Chapter 23
September 17th, 2023 - Morning
Outer Heaven's VR Training Room Number Three.
[...Sword 1, Sitrep.]
"Sword 1 to Nest here. Infiltration of the target facility complete. Sword 2 is currently keeping an eye out for possible enemy patrols in the sector ahead of me while Sword 3 is working on information gathering operations in preparation to carry out infiltration into the target area of facility. Lastly, Swords 4 through 6 are currently running decoy operations outside, drawing out as many of the facility's guards as they can."
[Nest to Sword 1. Understood. Please proceed with the utmost caution then.]
"Sword 1 to Nest. Roger that."
With a relieved sigh, Metis shook her head to try to clear and refocus her thoughts as she thought about her own next move, starting with listing off what she still needed to do next. That said, it still didn't stop her from thinking back on 'why' she was feeling as distracted as she was at the moment. ' Damn you, Miss Clemenceau...!'
- Two days earlier, afternoon -
Shipgirl dorms, first floor.
"...Hm..."
Metis, lazily laying on the large circular sectional couch in the center of the living room, was busy studying the 'research materials' Eugen and the others had lent her on the intricacies and nuances of navigating interpersonal relationships... particularly those of a more, intimate sort. Needless to say, the AI turned doll found it all both endlessly fascinating to learn about, yet equally as endlessly frustrating to fully comprehend.
'... Well, what else was I expecting though?'
"...Ohoh..? And what, pray tell, are you reading there?"
Metis, unused to both the close sudden contact and the conscious need to pay better attention to her environment, didn't notice a certain devil in black's sultry whispers until she felt the battleship's warm breath gently brushing against her ear, sending a little jolt down her artificial spine from the sudden stimuli.
Seeing her efforts paying off even more than she expected, Clemenceau couldn't help but let out a little giggle at seeing the normally stoic and professional adjutant's lightly flushed cheeks and accusing look. "Oh, come now. You needn't give me such a look, heehee~!"
"...And that reaction is precisely why I am giving you 'such a look'," Metis rebutted. "Now then, was there something you needed, Miss Clemenceau?"
"Oh, I was simply passing by and and felt like saying hello, that's all," Clemenceau replied before turning her attention to the book in Metis' hands. "By the way, what is it that you're reading?"
"Hm? Oh, it's supposedly a book on how to better understand interpersonal relationships," Metis replied. "Miss Eugen lent it to me actually."
"I see. Then, do you mind if I have a look?"
Metis, not thinking much of it, passed the book over to Clemenceau. "Here." '... Though, I doubt someone like you even needs something like this.'
"You never know what sorts of information could come in handy in the future," Clemenceau said, as if reading Metis' mind.
...
"...How did you...-"
"-The look on your face made it very obvious my dear, heehee~"
"...Ugh..!"
"It's cute. At any rate, 'interpersonal relationships' was it? I take it this is about learning to better interact with the Commander and your newfound sisters, non?"
Metis nodded, before picking up on the last bit of what Clemenceau said. "... 'sisters'? Do you mean the other dolls, or the other shipgirls?"
"Both, my dear. Both. We are all a part of the same fleet, called forth by and serving under the same Commander. What else could we be but sisters?"
"True, but even so, I'm surprised."
"...Oh? And why is that?"
"Based on all the records and notes left on the island about shipgirls and their unique psychological profiles, they were described as the sort of being that near violently opposed letting anyone 'not part of their fleet' getting involved with their Commander in any sort of deep, romantic relationship."
Clemenceau nodded. "Fair enough, and very true. But, you and the other dolls were made using personality data derived from we shipgirls and, though the method and logic to your creation is a bit different from ours, you also were all created for the same purpose as us. So, taking all that into consideration, you and the other dolls are as much our fleet sisters as any of us shipgirls could be. Rest assured that if that 'weren't' the case, we'd immediately act accordingly. Put simply, it's just something we shipgirls can immediately recognize from the very depths of the wisdom cubes beating in our chests when encountering those who are, and who aren't, our sisters."
"Well now, that certainly wasn't written down in any of the notes or records I've seen..."
