=================
Last time, Caster finally got through Enterprise's wall around her heart and made her realize that she isn't alone when it comes to coping with her sadness.
And Caster is woken up, brought immediately to the beaches only to get his jaw dropped by the number of beautiful girls on the beach. Again, 'eye-candy' for him.
After some time of Caster contemplating what he's going to do in this 'hot' beach, he saw a few girls grouping up on the volleyball court. And of course, he wanted to join in the fun.
But not without opponents. And I tell you that they're formidable opponents.
A-kun: Damn, I could have snuck in a 'Formidable' joke. (HAH!)
And here we are. At the start of the volleyball match. With an audience of girls surrounding the volleyball court.
=================
Before the match was even begun, he looked at the other side and he cringed that he's about to fight a really more physically imposing team. But he looked at the other 3. Sandy, Saratoga, and Cygnet... And he was... Staring for way too long, to say the least.
"She is a Destroyer. Yet she has 'that'. Okay, just don't look." He silently mumbled before looking away. With his head shaking a bit in disappointment in himself.
'I don't wanna look like a pervert.'
=================
Basically, every girl in the vicinity is all staring at Caster. Even his own teammates and the opponents. Everyone knew that Caster was feeling down for the past few days.
And he smartly moved on from that sadness.
But the other girls weren't informed and they all wanted him to be more lively and happy. And so, the girls cheered HEAVILY for Caster's team. And sure enough, the other side was slightly annoyed but they also knew their intentions on why.
Caster's team is going to serve first. And Caster huddled up his teammates.
"Z23, you're the leader for this team. Cleveland, you're our main spiker." He said. With Cleveland and Z23 slightly nodding along.
"And, I'll be the setter. Since I'm not a high jumper and a tall person to begin with. So I'll set for you all." He said. With some confidence too. That's kind of ironic coming from a guy who lost his last match BADLY.
"Commander, why am I the leader?" Z23 looked at him with confusion. She thought that Caster is obviously the leader of this team.
"You can motivate others and you're more disciplined." Caster plainly said before turning around to face the other side. Who was also huddling up? I guess this game will not easily turn to Caster's favor.
"Milord, Milord! What can I do?" Yamashiro tapped on his shoulder and she looked at him with such a cute stare that made him step back.
'Okay, what in the hell can I tell her?!' Caster thought as he's diverting his eyes away from her... 'assets'.
Caster was so preoccupied with his response that he didn't saw the ball and the ball slammed on his face. Making him go flying to the back row.
"Sorry!!!" Hornet exclaimed, apologizing that Caster didn't saw the ball when it was served.
"Commander! Are you okay?!" Cleveland rushed to him. And basically, all of the girls who were watching were thinking the same thing.
He shook his head and held it. "Woo! Great start!" He sarcastically said with a fist in the air to amplify the sarcasm. And the girls weren't too impressed.
He slowly went back to his spot and Hornet gets to serve again. And he didn't even know that the game started, mind you. Opponents: 1, Self-awareness: 0.
Hornet served and it was received by Javelin. And the ball was going straight back to the other side. 'Tch. Not good.' Caster thought.
He jumped as high as he can to block the spike that Washington was about to do.
With Washington's pure strength, she plowed through the block that Caster desperately tried. Caster's body language was so obvious for all the girls to see. But he isn't truly mad yet.
His face wasn't reacting, but his competitive nature is oozing out of him.
At the next play, Hornet served the ball out of bounds. "Gah! My bad!" Then a cute chuckle right after.
Javelin is the 1st server for Caster's team and she did a great job getting the ball across the net and San Diego received it well. And it was going for North Carolina. Who was about to set.
Caster's eyes darted all around the court to see who is she's setting to. There were 2 girls running for it, Saratoga and Washington...
...The ball flies in the air. About to hit someone's hand...
...THUD!
North Carolina, Hornet, Cygnet, and the others on the other side were shocked. 2 people airborne, Washington in shock and Caster with the poker face.
He just blocked Washington's quick attack.
All of his teammates were shocked but also scared at the same time. He's getting way too worked up for a friendly match. But the girls hesitate in fear. As they have not seen Caster's angry side except for a few Royal Navy girls.
