3rd Person POV
Pacific
"What the bloody Hell is going on?" Striker wondered as Shoukaku flew down to her sister's side.
"Zuikaku, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.
"I'm fine," she replied. "But seriously? A maid? Is this some kind of joke?"
"I assure you, it is not," Prinz Eugen said. "This is Belfast, the second ship in the Edinburgh class of light cruisers from the Royal Navy."
Great, fancy schmancy ships, Striker thought.
"Despite her looks, she is still a legendary warrior of the seas," Eugen went on. "Do not underestimate her."
"Thank you, Prinz Eugen of Iron Blood," Belfast replied. "Always a pleasure to cross paths with you. Though I did not expect the two of us to be meeting on this journey."
Again, what?
"Neither did I," Eugen replied. "But since we are both here, it would be good to settle grudges away from Iron Blood and Royal Navy." Her two shark hulls snapped at Belfast.
In response, Striker's shark hulls returned the favor.
"I make no objection to this proposal," Belfast replied, glancing to the side.
Following her gaze, Striker saw several cruisers and battleships sailing toward them. "Guess this party's heating up."
"So it would seem," Eugen acknowledged.
"Isn't that Warspite, Hood, Edinburgh, Sheffield, and Queen Elizabeth?" Shoukaku asked nervously.
"I would like to remind you," Belfast said, getting everyone's attention. "We never fight at less than full force."
"Really?" Striker deadpanned. "Of all the cool catchphrases, you used that?"
Belfast just shrugged.
"It's the main Royal Navy fleet," Enterprise said in awe.
"Let us know when you've made your decision," Belfast said.
Eugen sighed. "I suppose it's best to quit while we're ahead."
"What did I say?!" Z23 yelled. "I expect apologies from every one of you who did not take my warning seriously!" Huffing, she stormed off, Ayanami following and casting a hesitant glance back at them.
Laffey waved at her, and Ayanami sailed off.
Landing on one of the Siren ships, Eugen nodded at them. "We will meet again, Azur Lane. As will we~" She winked at Striker before turning and walking off as the Siren ships pulled back.
"You've got to be kidding me," Striker complained, then turned to Zuikaku and Shoukaku. "Guess I'll see you at the next fight?"
"Do you even take this fighting seriously?" Zuikaku demanded in disbelief.
Striker shrugged. "That answer your question?"
"Unbelievable," Zuikaku muttered, and, flying over to her sister's carrier, sailed off, both she and her sister wondering as to why Striker had truly let her live.
Striker was wondering the same thing, but before he could pursue that train of thought, his senses tingled, and he turned to find many of the Royal Navy ships aiming their weapons at him.
"You should follow your comrade's lead, Iron Blood," Hood hissed, glaring at him.
Striker glared back and aimed his turrets back at them, a low electric hum filling the air as his railgun charged, and his primaries loaded new rounds.
"Hold up everyone!" Cleveland shouted, sailing in between both sides with Hornet leaning on her for support. "He's on our side."
"So, this is the male ship I have heard about," Belfast acknowledged. She curtsied. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise, Sheila," Striker replied easily, eying the rest of the Royal Navy.
Just then, Enterprise faltered and collapsed, but Belfast caught her. "Ma'am? What is wrong?"
"She pushed herself too hard," Striker answered, keeping his guns trained on the Royal Navy ships. "Apparently, that's a thing with her."
"Looks like we got ourselves a standoff," Hornet joked, eyeing the two sides uneasily. The Royal Navy may outnumber him, but Hornet had a feeling that wouldn't matter to Striker, given how he had already sunken a fleet of Siren ships from what she had heard.
"Maybe it would be best to talk this out," Warspite spoke up, eyeing Striker uneasily.
She had already heard some of what this new ship was capable of, and enemy riggings or not, she didn't think it would be a good idea to test him.
Hood huffed but slowly lowered her guns, the other Royal Navy ships following her lead.
In response, Striker did so as well, lowering his railgun and relaxing his primaries to standby. Unknown to everyone else, he loosened his missile locks just in case it turned out to be a trap.
"Okay then, since we've got this all sorted out, why don't we head back to base?" Cleveland asked, eyeing both sides. "Striker, could you get your ship out and help tow the others?"
Striker nodded and summoned his ship. Multiple wisdom cubes flew into the air as his rigging dissolved, transforming into his battleship, its shadow looming over the shipgirls on the water.
Hornet and the others gaped at the size of Striker's ship. It was easily bigger than any of theirs.
Seeing it, Hood was glad that they had decided not to attack, especially considering the unknown weapon on the front of the ship.
