Hey!
I told you, not dead, just slow.
I'm no engineer, so don't expect a technical explanation of things Kohaku is doing.
Let's get back to it.
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It had been a few days after Kohaku spoke with Yorktown and swore she would sail the ocean again and be with her sisters.
He had gained quite a crowd at the docks so early in the morning when a loud ship horn followed by the sounds of straining metal structures could be heard echoing through the Azur Lane base.
Many ship girls whispered excitedly and pointed at the scene, seeing the massive Repair Ship layed up alongside the stationary Carrier of Yorktown. The Repair ship's excessively tall cranes loomed over the carrier, removing parts of the damaged Yorktown and placing the pieces on a large flat barge tied on Kohaku's other side.
Hundreds of Manjuus rushed around wearing hard hats and tool belts on the outside of the large warship. How many were inside the carrier is unknown, but most Manjuus on base were working on this.
On the busy deck of the carrier sat a determined Kohaku who stared at a hastily drawn layout of the ship he currently stood on. In front of him stood twenty larger Manjuus that listened to what he was saying with cute looks.
"Once the cranes have removed the flight deck and sections of the lower levels, we can begin restoring the engine room first..." Kohaku pointed at the blueprint before him, receiving nods from the Manjuus, who stared quietly.
"If we can, we'll remove and rework the entire drive train system. It might be the reason for the lack of mobility Yorktown is currently suffering from." He said, receiving more nods for the Manjuus.
Kohaku almost had to shout over the sounds of metal grinders and the groans of metal being stressed as the cranes lifted freed metal slabs from the carrier. Heavy booming noises could be heard as old rivets were popped, releasing the large armoured plates to be removed.
Back on the docks in a quieter location away from the growing crowd of ship girls, a wheelchair-bound Yorktown sat, watching her carrier be pulled apart with a smile, ice tea in her hands.
"I don't like it..." The annoyed voice of Enterprise echoed behind her, making the crippled carrier sigh.
"Enterprise, He's trying to help me..." Yorktown looked over her shoulder at the disgruntled Enterprise, who watched Kohaku on her sister's carrier deck moving back and forth, giving instructions.
"But Is he?" Enterprise came to stand next to the sitting Yorktown.
"*Sigh*...Enough, I don't know what he's done to earn this disdain from you, but he's trying to help me, and all you're doing is complaining" Yorktown looked up at Enterprise with a frown.
"I just don't want to see you hurt anymore, and he's known to cone people just like that little creep of a sister."
"Creep of a sister? Do you mean Akashi? I've met Akashi, and I thought she was adorable." Yorktown smiled.
"Adorable!?" Enterprise frowned at her sister's compliment of the con cat.
"Ehehe, I'm starting to think you have a crush on Kohaku and are just trying to find reasons to convince yourself you don't" Yorktown smiled as she looked back at Kohaku in the distance.
"Eh!? No, no, no, abosulotly not!" Enterprise sputtered and blushed.
"Hahaha, are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Yorktown smirked.
"Sister!" Enterprise hid her face in her hands as she shook her head in denial.
~
"Welcome to my shop, Nya!" Akashi said as she walked to the front of her little shop but quickly frowned upon seeing her customer.
"Akashi*Cough* May I speak to you?" Amagi walked in with a smile but looked strained in her face and body. Amagi looked very unwell.
"Speak, Nya"
Amagi bows low, surprising Akashi, "I'm sorry for mine, Akagi's and Kaga's actions against you and your brother."
"Nyooo! Maybe they should apologise as well? Kaga has the energy to nag all day long. I'm sure she could walk over here and say one word, Nya!"
*Cough, Cough!" Amagi falls to her knee's in a coughing fit.
"Nya!?"
Akashi rushed to Amagi, pulled her to her feet, and supported her to the back of the shop and into her warehouse. Amagi looked at all the containers around her, trying to catch her breath.
Even in her cough-racked state, Amagi's eyes widened at the thousands of Wisdom cubes in the warehouse. There must have been mountains of them in here. Amagi guessed the rumours must have been true.
Akashi was hoarding them all, helping bankrupt the Sakura Empire.
"Sit here, now, Nya!" Akashi pushed the taller Battle cruiser into a comfy-looking chair and started giving her a check-up.
"Uh! I'm*Cough*okay... Just lost my breath for a moment there when I bowed..." Amagi rasped as she regained her breathing.
"Stupid, stubborn fox, just like my brother, Nya."
"*Giggle* How is Kohaku?" Amagi asked.
"You mean after being disgraced and dishonoured? Nya, He's doing fine, Nya," Akashi didn't express any emotion, but the quick retort told Amagi that Akashi wasn't happy.
"*Cough* It was a mistake which we all regret. We shouldn't have thrown him away *Cough* Now we all pay for our blindness." Amagi looked away in shame as Akashi glared at her.
"You, Nya! and your sisters are responsible. Kaga and you mostly, Nya! Everyone else are just Lemmings running off the cliff, Nya!"
"Akashi, I-" Amagi flinched at Akashi's sneer.
"He liked you and Kaga once, Nya... Not anymore, He deserves better, Nya."
Akashi finished her check-up on Amagi and glared down at the sitting battlecruiser.
"You're fine to return home, Nya... Get out of my warehouse, Nya!"
Akashi disappeared deeper into her warehouse, not giving the depressed Amagi a second look.
~
In a beautifully ornate room made of marble and gold, a young woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes sat on a large throne of gold trim and red padded leather.
