Hey!
AI Generation is trying to impress me. Almost perfect if not for that damn headgear and missing corgi ear! ^
Let's get back to it.
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Decisions...
Nagato was still kneeling low with her head touching the floor gently in a traditional dogeza pose, unmoving and quietly waiting for Kohaku to say or do something. The burning stare of Kawakaze was still present upon him as he stared at her lady.
Kohaku didn't know how long he thought about it. Thankfully, neither of the two other ladies present made a sound or move, which he appreciated because the swirling questions kept him from acting.
Did he want Nagato?
Did he want to spite Akagi and Kaga?
Was he so weak that his baser instincts had to decide who he wanted and when?
Was he still in heat to want to bite Lady Nagato's neck and make her his without consideration to Nagato, Warspite or himself?
Kohaku didn't understand anything at the moment. He came to Azur Lane with a surefire plan to unite all the factions, but his heat ruined everything, and now, for some reason, nothing was making sense, and in everything he did, he second-guessed himself.
He felt his tails wrap around him, subconsciously trying to comfort him, but all they did was remind him of what he was, or so he thought.
Kitsune, Kansen, weapon or Human. What was he?
He felt more like a monster.
Here, he stood over the small form of the Sakura Empire's leader kneeling before him, and all he wanted was to take her as his mate.
Monster or Animal, what was he?
Unaware of his dark thoughts, he shook his head and walked away without a sound or look back. He walked past Kawakaze, who stiffened at his approach but relaxed when he completely blanked her and continued without emotion or regard.
Kawakaze was torn. Again, the man who insulted her lady walked past her without a glance and away from Nagato's sincere apology. She looked at the man's back in both offence and surprise. She desperately wanted to shout out for him to stop and return for her lady's sake, but her instincts warned her to leave him be.
Kawakaze stiffened, and her fox ears flattened against her head when she heard the quiet sounds of sniffling coming from the temple. Kawakaze walked back into the temple to see Nagato sitting on the floor, crying quietly, trying to wipe away the tears upon noting her presence.
"My lady?"
Wiping her swollen eyes gently and looking up at Kawakaze, she said, "I make no apologies for my current appearance, Kawakaze. My heart weeps, and so do my eyes."
Kneeling and bowing to Nagato, tears stinging her own eyes now, never having seen Nagato in such a state before, "I ask for no apologies from you, my lady. I merely do not wish to see you cry over him."
"Thank you, Kawakaze, but the pain hits harder than any high-calibre shell ever could," Nagato looked downcast and placed a hand over her heart.
"Heartbreak," Kawakaze muttered to herself.
Nagato looked at her for a moment before smiling sadly, "Heartbreak? Yes... I am heartbroken."
Kawakaze couldn't recall a single time a shipgirl had been heartbroken, at least not in this context; a fellow warrior falling in the heat of battle was not the same as what Nagato was feeling.
With curiosity getting the better of her, "My lady? What does it feel like?"
Nagato replied instantly, "Like my heart is shattering, my body feels numb, and I feel sick. All I want to do is lay down forever in sadness."
"That sounds horrible," Kawakaze frowned, and Nagato didn't reply. She just nodded and closed her eyes in thought, but after a short time, Nagato stood, walked towards the small shrine, and started praying.
"Kawakaze?" Nagato looked at her from over her shoulder.
"Yes, My lady?"
"Gather the others. We're going back home."
"Is that wise, My lady?" Kawakaze was unsure; if they pulled out now, all other factions could see it as them not cooperating.
"We aren't needed here," Tears fell from her clenched eyes, "I'm not needed here."
Kawakaze looked at her lady with sadness before leaving the temple and making a call to the others. Maybe it was good to give Nagato some space.
'Yamato is going to flip out', Kawakaze thought in dread.
- - - - - - - - - -
Kohaku didn't care, imprisoned for something he had no control over, even if he already mentioned he held no ill will towards the Admiral, constantly being harassed, flirted with or having his instincts manipulated.
His lovely sister Akashi and he may also manipulate people but not their emotions or their emotional weaknesses and vices. He thought as he walked throughout Azur Lane, broad daylight in full view of everyone, house arrest be damned.
Many shipgirls stopped to stare at him with surprise, unaware he had been released. The Admiral will hear about it any minute now and send the Royal Navy maids to arrest him again.
"Kohaku, what are you doing?!"
Kohaku sighed and turned with a smile. He could make an exception to being harassed just this once.
"Warspite," Kohaku smiled down at the shorter battleship, a smile that concerned her.
Warspite looked around in worry at all the eyes watching before turning to him and fretting over him and his messy clothes, "What madness has taken hold! You're supposed to be under house arrest. Why are you walking around without a care."
"Warspite, do you trust me?"
Warspite stopped fussing and looked at him confusedly, "Of course I do... Kohaku, I don't know what's gotten into you, but stop it."
