Start:Tamashii no Rufuran (Battle Orchestra)

Tamashii no rufuran

(The Title logo is shown)

アズールレーン
AZUR LANE
TRICOLORE OF THE STARS

A Azur Lane Fanfic by Laffeydd459chan (And their first)

A memory cube appears on-screen as Snow falls around to the bottom of the screen on a blue-light blue background.

Dakishimeteta unmei (A picture of Alsace-class No3's layout appears on screen. complete with Norfolk standing to the left. her eyes opening)

No Anata wa (Shows the Norfolk Sub-class's layout and Dorsetshire on the right as she too opens her eyes.)

Cuts to Azur lane's crosswave opening with its PPI Display and a DCS World map mixed in. Numerous Friendly and enemy icons being shown.

A Light blue magical circle with 9 runes showing the Crescent moon and the Sun symbol.

Kisetsu Ni Saku (Smiling Prinz eugen/Pinkie with two planes in the dusk background.)

Vauquelin giving a double peace sign. holding a spear in her left hand

Maru de hakanai hana (Shows the silhouettes of two Rafales coming in from top/bottom to bottom/top as the background changes from a daytime ocean with islands into a calm sea with the moon in the background)

Saratoga and Lexington stand as flames surround them. Blood on Lexington's clothes as a city is seen in the background.

Kibou no Nioi wo (A RIM-66 missile launching from its mount which cuts to a MiG-29K taking off as it cuts to the Eagle Union flag)

WE FREE THE SEAS-TO VICTORY

The pictures of Bismarck. Kaga. Formidable are shown from top to bottom.

Mune Ni nokoshite (A glitching and distorted supply indicator stuck at 5:00:00. the words 'MAIN ENERGY SUPPLY SYSTEM and DANGER/EMERGENCY' being made out.)

Delta-winged and stretched variant of the X-15 flying in black and white color art colors.

Green PPI display with numerous buttons and indicators as well as blips.

Chiri isogu azayaka-na Sugata de (Shows a chart of the RIM-66 SM-2 Block III/IIIA/IIIB as it cuts to Hood with a happy Purin in her lap. Then Laffey, Javelin. Z23 departing from the beach with a heart symbol and shells in the sand. It cuts to Saratoga solo with three dive bombers flying out)

Watashi ni Kaeri Nasai (Prinz Eugen/Pinkie misses her punch at Norfolk/Laffeychan. Eyes flashing light purple as she swings a sword. flames covering the screen)

Umareru Mae Ni (As Flames fade away. It cuts to Shropshire with a steeled expression taking a super-kansen jump back to Norfolk's rear as the Battleship throws away a arrow-shaped shield made of pure orange magic and she pulls out a knife. energy coating its blade as she looks with determination. Shropshire going into a guarding pose)

Tester Beta runs toward a flying Norfolk who has Nanoha's wings behind her back as the battleship spins around once before striking with a thrust of her knife as Norfolk holds her hand out and a green arcane circle appears. Blocking enterprise's knife as both Norfolk and Tester Beta shake and twitch in exertion.

SIRENS

Anata Ga Sugoshita (Shows Observer alpha firing some kind of energy blast from her palm with a displeased look at the camera as it then cuts to a Siren light cruiser firing a torpedo. Then a Baltimore-class praying. It cuts to a Essex-class carrier landing hard with a black cube in the background. Then cuts to two Atlanta-class cruisers dancing in-sync with each other)

Daichi E to (Shows a Siren Iowa-class spinning around to her back to reveal a pair of energy whips as a picture of TB is shown before it cuts to Tester. Rising and standing up as white light covers her body. leaving her eyes and any physical features invisible other than her shape as wind blows. the sky orange and building ruins are seen on the bottom of the screen)

Eldridge jumps from the water. A Gunlance in her hand as she switches to a dual-handed grip and then swings the tip down onto the water hard. resulting in a explosion of smoke and rock.

