls around them.
"S-Shoukaku, are you serious?! How could you do something so… indecent?! With your commanding officer nonetheless! Have you no shame?" Nagato switched the target of her scolding; her outraged expression was now flushed red with embarrassment and dismay.
Ryan tried to come to her defense. "Wait, Nagato, that's not-"
"Shikikan?! How could you do this to my sister? I thought we were friends!" Zuikaku cried out with a betrayed expression on her face, grabbing his arm and shaking it like a spoiled child.
"Zuikaku! I said it was a misunderstanding," Shoukaku tried to reassure her sister.
"So that's why you were always playing hard to get, Kommandant. You already had Shoukaku's cute butt to attend to," Prinz Eugen chuckled in amusement right next to Ryan. "I was starting to think you'd swing the other way."
"You horny bastards! Don't you know that such behavior in the workplace is unacceptable?!" Hipper barked at the two of them.
"My, Commander, I didn't think you could be so bold," Yorktown tittered from the side.
"Yorktown, please don't rub salt into the wound."
"You've got yourself a nice catch. Congratulations, Shoukaku," Ark Royal said with a thumbs-up of approval.
"Were you two really planning on keeping this all to yourselves?" Hornet gave her a strong pat on the back.
"Don't think we'll let you off the hook for that. We want to know every single juicy detail," Howe smiled from the side, with Ayanami and Shimakaze right next to her, prodding the carrier for answers, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
Incapable of extricating themselves from the other Kansen's rain of questions, Ryan and Shoukaku tried to look around for help from the others, but to no avail.
King George V and Musashi were trying their best to hold back a laugh by hiding their mirth behind their sleeves in an attempt at maintaining some semblance of composure, while Isee, Hyuuga, and Mutsu were shamelessly laughing their asses off. Enterprise and South Dakota were just standing there, the former blushing and feigning disinterest, the latter facepalming.
"What the fuck am I looking at?" Kurama asked aloud, blinking at the display in front of him.
"I wish I was able to tell you, brother," Sparviero replied, deadpanning.
Kaga, who had been watching the chaos unfold before her with an unimpressed look on her face, noticed something in the corner of her eye. Akagi had been quietly standing on the side, seething in anger, her eyes still entrenched on the Commander, muttering under her breath.
"That damn Shoukaku, who does she think she is? Always putting a spoke in my wheel. I swear this is the last time-"
"Neesama, please calm down," Kaga tried to maintain an even tone of voice as she put a hand on Akagi's shoulder to keep her in place.
"Kaga, are you also trying to get in my way?" Akagi's threatening glare switched to the white-haired Kitsune.
"I'm trying to stop you from doing something rash," Kaga didn't flinch and pressed on with her attempt at containing her sister's anger. "I don't know what's going on in your head, but if your plans have been hindered, then you just need to work around the obstacle. Just don't do something you might regret later."
Akagi bit her lip in frustration and looked away. Kaga was right; she was about to let her instincts get the better of her, and it would have been disastrous.
Even after her attempts at "fraternizing" with the Sirens, she hadn't yet abandoned her goal of finding a way to cure Amagi's condition; unfortunately, with the subsequent loss of authority she had been punished with, she didn't have the means to do so anymore. For that reason, she had been looking for a chance to improve her standing once again, but this time in a way that didn't involve betraying the trust of her comrades or antagonizing their new allies.
The opportunity arose with the reestablishment of Azur Lane and the subsequent appointment of Ryan Travis as commanding officer of the joint base.
It was the perfect chance. The man supervised the greatest fleet of Kansen on the planet, had contacts and acquaintances with the top brass from all factions, and was personally involved in the fight against the Sirens and the investigation of their modus operandi. Both human officers and Kansen would bend over backward just to get acquainted with him, and anyone who managed to become close enough to him would have the capacity to influence his decisions and, therefore, the direction of the war and the efforts of the entire alliance, at least to a certain extent.