Clemenceau giggled. "I would imagine not. It's not the sort of thing we can really get across to someone who isn't a shipgirl, or doll, in your case. After all, you should also know what I mean even if you don't quite understand it yet, non?"
...
"...Perhaps so," Metis conceded after putting her own hand to her chest and recognizing what Clemenceau was talking abut. "If nothing else, I'm not experiencing any sort of discomfort or aversion around you all either. And none of the other dolls have mentioned feeling anything like that either since coming online."
"See? Now you understand that there's no problems there, heehee~ More importantly, about wanting to 'understand interpersonal relationships better'. You do realize there is a fairly simple and straightforward method to do that, oui?"
"There is? What is it?"
"This."
"..Wait, what are you do-mmph!?"
Without another word and almost faster than Metis could register, she suddenly found herself frozen in place as a torrent of sensory data flooded her system from the sudden combination of Clemenceau's plump, teasing lips firmly pressed against her own, the hot breath passing between them from the act, and the strangely intoxicating scent of a woman's natural musk accentuated by a light, flowery perfume filling up whatever space was left in her mind before it briefly went blank, only jump starting again once she felt a foreign sensation gently force its way into her mouth.
"...Nnn~"
"...Mm...!?" '... Her, tongue? Her tongue is wrapping around mine...! What, what is this? Soft, hot, sweet, soft...! Too, too many inputs to process...! I, I can't...!'
"...~ "
Metis' knees buckled as a shiver ran down her artificial spine. Then, almost entirely on autopilot by that point, she returned the taller battleship's enticing kiss as she savored every inch of the shipgirl's mouth as well, eliciting a hum of pleasure and satisfaction from Clemenceau before finally, almost reluctantly, pulling away, a thread of saliva trailing between them as they separated.
...
"...I, what? Why, why did you do that..?" Metis finally asked as her hazy mind began to clear up, her electric blue eyes still a bit glazed over and her pale cheeks dusted a light pink from the experience, her mind racing to try and make sense of it all. ' That, that was a kiss, right? No, it must have been. It was the same thing I've seen the others do with Liam in his room or around the island... Wait, if that was what it felt like with Miss Clemenceau, then... what would it feel like if, if I tried that... with, with Liam...? Would it feel different? Better, worse? No, if it felt that good with Miss Clemenceau, then it would definitely feel even better if, when, I do it with Liam...!'
"Oh, if kissing me was enough to do that much to you, then kissing Liam will most certainly render you unconscious." '... Well, I'll have to do my best to make sure you get that chance first, of course.'
Metis' eyes widened in shock at hearing that. "...It'll render me unconscious...!? Re, really?"
Another giggle.
"Oh, you really are cute. But no, I simply meant that if you enjoyed that kiss with me, then you will undoubtedly enjoy it much, much more with Liam. Trust me, heehee~"
"...I see." ' After experiencing something like that, there's no way I can 'not' do it with Liam, but... the question is... 'how'?'
"Just do well in the upcoming training simulation. So well, in fact, that our dear Commander will just have to reward you, heehee~"
...
"...Seriously, how are you doing that?"
Yet another round of giggles.
"Trade secrets, my dear. Trade secrets."
- Back in the present, the all important training simulation -
[...ord !. I repeat. Sword 1 !]
"...!" 'Oh crap!' "Th, this is Sword 1 to Nest... What's the matter?"
...
[...Is everything alright, Sword 1?]
"Hm? Ah, I... I'm fine. Just got a little distracted, that's all," Metis quickly answered, hand to her chest and remarking on how fast her wisdom cube was beating.
[... At any rate, how are the others doing? Has anything changed since your last report?]
' Wait, the others? Oh, right! Ugh! How could I let myself... No! Not now!' Hastily checking over the last few chat logs since they last checked in as fast as possible, Metis was relieved to note that, aside from the distraction team going a little overboard, everything was proceeding with little issue, at least for now. "Other than the Distraction Team being a little overeager and almost getting caught once, no issues. Sword 2 sent Sword 3 the guards' complete patrol routes she'd finished compiling, which Sword 3 is using to devise a path to let us slip through and meet up."
[Alright, that matches the reports the others gave me. Understood. Good luck, Sword 1]
"Roger that. Sword 1 out."