Timeskip brought to you by Striker annoying the Royal Navy
After attaching some mooring lines to the front of Hornet's, Helena's, Arizona's, and Northampton's ships, Striker hit the throttle, and his ship lurched forward, tugging the four ships behind while the Royal Navy formed a protective ring around his ship.
Sighing, Cleveland nodded at Striker. "Thanks, Striker."
"No problem, Sheila," Striker replied, glancing at the ships around him.
"Nervous?" Cleveland asked.
"How could I be?" Striker replied dryly. "I mean, these girls almost attacked me. How could I be nervous?"
"I see your point," Cleveland admitted. "To be honest, I thought you were going to shoot some of them."
"Still thinking about it," Striker muttered. "Think my railgun could shoot through one of their teapots?"
"Probably," Cleveland replied with a laugh.
Hearing footsteps, Striker turned and found Warspite walking toward them.
"Oh, hey, Warspite," Cleveland greeted with a wave.
"Greetings, Cleveland," the battleship replied before turning to Striker. "I would like to apologize on behalf of her majesty for the hostile introduction."
"It's fine," Striker replied. "And please, drop the formalities, would ya, Sheila?"
"Sheila?"
"It's just the way he talks," Cleveland explained. "You'll get used to it."
"I see." Warspite shifted uncomfortably. "I should introduce myself. I am Warspite, Battleship of the Royal Navy."
"USS Striker, Nuclear Battleship of the Pacific Naval forces," Striker replied.
"Pacific—?"
"Hey, Cleveland!"
The three turned and saw Hornet walking toward them. "Any idea where Enterprise is?" she asked.
"She's down in the medical room," Striker replied. "Glad I'm already stocked with medical supplies. That could have been a disaster."
"You're telling me," Hornet laughed before holding out her hand. "I'm Hornet, CV-8 Yorktown-class Aircraft Carrier."
"Striker, BR-5 Iowa-class Battleship," Striker replied, shaking her hand.
"So, you're the male ship that I've been hearing about?" Hornet asked.
"Well, apparently, since I'm the only male in this world..." Striker replied.
"Could be worse though, couldn't it?"
"Yeah, I mean, I've already met a crazy carrier, and I'm surrounded by a bunch of girls who want to kill me," Striker replied, gesturing to the Royal Navy ships around him. "What's to worry about?"
Hornet laughed. "I see your point. But what did ya mean by 'this world?'"
Warspite looked over at him curiously.
Striker sighed. "Well, I guess there's not much reason to hide it. I'm from the year 2035, in an alternate timeline."
"Damn. You're from the future?"
"... yes."
"Does that mean that ya—"
"Know what you're going to say? Please don't ask."
Hornet laughed again. "Alright, I won't." Her face turned serious. "How is Enterprise though? She's been pushing herself hard lately."
"She's resting, from what I can tell," Striker replied, leaning with his back against the railing. "Belfast has apparently decided to watch over her. Not like I get a say or anything; it's just my ship that they're using."
Hornet just shook her head. "My sister is unbelievable. So, you're from the future, huh? Guess that explains that weird looking gun thing." She nodded at his railgun. "What is it anyways?"
"It's a railgun," Striker replied. "Capable of launching steel projectiles at Mach 7, or 5370 miles per hour."
Hornet whistled. "Shoot. That's a lot of damage."
Warspite also looked impressed and was secretly glad that they hadn't decided to attack him. If what he said were true, then his railgun could have easily taken down any of them with probably one shot.
"Why'd you spare that Sakura carrier?" Hornet asked curiously. "From what I saw, you had her."
Striker hesitated. "I'm not really sure," he admitted. "I guess you could say I didn't want to kill her. That, and I know a good spirit when I see one."
"So, you're a spirit senser. Good to know. Anything else?"
"Not much, aside from my 16-inch guns over there." He gestured to said weapons.
"They've got to be some of the biggest guns in our fleet," Cleveland commented.
"That's what she said," Hornet joked.
"Ha, ha, very funny," Striker replied.
"Well, I'm gonna go look around your ship," Cleveland said cheerfully. "Warspite, want to come?"
Warspite shrugged and followed, leaving Hornet and Striker on the deck.
"I have no say in what goes on in my ship, do I?" Striker asked.
"At least ya didn't get used as a volleyball court," Hornet replied. "I'm still cleaning sand off my deck."
They both laughed at that.
"So, what're those things for?" Hornet asked, nodding at something on the side of his deck.
Striker looked over, and his breath hitched. "No way." Walking over, he traced a hand down the stone tablet set in the wall of his ship.
