Here I am... inside a black nothingness... Memories when I was just a mere Airship...
Nothing.
I can't feel anything.
Void.
Emptiness.
Santa Elva...
Before I came here, into this world...
Ahh... I wish to forget those sounds... too bad, it always comes back, flowing like a twisted waterfall, aiming to torment me by drowning me in it.
Why did I feel nothing? Those wounds should've felt like something, but now, I don't feel anything.
As I ran my hand through my forehead... not a single trace of wounds...
Then, my leg... I thought it was broken...
Everything.
Why?
Why am I human? Or more precisely, How?
Is this some twisted plan by God?
Damn it, I remember now...
There were bombs raining death upon civilians' houses...
Why? I thought only the Aurelian Officials were responsible for the Civil War...
They're all needless deaths...
Ah... My SWBMs... I tore apart so many planes before... before that damned Southern Cross shot me down.
Those days... I don't necessarily like them, nor do I hate them.
I simply don't feel anything.
What are feelings anyway? I've never had them before...
I used to be a King, lording over the skies of Aurelia, but now, that matters little.
Urgh, the pilots' dying screams... I can hear them now...
Damn, it must be a painful way to go...
Ground forces, and ships... I remember my Shock Cannon vaporizing them.
But somehow, I feel nothing.
Well, I am not human myself, that explains something.
But seeing them die...
Oh, I remember this feeling...
Guilt.
Why am I feeling that anyway?
It's... beyond me.
Heh, great, I'm contradicting myself.
Now... What was the purpose of the war?
I only remembered something along the lines of "Retribution".
Ah, right, "Retribution for Years of Exploitation" as Commander Navarro said it.
It's revenge, then.
The conspiracy.
Those damned Aurelians sought to profit from our 12 full years of Civil War...
In turn, we attacked back. It's only natural.
But why were there wars in the first place? The Aurelian War, I can get that.
But why the Civil War? Is there anything Commander Navarro is hiding from us?
Ergh... I remember it... My Shock Cannon whirring to life, producing an all-consuming blue light.
It's truly a powerful weapon, but... I can't help but feel pity on the wrong side.
They were humans, real humans, unlike me...
The War... What did it bring? Only destruction to both sides, as far as I can see.
There were countless airbases, ships, and tanks that I vaporized into nothing, sank, and blew up.
Only death trails my wake.
Ah... I remember...
Gandr.
If I'm here, and a male, it's only fitting if I call Gandr my brother, right? He might only be my prototype, but... I don't know, there's just this connection that I never knew I had.
What did he do to deserve his very untimely death?
I get that we're mere warships, tailored, made to, and only purpose is to destroy, but somehow, I can't help but feel-
Ah, there we go again.
Feelings.
It's... weird... but... I don't know, I don't necessarily hate it.
So many new things... I don't know which to think about first...
Wait, Captain...
Captain Frank Burlington. I-i.. Why, Captain?
I get that those bastardous Aurelians tormented us in the first place, but why? Why drag civilians into this?
They didn't do anything wrong...
I'm just a puppet. And a damn good one at that.
And for some reason... I'm half okay with that.
It's in a weapon's life to be used, right?
But on the other hand... I don't want it. I want none of it.
Again, why were there wars in the first place?
To protect? It's... a noble cause. I can get behind that.
To avenge? That... is my only purpose. But... It feels empty inside now.
To capitalize? I hate that cause. If that was the only reason I and Gandr were built, it's better to just detonate my ammunition stowage.
But for some reason, it seems like it's every war's cause.
Why? Is it in humanity's nature to do that?
I'm not innocent myself, I've taken so many, but...
That's fucking disgusting.
This new world I'm in... truly a proposition.
But why the hell am I here?
I should've died that day, as I fell into the Lenal River...
Ugh, I can still feel that bridge...
I don't know. This world... it might be my chance for redemption.
Never in hell I would pass this up.
Agh, what's that light?
It's getting brighter...
I find myself in a room, blinded from the light, my eyes trying to adjust. All that pain I felt came back, but somehow, it's...
Better.
As I run my hands through my forehead, I can feel a fibrous strip of something. That's a very bad decision, as with the next second, a sting made me wince in pain.
"Ugh... Where am I..?" I tried to sit up from my laid-down position, and questioned myself.
I laid my eyes upon my body, and I saw so many blood-stained bandages. Ugh... what pathetic state I'm in...
"Oh! You're awake!" A voice pipes up.