- With Liam and the others -
Observation room.
"...Hm..."
"Liam? What's wrong nya?" Akashi asked, looking up from her console and seeing her Commander's furrowed brow and thoughtful expression.
"... It's just, I'm wondering if things are going as well as they look is all. Or more like, I'm not even sure what to really look out for. I mean, it's been crazy enough trying to learn how to command you girls during naval engagements, but this? The most experience I have with these kinda things are what I've seen in movies and games. Okay, same as before but still, I dunno, I guess it's hard not to feel nervous about screwing up," Liam tried to explain. "It's just a lot to take in and try to process."
"That makes sense nya," Akashi said with an understanding nod. "But, that's why we're doing these simulation drills, right? Speaking of, what are your thoughts on how everyone's doing so far?"
With that, Akashi brought up several screens showing what each member of the team was currently doing.
"Oh, it looks like Metis and Hibari managed to sneak past the patrols Natsuha tricked and are headed to the next area," Liam noted with a smile. "Good job girls."
"And a lot of that is thanks to Fuu and the others getting most of the other guards' attention nya," Akashi added.
"Speaking of, little Tashkent-chan and Flandre-chan are really putting their all into it," Azuma said, pointing to the second window showing the group of three running all over the place, distracting and getting the attention of more and more of the facility's guards. "Hopefully, they won't slip up and get surrounded or captured..."
"Well, it looks like they're just running around in circles," Liam pointed out with a smile on his face and trying his hardest not to chuckle. "Still, that's some surprisingly good teamwork between them."
Akashi and Azuma nodded.
"Hai nya. Plus, once Metis and the others have made it inside the second area, all they have left to do is draw them away while retreating to the edge of the simulation boundary, clearing their part of the exercise nya!"
"That reminds me," Liam began. "What happens when the drill's over? Did we talk about that? Sorry, I just can't remember if we did or not..."
"Well then, that'll be a surprise nya!" Akashi said with a mischievous smile and teasing note in her voice.
...
'... Shit. I don't like the look in her eyes...!'
- With the Distraction Team -
"...!"
With surprising grace and minimal waste in movement, Tashkent dodged guard after guard by a hair's breadth.
"Tch! What is with this brat!? She doesn't look like she's even trying!" one guard grumbled after picking himself up and watching the petite purplette making fools out his fellow (virtual) guards. "...Dammit!"
"Ugh! Stay the fuck still you little shit!" demanded another guard, only to fall face first into the ground.
"... Gah!" yelled out a third guard knocked away by a silent Flandre from behind.
"Shit! I forgot about that one...!" muttered a fourth guard helping another one up. "Anyway, what about the last one? The green haired one I mean. Where'd she get off to!?"
"... Hey!" called out the third guard, pointing at the scene of the rest of their fellow (virtual) guards caught up in a what looked like gusts of wind being hurled at them by the tanned, mint haired girl laughing at them. "... Tch! We don't get paid enough for this...!"
"Yeah well, we still have a job to do so quit your bitching," reminded the fourth guard as he tapped his ear communicator. "Oi! Get everyone you can spare out here! Right now! What? It doesn't matter! If we don't deal with these intruders we already have right here, right now, then it doesn't matter if you're there or not! Yes! Yes I'm not kidding, so get your lazy asses out here and help us! Fuck!"
...
"I've never seen him so riled up before..," commented a random guard.
"Yeah, well. I don't really blame him right now either..," replied another random guard.
- Back with Metis, Hibari, and Natsuha -
"...Natsuha, are you almost done?" Hibari asked without looking back as she kept watch for any incoming enemy patrols.
"Hm? Almost~! Sorry, the security is a bit more complex than Natsuha expected... Oh, nevermind~!"
*Beep!*
With a quick flash from red to green, the door Natsuha was fiddling with finally slid open.
"Good job, Natsuha," Metis praised while patting the twintailed blonde on the head.
"Ehehe~!"
"Right then, Sword 1 to Nest."
[Report, Sword 1]
"We've successfully broken through the last security door and are about to enter the facility's second area. How are things on the Distraction Team's end?"