"What is it?" Hornet asked.
"It's my crew," Striker replied, voice shaky. "Their names, badges. Look, there's the commander." He pointed to the top name. 'Commander Raleigh James Becket, KIA 12/31/2035'.
Hornet put her hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," Striker replied. "I guess it's a good thing. At least this way, I'll have something to remember them by."
"How did they die?"
Striker was silent.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Hornet apologized.
"It's fine," Striker sighed. "You know how I'm a nuclear-powered Battleship?"
"Nuclear?"
"I'll explain later. Short version, I basically have a reactor that allows me to sail for 25 years nonstop, and it's highly explosive."
"25 years?"
"Why does that seem to surprise people? Anyways, my crew and I were on a final push to end the Sirens along with the rest of our fleet. Just as we entered the Pacific, a storm blew in, along with hundreds of Siren ships. We fought as best we could, taking down most, only for six more fleets to enter, led by the Empress."
"Empress?"
"The leader of the Sirens in my timeline," Striker explained. "They attacked us from all sides and were about to attack the rest of the fleet. We only had one option, and it was to detonate the reactor."
"What happened after that?"
"All I remember is the explosion; then the next thing I know, I'm waking up here," Striker replied.
Hornet placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I know how it feels to lose your crew. If you're from the future, I'm guessing ya know how that turned out."
"Yeah..."
The two of them were silent for a long moment.
"What happened to me and Enterprise in your world?" Hornet asked finally.
He hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know? It's not a pretty story."
"I'm a tough girl; I can handle it," Hornet assured.
Striker closed an eye. "Are you?"
She swatted him on the shoulder. "Yes, I am."
"Alright... in 1960, Enterprise was scrapped, and you were sunk in 1942."
"... I'm starting to regret asking." Hornet was silent for a long moment. "What about my sis, Yorktown?"
"She was sunk at around the same time you were," Striker answered.
"Now I'm really starting to regret asking," Hornet joked uncomfortably.
"You alright?" Striker asked.
"I'll be fine," Hornet replied. "On the bright side, at least they didn't die in this timeline."
"And they won't," Striker promised. "Trust me, I'll make sure of it."
"You'd do that?" Hornet asked in surprise.
"Course I would, why else would I offer?"
"Fair point."
Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Hornet having a crush on Striker
Upon arriving at Azur Lane, Striker helped tow Hornet's ship and the others into the main docks where the weird yellow bird things started repairing them.
Guess some things never change, Striker thought as he docked his ship beside Hornet's, which was the farthest away from the Royal Navy ships.
Shaking his head, Striker walked over and examined his turrets. "No damage here." Turning to his railgun, he examined it as well. "Looks like some of the magnetic coils are out of alignment. Guess I'll have to fix that again."
Walking to his repair room, he pulled out a wheeled pad and a set of wrenches, went back over to the railgun, and slid himself under it. Pulling out a wrench, he started tightening the torque on one of the rails.
"Come on," he hissed through gritted teeth, twisting the wrench as hard as he could.
"Striker?"
Said Battleship yelped and jumped up, smacking his head on the base of the rail he was working on.
Rubbing his head, he rolled himself out from under the railgun and looked down at Warspite, who was standing on his deck.
"Is there any reason you wanted to cause me head trauma?" he quipped.
Shaking her head in amusement, Warspite replied, "Her majesty, Queen Elizabeth, would like to speak with you."
"Sure. Just let me finish torquing this rail so that it doesn't end up killing someone at the base, alright?" He ducked back out of sight.
Warspite waited patiently, and several seconds later, Striker jumped down. "Let's go," he said.
Warspite nodded, and the two of them started walking down to a bridge, which led to a garden courtyard in the distance.
"Quick question," Striker said as they started up the bridge, their boots clacking against the stone pavement. "Do I have to drink any tea?"
"You don't have to, if you don't want to," Warspite replied. "But I'd advise against turning it down if offered."
"Gotcha. By the way, what's Hood's deal with me? She seems like she hates anything Iron Blood."
Warspite hesitated. "She has a history with them. She and Bismarck have always hated each other. As such, Hood hates anything even related to Bismarck, meaning anything Iron Blood."
"Greeeaaat, now I have another Sheila trying to kill me," Striker remarked as they arrived at the end of the bridge and entered the garden. "Terrific."
Warspite laughed at that before adopting a serious look as they entered a gazebo at the end of a long stone path. Sitting there were Illustrious, Hood, Unicorn, and Queen Elizabeth.
"Warspite, I am so glad you could join us," the Queen greeted, then turned to Striker. "And you must be the male ship that aided the Eagle Union."