Kono te (Shows a Lyrical Nanoha Midchildian circle and the Forerunner Symbol. A Soul gem seen as a wireframe earth rotates)

Ni Kaeri Nasai (Tester Beta and Norfolk lock hands against each other. struggling as Tester stares angrily and Norfolk narrows her eyes. Portrait pictures picture of Observer Alpha adn Tester Beta, then Norfolk. Shropshire. Eldridge and Enterprise appearing from both sides like a duel)

FIRST RULE OF GREAT POWER RELATIONS

DON'T

BE NICE.

Meguriau Tame (Shows the red and black metallic cube from the Season 3 PR ships as it becomes a light-red tunnel of colors)

BAE SYSTEMS

DASSAULT AVIATION

MBDA MISSILE SYSTEMS

AIM-9M held in its display container. As it cuts to a smiling Prinz eugen/Pinkie who is firing her guns. Then vauquelin/'Ahoge queen day off' in bed with plushies and ice cream as it shows Zuikaku vs Enterprise.

Kiseki Wa Okoru (Shows Norfolk slumping over as light gathers around her chest. before it fades to show a Transformed Norfolk in Nanoha's clothing holding Raising Heart with a shield on her left arm and aiming. the background blue and black)

Yo Nando demo (Numerous pictures flash by at 1 image per 2-3 frames. showing a ruined city with 3 B-2 bombers dropping bombs. The commander with Yorktown. Enterprise and cleveland along others. Shinano. Vauquelin imposed over a image of MBDA meteor. A happy enterprise with tears in her eyes. Norfolk saluting with a smile, her eyes being blood-red and lifeless and someone with gold eyes. white dress. angel-like wings staring at the screen and pictures of what look like sirens with DAPRA symbols and timestamps)

Tamashii no RUFURAN (Norfolk fires as the title screen is shown. before the screen flashes red and the title screen words are now a crimson shade of red. fading away into particles)

I yawned. standing among a fleet of shipgirls (What?) all waiting for something, likely to do with the commander himself. Everyone was chatting away as we waited for something to happen. though it was admittedly mostly the destroyers and the short ones, Cruisers were busy trying to keep them entertained in the meanwhile while capital ships were off doing their own things. Kent and Repulse were talking with Comet. London and Z21. The Illustrious-class were having their own conversation at the corner.

As for myself? I was at the back. away from everyone else. I just didn't have the necessary social skills to start a conversation with anyone and everytime i tried. overwhelming awkwardness and anxiety gripped me. Breakfast had helped to give me a little energy, but i was still operating on a child's sleep schedule.

Not new for me, but i found it difficult to adjust to now that i needed more sleep.

Then there was the sounds of voices going quiet and it looked like a commotion was going on. I pushed off the wall I was leaning against and followed the sea of metal and programmable flesh down the hallway. At the end of that hallway. standing a comfortable distance were three figures which i began to classify and identify.

Starting from the left was who i recognized as Wichita, She had her hands crossed and her back straight. staring right at the other shipgirls as they walked forward. I was too far away to actually see what she might be expressing. But at one point it felt like her stare had locked onto my eyes. It made me nearly take a step back. I guess i knew why she has that thing in her hands and is red-haired. complete with her secretary quotes.

Next was the commander himself. The man looked like he could be a Gen Xer. a respectable age for his likely rank and position. He had a typical face and i could see the relief in his eyes as he watched the girls, I'm sure he had to have known of the mission's success. But as per 'seeing is believing'. he needed to confirm that with his own eyes. Then next to him was Washington.

Holy shit. I just noticed how scary Washington can look. Goddamn. even with her jacket off. she's still damn scary to look at from some angles!

The final figure was one i quickly identified with a mess of white-pink hair and blue eyes. Sure, Vestal did not have her machinery on. but even with dormant shipgirl instincts I nearly hallucinated there. seeing something like a hook and crane sticking out from her back like rusty meat hooks. She was also scanning the sea of metal and stupidity. Though instead of having the air of Wichita's or Washington himself. Vestal's look was more along the lines of like. several shipgirls had just managed to shoot theirselves or start a fire and burn themselves and she was wondering how to fix that?

