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"Ugh..." Kohaku groaned in discomfort as his eyes opened, adjusting to the light above him. A dreadful, pained feeling shot through his nose, which he clutched with shock, "What the hell!"
"Oh! You're up, Hehe..."
Turning to the entrance, Kohaku saw Fubuki staring at him with a nervous smile. Flashes of his previous actions surged through his mind, and new emotions other than discomfort and confusion welled inside him.
Anger and humiliation.
"Here, let me look at your nose," Fubuki slowly approached him with an ice pack in her hands, but she stopped when he bared his teeth at her and growled.
"Stay the hell away from me!"
Staring at him with wide eyes, "W-what?"
He backed away from the human until his back was against the far wall.
"Kohaku?"
Does she have no idea what he almost did to her? Fubuki was lucky another Kansen appeared when they did; otherwise... But because another Kansen appeared, he would be further vilified by everyone.
"Kohaku, I don't blame you!" Fubuki pleaded, taking a step forward.
"Come near me, and I'll bite you." Growling as his tails whacked the metal wall behind him forcefully.
"You bite her, and I'll send you to the bottom of the ocean, comrade," Kohaku watched the beautiful woman that punched him before entering the room, pat Fubuki on the shoulder and coming to stand in front of her to shield her. Gangut's larger frame efficiently protects the more petite human woman.
"I'll bite you too!"
"Heh... Just try it, little fox," Gangut smiles cheekily in a challenge.
Fubuki looks past Gangut and quietly watches the staring contest between the two.
"Hahaha! For a pansy Sakura ship, you sure are stubborn, comrade," Gangut's smile widens, and she puts her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest proudly.
Kohaku's glare holds firm. He's not sure whether to be angry or annoyed. The simple-minded battleship was only protecting her moronic Commander from him.
"Kohaku?"
His eyes shift to the mostly concealed Commander.
"Mmmm!" Fubuki's voice was cut off when Gangut smirked and wrapped her arm around her, muffling her voice completely.
"Comrade Commander here was very worried for you. She has been by your side since I put you to bed, so be kind to her, Da?" Fubuki squirmed in Gangut's grip and yelped indignantly as the larger woman ruffled her hair.
Kohaku frowned at them both and sighed heavily, "Whatever, I'm not even mad."
"Ha! Comrade, your lack of humour is good, Da?" Gangut grins at him while still holding Fubuki tightly.
Before Kohaku could even comment, Gangut comes toward him and throws Fubuki into his chest with a heavy "Oof!" from her.
Kohaku stared wide-eyed as Fubuki was thrown into him with little concern for her wellbeing. He froze as Fubuki tightly wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest.
A part of his mind screamed at him to throw her off and maybe take a quick bite, but he shook off the thoughts. He glared at the heavy-handed Gangut, who liked throwing them around like ragdolls.
"Did you have to be so rough?!" He barked at her. While unhappy with the little human, he doesn't want her turned into paste.
"Rough? That wasn't rough, comrade. Be a good boy, and I might show you rough," Gangut boasted and gave him a crooked grin, which annoyed him.
A crooked, cheeky grin was his signature move, and If that was her idea of gentle, he didn't want to know her idea of rough.
Or did he?
His rut was fading, but still... A guy can ponder.
"Mmmm..."
Kohaku frowned when Fubuki started rubbing her face against his chest. Who did she think she was? Atago?
"Let me join!" A new voice shouted as she shot past the grinning Gangut and jumped onto Kohaku.
"Waa? Yuudachi?!"
"Kohaku! I missed you so so so much!" Yuudachi yelped in happiness.
Fubuki gasped when she was pulled away and thrown to the side by the ecstatic Sakura dog girl.
He received a small amount of satisfaction from seeing Fubuki thrown aside by the much stronger Shipgirl and her equally annoyed expression as she stared at the hugging duo.
Yuudachi was one of the few girls in the Sakura Empire who wasn't judgmental or suspicious towards him. Everything about her was simple, and her personality was easy to understand.
He pulled the excited dog girl in for a tight hug, not letting her go and buried his face in her long silver hair, taking solace in the embrace that gave him some relief and comfort.
Something he was sorely lacking in his life at the moment.