[Good job Sword 1. Likewise, the Distraction Team's successfully lured out the bulk of the facility's guards and are busy keeping them focused on them as they slowly begin their retreat. If everything stays according to plan, you've got an estimated fifteen to twenty minutes before a new batch of guards cycle in. You'll need to hurry and extract the enemy's prototype AI core and escape before detonating the planted explosives within that time limit.]
"Roger that, Nest."
[Good luck, Infiltration Team.]
- Back in the observation room -
"Hey, is it me, or does Metis look a bit distracted?" Liam wondered aloud as he noticed the somewhat distant look on the normally stoic, cool and collected electronic fairy's face. "I can't really explain it, but something seems kinda off. Like she's not quite all there?"
"Oh~? So you noticed then, my dear Commander~?" asked Clemenceau over Liam's shoulder almost in a whisper, her hot breath tickling the poor bastard's ear and sending his heart rate through the roof in the process.
"...!"
"Heehee~ "
"Ack! Cle, Clemenceau!? Wh, when did you get here!? And did you really need to do that!?"
Clemenceau giggled at Liam's over reaction. ' So fun to tease, as always... ' "Oui, tis I, your Clemenceau, heehee~ "
"...Ugh..! A, anyway. I'm guessing you have some idea of what's up with Metis then?"
"Oh, I might, but... I think we should put that on hold for now until after the drill's over, non?" Clemenceau expertly deflected by way of suggestion.
"...That's, true... I dunno, I guess I just can't help but feel a little worried is all. Y'know?"
"It's alright, Shikikan-sama," Azuma reassured, a gentle hand on his shoulder after appearing to his left. "It just means you're taking things seriously. But, hai, let's do as Clemenceau-san suggested and trust Metis-chan for. Besides, as long as nothing unexpected happens, then they should be done soon."
"Ah, and speaking of which," Akashi began before bringing up the second screen. "It looks like Fuu-chan and the others are about to finish off their end of the operation, and with a bang too nya! Oh, and it looks like Joffre-san decided to join in too nya!"
- In the air above Fuu and the others -
"..."
Held aloft in the sky above by the grace of her illusory, jet black wings, Joffre impassively observed the antics of Fuu and the others while they made fools out of the more than two dozen virtual guards chasing them around as they slowly led them to the final target point of their part of the operation, and where she would finally show off what she could do.
' It really is something to see such complex and realistic behavior from virtual soldiers though. Well, at any rate.' With a sweep of her arm and a flick of her wrist, Joffre summoned a simple but elegant black bladed rapier and partially manifested rigging as she prepared to rain down divine judgment down on those poor, unsuspecting simulated soldiers. ' Now, all I have to do is wait for Miss Fuu and the others to finish rounding them up.'
- Meanwhile, on the ground -
'... Alright. So far, so good,' Flandre mentally observed as she took in the fruits of everyone's hard work. ' All that's left to do is to wait for Miss Fuu and Miss Joffre to end things.'
And, just as she had that thought, the petite silverette watched as Fuu, who was floating in the air above the rounded up guards, generated an intensely bright flash of blinding light that caused them all to completely stop in their tracks as their vision was suddenly, and painfully, taken away... only for a swarm of old fighter shaped attack drones to descend from above and pepper them with a hail of non-lethal (but still very painful) rubber bullets. A second later, when the light cleared and the bullets stopped, Joffre slowly descended to the ground before landing gracefully in front of Fuu and the others, her pitch black wings fluttering a bit before vanishing with one last, dramatic flap.
"You seriously know how to make an entrance, you know that?" Fuu commented at the almost otherworldly sight of the closest thing to an angel she'd ever seen. "Seriously, overkill much?"
"Hm? And whatever do you mean by that?" Joffre just looked at Fuu confused, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "Was it though? I was simply using the most expedient and effective means to accomplish my part of the mission."
"...Yeah. That's exactly what I meant by 'overkill'."
"Perhaps, but there's no denying the results," Flandre dispassionately pointed out, not really seeing the issue.
"Yeah, I guess..."