I have a feeling she's going to love giving me a once over. Even after that dip in the baths and even if i haven't seen a doctor for practically years in my past life. I am pretty sure there might be something in me that's still slightly out of alignment at the least.

Blinking and pulling back on my hood. I just noticed that all the shipgirls had dispersed theirselves and started standing at attention. Destroyers and cannon fodder in the front. Cruisers sandwiched by the Sub-capitals and battleships and aircraft carriers. The only one who didn't follow this was Kaga. who stepped forward and saluted smartly with the motions of someone that had been drilled in it for years.

I understood some words coming out of her mouth. including her name. but I didn't pay much attention to her as I mustered to myself about the inevitability that i would have to tell them about my magical abilities at some point... And it looked like it was now.

The commander returned the salute and replied with a smile. Best guess is that he was congratulating her on a well-executed job. And when she stepped back into line. He started addressing the mass of shipgirls. Which was followed by a chorus before everyone was dismissed as they started scattering of going on about their way.

And now there was just myself. in the back of that. Way out of any of the lines of shipgirls. Reverted to my past aloof behavior and feeling completely out of place. like i didn't belong here. All the other girls were dressed in their own official art. as for myself? My heavy winter clothes wanted me to retract into the jacket. shrivel up and hide away right now. I was the textbook definition of being completely socially inept right now.

Repulse and Kent gave me a friendly wave while the rest broke up into less crowded groups and the commander started to make his way over to me. which made the anxious feeling in my stomach returned as i tried to stare defiantly.

Help...

"So. You must be this 'Alsace' that i've heard so much about." He greeted. extending his hand. A handshake. That i can deal with. despite what my parent may say.

"I..I am." I said. shaking his hand and giving him the best professional smile i could muster. I better not fuck this one up if i want to start my image off on a good note. "I-I am guessing you've the admiral who responded to my d-distress calls?"

He chuckled as i tried to look away in anxiety. "That could have been my doing. Yes." He released my hand and i withdrew it into my pockets immediately much to my relief. "I trust your stay went well?"

I nodded. smiling cutely. "I-I wasn't being constantly shelled. so yes... Could have gotten more sleep but... it might have been my f-fault." I stood straight and still hid my hands in my pockets. scanning his expression to my best as social skills can allow me..

"Good." He nodded before motioning for me to follow. which made the anxious feeling again return with a vengeance. "We talk more on the way. 'Alsace'." I followed. Vestal was giving me interested glances as we walked, My best guess is she was trying to figure out just what the hell I was. Good luck with that. Because I don't have any clues as to how a heavy cruiser of all things manages to end up as a fast attack battleship designed to eliminate the heavier hypothetical axis battleship designs. I was Norfolk. but my hull design was not what it was and was instead based on the french. The goddamn fucking french.

Because they somehow managed to stuff fast battleship speeds and respectable firepower into a relatively early design.

Washington on the other hand was the textbook definition of proper military traditions. She didn't even bring her hands forward from behind her back as she followed me in sync with the commander.

"So..." I began. "About my status... Will there be anything like... analysis on me after you're done?"

"No. Absolutely not." The commander replied quickly. "We don't know too much about you right now. and that would risk your health. That said, we will do a checkup on you at some point."

"So basically..." I began. "Am i going to have to stay here?" I mumbled back. trying to conceal a worried and anxious tone in my voice. Washington paid me no heed and I was only made more aware of the height difference and how damn scary tall things seemed.

"In a sense. Yes." He confirmed. Great. As if i needed that?

"Well. Can I be deployed from time to time?"

The commander began thinking. I was likely a piece of modern technology. and that put me in needless danger. But still, I needed to fight at some point. "I suppose. But we should discuss the specifics later." He then fixed me with a questioning gaze (Much to my chagrin) and asked. "Speaking of which. however. Do you have any ideas about your current status? You should be a heavy cruiser, Yet here you are. a Iris libre battleship. and one that only existed on paper. let alone with today's technology."