Queen Elizabeth, ruler of the Royal Navy and all her allies. Her beautiful and youthful appearance hid her actual age, A battleship that ruled and had everything she could ever want should be happy, but her face was not that of happiness.
Queen Elizabeth lounged on her thrown cross-legged, and her head leaned on her hand as she sighed in annoyance and disappointment. Her foot tapped on the floor impatiently, waiting for something to happen.
Other Royal Navy girls stood in the large room, looking at her in surprise. Usually, Queen Elizabeth was shouting or boasting about some achievement, so it was unusual to see her so quiet.
Warspite stood at her side dutifully as she always did but looked concerned at her Queen's relatively calm and quiet mood. Lady Hood sat at a table not far away with King George and Valiant as they sipped on the tea provided by Dido and Edinburgh.
Everyone turned their heads quietly as the large doors to the room opened, and Cheshire walked briskly inside with her signature smile, everyone's attention on her as she walked forwards before curtsying as she got close to her Queen. Elizabeth watched her approach and leaned forward on her throne, awaiting eagerly what news Cheshire brought her.
"Meow!... My Queen, I'm here now, heheh" Cheshire smiles at Queen Elizabeth.
Hood looks at Cheshire from behind her raised Teacup and quirks an elegant eyebrow. She could tell Cheshire was forcing a smile. Unfortunately, it seems like it's not good riding that she brings today.
Oh, dear. If only Queen Elizabeth could read people better. Hood thought.
"Well!? Did he reply?" Queen Elizabeth eagerly asked and looked the maid over, expecting to see a letter on her person.
"Heh... Well..." Cheshire stumbled for a reply, making Elizabeth frown.
"He... Didn't answer?" Elizabeth slumped back into her throne and huffed.
"Meow! I gave him the envelope as you commanded, my Queen, but he refused to open it when instructed!" Cheshire looked down, not meeting the Queen's eyes.
Queen Elizabeth sat there staring at Cheshire, aware everyone was looking at her, waiting to see how she would take the news.
"That insufferable fox! I take the time to write to him, and that's how he responds, with NOTHING!" Elizabeth stands abruptly, starts pacing and shouts. Most girls in the room watch in barely concealed amusement at their Queen, who has a little crush.
"What must I do to make that insufferable man accept my advances? I'm a Queen! He should be fawning over me!" Queen Elizabeth seethes as she rants, not noticing Cheshire trying to get her attention.
"Meow! My Queen... He was happy when I gave him the envelope," Cheshire responds quickly, trying to appease her.
Queen Elizabeth stops pacing and stares back at Cheshire with narrowed eyes and red cheeks. "Explain"
"Mmmm, Meow? I gave him the letter, and he smiled and said he would read it later. He seemed to brighten upon seeing it. I think he even smelled it" Cheshire grinned, laying it on thick.
Queen Elizabeth blushed hard and looked like she wanted to cheer but controlled herself. "Hah! As expected... A lowly repair ship was happy to receive my attention!" Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and smirked in victory as she eyed her two sisters in rival triumph.
"Heh... Hey sister," Valiant called out and smirked at Elizabeth, who looked back at her.
"Remember, you're still third. Sir Kohaku has already kissed Warspite's and my hand." Valiant chuckled at the now fuming Queen. Warspite blushed and smiled sheepishly as Queen Elizabeth turned and glared at her sister/protector, remembering the sight of Kohaku kissing the back of Warspites hand before her... The Audacity!
Hood and King George smiled at the byplay between jealous sisters. However, neither understood why they were obsessed with getting Kohaku's attention. Honestly, the only one that made sense in liking Kohaku was Warspite.
Kohaku and Warspite spent much time together practising and training. When they duelled with their swords, it was like watching the duo dancing on ice; it was rather beautiful, Hood thought.
They didn't know how Queen Elizabeth or Valiant got involved in trying to gain Kohaku's favour or why they were so determined to make this a contest. Seeing the usually quiet and loyal Warspite catch a man's attention and make Queen Elizabeth rant for hours was amusing.
But none of the Royal Navy girls could argue that the three Royal sisters in the room had feelings for the mysterious Repair ship. On the contrary, many of the girls on base swooned at the idea of its three proud royal ships falling for an ordinary Repair Ship.
It is like a romance novel. Humans love to write!
"Hehehe, Y'know, My Queen... Kohaku is currently at Azur Lane, helping Yorktown," Cheshire purred when saying his name.
Valiant and the Queen stopped glaring at each other, and Warspite stopped blushing as all three turned to look at Cheshire in surprise, clearly not knowing that information.
Everyone else in the room was surprised. Kohaku wasn't the most social of Kansen out there. It's relatively rare to hear about him being anywhere close to a Kansen base. Especially after the Sakura Empire disgraced him by stripping his title of IJN and tossing him out. Fools.
Queen Elizabeth broke the silence with a command.
"I sail for Azur Lane!"
"Warspite and I are coming too!" Valiant stands and shouts.
*Jealous Queen Noises*
*Angry Valiant Noises*
*Determined Warspite Noises*
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Done!
Sorry for the wait.
I have no idea about engineering stuff, so I'm just making some stuff up as I go. I'm pretty sure removing a drive shaft from a ship needs to be done in a dry dock. I could be wrong tho.
Poor Amagi, but I wonder what she and everyone else did to Kohaku.
I thought a rivalry between Queen Elizabeth, Warspite and Valiant would be amusing.
I own no Art or Gif's
Thanks for the support and votes!
Zero-