Kohaku knew he was wanted by many of the Shipgirls throughout the factions, but how many actually cared about him? and not what he was? or could give them later on?
Yuudachi giggled and returned the hug with all her power. Had Commander Fubuki still been between them, she most likely would have been crushed to death.
Yuudachi may be a simple girl, but she could tell her friend was hurting. She could only ever recall Kohaku hugging Akashi willingly. Even with Amagi and Kaga, he looked very uncomfortable.
"Yuudachi? Where the hell have you gone now?!" Shigure shouts and bursts into the room, followed by Shimikaze. The room was suddenly becoming more and more crowded by the minute.
She saw her sister cocooned inside Kohaku's tails, and Yuudachi didn't seem to register anyone else's presence. Shigure snorted in amusement and turned to the annoyed-looking human in uniform on the floor, glaring at the hugging duo.
"Commander Fubuki?"
Fubuki stopped glaring at the pair and looked Shigure up and down before standing, adjusting her uniform, "That's me!"
Shigure smiled, "Thank goodness, the Admiral was worried when you didn't appear, so he sent us to find you, along with a few other factions."
"I wonder what happened with the Littorio sisters..." Shimikaze whispered close to Shigure's ears, earning a nonchalant shrug from her.
"Enterprise will probably run into them soon."
"What if she runs into Zuikaku and Shoukaku?"
"... Hope the three of them can control themselves and not start another war," Shigure says, grimacing at the thought.
The room goes quiet after that. Gangut, Fubuki, Shimikaze and Shigure watch Kohaku and Yuudachi hug, deciding not to ruin the moment, even if Fubuki wants to break it up.
After a while, Kohaku finally lets go. Yuudachi backed away and smiled up at him. In return, Kohaku smiles honestly at her, runs his hands through her hair, and pets her ears to thank her.
With a slight blush on her cheeks, Yuudachi's smile widens, and her tail wags back and forth.
"Comrade?"
Kohaku looks away from Yuudachi and towards the very amused Gangut, "Yes?"
"As you can see, comrade. These ladies are here to assist me in escorting Commander Fubuki to Azur Lane," Gangut says, pointing at Shigure, Shimikaze and Yuudachi.
"That's... Good?"
"Da! And as her Starter ship, you are to return with her."
"..."
"Comrade Kohaku?"
His honest smile has already vanished, and without even another glance, he walks out of the room, like he's already resigned to his fate, "Let's just get this over with."
All the girls watch him leave with varying expressions.
Shigure turns to Commander Fubuki with a frown, "Your starter ship, huh..."
Fubuki smiles innocently and chuckles nervously.
"He didn't seem very happy... You're not forcing him, are you?" Shimakaze asks in suspicion.
"What? No!"
"I hope not, Commander! We don't respond well to being leashed!" Yuudachi growls lightly and leaves the room, giving Commander Fubuki the stink eye.
"W-What?" Fubuki backed away from the retreating dog girl with slight fear.
"Don't mind her, Commander. Yuudachi is just protective of her friend," Shigure smiles assuredly.
"Friend? They acted like long-lost lovers!"
"... Pfff! No! Yuudachi is just loyal, and loyalty is rare these days for a male Kansen."
"If... You say so..."
Shigure gives Commander Fubuki a weird look, "I do, I do say so, Commander."
"Hahaha, stop intimidating the little Commander, little puppy!" Gangut laughs at the pair.
"Puppy?! Excuse you, Miss vodka-filled breast implants!"
"Eh?!"
- - - - - - - - - -
A few days later.
Enterprise found herself alone on the ocean, looking for Kohaku. After spotting Gangut in the distance, she sent the three destroyers that followed her to escort the battleship and the new Commander back to Azur Lane.
"Where are you, Kohaku..." Enterprise muttered to herself and continued searching, unaware Kohaku was precisely where she sent the destroyers.
In her desire to find Kohaku before anyone else and spend time alone to understand him better, how bad could he be if he would go out of his way to help Yorktown? She completely neglected to believe he could have been with Gangut and the new Commander.
Out of nowhere, Entperise ducked, and the blade of a katana skimmed over her head, narrowly missing her.
"Damn it!" A familiar and unwanted voice called out in frustration.