Kohaku reached out and held her face in his palms, making her even more confused and blush. Her eyes tried to look around at all the attention they gathered, "Buy me time to escape."
"W-What?" Warspite gawked at him.
"I'm leaving for a while."
"No... NO! You're going nowhere!" Warspite looked at him with unease and sadness.
"Do-You-Trust-Me?" Kohaku whispered slowly in her ear, trying not to let emotions rule him.
Warspite stared at him briefly before nodding slowly, "I trust you."
Kohaku smiled, "The Admiral knows I'm outside by now; he's sending some maids to apprehend me again. I need you to buy me time."
"H-How do you know the maids are coming?"
"It's the only way the Admiral can arrest me without him worrying about emotional conflict or annoyances from other factions like Littorio or Prinz Eugen."
Warspite stared at him with conflicting thoughts but nodded.
Kohkau pulled her into a tight hug, "Thank you."
"You're coming back to me?" Was Warspite's muffled response from burrowing in his chest?
"This isn't goodbye, Warspite; I only need some time," Kohaku pulls away and smiles at her blushing face before she draws him in again and kisses his cheek.
"Hmph, Go," Warspite waves him away gently as she waits for the maids to appear.
Kohaku rubbed the cheek she just kissed, his tails swaying wildly before he turned to run, not before shouting, "Wait for me!"
Warspite looks at him with a soft smile, "Belli dura despicio!
Kohaku assumed that was her way of saying, 'I will.'
- - - - - - - - - -
"Lady Warspite? Where is he?"
"Hmm? Oh, Belfast? Where is who?" Warspite sat outside one of the small cafes and drank the cup of tea she ordered. It had only been ten minutes since her interaction with Kohaku, and she was still saddened by his sudden decision to leave, but if he said he was coming back, who was she to doubt him?
Besides, Warspite had to see the positive in all this; it gets Kohaku away from those slu... Other ladies of the Sakura Empire, Iron Blood and Sardegna Empire
Belfast frowned at Warspite; she had no interest in fulfilling her orders to arrest Kohaku again for breaking house arrest, but orders are orders, "Lady Warspite, please... Playing ignorant does not suit you."
The maids behind Belfast. Sheffield, Dido, Sirius and Kent looked between Belfast and Warspite with apprehension.
Warspite looked at them with amusement as if looking at whiny children, "Does the Queen know of your orders, Belfast?"
Belfast kept her composure, but the look in her eyes showed how conflicted she was, "The Queen is currently taking a nap and is not to be disturbed.
"Unacceptable, Belfast! Go to her Majesty and tell her you're trying to turn Kohaku against the Royal Navy because of blind orders from the Admiral."
Warspite was internally pleading for Belfast to follow her suggestion. Belfast, ever the intelligent one, looked unsure, but the four behind her looked ready to run to the Queen.
Belfast and Warspite stared each other down, making it awkward for the others, but before they could intervene, Belfast beat them to it, "Return to her Majesty."
"That's no fun, Nya!"
"So be it..."
"Y-Yes, Belfast."
"Okay..."
Warspite watched the four walk off, leaving Belfast and her alone.
"Nice try, Lady Warspite, but I'm not easily fooled," Belfast's eyes narrowed at her.
"Never said you were, but you're insinuating those four are," Warspite pointed at the retreating maids.
"No, they just know when to follow appropriate orders."
An awkward silence hung in the air again.
"..."
"..."
"Heard the news, my lady?"
"My old ears hear Kohaku is wandering around and breaking house arrest?"
Belfast smiles and sits opposite her, "Other than that, the Sakura Empire is leaving."
Belfast's words hit Warspite like a truck. Kohaku is leaving, and now the Sakura Empire is leaving... Indeed, that's got to be a coincidence. Dread fills her; he's not leaving to go back with them, is he?
He wouldn't say those things to her just to run into the arms of someone like Akagi or Kaga, would he?!
"Warspite?! Please calm yourself!" Belfast sat dumbfounded. Warspite acted very similar to how she did during the tea party when Admiral Hipper came to visit unexpectedly. What a strong reaction to news about the Sakura Empire leaving.
Much to Belfast's confusion, Warspite stood abruptly and started walking toward the Sakura Empire dorms.
Warspite needed answers, and who better than the leader of the Sakura Empire, Nagato?
Belfast still dumbfounded but rose herself and quickly caught up and fell into line with Warspite, unsure what path Warspite was about to take but was damned if she was going to allow her to attack the Sakura Empire or be attacked in return.
At that moment, Belfast had entirely forgotten her orders from the Admiral to arrest Kohaku.
Warspite had succeeded with flying colours!
- - - - - - - - - -
The Admiral sat impatiently behind his desk, Commander Fubuki to his right and the Shikikan to his left.
"What's on your mind, Commander? You have been looking over your shoulder all day."