'Jeez... How can I calm him down with him getting too heated?' Z23 thought. As she wiped a bead of sweat on her forehead.
'Commander is getting competitive. Not saying it's a bad thing but he might get too competitive.' Cleveland raised a brow and analyzes the situation at hand.
'And how did he got so good in such a short time?!' Saratoga thought dumbfounded. 'Maybe he practiced just like he said last time?'
"I wanna win. I wanna win." He silently mumbled.
To not waste your and my precious time, the 1st set was already a competitive one because of Caster's initiation. With his anger turning into motivation to win. The 2 sides were neck and neck. Though Caster's and his teammate's opponents were more physically imposing except than the rest of the team and more adept in the game, Caster's team, with full team effort, Cleveland's spikes, Javelin's serves, Ayanami's relentlessness, and Caster's sets and blocks, they weren't going down easy.
Matchpoint. 19-20. North Carolina's team is going to win in 1 more point.
At this point in time, Caster wasn't really communicating with his teammates for a few possessions now. The girls didn't want to intervene. But he wanted to win and it rubbed off his teammates. Making them slightly more motivated than before.
Especially Z23. Who wanted to win just as badly as Caster but not for the same reasons as you think.
She wanted to win this match for him. To make him happier. And it was definitely possible at this point in time.
At this point, the crowd of girls was so large that it looked like a gymnasium with the number of girls being the audience. Most of the eyes were on Caster's team. Or should I say, Caster only? It was getting really obsessive with the number of eyes on him.
And Caster also felt the tension. Not just of the audience just watching his every move and action, but the pressure to win.
The girls on the court and Caster's legs were getting heavy with the heavy resistance that the sand on the beach was giving. With heavier resistance, it comes with more stamina drained out of them. And making them even more tired at match point.
It was Caster's time to serve the ball and he did it with power. Thinking that he could score a service ace. But it was immediately put up in the air by Saratoga. She was a good receiver... And he was slightly annoyed at the result of his serve.
Hornet is now setting but Caster observed quickly that in the whole match when she's setting, her sets are predictable. And yet she insisted to set.
Caster thought that she is going to set for Washington since she was their ace for the whole match. And ending it with her wasn't a bad idea.
But there was another one who's running for the ball.
San Diego.
She's trying to finish this match early with a spike. But as she spiked it, Knight of the Seas, Cleveland comes to the rescue and blocked and it was easily received by Yamashiro.
Except she slipped down and Javelin dived for the ball and got it in the air.
Not even the sand can save her from slipping.
"Sorry!" Yamashiro softly yelled. And she's trying to get up quickly.
"Commander! Cover me!" Z23 went up to the 2 girls. Trying to get them up as quickly as they can. The setter duties are on Caster on this one. And he had a grand plan.
As Caster was running to the ball on the front row, he kept mumbling to himself: "My intuition will help me."
In a confusing act, he pointed to Cleveland and his head was looking at her as he jumped. But his body was turned towards Ayanami. And the Destroyer thought that she's about to get his set but her mind is conflicted on what Caster meant on his pointing to Cleveland.
Is Caster using reverse psychology to fake out the opponents? 'Or a...' Hornet told herself as she's still choosing who to block.
SLAM!
Ayanami leaped and spiked the ball with the best of her limited strength. And no one was there to block her. As the blockers were still puzzled on Caster's fake-out move.
It was an advanced move that most real-life setters can't do. And the girls' jaws were dropped. Not just how Caster just faked them out, it was how he did it so effortlessly.
In his time of Commander in the base, there was a quote that was started by Z23 long ago and this quote still holds true to this day, and let's just say that almost every girl knew it.
"Give him something he doesn't know, he'll learn it in days." - Z23 to Caster's seemingly limitless talent.
So basically the girls gave Caster the persona that of a 'do-it-all' type of person. And let's be honest, with the talents that he displayed, might as well be true to a fault.
But Caster's bland reaction with the play with all of the girls just shocked at his play just makes it more unbelievable. He isn't even surprised that he did that.