"...Oh, looks like some of them are twitching...," Tashkent noted as she crouched down and poked one of the downed and unconscious guards. "...Seriously. These guys might be a little too realistic. Well, anyway, are we done now?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah, we're more than done thanks to Miss Joffre. Good job by the way!" Fuu said before giving Joffre a thumbs up and flashing her a bright smile. "Let's leave the rest to Miss Metis and the others! Anyway, I'm so getting the Commander to give me headpats!"
"Mm. I concur," Flandre said with a small nod for emphasis. Joffre silently nodded as well.
"...Ugh, finally...! I need a nap! Dear Comrade will be my lap pillow for sure when we get back!"
- With Metis and the others -
Simulated facility, second area hidden lab.
"Hey~ Is that it? That glowy looking cylinder thing~?" Natsuha asked, pointing to the object in question. "And it's a pretty shade of bright blue too~"
"Oh, that's exactly what we're looking for!" Hibari said. "Good job, Natsuha-chan!"
"Ehehe~ "
"Alright, now all we need to do is set up the last set of explosives, get out of here and blow up the facility," Metis said. "Miss Hibari, how much time do we have left?"
"Eighteen minutes, stating now," replied the lavender eyed bluenette. "And don't worry, Natsuha-chan and I just finished setting up the last two bombs so we can leave whenever you're ready."
Metis nodded. "Good, good. Let's get moving then." '... And, as long as nothing goes wrong, I will have secured my reward...!'
- Observation room -
"Ooh! Looks like Metis-chan and the others are finished things up on their end too!" Fuu commented while watching the infiltration team's progress now that she and the others successfully retreated.
"Oui, and it's in no small part thanks to your thorough work," Clemenceau said while wearing her ever present half smile. "Good work by the way, Joffre and Flandre."
Joffre offered a slight nod. "Merci, Lady Clemenceau."
"Oui, and it was quite an enjoyable experience as well, working with Miss Fuu," Flandre added.
"Aww, really? Thanks Flandre-chan! I had a lot of fun working with you and Tashkent-chan too!"
"Speaking of," Clemenceau began, throwing a glance at the petite purplette in question. "You're making yourself quite comfortable, non?"
"...Mm, da. And I earned this too!" Tashkent lazily but smugly replied while laying atop Liam's lap as he gently pet her head. "...Mmm~ That feels really good, dear Comrade~ "
"Heh. No wonder she tried so hard," Fuu commented with a grin. "Then again, I think that's the same for everyone here, right?"
"...No comment," was all Joffre said, without looking at anyone.
"What I want will have to wait until much later, when we arrive at the Sakura Empire actually," Flandre said.
"Ooh! Natsuha-chan just wanted Shikikan to play games with her, and Hibari-chan... offered to cook him dinner."
"What about Metis-chan then?" Azuma asked passing around everyone some tea and pastries.
"Oh, about that," Clemenceau began. "You'll just have to wait until she gets back, heehee~ "
"Wait, she told you?" Liam asked, surprised.
Clemenceau nodded. "Oui, that she did. But you especially, my dear Commander, will have to wait for the drill to end, heehee~"
"Oh, and speaking of which, it looks like they've made it out and headed up to meet us now nya!"
And, as everyone was busy trying to get get things ready for Metis and the others' return, Clemenceau simply smiled her scheming little smile as she waited for the main event to begin, happy that she made sure to keep Eldridge and some of the other, more territorial, sisters away for today's simulation drill. Of course, she still made sure to open a private joint tactical network channel to a select few though...
...
' Oh, I cannot wait to see the look on my dear Commander's face when little Metis claims her well earned reward, heehee~"
xxx xxx xxx
A/N:
Aanndd! Chapter end!
I really wasn't expecting this chapter to end up as short as it was, but that's fine since I'm happy with where it ended.
On that note, we got to see a bit more about Metis getting used to her new body and ever evolving mindset as she adapts to having said new body and everything that comes with it. Which, lead to showing off just what sort of terrible, evil character that Clemenceau us as I build up exploring those sides of the shipgirls and dolls.
Speaking of which, I also wanted to share some insight in the sort of innately territorial and possessive beings that shipgirls are and why dolls were okay when they aren't shipgirls themselves.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and see you next chapter!