"That's me," Striker acknowledged, eyes narrowed slightly.
"Please, join us," Illustrious said, waving at a seat between her and Warspite, who had sat down already.
"Alrighty then." Striker walked over and sat down on the chair, glancing over at Hood as the Battleship glared at him.
"I wish to thank you for your assistance against Crimson Axis," Elizabeth said, taking a sip from a cup of tea.
"No problem, Sheila."
"Sheila?" Hood asked, eyes flashing.
"It's how he talks," Illustrious explained. "He's from a different timeline and a different place. You'll get used to it."
"I see." Hood sat back in her chair, keeping her eyes on Striker.
"Yes, that was the rumor that I have heard," Elizabeth said. "You saved Unicorn, correct?"
"Yep."
"You'd do best to speak proper when addressing Royalty," Hood snarked.
"Sorry, Miss Royal Pain in the Aft, I'll try to do better," Striker retorted.
Hood glared and made to summon her rigging, but the Queen stopped her. "We need not fight; we are all on the same side here."
"As you wish, your majesty," Hood said, sitting back down and eying Striker.
"However," Elizabeth stated, turning to Striker, "I am concerned that you allowed two of our enemies to escape."
"Probably didn't want to betray his allies," Hood muttered.
Striker's eyes flashed, and black and blue flame-like energy gathered around his hand. Gritting his teeth, he forced his hand apart, and the energy dispersed. "Watch it, Sheila."
"Hood," Elizabeth chided. "We need not antagonize one of our allies' servants."
Striker's eye twitched, something that didn't go unnoticed by Warspite.
"Um, your majesty--" she tried, but was cut off.
"Be that aside, I am relieved that we have such a powerful Battleship working for us," Elizabeth continued, taking another sip from her tea.
Striker's eyes flashed. "Working... for you?"
"Of course. You work under Azur Lane, do you not?"
"Let's get something straight, Queenie," Striker corrected, eyes flashing dangerously. "I work with you, not for you. I ain't one of your puppets."
"How dare you!" Hood shot up, rigging forming, as did Elizabeth. "Do you have any idea of who you're addressing?!"
"A privileged brat who thinks that I'm going to obey everything she says," Striker shot back.
"Of course, I am royalty after all," the Queen replied, the insult flying over her head.
That was the wrong thing to say.
Striker's eyes flashed, blue flames flickering at the edges. "Royalty or not, you don't control me."
"Watch your mouth, you arrogant Iron Blood swine!" Hood shouted, aiming her rigging at him.
In a flash, Striker's sword was leveled at Hood's neck.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Striker hissed, eyes flashing and ignoring the others as they summoned their rigging as well, with the exceptions of Illustrious and Unicorn.
"It'd be best to lower your weapon," Elizabeth stated.
"News flash, ya bloody wanker, I don't really care what you tell me to do."
"Striker, please," Warspite pleaded. "Just lower your weapon; we can talk this out."
"Yeah, sorry, Sheila, but I don't think that's gonna be happening anytime soon," Striker growled.
"Please, stop fighting, all of you," Unicorn begged, clutching her toy to her chest.
For several seconds, no one moved.
"Fine." Stepping back, Striker sheathed his sword at his hip. "I think we're done here. Warspite. Unicorn. Illustrious." Spinning on his heel, he walked off.
"With all respect, your majesty," Warspite said. "I do not believe that was wise."
"I am inclined to agree," Illustrious nodded. "Striker may very well be one of our strongest warships. And while he does not seem to take well to orders, he is a very capable fighter and a powerful ally to have. It was unwise to antagonize him."
"He is Iron Blood," Hood stated. "We cannot trust him."
"He isn't," Illustrious replied. "He may bear their rigging, but as he puts it, he is 'an Australian at heart and an American in spirit'."
"He's really nice, too," Unicorn agreed.
"I will go after him," Warspite said and walked off.
With Striker
"I swear, if one of those stuck-up royals tries to order me around again, I'm going to give them a free pass to Davy Jones' locker," Striker growled, storming off down the walkway.
Flames danced across the edges of his eyes as the Battleship stalked off. "Who the bloody Hell do they think they are? I'm not just some puppet for them to use like a toy."
Sighing, he walked over to a bench and sat down. After several seconds, he closed his eyes, and the fire dispersed.
"I was wondering if I'd find you out here."
Opening his eyes, he found Warspite standing above him. "Well, I wasn't going to just stand around moping, was I?" he joked. "I'd rather sit. Much more comfortable."
"I see. May I join you?"
"Sure, Shelia."