Huh? Where the- Oh. It's a short girl with greyish hair, and a nurse uniform.
"Where am I?" I said to her, as I tried to sit up and feel my legs, only to cringe in pain even more.
"Whoa! Don't move too much! You're still recovering, and your wounds are very severe! You haven't healed anything yet, it's only been two days since Warspite and Wales brought you here and I treated you." The girl said with an authoritative tone, laced with a hint of concern.
Hmmm, Warspite, I know her. But Wales? Who is that? Might be someone that saved me too while I was unconscious...
Ah, how rude of me, this girl treated me, and I didn't even bother to ask her name... I'll ask her now.
"Again, where am I? And who are you?" I questioned the girl, while adding one more question of where I am currently in. Killing two birds with one stone, right?
"You are in the Azur Lane Infirmary, and I am USS Vestal, a repair ship. You were... pretty roughed up, I would say. What happened to you?" She asked.
Uh, that, I don't think telling her I was shot down by a single fighter would make a good impression, right?
"That question, I shall answer for another time." I avoided the question.
In response, she merely sighed. Please don't bring that up again...
Hah, what pathetic state I'm in... to be embarrassed like this...
Damn it.
"Fine, but you are not to move! One move might tear any of the numerous wounds in your body, so don't!" She commanded with a stern voice.
Well, she does have a point.
After her tirade, she stops, and just stands there. I don't know, maybe she is thinking to herself.
I wonder, what is she thinking? Could it be about me?
A moment of awkward silence passed on the both of us, before she walked out of the infirmary.
Well, that was... Oh well, it matters little. Maybe she had something to do, don't overthink it.
A minute passes, turns into hours. I stared at the white ceiling of the infirmary the whole time, trying to forget the excruciating pain on my leg, and stinging wounds on my arms.
Gods, this is very painful. Add to that, there's nothing to do.
A change of pace, from the hectic frontlines of the Aurelian War. It's... quite nice, but then, something feels missing.
It's like an all-consuming void, engulfing my heart in darkness. Must be from my lack of purpose.
A weapon's ultimate goal is to be used. And I am laying here like a heaping pile of scra-
Wait a minute, I FORGOT!
The Airborne Fortress! It's still on that island! Goddamn it!
I instinctively facepalmed.
Truly, a dumb, stupid, and other words to address idiocy, decision.
The pain stung greatly, making me wince in pain, but, it felt like sterilizing a cut with an alcohol, weirdly relieving, similar to that time, when I summoned a pair of raven wings from my back.
Am I a masochist? I don't know.
Damn, what would happen to me? It's in a state of disrepair, much like I am, and only god knows what would happen if it fell to the hands of the enemy...
Wait, I don't know about the "enemy" I'm talking about... I just came here! How did I even offend someone by just existing!?
I... I have to calm down... and maybe try to stop thinking.
But how am I going to do that? Oh well, it's time to do one of the things I do best.
Taking risks.
Slowly, I raised my body to sit on the bed. The pain came back, even stronger than before. I have to go on, Urgh...
Streams of electricity alert my brain, similar to how the damage control system on the Airborne Fortress worked once, telling me to stop. But if I give up, I'll never know anything.
I'm doing such a trivial thing, and if I fail, it's going in my list of failures.
I gritted my teeth in pain as I finally managed to sit up on the infirmary bed. There we go...
Such a small thing, why do I feel it's a big accomplishment?
And here I go again, feel.
Once, it's simple. They attack, I attack. They submit, I destroy. Return back to base.
But now... I have no words to describe it.
Goddamn confusing, if you ask me.
Wait, why am I thinking to myself again? Ah... forget it...
I laid my eyes upon every corner of the infirmary. An empty bed, a post holding a black shirt and an equally black coat.
Wait, a black coat? That must be mine, then. How did I get those clothes? Is it actually a piece of my body? Mmm, I don't know, I'll find out later.
I continued curiously exploring the surrounding area with my eyes, ah, so many new things I've seen...
But then, a pair of... bunny ears? Caught my attention, that's for sure.
I look a little more under to see the owner of the bunny ears. Fascinating, animalistic traits? Never saw that back in Leasath or Aurelia, as far as I can recall. But wait, that looks more like a headband than real animal ears...
It's... a white-haired little girl. Mm, she looks... sleepy? It's in the middle of the day, though.
"Hey, you, what's your name?" I tried to soften my voice, so as to not frighten her.
