Azur Lane: Land To Sea.

37: A Mental Skirmish

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A particular windy day in the HQ, and the last few weather updates isn't looking any better. Some if not all commissions today might be called off. The semblance of a normal life is getting closer and closer by the day as well. Apart for some 'necessary' encounters, the Sirens have been a non-factor since the last major Operation. But the looming threat keeps them vigilant. Keeping most of their daily routine with a lot more normal things added in. But for how long though?

That was the question... Of the one and only, Belfast.

But she is asleep in her pajamas. A loud thunderstruck in the distance, its sound crashing throughout the base. Signaling a thunderstorm. The defenses heightened, and patrols all over the shores, most girls came out as the weather was about to be harsh. An inconvenience, but a proper step to not repeat the ambush.

But still in her dorm room, alone, is Belfast. But the door creaked open. Sirius came in to see what's happening. Her eyes darted immediately to the head maid, uncharacteristically still asleep even with the rough weather outside. So she made an assumption. An uncalled one, but in precaution, Sirius left the room to go to the cafeteria. Not too long after, she returned with a bowl of soup made by someone else, not her. Her cooking skills speaks for its looks. But the soup looks pleasing. Perfect for the sleeping maid.

Sirius tapped Belfast's shoulder, trying her best to wake her up without being rude. She grumbled a little bit. Wiggling her body to change positions on her bed, facing away from Sirius. She's even more baffled.

A curious thought passed her mind, and she instinctively followed it by putting the back of her palm on her neck. Once a hunch, now a fact.

Belfast is sick. And it gave her enough reason to wake her up with a tad bit of force put into it.

Now, this is the one that woke Belfast up. Not only she was half-asleep, but she also looked noticeably more... Terrible. Combined with 'morning hair', it didn't help at all. She was wiping her tired eyes and shaking her head a little bit.

"Belfast, your crook is heating up. Reckon that you rest, I'd say," said Sirius as she took out the piping hot bowl of soup and a spoon. Getting a scoop of it before showing it to Belfast's face. But after she got back to her senses, the rainstorm has already arrived, and it's stormy. Stormy enough that it made Belfast ignore Sirius's hospitality and stood up to change in her maid outfit quickly.

"I must go to the Commander. What time is it? Hope he forgives me for sleeping for too long." She said in her changing room.

"Belfast! Don't do this to yourself!" The helpless maid pleaded. As she saw Belfast go to the changing room, just as bad as she looked earlier. But by then, she already changed.

"Sirius, I thank you for your hospitality. If you may, just leave the soup there and I'll come back for it." As she came out of the changing room and Sirius hearing her voice clearly for the first time today, not only she looked sick, she very much sounded so. It also seemed that the head maid noticed as in reaction to her very raspy tone of speaking, she hurried out of the dorm room. Leaving Sirius there to absorb all that information at once.

And only she could do one thing...

"W-why...?" Her voice lowering, and her head down. "Whatever happened yesterday, you shouldn't push yourself this far."

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The weather mirroring today, a rainy night came down on the base, and everyone situated outside, had to go in to get some shelter.