He walked back to the back row as he's they're tied now. The team needs 2 points to turn around this game and win.
Caster served once again and it was received by Cygnet this time. He did not expect her to receive that serve but he shrugged it off.
But the match and momentum were turned around quickly as Cygnet's receive was going back to Caster's side of the court. Giving them a chance to score 2 in a row.
The crowd of girls watching the match is now waiting for another ridiculous play by Caster but Z23 set the ball to Cleveland and her leaping ability got her over Washington's and Saratoga's block and spiked it to hit Sandy in the arm and the ball went out of bounds.
"OWWW!!!!!" San Diego screamed. Giving Caster and the other girls the impression that Cleveland's spikes are powerful AF. And the girls were calming her down and helped with her pain.
But Caster's side, all of them had a jolt of joy. But Caster just nods and gripped his hand. 'Matchpoint.' He thought.
"Give it all I got." He looked at the ball as he tossed it in the air to serve.
With a loud grunt, he spiked the ball with as much power he could muster. And it was about to be received by San Diego, but Hornet saved her from getting and ball to the arm and bruising it once more. And the ball went back in the air.
But the gods pre-planned that Caster's team would win.
With another stroke of dumb luck, the ball went right back to their side and at this point, even Hornet thought that this was getting ridiculous with how much lucky breaks they had in such a short amount of time.
"Nimi! Let me set!" Caster shouted. And he ran to the front row and all of the girl's eyes were set on him. And with Z23 stepping back.
He jumped to get the set but it looked like there was no one jumping for the set. But he set it anyway to his left. And no one there to get it. It was going out of bounds.
But with a desperate attempt to win it now, Yamashiro of all people hit the ball with her left arm and got it over the net. And all of the other girls froze and didn't get to react.
And as the ball hit the sand on the other side of the net, a moment of silence loomed around them as they process what just happened.
And then a collective yell of the joy of Caster's teammates and Caster himself. And the girls were tackling Yamashiro with the MVP-like save.
Also, the audience of girls also had the same reaction to the save. Making Yamashiro the unofficial MVP of this match.
Caster didn't want to be in that but he looked to the other side to see their reactions. And as you can guess, they all looked somewhat sad. Not believing that they just lose the game and they had the lead at one point.
He felt good when he won but he felt bad for the others that lost. He went up to North Carolina and Hornet. Who was about to leave the court.
"Hey, you two. No hard feelings, eh?" Caster smiled to try to lighten up the mood.
"No worries, Commander. I'm just a bit bummed out that we didn't win." Hornet smiled back.
"Commander. Don't worry about us. It's a friendly match after all." North Carolina also smiled back at Caster.
Caster nervously wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. 'Phew.' But he shook hands with North Carolina and Hornet as a sign of respect.
After that, he went back to his teammates who were still giggling like crazy.
"Commander!" Cleveland waved with overwhelming happiness.
And then Yamashiro broke free of Javelin's and Z23's hug and tackled Caster. In which they fell to the ground.
Causing... Quite the scene...
"Milord! Sorry! I slipped!" Yamashiro scratched her head in embarrassment. But her eyes were telling a different story.
'OH GOD!'
=================
The campfire was burning hot in the cold, sandy night on the beach. The maids and some of the Eagle Union girls set up an outdoor barbecue.
And the girls did... Girls stuff. Well, some already started to take out the beers and get themselves drunk. Some of the girls eating on the campfire, some ate inside the cottages on the beach, and some preferred eating in their lonesome.
While our protagonist is in the car where he got his guitar on the back seat of said car. Which was delivered by Formidable.
"Thanks." Caster nodded. With a towel over his head. He probably just took a shower.
"My pleasure." Formidable gave Caster a rare smile. As he smiled back and nodded.
Caster was now walking to the beach. Specifically, a big rock that was next to the ocean. He sat there in his lonesome... Rehearsing a song.
"Commander... Finally, I found you." A voice came from behind. Turning Caster around in surprise.
..."Yorktown?"
She was still the same Yorktown as Caster last saw her. She didn't look that injured, but a wheelchair pushed around by Edinburgh says otherwise.