Nodding gratefully, Warspite sat down next to him at a comfortable distance away. "I apologize for what happened," she said. "Hood usually isn't that hostile."
"It's fine," Striker sighed. "Truth be told, I guess I'm a little at fault as well. Still, I just... I hate being treated like a tool."
"That is reasonable, but you must understand, this is how things have been in the Royal Navy for a long time. It's just how it works."
Striker scoffed. "That's what my old commander said."
"Last one?"
Striker hesitated. "You know that I'm from the future, right, Shelia?"
"Yes."
"Before the commander I had when I was... sunk, I had another one. And let me tell you, he was the worst. Always ordering around the crew to his every whim, and whenever even one of the crew messed up, he'd lock me up away from the ocean and ground the others. It was horrible. But the real kicker is when I learned that he was the one who sent my sisters out on purpose into a death trap, just because their commanders disobeyed him."
"Sisters?"
"I'm the fifth ship in my class," Striker explained. "I had four sisters: Missouri, Iowa, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. Technically, I was the third, but since I was rebuilt and retrofitted before the others with modern tech, I was known as the fifth."
"I see. I am sorry for your loss."
"Thanks. But that's not the only reason I hate being a pawn."
"Why else?"
"It's because of the sea. To me, the sea is freedom incarnate. When you're out there, you just listen to yourself, no one ordering you or your crew around. With the waves of the sea crashing against my hull, and the sun shining on my deck... It's the only time I can truly say I feel free."
"I see..." Warspite was silent for a long moment. "I can't say that I understand what you have gone through. I have lived a very different life for a long time, living under the rule of her majesty. But I feel that I understand. You're a free spirit, hence your dislike of orders."
"Nailed that one on the head, Sheila." Glancing up, he cursed. "I was supposed to check in at noon. Guess I can scratch that off the list."
"Don't worry about it," Warspite assured, standing up next to him. "Miss Wales already knows why you are out here. Though I believe she should have warned us about your... issues with being referenced as a servant."
"That probably would have helped," Striker agreed. "Well, I'd best get going. See ya, Shelia."
"Farewell, Striker."
As Striker walked off, Warspite contemplated his words. "It seems there is more to him than would first appear." She sighed. "I truly hope that her majesty did not just make an enemy out of him."
With Striker
Walking back over the bridge, Striker sighed. "I will never understand why someone would willingly let themselves be treated like that. It's... unnatural." His thoughts turned to Warspite's situation. She's just doing what she was built to do, in her view at least, which is obeying the Queen. Would I be the same way if I were in her situation?
Something told him that if he were, he probably would have already shot both Hood and the Queen with a railgun.
"Hey, Vestal!"
Turning, he saw Hornet running over to a young girl with purple hair dressed in a maid outfit with Hammann in tow.
"It's about darn time a repair ship showed up," Hornet exclaimed, hugging the small maid.
"I apologize for not being faster," Vestal replied as Hornet pulled back.
"How is Yorktown doing?" Hammann asked.
"She's..." She trailed off.
"So, you're saying everything's exactly as it was," Hornet summed up, putting her hands behind her head. "She's my big sis; she'll be fine."
"If she's anything like you, it's a miracle she hasn't annoyed any of the maids into next week," Striker commented, walking over.
"Striker! Good to see you." The carrier hugged him as well before pulling back. "How'd your meeting with the Queen go?"
"Judging from the fact that I didn't shoot any of their heads off with a railgun, I'd say it went rather well, Sheila," Striker replied.
"Well, you're off to a good start," Hornet joked.
"It is good to meet you, Striker," Vestal greeted with a curtsy as the Battleship nodded at her. "However, I wanted to ask, Hornet, how Enterprise is doing lately?"
"Umm..." Hornet, Striker, and Hammann exchanged nervous looks.
Timeskip brought to you by Vestal yelling at Enterprise while Striker, Hornet, and Hammann wore earmuffs
"How could you do something so reckless?" Vestal demanded, gesturing to the carrier's deck as they stood before Enterprise.
"Is it too late to run?" Striker asked hopefully, edging away, but Hornet caught him by the back of his jacket.
"Not so fast, big boy, you're gonna suffer with us."
"Great."
"What's the matter with you?!" Vestal went on.
"You're asking as though I had a choice," Enterprise replied.
"How many times do I have to remind you to take care of yourself, Enterprise?" Vestal demanded.
"The reason for our existence is to fight," the carrier replied, walking off.
"Don't walk away from me!" Vestal shouted.
Enterprise ignored her.
"Ugh, you're so annoying!"