But that wouldn't be enough. To reach her goal, Akagi had to not only gain his favor but also become closer than anyone else to him, and she had plenty of ways in mind to do so. She had to make sure that the Commander had eyes for no one else but her, and once she managed to wrap the man around her finger, she'd have the assets, the resources, and the power of Azur Lane at her disposal.
She'd rule the fleet from behind the scenes, using her "love" to coerce the man into doing her own bidding.
Unfortunately, her plan of accosting him during the party had backfired because of her forceful approach, and then her hopes for a second chance with him were crushed when Nagato and the other senior Kansen decided to assign the Fifth Carrier Division to Azur Lane instead of the First. Akagi was about to give up on her plan and find another way to pursue her goal, but later, another chance appeared in the form of the male Kansen and the meeting between the factions. She had managed to convince Nagato to bring her along to the Azur Lane main base, and once they arrived… her world came crumbling down on her for the third time.
Ryan Travis was already taken; by Shoukaku, incidentally, and her plans were now in shambles.
All because her insufferable junior couldn't keep her hands off her Commander. Luckily, Kaga was there to reel her in, otherwise, she didn't know what would have happened, or rather, she knew it, but the consequences would have been catastrophic, and she would have killed her last chance of success.
Slowly, while her sister kept her in place with a hand firmly on her shoulder, the hateful glare that adorned her visage was replaced by a sly, teeth-clenched grin. Akagi knew that Kaga was right; she just didn't want to admit it out loud. The only thing she needed to do was revise her plan and wait for another chance—the chance to steal him away and keep him to herself. She was confident she'd succeed; after all, if Shoukaku had managed to slip into his graces, why wouldn't she be able to do so too?
Nevertheless, witnessing the other Kansen fawning over the two of them was starting to get on her nerves, and she was about to intervene if Kurama didn't beat her to it.
"Oy! Are you done with your little show?! Don't you have some business to attend to?" Kurama's annoyed tone and powerful voice drew the attention of the women crowding around the Commander and Shoukaku. Ryan took the chance to slip through their grasp and move toward the two male Kansen, who had been standing on the side next to each other.
"Sparviero, I'm glad to see you are okay," he said to the blind carrier.
"Commander, sorry for the trouble; all of this happened because the Sirens were after us," Sparviero replied, hanging his head in shame.
"Don't say that. Your help has been invaluable, and it was only a matter of time before the Sirens tried something directly at the base anyway. Luckily, we were ready to take them," Ryan said, reassuring him, then he switched his attention to the newly arrived shipboy.
"We haven't been introduced yet. Commander Ryan Travis, at your service," he said, extending a hand for the male Kitsune to shake. "Thanks for what you did out there; I hope we can count on your help again in the future."
Kurama narrowed his eyes and stared at him for a few instants, leaving the Commander hanging in an awkward silence, seizing him up and down like a carnivore deciding if the chunk of meat in front of him was edible or not. After a few moments of deliberation and right before Ryan was about to retract his hand, Kurama grabbed it and shook it firmly.
"Don't thank me yet, human. I still don't know if you are worthy of my trust or not," Kurama spoke up sharply.
"R-right; I understand," Ryan stumbled. Apparently, he had another troublesome Kansen to deal with on his hands, but this time, he wasn't sure the advice he had received from Yorktown and Hood would be of any help.
"Commander Travis, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to go see our brother now," Sparviero, sensing his distress, addressed the Commander again, if only to take his attention away from the other distrustful shipboy.
"Of course; Carabiniere, take them to the mess hall, please. We are using it as a temporary shelter for the wounded. Freedom is being treated there."
"Understood, Comandante," Carabiniere saluted sharply and gently grabbed the sleeve of the blind man. The two started moving toward the cafeteria, while Kurama lingered behind for a few seconds. He raised an eyebrow at the unusual sight of the shorter woman leading his brother along before shrugging and setting off after them without even glancing back at the human officer.
With their departure, Ryan took a deep breath, ready to engage once more in the chaos that was waiting for him. He turned on his heels and playfully clapped his hands with a nonchalant smile plastered on his lips.