"Mmm... I'm Laffey... What do you want? I'm sleepy...." She replied to me, lethargically.
What happened to her? Is she always sleepy all the time?
Before I even managed to say another word, Laffey just went... fell over and dozed off.
Welp, that's one hell of a talk...
Ahh, I should lay down now, in any second, Vestal could return. And I'm really not fond of getting scolded for disobeying orders.
Proves that you're just an incompetent soldier.
I carefully lowered my body towards the bed, and sighed in relief as my back hit the leathery finish of the Infirmary mattress.
Ack, I can't feel anything on my back, either. Might be because of that explosion on my SWBM port on my ship...
That hurt like hell.
As if on cue, I heard footsteps just outside of the Infirmary's sliding door.
For once, I made a good decision. Phew.
The door slides open to reveal Vestal, Warspite, and two other girls that I have no idea what their name is.
"Gleipnir, here are the people that saved you. Well, technically, it's only Warspite, but I'd like you to meet them too." Vestal announces. Hm, yes, I know Warspite, but the other two.... Not so much.
"Well? Aren't you going to give me your names?" I asked them.
"Ah, forgive me for my rudeness. I am HMS Prince of Wales, King George V-class Battleship." The predominantly-red-uniformed girl introduces herself first whilst bowing in respect.
Hmm, battleships? Aren't they obsolete? I do remember a certain one in the legendary Aëgir Fleet, though.
The other one follows suit. "I am HMS Hood, Admiral-class Battlecruiser." The other one with a... flag motif? As a cape introduces herself.
It's very impolite of me to not bow in response, but considering my current state, I can't even stand, don't even think about bowing.
All these Royalty things, Erusean-ish in culture. Never been there, though.
Ah! Damn it, I'm dumb! Should've introduced myself first!
"I am Gleipnir, Gleipnir-class Airborne Fortress." I said, introducing myself to the two formally.
Well, I haven't thanked Warspite properly for saving me earlier on that island, right? Oh well, I'll do it now.
"Warspite, thank you for responding to the SOS Signal. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Now I'm indebted to you, and the Azur Lane." I gratefully said to her.
In response, she nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
Well, with that out of the way, there must be something that they need from me if they came at such a time while I'm still sustaining heavy damage.
"We are here to ask you some questions, Gleipnir." Wales tells me.
Hah, figured.
Before anything could be said, Hood suddenly broke the peace, placing her hands over on my shoulders, gripping it tightly.
"I'll be blunt, who are you, and why are you here? I will finish you myself if you are a siren. Speak up!"
Whoa, this is....
One hell of a situation...
And she's gripping on my shoulders, right on a damn wound, ouch!
"Slow down, slow down, I'm not trying to do anything, I won't escape, I'm not a siren, and I sure as hell can't do anything against any of you. Look at me, for crying out loud! And please, hands off me, it hurts!" I told her, who thankfully got the hint and backed off.
Ergh, that's gonna hurt...
"With that out of the way... I can answer some... first, I am Gleipnir, Gleipnir-class Airborne Fortress. I've said it before, but I think you've missed it." I said to the now calmed-down Hood.
"What faction made you?" She asks another question.
.....
Wait, what are factions? I'll assume she's referring to my country, so Leasath is what she'll get.
"Leasath. Leasath is the faction that built me. Or in this case, I call it a nation." I answered her question.
Hearing that, she went silent for a moment, pondering about something.
"What is this Leasath you're talking about? Is it a faction?" She further asks about my origin.
"As I said, I don't know about any factions. Leasath is a country, not a faction." I calmly answered her question.
"I see..." Hood then backed off, and looked to be thinking to herself.
Phew, that's one done.
"Next question. What exactly is an Airborne Fortress? Is it the Giant Aircraft Warspite saw when she rescued you?" It's Wales' turn to ask.
"Yes. That is me. Or rather, my ship." I answered truthfully.
"I see. What is an Airborne Fortress, exactly?" She acknowledges, and proceeds to the next question.
"I am in my purpose, to lay down overwhelming firepower upon enemies from long range, destroying a large amount easily. But I lack close-range armaments, save for my defensive armaments. I can theoretically use my main armaments in close range, but that would damage myself, albeit on a surface level." I revealed the Airborne Fortress' specialities.
Although, I'm not actually THAT helpless in close-range. Hell, ground/surface strikes were my daily food back in the day, but I digress.
"That just covers what you are, what are you exactly in the ranks of this 'Leasath' military?" Hood interjects the conversation.