I just shrugged and looked away. shaking my head. "I don't know much. I-I just woke up one d-day and I-I was like this." The commander raised an eyebrow. It was strange as to how i came into being. even though I wasn't summoned. "U-Uh. I-I woke up underwater. a-and i began on a random plotted course?" The stare remained. Damn.

Should i mention my extra-franchise powers now? It was a major risk, sure. but as long as i had control over my respective magitech. they weren't getting much from me anytime soon.

"...W-What if i told you that i ran into a patrolling flotilla o-of destroyers and a cruiser. Launched Paveways, fired Excalibur. then r-resorted to magical abilities to heal w-what damage i had-" Vestal began coughing violently. The commander was staring at me with noticeably wider eyes. mouth opening and struggling to look for a response like a beluga whale out of the water.

I risked it. Didn't i? "You WHAT!?" Wichita shouted. rounding on me like a pissed off triceratops as i nearly took a step back in pressure.

"E-Eek! Y-Your voice is s-so loud like a megaphone." I shyly spoke to her. my hands wandering up to hide my head under my hoodie. "Uuuaa..."

"You possess technology far beyond us or our current sophistication. and you claim you have magic!?" She shouted. at this point she sounded less angry and more confused. Horrified? Curious? I had trouble discerning. and i was taking a gamble here.

"W-well. The b-battle took place shortly after N-norfolk woke up." I explained. the man seemed to find his will to talk. coughing to get everyone's attention. "We should conduct the rest of the debrief inside. yes?"

Wichita looked between me and the commander. I just placed my hands behind me. not wanting to get between an high-ranking commissioned officer and what i assumed to be a NCO or a CO. Wichita eventually let out a sigh. shoulders slumping as her eyes locked with me. "...I suppose we will simply need to be patient to hear out and confirm your claims as to whether they're true of not..." I didn't like that look in her eyes. But then again. If i wanted to, I could bomb them out in just less than 24 hours. It looks like i may have to play hardball with my choice of words and any bluffs here.

Walking down this labyrinth of corridors and hallways that i swore would belong in a movie. I walked with the three to god knows what. We breezed through the occasional shipgirl there and there. my face concealing a sense of dread and foreboding. Washington opening the door to the commander's office before i was ushured inside. taking a heavy sigh as i prepared myself.

I must have broke them or exceeded their sense of disbelief. at least that was what i thought.

Of it could be their 'screw it'. Right now, after having went through my whole experience out in enemy-controlled waters while alone. Wichita was slumping forward. her elbows on the table where most of us were seated around. frantically rubbing her temples. Vestal had long since distanced herself from the conversation. preferring to glance between all of us as we spoke. trying my best to avoid giving away any hints that might allow them to understand my technology.

I think they handled the part about the guided rounds and magic powers claim after we'd come into the commander's office room quite well. The shock of it must have wore off. as evidenced by the man himself calmly drinking caffeine-laden coffee. Either that man is not fazed easily. or he's got a damn good face he uses for public situations.

Considering what i know about black projects and hidden budgets. I am suspecting a combination of these two.

"Okay..." Wichita began, placing her hands down on the table neatly in front of her and straightening herself in the chair. "Go back to the part where you were fighting against the siren fleet in open daylight."

"You mean the part where i approached them undetected and engaged them with the e-element of s-surprise while my fighter bombers disabled the c-cruisers?" I guessed. still remembering the memory quite well, That was the most adrenaline-laden event i had been in my entire life. and i wasn't too thrilled about the idea of being torpedoed. Again.

"Yes. That part of the battle." She confirmed. leaning forward and looking me dead at eye-level. "You said you attacked undetected, alone and didn't attempt airstrikes first. and you were outnumbered several times over?"

"Outnumbered by destroyers and cruisers. b-but yes." I nodded and confirmed that part.

"And you said you sunk them all?" She continued.

"A-And a heavy cruiser. too?" I again nodded. I was trying to not get anxious as her eyes bore into my soul. making me uncomfortable as i tried to stay still in my seat.