"Come on, everyone! Let's wrap things up here and get back to work!" He said to get everyone's attention. "Musashi, can you show our guests their lodgings while I go for an inspection around the base?"
"Of course, Shikikan," the battleship replied with a nod of her head.
"Everyone else is on standby. Go get some rest until Littorio and Peter Strasser return," he tried to sound as casual as possible with his voice, but the women around him weren't having any of that.
"Hold on a second! If you think you can dismiss us like this after what we heard, then think twice!" Hipper was the first to call him out for his pathetic attempt at diverting their attention.
"Don't think you can fool us so easily, Kommandant," Eugen smirked.
Before panic could take hold of him once again, Ryan frantically scanned his surroundings for a way to escape his predicament. That chance presented itself in the form of a short, greedy cat girl.
"Oh look, it's Akashi! Right on time," he blurted, moving toward the mint-haired shipgirl, who had just turned around the corner with a small group of bulins trailing behind her.
The repair ship blinked in surprise as the Commander made a beeline toward her.
"Nya? Shikikan, something's up?" Akashi questioned him.
Ryan clasped her shoulders with both hands and locked eyes with her, giving her a telling look. "You wanted me to go with you for an inspection, right?"
Akashi cocked her head to the side in confusion, just like a real cat would do. "Actually, I just needed to-"
"Right?!" Ryan stealthily produced a small red gem from his sleeve and started waving it right in her face.
Akashi's eyes lit up in excitement. She snatched the gem from his grip before anyone could notice and stuffed it in her pocket without thinking twice.
"Shikikan, nya! I was just looking for you! I just finished compiling the full damage report for the base, and I wanted to check it over with you!" Akashi grabbed his sleeve and started dragging him away.
"I'll see you all later in the evening. Go get some rest!" He yelled back at the group of incredulous Kansen.
Once they had put enough distance between them and the others, Akashi addressed him again.
"By the way, Shikikan…"
"What is it?"
"Your house collapsed."
"Goddammit!"
"And there he goes…" George declared with a chuckle as the Commander let himself get dragged away by the repair ship.
"That dummkopf! He always gets away with that," Hipper grumbled under her breath.
"Come, Nagato-sama, I'll lead the way," Musashi said to the shorter battleship.
Before following in the steps of her fellow Sakura shipgirl, the Priestess of the Sakura turned to address the white-haired carrier.
"Shoukaku, we'll talk about your… improper conduct later," Nagato announced, still with a tinge of red on her cheeks.
"Of course, Nagato-sama," Shoukaku said, demurely bowing to her flagship.
"But until then, you owe us an explanation. After all, we have plenty of free time now," Howe hugged her arm to prevent her from fleeing and gave her an enthusiastic look, to which Shoukaku could only respond with a nervous laugh. The prospect of being put through the wringer over such an intimate matter by her friends and comrades was unnerving, but it was still better than the long scolding that expected her with Nagato.
Akagi watched in annoyance as Shoukaku was swarmed by her friends and ushered away to a quieter place. She really wanted to give her a piece of her mind, but for now, she'd have to settle for following Musashi to their lodgings. Before she could trail behind her flagship and her retinue, a gentle voice called her attention; it was Yorktown.
"Akagi, once you are all settled, what do you say if we meet up for some tea and cookies?" The Eagle Union veteran offered.
Akagi turned to regard her with an unreadable expression, as if pondering her words, before shrugging. "Sure, I suppose I might as well indulge your request at a later date."
Yorktown responded with a smile, but Enterprise narrowed her eyes at the Sakura carrier, her gaze piercing the back of her head as she walked away from the scene with Kaga in tow. She wasn't about to question her sister's intention, but she sure as hell was going to keep an eye on Akagi, especially after the little scene she had made with the Commander earlier. Next to her, South Dakota was on the same page.
Meanwhile, Z23 had been reproaching her friend for her big mouth.