"You just summed up about twenty percent of Enterprise," Striker stated. "The rest is just stubborn and hardheaded."
"You can say that again," Hornet commented. "Hey, Striker, everyone's gonna be headed down to the beach later today. Wanna join us?"
"Sure," Striker replied. "Just let me pack my swim trunks." And my will.
Timeskip brought to you by Striker and the shipgirls having a volleyball tournament
"Remind me how you talked me into this again?" Striker asked, seeing all the girls around him doing various beach activities.
"I just asked," Hornet reminded him, sitting down on a chair. "Hey, ya up for a round of volleyball after they're done?" she gestured to a few destroyers who were currently playing.
"Sure," Striker replied.
"San Diego!" one of the destroyers shouted next to them. "Behind you!"
A girl with red hair swimming in the water, who Striker could only guess was San Diego, glanced behind her and saw a fin coming toward her.
She shrieked and started swimming as fast as she could toward the beach.
"When do you think she's going to remember that she can just blow it away with a cannon?" Striker wondered, eyeing the shark.
Just then, a series of explosions sounded.
"Right about now," Hornet commented, taking a sip from her drink. "That just goes to show ya. We do more than just fight." She nodded at where two other destroyers were helping San Diego to fend off the shark. "Anyway, come on, the court's open."
Striker grinned and got up. "You're on, Sheila."
As the two opponents walked over to the different sides of the court, multiple shipgirls walked over to watch what was going to be an interesting match.
"First to seven wins!" Hornet called as San Diego and Laffey walked over to her side.
Striker grinned as Hammann and Javelin walked over to his side. "Good thing I'm gonna hit fourteen before you even hit one."
"Oh, you're dead!" Launching the ball into the air, Hornet jumped up and kicked the ball toward him.
In response, Striker flipped out of the way as Javelin jumped up, headbutting it into the air where Striker was. With a grin, the Battleship slammed it with all his might, sending it blurring down, hitting the ground in front of Laffey, who had fallen asleep again, and burying her in a wave of sand.
"Maybe I should have just let her rest," Hornet muttered as she dug Laffey out and picked up the volleyball. "Your serve." She tossed the ball to Striker, who caught it.
Grinning, Striker walked to the back of the court and tossed the ball into the air before spiking it overhead at Hornet, who knocked it into the sky.
"San Diego, you're up!" Hornet called.
San Diego nodded and jumped up, hitting the ball toward Hammann, who yelped and ducked, the ball hitting the sand behind her.
"Hammann, you're supposed hit the ball, not duck it," Striker reminded, tossing the ball over to Hornet's team.
Several more rounds passed, both teams evenly matched, Laffey contributing every once in a while to help score a point.
Eventually, the score was all tied up, and all the shipgirls around the court watched with bated breath to see who would win. Hornet, who had been undefeated for several months, or Striker, the newcomer.
"Heads up!" Hornet shouted and jumped, spiking the ball down toward Hammann, who hit it into the air.
"Javelin!" Striker shouted and couched down, hands out.
Nodding, Javelin put a foot in his hand, and the Battleship launched her into the air.
Spinning, Javelin smacked the ball hard, sending it flying at San Diego.
Passing the ball over to Laffey, San Diego watched as the bunny-eared shipgirl passed the ball to Hornet, who hit it into the air toward Striker.
Grinning, Striker waited until the last second, then jumped up, letting Javelin and Hammann hit the ball up to him. Spinning, he kicked the ball hard, sending it crashing past Hornet and into the ground.
"Striker's team wins!" one of the destroyers called, and the watching crowd erupted into cheers.
Shaking her head, Hornet grinned and held out her hand to Striker. "Nice win."
Just as Striker shook her hand, she pulled him closer. "Just so ya know, I will never forget this declaration of war," she threatened, her green eyes flashing playfully.
"You're on, Sheila," Striker replied with a smile as everyone started walking off.
"Guess you got more in you than I thought," Hornet commented, eyeing him. "Then again, I'm not really complaining on the outside looks~"
"If you're trying to flirt, mate, you should take lessons from Enterprise," Striker replied. "She's way worse."
"The day my sister flirts is the day all Hell breaks loose," Hornet proclaimed, grabbing her towel and slinging it over her shoulder. "Well, guess I'll see ya tomorrow, champ." She winked at him before walking off.
Striker shook his head in amusement. "That Sheila is going to be the death of me." Smiling, Striker retrieved his towel and walked over to his ship, hoping to wash the sand out of his hair.
Two Hours Later
"Finally!" Striker quipped, sitting down on a lawn chair he had set up on the front of his deck. "How the bloody Hell did I get sand up my nose? Also, why is it so bloody hard to get sand out of my hair?"