"And then later, when you rendezvous with the fleet sent to find you, You said you took part in the battle despite knowing the risks posed to you. especially by enemy torpedoes and Long lances?" She leaned back in her seat as i gestured to confirm it and shrugged. looking down at the floor.

Wichita raised a hand to her head and started massaging it again. her stare unceasingly not going anywhere. "What i do want to know, Norfolk. is how you thought any of it would work beforehand without excessive danger."

I leaned back in my chair and glanced up at the ceiling to avoid her stare. "T-To be h-honest? Norfolk n-never had any clue that i-it worked." I admitted. "I-I was just trying to help out my r-rescuers and i-i didn't have many options. A-And i couldn't just do nothing." Finally. the commander spoke up. was it directed at my stupidity or my suicidal bravery if my friends were threatened? I dare say that it was mostly the former.

"I am more impressed that you made it out without suffering a major torpedo hit or superstructure damage." The commander himself set his coffee cup down on the table as i hid my hands below my thighs. I didn't drink any of that stuff back in my past life. and i was not going to start so right now. I valued my sleep. thank you very much. "The Sirens seemed very keen to track you down and quite likely, sink you."

"M-Maybe?" I added. "Didn't seem that way, they were only doing so when their task forces disappeared after i encountered these same fleets i-in action." If their command structure was anything like UBW or USN Command. It would take some time for them to process reports of a lone battleship. let alone assign the nearest surface searching party in time before i was elsewhere by then.

"Still. that level of thinking. and perhaps bravery from someone who has never been trained in military planning. nor fleet tactics is definitely commendable." He added with a knowing smile. Well. that counted for something on my record, i guess. Vestal refused to look at the three of us and Washington... well. was Washington.

I made a wistful noise. stretching my neck. "I-Is that so obvious?"

"A little." He said. "Now as for your first encounter with the Sierns. i was wondering what specifically prompted you to launch an attack if you could have disengaged instead without being spotted?"

That was something i could slip the truth on. this time. "A-At the time. W-well. I-I was trying to get a feel f-for my carrier air wings, and since they didn't have the necessary defenses. They made perfect target dummies t-to practice my bombers on." I said.

"Thats a flowery way of saying 'I wanted to train my carrier complement in battle'." Vestal finally spoke up. I guess being strict toward Enterprise didn't just apply to the Grey ghost. it applied to all carriers as well.

"Makes it easier t-to remember how to set up bombing runs." I admitted. "I-I mean. it d-does give me a way to attack from beyond b-battleship range and avoid being spotted by major surface taskforces w-while still being able to harass them and not be chased down or worse."

"Which explains your actions and decisions. i suppose." The commander stated. "Speaking of, you said you wanted to speak with Comet. Yes?" I nodded and smiled. "For the time being, Comet will be busy and on duty. though i don't see any reason to deny you visiting her once she has free time."

"E-ehe." I muttered. "A-Any chance you know for h-how long that m-might take?"

"It's a few days to a week of so." Vestal spoke up again. going over a notebook she held in her hands. "Comet will be busy with patrols and escort duty but i doubt her current assignment will take longer than that. Of course, there's also some of the tests i'd like to run on you just to figure out what are you exactly..." She trailed off. Right, I was the Alsace-class. not the Norfolk sub-class.

"Which conveniently brings us to yourself. Norfolk." The man said. motioning towards me with his hand and smiling expectantly that made me feel like something bad was going to happen. "Where do you plan on going from here?"

I hummed. staying quiet as I went over my strategic plans. Where exactly can i go from here? Doubt i can stay inactive around here for too long. i likely be assigned at some point so i am meeting their internal reviews and quotas, And even if a civilian life seemed possible (Doubtful. considering the likely retirement of Bionic soldiers in Cataclysm Bright Nights and Shipgirls were a catastrophic technology in their own right as self-aware war machines) I was too much of a laying flat person. And then of course, there was the question of my conflicting citizenship. It's not too much of a roadblock. but if either the French or the UK don't allow for dual citizenships then that could become a major problem. Plus, when you're a Magical girl. a Latent one... there was only so much i can do before i had to reveal my other form at some point... And then, there was no telling what might happen.