Fubuki wanted to mention the other night when she was kidnapped by the two foxes who caused problems for Azur Lane in the past. The Shikikan flinched at the Admiral's words, caught by Fubuki's side glance.
Fubuki didn't know what had happened after she ran, but whatever Amagi did wasn't pleasant. She had heard nothing about Akagi and Kaga since the incident, and the Shikikan had stared vacantly at walls on and off since then.
His flinch confirms to her that he remembers.
"Nothing, Admiral, just... Um...woman issues..." Fubuki shrugs.
Admiral looked at her funny and nodded. He was not willing to push further.
Fubuki smiled internally. That excuse never failed her!
*Knock, Knock*
"Come in!" The Admiral called out. It must be Belfast with Kohaku.
The door slams open, and Enterprise enters with an annoyed frown, storming up to his desk. The Admiral frowns in return. Where was Belfast, the other maids and Kohaku?
"Enterprise? Unexpected, but how can we help you?"
"Why couldn't you send me with Kohaku on your secret mission?!"
"..." The three humans stared at Enterprise with confusion.
"Secret mission?" The Admiral looked bewildered.
"I just met Kohaku at the harbour! He said you're sending him on a secret mission!" Enterprise slammed both hands onto the desk.
"W-What?!" The Admiral sputtered in denial at the overwhelming presence Entperise was giving off, "He's under house arrest! Why would I send him on a secret mission?!"
Fubuki and Shikikan looked on in shock.
Enterprise stepped back and looked at him, confused, "So... he tricked me?"
The Admiral stood slowly with a shadow over his eyes, "I sent Belfast and the others to apprehend him again and bring him here, but you meet him on the docks and take his words at face value?"
"He tricked you hard..." Fubuki snickered.
Enterprise went through an impressive number of facial expressions, but it settled on anger.
"He tricked me?!"
"Damn it, Enterprise! He was in your grasp, and you let him slip away," The Admiral shouted at Enterprise, and she either ignored or didn't hear him as she vented to herself.
"ADMIRAL!" The voice of Hammann shouted and burst into the room as the alarms around the base started sounding.
"Oh, for goodness sake! What now!" The Admiral groaned in anger and frustration.
"IJN Kohaku just sailed out of Azur Lane's mouth with some Moorings still attached!"
"Wait, What?!"
"The moorings snapped and whipped back, hitting the supports to Roon, who's still in dry dock for repairs."
"Damage?" The Admiral dreads to think.
Hammann hesitates, "The supports buckled, and Roon fell about 5 meters into solid concrete. The bottom of her ship suffered heavy damage."
The Admiral sits back down and buries his head in his hands. The phone on his desk starts to ring the moment his butt hits the chair, but he dutifully ignores it until Fubuki answers it, much to his annoyance.
He tried to listen but could not hear nor guess who the caller was...
Fubuki cringes and goes pale, placing the phone on her chest to muffle it, and looks at the Admiral, "Admiral, It's Lady Bismarck! She's just been informed of the incident regarding Roon and Kohaku by Prince Eugen..."
Credit to the Iron Blood. They act fast when offended!
"And what does the esteemed Bismarck want with me..." The Admiral sits back in his chair and chuckles, all anger gone.
"..."
"Commander Fubuki?" Fubuki looks nervous.
"They want Kohaku..."
"Amazing! They can have him if they catch him before us." He laughs, finally losing his sanity.
"If Bismarck doesn't get Kohaku for attacking a member of the Iron Blood, she will declare war on Azur Lane..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Sanity returns instantly for the Admiral and holds his hand out to Fubuki, "Phone, now."
"..."
"Lady Bismarck..." The Admiral says in a cold voice.
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Done!
I enjoyed writing this chapter so much. I have no clue why.
I have a thing for Drama, all the ups and downs!
NAGATO has not been rejected! I think Nagato will be with Kohaku in the future; he didn't specifically say no. I didn't want it then and there.
Do Shipgirls know what true Heartbreak is when it comes to love?
Nagato came to Azur Lane with pushing from Yamato to get Kohaku and his heart back on her side but failed. Yamato will be super unhappy.
As you know, Nagato is one of my favourites, and to prove that---
Warspite is not being left in the dust; Kohaku will return to her, no doubt, but bless War Corgi for being a good distraction.
Belli dura despicio ("I Despise the Hardships of War")
Belfast and the maids are confused for a few minutes straight; orders from the Queen or orders from the Admiral, poor girls are being bounced off every wall.
Warspite needs to know if Kohaku is going to the Sakura Empire... So, it will be interesting to see how Warspite and a heartbroken Nagato interact.
Dammnit Enterprise! You had one job!
I have no idea if Moorings can do that, but it's happened, and Roon's ship face-plants the drydock floor; now Bismarck sees it as an act of aggression.
Kohaku got away with it the first time when he punched Roon because she endangered others and came at him; now he's the aggressor.
I own not Art of Gif's
Thanks for the support and likes!
Zero-