"Laffey, you are not supposed to spew nonsense like that out of nowhere!" Z23 scolded her.
Laffey blinked and averted her gaze in shame. "I'm sorry. Akagi was saying mean things to Shoukaku; I just wanted to get back at her for insulting our friend. I didn't mean to cause trouble."
Z23 paused her scolding and bit her lips. Shimakaze and Ayanami exchanged a look of understanding, the two of them being the most familiar with Akagi and her difficult character.
"Well, if you put it like that, I think I would have done the same…"
"Hey, are you guys still here? Come on, you heard the Commander, go get yourselves changed and then take some rest," Ark Royal called out to the four destroyers, who were still loitering around wearing their swimsuits.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Freedom's eyes fluttered open. He was expecting the light of the sun to blind his sight, but instead of that, he was welcomed by the dimly lit interiors of an unfamiliar Japanese-style room.
The first thing he noticed was the fact that he was not under the blanket of a hospital bed but in a futon placed at the center of the barely furnished room; he could clearly feel the weird sensation of the tatami floor he was lying on. The second was that he wasn't alone in there.
Massachusetts was there, sitting with her back to the wall, hugging her knee, and dozing off with her head resting over her arms. The orange light of the sunset filtering through the curtains covered her skin in a captivating bronze sheen, and when she opened her red eyes to meet his gaze, his heart fluttered.
"Hey," he wheezed.
"Freedom, you are awake!" She scurried over to him, both concern and relief showing on her face.
"Where are we? What happened?" He asked her, trying to scan his surroundings from under the cover of the futon.
"This is the Sakura dorm. We brought you here from the mess hall after Vestal finished treating you," Massachusetts briefly explained the situation.
"What? The mess hall? And why the Sakura dorm? Ugh, my head," Freedom grimaced in pain as he brought a hand to his temple and tried to sit up on the futon.
"Easy. If you move too much, the wound will reopen."
Only at that moment, after hearing her words and noticing his bandaged torso, did he remember what happened. The excruciating pain in his guts, the sneering expression on that Siren's face, the dark gullet of her mechanical monster, and then his consciousness slowly fading away.
Freedom smiled back at her before asking, "If I'm here, it means you were able to defeat her. Can you tell me what happened?"
Freedom sat there as Massachusetts kneeled next to him and recounted the events following his capture, explaining to him the current arrangements.
Many of the buildings and infrastructures had received some sort of damage from the attack. Despite that, most of them were still perfectly habitable, like the cafeteria and the hot spring, which were the furthest from the docks. A few were straight up demolished, like the administration building and the Commander's office within it, but others just needed to be thoroughly checked and secured before they could be considered usable again.
The hospital and the Eagle Union dorm were among those, and because of that, the American shipgirls had to be temporarily transferred to the dorms of the other factions. Unfortunately, it meant overcrowding many of the empty rooms of each dorm, and for that reason, the other Kansen had gladly offered to share their own with their friends and comrades, at least until the bulins were finished with the repairs.
Freedom was mostly worried about Sparviero. They had shared his room in the Eagle Union dorm for the entirety of their stay, and he had almost freaked out at the thought of him being taken by the Sirens, but Massachusetts reassured him. Sparviero had been there with her, waiting for him to wake up until a few minutes ago, when Aquila came to pick him up to take him to the Sardinian dorm for dinner. It was decided that he'd spend the night there.
"Wait, you said that the Sakura delegation has arrived; does that mean…" Freedom let out a hopeful tone.
"Yes, they brought your brother, Kurama, I believe, with them," Massachusetts confirmed his thoughts.
"But where is he now?"
"I got tired of waiting for your sorry ass to wake up." The sliding door opened to reveal the form of the male Kitsune in the doorway. "So I went out to help those midgets with the heavy lifting."
Freedom let out a low chuckle that turned into a painful cough soon after. "It's good to see you too, brother," he wheezed out a breath in an attempt to stand up and greet him.