It probably wasn't the best idea to load a water balloon in one of his secondaries and shoot it at his hair point blank, but he was Striker. 'Not the best idea' was his thing.
"At least I managed to get all the sand out," Striker commented, dusting off his hair once again. "Now, for some peace and—"
"Striker!"
"Oh, come on!"
Glancing over, he saw Hammann waiting for him on the dock below. "Get your sand-covered aft down here!" she shouted. "We've got a mission!"
"Crikey, you girls are going to be the death of me," Striker groaned. "Fine."
Timeskip brought to you by Striker shooting Hammann with water balloons
"So, why did you have to get me from my completely deserved sand-free nap again?" Striker asked as he, Hammann, Belfast, and Cleveland sailed over the storming water, all of them in their rigging forms.
"Because we may need your assistance, and, as of now, you are currently the fastest Battleship in the fleet," Belfast explained, eyes glinting in amusement.
"Still doesn't mean you couldn't have given me a bloody five-minute head's up," Striker grumbled.
"You're one to talk," Hammann grumbled. "I don't understand why I have to get wet again."
"Sorry about that," Cleveland apologized sheepishly. "It's rough, but we can't ignore a distress call. Besides, we should be getting pretty close."
"Do you think they lost their way in the storm?" Enterprise asked.
"Yeah, maybe," Cleveland replied. "Wait a second, Enterprise, where did you come from? How long have you been here? Your rig hasn't been repaired yet."
"Is it standard for you to begin a mission in such a weakened state?" Belfast asked.
"Nah, it's just her standard," Striker explained. "Look, I haven't been here long, but I can already tell that Enterprise is one stubborn Sheila."
Enterprise glared at him, to which the Battleship responded to with a grin.
"Wait, there's something up ahead!" Hammann shouted. "Look!"
Eyes narrowing, Striker saw a shape in the distance. Multiple in fact.
"Sirens," Cleveland growled. "What are they doing here?" She aimed her rigging, but Enterprise stopped her.
"No. Look closer."
Striker pulled out a pair of binoculars and held them up.
"They've already finished the battle," Cleveland said in surprise.
"I know those ships. Did they send out the distress signal? Were they battling the—" Striker cut Hammann off by placing a gloved hand over her mouth. "The whole point of being stealthy is to not let the enemy know you're there," he reminded.
"If that's the case, then we have to hurry," Cleveland said as Hammann pushed Striker's hand away. "But I don't know how we'll be able to spot enemies in this storm. We have to be careful."
"I'll need someone to cover my flank," Enterprise said and shot forward.
"Seriously?!" Cleveland shouted. "Why does she have to make everything so difficult?!"
"I'll go after her," Striker sighed and sped up, coming next to Enterprise.
Nodding at him silently, the two dodged several sections of debris. "Where could the distress signal have come from?" Enterprise wondered.
Glancing around, Striker pointed. "Over there, look!"
Enterprise turned and saw a cruiser ahead of them. "That must be it."
The two sailed forward and jumped onto the deck.
"Where is everyone?" Enterprise asked, looking around.
In response, Striker sent out a radar pulse. "This way. I've got two life signals."
"How did you—"
"Futuristic Battleship, remember?"
The two walked down the side of the ship and saw a large piece of debris blocking the hallway.
"We can't shoot this out of the way without hurting someone if they're on the other side," Enterprise stated.
"Good thing I always come prepared," Striker replied and drew his sword. Stabbing it into a crack between the debris and the corridor's entrance, he shoved the piece of debris to the side, revealing a pair of girls dressed in white, both of them lying on the ground, one of them conscious.
"That outfit, she must be from the Dragon Empry," Enterprise mused quietly. "We mean you no harm," she stated. "We're from Azur Lane, and we're here to help."
(A/N) For those who do not know, Dragon Empry is a small side-faction that is allied with Azur Lane.
"Then why do you have an Iron Blood with you?" the conscious one asked, looking over at Striker suspiciously.
"This is gonna happen a lot, isn't it, mate?" Striker muttered. Louder, he said, "I'm one of the good guys. Otherwise, Sheila here would have tossed me off the ship already."
"We tracked your distress signal," Enterprise explained. "Did you defeat the Sirens out here, and can you tell me what happened?" she asked.
The girl nodded. "My name is Ping Hai, and this is my sister, Ning Hai. We were being chased and attacked by Sirens. We fought and defeated them. My sister protected me."
The girl on the deck groaned.
Crouching next to her, Striker felt her side. "Cracked ribs," he reported. "Light, but manageable. She should be able to recover in a few weeks."