Couldn't possibly tell them I'm the flagship, right? Would that be fine? Hmmm....
Oh well. Just the flagship part wouldn't hurt.
"I was the flagship of the Leasathian Military, keep in mind, was." I answered the curious blonde's question.
"Was? Why is that?" She continued.
Oh shit.
"I... That's a question for another time." I really don't want to bring that... shameful, dishonorable, and disgusting failure.
A single fighter shot me down. What a joke.
Grrrrr....
"Fine, I'll refrain from asking. My apologies." She thankfully dropped the question, and apologized to me.
Hearing that, I sighed in relief. A secret kept is better than no secret at all. Or was it the other way arou-
"Hmm, Gleipnir. What do you mean by 'overwhelming firepower'?" Before anything, Wales asked a question, throwing me off my thoughts.
Ah, damn it, one failed SWBM launch, and I'm as good as scrap. Can't possibly do it right now...
"Well... It's.... hard to explain with words, but once I recover, I'll show it to you myself." With that, I made a mental note to explain about myself later.
"Besides, the Airborne Fortress is still on that island... and... I fear it's going to fall into a deeper state of disrepair if we don't retrieve it..." I continued.
Ugh, what a drag, I'm getting another debt to them... to drag such a ship of gargantuan size, they'll surely have to need a whole lot of manpower.
"Well, if you know where it is, you can summon it." Wales informed me.
.....
You can do that? Wow, I'm stupid!
But... Well, I do know where it is, but how do I summon it from such a distance? Is it like the time I summoned forth my wings and the Airborne Fortress out of nowhere?
"Summon it? From such a long distance? How? I do know where it is, though." I said, letting her know.
"I'll certainly show you, but we have to go somewhere a little bit more spacious." She says.
"Oh no, you're not taking him anywhere! In the past two days, he didn't even heal anything, and you're THINKING to take him out?! I do not agree with this!" Vestal angrily berated Wales for thinking to bring me outside.
Man, she's scary...
"Vestal, please listen. If our ship forms are attached to our human forms, wouldn't it make his wounds faster and easier to heal by getting repaired than just let him lay down on the infirmary bed trying to recover, right?" Wales countered. What are they talking about, I don't understand a thing.
"Wait a minute... What you've said to me is right, though... Alright, I'll let you take him. But come back as soon as possible after you're finished!" With that, she gave her permission to take me with her.
But where are we going though?
"Wales, where are we going, though?" I asked her.
"To the docks. You can summon your ship there." She replied.
"Are you sure it can fit the Gleipnir inside?" I asked again, voicing out my concerns.
"Of course it can fit! don't you worry." She answers.
Well, if it's huge enough, I have no complaints.
"Alright..." We'll see when we get there.
...............
I literally can't even stand up. How in hell are we going to get there?
"Follow me, Gleipnir. I'll show you the way." She said,
That's the problem, I can't even stand up!
"Wales. Let me remind you of what state I'm currently in." I stated as I gestured to my mummified body.
"Oh, right. Vestal, is a wheelchair available right now?" Wales acknowledges the situation, and asks Vestal for an available wheelchair.
Huh, seems like I'm going to see what lies outside then.
"Yes, there is one right there." She replies and motions towards a folded wheelchair right next to her.
"I see." Wales says as she took the wheelchair, unfolded it in a swift motion, and put it down.
"Let's go. Can you get out of the bed and get into this wheelchair?" She asked.
Ugh, this is going to be a pain...
"I'll try." I said. With that, I slowly tried to rise from the bed to get to the wheelchair.
Again, streams of electricity coming towards my "pain" receptor starts going haywire, as if telling me to stop.
Push yourself, Gleipnir, damn it! The Pride of Leasath isn't just merely a title! Argh!
"Gleipnir, are you okay?" Wales watches as I grit my teeth in pain, trying to get down from the bed towards the wheelchair.
"I'm okay, give me a... moment, there!" I replied as I sat down rather painfully on the wheelchair
Guh, that's settled... Now, to arrive at the docks. I would hate the thought of myself becoming a liability, much less actually being one.
I'm actually a liability for now, though....
"Gleipnir, let us depart. Onwards to the docks!" Wales says, breaking me off from my thoughts.
Heh, time to see what lies outside.
(Author's Note: Here, rewritten! Please, if you have any criticisms in mind, go ahead. If it's shit, it's shit. Thanks in advance!)