Kurama grabbed his arm and hauled him up on his feet, then gave him a quick hug and a pat on his back, which Freedom reciprocated with another wince of pain.
"Would it kill you to be a bit more delicate here?"
"You'll survive; you are not that frail," Kurama scoffed at him. "Thanks for looking after him, I appreciate it," he said to Massachusetts.
Kurama had met the battleship a few hours earlier. Imagine his surprise when the woman introduced herself as his brother's girlfriend. He didn't question the veracity of it, but suddenly he felt a lot more self-conscious about being in her presence alone. He was perfectly aware of the more toxic traits of his personality and of the fact that most people wouldn't find him likeable; he just didn't care. His brothers' opinion was the only one that mattered to him, and he wasn't about to curb his abrasive temper just because of the risk of offending some stranger. It was a self-defense mechanism that he had put up over time to protect his old, vulnerable self, but it also meant that sometimes he'd come out as rude or straight-up hostile.
And he certainly didn't want that to happen with his brother's girlfriend. For that reason, he had decided to excuse himself and find a way to fill the time outside for fear of weirding her out or disrespecting her, but now that Freedom was awake, he didn't feel as tense.
At that moment, Freedom's stomach let out a low growl of protest. He hadn't had anything to eat since the morning, and now he was famished.
"Are you hungry? By now, the manjuus must have prepared dinner. Wanna go down to eat something?" Massachusetts proposed to the two of them.
They didn't need to be told twice.
The dining area of the Sakura dorm was brimming with liveliness. Everyone was sitting or kneeling at the low tables in their casual attire, laughing at or telling jokes, discussing the battle that had just taken place, or eating and waiting for the manjuus to bring more plates of food from the kitchen.
To Nagato and the rest of the Sakura delegation, it was like they had never left their country. A lot of work and attention to details had been put into capturing their home's typical interior style: the rows of low tables, the paper walls, the sliding doors, the tatami floor, the floor chairs… Living in this dormitory was like lodging inside a ryokan.
Nagato would have loved to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere if she wasn't busy chewing out Shoukaku like she promised she would. The white-haired carrier was kneeling on a pillow next to her with an apologetic and slightly annoyed expression on her face while her flagship went on a rant about how nightly escapades between superior and subordinate were considered improper in a military setting and how such shameful acts were allowed only to those who really loved each other and were pledged for marriage.
The shorter battleship had been stammering and blushing all the while, showing her discomfort and inexperience with the matter at hand, and Shoukaku, spurred by a bit of mischievousness, decided to retort in a playful manner.
"But Nagato-sama, Shikikan Travis and I love each other very much; it wasn't just something out of the spur of the moment. Of course, we've never talked about marriage before, but I'm sure if I bring it up, he'll definitely take it into consideration," Shoukaku made sure that Akagi, sitting a few seats away from them, heard what she said loud and clear. Her words were rewarded with the sound of chopsticks snapping in anger. "You should have seen when he confessed his love to me; it was so intense that he almost took me right then and there."
Nagato went slack-jawed at her words, and the slight shade of crimson adorning her cheeks extended to her entire face. "H-how uncouth!"
Her rant went on for a while after that, and once she was finished, Nagato allowed Shoukaku to go back to her seat to finish eating, and the flagship was finally able to shift her attention to her surroundings.
The Sakura Kansen were mingling with their Eagle Union guests; the American shipgirls were trying their best, and mostly failing, at using the chopsticks that were given to them for dinner, while their Japanese comrades laughed wholeheartedly at their predicament.
Musashi was snuggling a very sleepy Yuubari; the cruiser had been working nonstop for the entirety of the day to restore the security system and was beat.
Ayanami, Shimakaze, and Mutsu were trying to teach Laffey and other destroyers to use chopsticks, albeit without much success.
On the other side of the room, Ise and Hyuuga were holding a drinking contest with a few of their Eagle Union comrades, using it as an excuse to get them into sake.
Enterprise and Kaga were surprisingly getting along, sitting next to each other, exchanging pleasantries and bantering in a friendly manner.