Ning Hai opened her eyes. "Sister..."
"Don't worry, we're here to rescue you both," Enterprise assured. "The rest of the group will arrive shortly."
Hearing a creaking sound, everyone whirled and saw one of the Siren ships still active and aiming a turret at them.
"How is it still moving?!" Ping Hai yelped as Striker picked up her sister.
Enterprise suddenly leapt off the deck and shot toward the ship in the distance.
"What is she doing!" Ping Hai yelped.
"Over here!" Enterprise shouted, leading the ship's aim away from them.
Enterprise tried to summon a plane, only for her rigging to crack even more.
"Can you stand?" Striker asked, turning to Ping Hai.
She nodded.
"Good. Stay with your sister. I'm going to help Enterprise." With that, he vaulted to the sea below. "I made a promise to you, Hornet," he muttered, "and I'm going to keep it."
The ship fired at Enterprise, sending a large shell toward her.
Before it could hit, Striker aimed his railgun and fired, shattering the shell.
The Siren ship fired again, only for a pair of HE rounds to intercept the shell, causing it to detonate.
"I believe I have a better understanding of who you are now, Enterprise," Belfast stated, aiming her turrets and launching a pair of torpedoes at the Siren ship.
At the same time, Striker's missile turrets aimed and launched a pair of Harpoon missiles.
As the projectiles near the ship, Striker grinned. "Boo."
The ship exploded, flames shooting everywhere as fragments rained down around the three Kansen.
"Your exterior is tough," Belfast mused. "But your heart is soft, Enterprise."
"Look, I love how you're doing a soul-searching quest or whatever," Striker jumped in, "but we have two injured cruisers we need to take care of."
Belfast nodded. "Understood."
Timeskip brought to you by Striker using radar to search for Enterprise's soul
After reuniting with the others, Striker summoned his ship and Belfast immediately took the two wounded carriers to Striker's infirmary.
"Are they going to be okay?" Hammann asked as Striker towed the two Dragon Empery ships behind him.
"Ning Hai's got some cracked ribs, but she'll recover in a few weeks," Striker said as everyone minus Belfast stood on his deck. "We'll reach port in an hour or two, so we'll be able to get those two better care."
Belfast walked up and nodded at Striker. "They will recover. And again, I thank you for letting us use your ship once more."
"No problem, Sheila," Striker replied.
Nodding, Belfast turned to Enterprise. "Apologies for making a personal remark, but I've made a few observations about both you and Striker."
"This I gotta hear," Cleveland commented. "Hey, Striker, got any chairs?"
The Battleship nodded and walked over to a section of his deck. Pulling it open, he retrieved several lawn chairs and passed them around.
"Alright, let's hear these evaluations of yours," Cleveland said, plopping down in her chair.
"For some reason, I'm terrified," Striker muttered. Enterprise shifted uncomfortably as well.
"For Enterprise, she is strong on the outside, yet soft at heart," Belfast stated. "She cares for others, something I apologize for having missed. Striker... is more complicated. But what I have gathered is that he acts recklessly for the same reason Enterprise acts so strongly. You both feel as though you need to be strong for others and are willing to protect them no matter the cost to yourselves."
Everyone was silent for a long moment.
"Huh, guess I'm an open book," Striker commented.
"More or less," Belfast agreed.
Cleveland snorted. "Can you imagine if there was actually a book about you, Striker? It'd be a horror story."
"Very funny," Striker muttered as the shipgirls around him laughed, Enterprise as well.
"If you will allow it," Belfast said, turning to Enterprise, "I could show you the décor expected of a lady."
"Huh?"
"As long as Enterprise doesn't start going Au Chanté and drinking out of a teacup, go for it," Striker laughed, the others following his lead at Enterprise's confused expression.
(A/N) Here's a key of faction characters and their alliances, so you all can keep track. It will be updated throughout the story as new characters are introduced.
(Azur Lane) Eagle Union: Enterprise, Cleveland, Hornet, Northampton, Long Island, Arizona, Helena, Hammann, San Diego
(Azur Lane) Royal Navy: Prince of Wales, Javelin, Laffey, Illustrious, Unicorn, Belfast, Hood, Warspite, Queen Elizabeth, Edinburgh, Sheffield
(Azur Lane) Dragon Empery: Ning Hai, Ping Hai
(Red Axis) Sakura Empire: Kaga, Akagi, Ayanami, Zuikaku, Shoukaku
(Red Axis) Iron Blood: Prinz Eugen, Z23
Sirens: TBA
Unknown Alliance: Striker