And that left the question of what navy I end up with. I mean. in a way i was British due to my background, I did speak English obviously. but i knew very little of british culture and at the same time i could be Japanese. but then again that was limited to anime and manga. And i was not too fond of the food since I preferred lots of meat. Give me Italian pizza, Korean cheese sticks or french fries and pork any other day. But in body? it was a major question as to whether or not I was actually a French (Iris Libre) or United Kingdom (Royal navy) boat. And a modern Franco-british union was impossible.

Could i possibly stay with the Iris libre? I am not sure they want a 'malformed' battleship. Maybe they would if my technology was not accounted for but i doubt it, They already had the Richelieus and i have no idea what they might think of a distantly related sibling (If such a thing were ever possible). Plus, i be constantly in a religious country. and i didn't want to risk a catholic priest molesting me even if i could defend myself. The UK might not be a option either, given its own internal political troubles lately. British exceptionalism and taking the EU workers for granted. Plus. I be constantly reminded of my background if i tried that, And I had already lost any friends of family relatives i might know at this point. No way i can actually go home along with the usual right-winger atmosphere argument.

Germany might not be a option either. since their ideology indicated a right-wing fascistic turn, and no way in hell was i living in a country that was like that. along with the constant risk of a Yugoslavia-style infrastructure bombing if Ironblood actually managed to turn on Azur lane. I knew what happened to the Gulf and Yugoslavia. and no way in hell was i risking myself on fabricated charges. real of not. Along with whether they would even respect my wishes of not.

There was the USN but they were already swimming in shipgirls from how many they had in the game and both historically. I don't think they need to add a foreign battleship that was using a mix of russian. australian. NATO and classified American equipment to the mix. And of course, Azur lane had been the ones to recover me from that unplanned lone wolfing out of the seas. This was so many questions... So many decisions, and so little time...

Having to choose one. I leaned forward. stared at the human commander and decided to say something. "D-depends on where y-you need me? I-I think?"

His eyes digested what i said. but otherwise he didn't miss a beat. "Well, as of now. Working on bringing yourself up to full operational capacity. I don't think i need to read on what your gunnery skills are?"

I huffed and pouted. "I already know I don't even know anything outside of automatic RADAR-controlled fire control..."

"I assign someone to show you the basics. You also have to attend basic Naval training, it's standard procedure for all shipgirls." He listed off. more for tradition than my benefit i think. "I send your mentor to find you later. Right now, Go with Vestal so she can give you a once over and find out exactly what kind of technology. let alone any support equipment dependency we're working with here." I knew i could regenerate my computer and electronics. but the ETC technology for my cannons and the exotic computer-controlled ECU units for my propulsion might be a major problem. Azur lane didn't even have vacuum tubes yet. Microprocessors were beyond their reach for shipgirls.

Vestal and i shared a glance. "Right then, This meeting is concluded. Dismissed. Norfolk." The commander broke it as i didn't even get a word in before I felt Vestal take my arm in her's and haul me out of the room. Jesus! Never thought repair ships were. pound-for-pound. as strong as the heavier cruisers! If that grip was to go by. I was sure Vestal could bruise me and harm me in a few ways before I could turn her into scrap!

However. the questions of my magical abilities, let alone my equipment were unanswered. And sooner of later. I was going to have to confront them once Vestal found out the truth or discovered the true extent of my modern weaponry capabilities. And god knows what the other factions were up to...

So far. i've still been busy but i am trying to return to a weekly. maybe half-week schedule. It looks like that since noone voted, The reactor chosen will be either Molten Salt reactor or Ultracompact Advanced Tokamak (In this case with Lithium-Deuterium fusion. or the Lithium-Proton (Hydrogen) fusion cycle). See you in the next chapter!