Zuikaku was still upset at her sister for keeping her relationship with the Commander secret from her, and when Shoukaku went to sit back next to her, she averted her gaze in an adorable pout, eliciting a chuckle from the white-haired carrier.
Nagato sat there, smiling and reveling in the comfort of the cheerful and lighthearted atmosphere. This is what she wanted. Back home, where she was always put on a pedestal, taking part in such a casual gathering without the pressure of titles and ranks would have been unthinkable. Here at the joint base, those things didn't matter. Sure, she was still the flagship, but no one was there to constantly remind her of her place and responsibilities, and that gave her the chance to properly unwind for once.
On top of that, she had been able to take part in a proper battle against their sworn enemies, something she hadn't done for a long time. During the trip, when they had found themselves stuck inside that Mirror Sea, she couldn't do so because Kurama had done it all by himself, and after that, she feared that the opportunity would never present itself again, but fate had decided to give her another chance. It had been so long since she had last shot her cannons, and the feeling of doing it again while coming to the rescue of their allies gave her a huge sense of gratification.
Speaking of Kurama, the shipboy was sitting a few feet away from her, next to his brother, Freedom, and Massachusetts, eating and chatting with the two of them. She had to fight back the urge to squeal at seeing the battleship lick away a smear of soy sauce from her boyfriend's cheek.
"Hey, you two, don't get busy right next to me," Kurama called them out.
"That's right, Kurama. Tell them," she thought proudly.
"Save it for later, when you are alone in your room," he added.
Nagato didn't know who blushed more at his comment—her or the couple. Why is it that everyone's mind was always on… that? Don't they have a modicum of shame in them? What's so nice about it anyway?
Apparently, Kurama must have felt her gaze on him since he turned his head to look over to her. Nagato was quick to avert her eyes, internally chastising herself for her blunder; eavesdropping on someone's conversation was uncouth of her.
"Nagato-sama, is something the matter?" Akagi's voice next to her brought her back to reality.
"N-not at all, Akagi. I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Nagato replied, recovering some semblance of composure as the carrier offered her a cup of what smelled like sake.
"This is just my opinion, Nagato-sama, but didn't Shoukaku bring dishonor on herself and the good name of the Sakura Empire with her improper behavior? Wouldn't such transgression call for some kind of harsher punishment rather than a simple lecture?" Akagi said with a coy smile.
"What are you getting at, Akagi?" Nagato questioned her as the carrier filled her cup once again.
"I was thinking that, after the meeting, maybe it would be better if Kaga and I remained here instead of the Fifth Carrier Division. Shoukaku has proved herself to be too immature to be left to her own devices. Perhaps it'd be better to take her back home to resume her training; don't you think so too, Nagato-sama?" Akagi finished with an innocent smile.
"Akagi, removing Shoukaku from her posting would be too much for such a transgression," Nagato pointed out.
"But Nagato-sama, having a promiscuous woman like her as a representative of the Great Carrier Division in the alliance would be a disgrace to the good name of the Sakura Empire," Akagi insisted.
"There you are, Akagi~" a feminine, familiar voice interjected in the conversation. It was Yorktown; the Eagle Union veteran, who had appeared out of nowhere, wrapped her free arm around Akagi's shoulders, holding a cup of sake in her other hand.
Akagi was about to flip out at the woman and shove her away for interrupting her conversation with Nagato, but then remembered that she had to show some restraint toward their allies.
"Yorktown, I'm trying to have an important conversation with Nagato-sama. I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt us," Akagi coughed in her hand, holding back the venom in her voice.
"That's not fair…" Yorktown slurred, with an offended tone. "You've been ignoring me all day when you promised we'd drink something together."
Akagi was on the verge of losing her patience, but then paused upon seeing the face of the carrier: rosy cheeks, unfocused eyes, stinky breath, slurred speech… Yep, she was drunk.