She jumps back and turns to her attacker.
"Zuikaku? Could you just not? I'm busy..."
Zuikaku glares at Entperise for brushing her off so casually.
"It's you and me, Grey Ghost!"
"Zuikaku, stop! What are you doing?!" Shoukaku shouts and rushes towards them.
"Ending this once and for all!" Zuikaku called out, raising her sword.
"Stop! You'll cause another war!" Shoukaku grabs Zuikaku's arm, stopping her from going for an attack.
"Sister?! Release me."
Enterprise rolls her eyes at the crane sisters and glides away, "I don't have time for this... I need to find Kohaku!"
Zuikaku and Shoukaku stop arguing and stare at the retreating Enterprise.
"Kohaku?" Both sisters exclaim together and look at each other in surprise.
Shoukaku's surprise turns into a smile, and she looks at Zuikaku mischievously. Shoukaku glides after Enterprise, "Hey, Grey Ghost, wait for us!"
Zuikaku grip on her sword tightens to the point the handle starts creaking in stress, and she rushes after her sister with a low melodic growl.
A few minutes later, Enterprise stops to look around and work through the information her scout planes relay directly to her.
With a frustrated sigh, she removes her cap and wipes her forehead.
Not a single sign of him...
"Grey Ghost!"
In annoyance, Enterprise looks over her shoulder, seeing Shoukaku race towards her with a smile, "I don't hav-"
"Time for this, yeah, we get it," Shoukaku giggles and stands before the frustrated Eagle Union carrier.
"What do you want, Crane?"
"Please, call me Shoukaku," Shoukaku smiles prettily at the slightly taller carrier.
Enterprise makes a sour face but sighs, "What... Do you want, Shoukaku."
"Well, our goal is to find the Commander, but if Kohaku is missing. We must find him, so let's work together."
"Your mission is to find the new Commander, who was found days ago and should be on her way to Azur Lane as we speak, not find Kohaku. You should return to the Sakura Empire," Enterprise denies Shoukaku swiftly, not wanting some pretty cranes from the Sakura Empire to interfere with her chances to speak to Kohaku when he is most vulnerable.
Shoukaku, not put out, smiles brighter, "Well then, more reason to help you if the Commander is in safe hands. If It's been days since you started searching, you must need assistance. Three carriers are better than one, right?"
Enterprise grits her teeth. Maybe she should have lied about the Commander being found. Then perhaps she would have a good reason to send them away.
"Damn it, Sister!" Zuikaku pants and stops next to Shoukaku, ignoring the frustrated expression Enterprise is throwing their way.
"Oh, Zuikaku, I was just offering our services to Enterprise in finding Kohaku."
"Why offer? The Grey Ghost is stuck with us until we find him, no room for debate!" Zuikaku glares at Enterprise and reaches for her sword again as a warning not to deny their help.
With one final sigh and groan of defeat, "Fine... Just don't get in my way."
Zuikaku and Shouaku smiled, nodded at Enterprise, and joined her in her search.
But unknown to the trio, the Admiral would attempt to get in contact and inform Enterprise to stop being a stubborn girl and return as Kohaku had returned with the new Commander.
Unfortunately, Enterprise had turned off her radio...
What a hopeless carrier Enterprise is!
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Done!
Another chapter is done.
Kohaku's liking for humans makes him more forgiving of them, but if Fubuki were a Shipgirl, the outcome may have been very different.
Gangut is Gangut and isn't even remotely intimidated by our protagonist—sad times.
Kohaku will be very wary of Fubuki for the foreseeable future.
Yuudachi is a friend to Kohaku? I suppose you could have seen that coming. A loyal doggo girl is loyal.
Besides, Yuudachi in Azur Lane is what Texas is for me in Arknights—the best dog girl.
All of them girls around him and Kohaku is lonely, which Is understandable. How many are trying to take advantage of him? That's why he can be slightly vulnerable to someone like Yuudachi or Akashi.
Enterprise, Zuikaku and Shoukaku work together to find someone who has already been found. What a surprise.
The Three will be annoyed when they find out Kohaku is already back at Azur Lane.
I own no Art or Gif's
Thanks for the support and votes.
Zero-