"I agreed to have tea with you, not indulge in your drunken stupor-"
"Come on, don't you want to catch up with an old friend?" Yorktown tried to grab the Kitsune again and smother her in a hug, almost spilling the contents of her cup.
"We are not… ugh! Oy, Grey Ghost! Come here and retrieve your sister at once!" Akagi cried out in exasperation.
The little show they were putting on drew the gaze and laughter of the Kansen around them, at least until Enterprise arrived to diffuse the situation. Akagi never thought the day would come when she'd be glad to see her.
"What seems to be the problem?" Enterprise questioned.
"Take your overly touchy-feely elder sister and keep her away from me, at least until she sobers up!" Akagi snarled at her while trying to keep the enthusiastic, drunk woman at arm's length.
For a second, Enterprise was tempted to just stand there and enjoy the show given by Akagi's discomfort, but then decided not to push her luck with her. She went to pry the cup of sake from Yorktown's hand and grabbed her arm, gently dragging her away from there.
"Come on, sis, it's time to go to bed."
"Eh? But I'm not sleepy, Enty~"
Akagi huffed in annoyance as the two women left the room. Finally, she had the chance to-
"I think I'll go to bed too," Nagato announced, stifling a yawn. Drinking too much was making her drowsy.
"B-but Nagato-sama, what about my proposal?" Akagi pleaded.
"Your proposal is rejected, Akagi. Have a good night," Nagato flatly stated, setting off for the door, leaving the carrier befuddled.
Kurama snickered under his breath. He had been listening in on the conversation between Akagi and Nagato since the moment the short battleship drew his attention by staring at him; his superior hearing and the fairly close proximity allowed him to make out their words even among the chatter of the other Kansen. Of course, he also heard about Shoukaku's lecture and the circumstances that brought it up, and he couldn't help the hilarity that got to him.
"Lady Nagato, was it? What can we do for you?" Next to him, Freedom greeted the Sakura flagship, who had changed course and had come to a stop right behind them.
Kurama turned to raise an eyebrow at her but had to stifle another chuckle. Even from their sitting position, the battleship was barely able to surpass them in height. If he decided to straighten his tails, they would still dwarf her. He was tempted to do it just to see her reaction, but she seemed to be too preoccupied with Freedom and Massachusetts, fixing them with a piercing glare.
"I'm giving you a fair warning. No lewd stuff under this roof, is that clear?" Her sudden authoritative tone left them speechless. Immediately, Freedom and Massachusetts started squirming in their places, blushing, and stammering at her words, and Kurama was forced to suppress another laugh.
"Uhm… Miss Nagato, we weren't planning on doing anything of the sort-" Massachusetts tried to reason with her. Not that Freedom had the strength to do so in the first place with his injury.
"Save it. This is a naval base, not a love hotel. If I hear any weird sound, I… I'll kick you out of this place myself!" Nagato didn't budge, but she didn't look too sure about her threats; she was too tipsy to actually back them.
"Nagato-sama, don't you know that eavesdropping on others' conversations is rude? I expected better from you," Kurama let out a sly grin, and Nagato stiffened. He had caught her red-handed, and now it was her turn to blush and splutter while trying to make up an excuse.
"N-no, that's not… I mean, it was a coincidence-"
"Fret not, Nagato-sama; I was just joking earlier," he interrupted her before she could make even more of a fool out of herself. "I don't think there's a shipgirl willing to share a room with me, so Freedom and I will have to sleep together tonight. Unless you are offering, of course."
That was the last straw for Nagato. Mouth agape and face flushed because of the alcohol and the embarrassment, the poor shipgirl let out a powerful "pervert" right in his face before beating retreat by scurrying away and out of the hall, drawing the confused gazes of the other Kansen left in the room.
AN: So, Akagi's obsession. This is my take on her and her "yandereness," whether you like it or not, this is the direction she is going to take; how it will end up… that's for me to know and for you to find out.
Spolier: No, I'm not shipping Akagi and Yorktwon.
Next Chapter: Sleepless Night