He instantly remembered the regret that he had for the last few days. The sight of Yorktown instantly made him go back to that 'depressed' state again. And Yorktown knew that this was coming.
'A severely injured person is more worrisome than a person who is dead.' He told himself. Yes, a morbid statement, but in a way, it is true.
"Caster." She stated. In which he raised up his face to look at her.
'Caster?'
"It is not your fault. Not at all. Please, don't beat yourself up." Yorktown told him to try to get him out of his sadness as fast as possible. "Remember, if you hadn't come to the rescue, the base of Azur Lane might be just history."
He looked down at the waters... He sighed. "Alright."
"If you do keep worrying about me, it will surely affect your effectiveness as a Commander," Yorktown warned Caster if he doesn't move on.
Caster stood up from the rock, took his guitar, and started to walk back to the campfire. "Come on. Let's cherish the moments of subtle peace."
=================
He got to the campfire and sat down on one of the logs with his guitar. And as soon as he did that, the girls already took a position to hear him sing. I mean, what else could it be?
"Seems that you already know the drill, eh?" Caster plainly said. And he took one more look at his guitar.
The girls' whispers were so abundant in this crowd of girls. The number of girls in the crowd literally eclipses the crowd that he had last time he sang a song. With the new Royal Navy girls ready to hear him sing. And they weren't expecting the Commander to know how to sing. So it will be interesting what their reaction would be.
Even in this time of slight sadness, the death of Aulick and Spence, the rebuilding of the Azur Lane base from the ground up, Caster just planned this performance at the perfect time when the morale was low.
He was even more surprised and nervous at the number of girls ready to hear him sing. And he already started to second-guess that decision.
But he can't turn back now.
He strummed, and all of the girl's attention is on him.
'Alright... Here goes nothing.'
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before
I've been broken, yeah
I know how it feels
To be open
And then find out your love isn't real
I'm still hurting, yeah
I'm hurting inside
I'm so scared to fall in love
But if it's you then I'll try
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before.
His tone turns into a slightly solemn one. With his eyes closed for the last parts.
I know I'm not the best at choosing lovers
We both know my past speaks for itself
(For itself)If you don't think that we're right for each other (Baby, no)
Then, please, don't let history repeat itself
'Cause I want you (yeah, yeah), I want you (yeah, yeah)
There's nothing else I want
'Cause I want you (yeah, yeah), I want you (yeah, yeah)
And you're the only thing I want
It's you, it's always you
If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gon' be you
It's you, it's always you
Met a lot of people, but nobody feels like you
So, please, don't break my heart
Don't tear me apart
I know how it starts
Trust me, I've been broken before
Don't break me again
I am delicate
Please, don't break my heart
Trust me, I've been broken before
'Cause I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, you, you.
'Cause I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, baby I want you
Baby, I want you, you, you.
He opened his eyes... To see the girls' reactions. And he hopes that he doesn't get the same reaction as last time.
And the girls were again, frozen and some of them even slept by his voice. Like Laffey and some others...
Well, the song did its part of restoring morale... If at all... And it had the unintended side-effect that his voice made some of the girls just lay down and snooze.
'I should probably go now. Before they chase me again.' He thought before sneakily left the scene.
=================
All of the girls got back to their senses, via hypnosis by Caster, and the girls want to find him as soon as possible. Of course, including the slightly obsessive shipgirls.
But Caster finally succeeded in escaping as he was nowhere to be found. Just disappeared outta their sights.
And the Royal Navy girls definitely got some stories to tell to Queen Elizabeth and Warspite as she wasn't here to hear his voice. With King George, and Formidable stunned for obvious reasons.
=================
The next morning...
A loud yawn. "That was a great dream that I had." Caster woke up in a bedroom in one of the cottages. He rubbed his eyes. No one seemed to sneak into the room.
But as soon as he thought of intruders, he looked at the left side of the bed, a lump.
'This is way too early for this...'
He removes the blanket to see it was Dido sleeping next to him. Sleeping rather peacefully.
Then a sound of a door is creaking open. Making Caster look where that was.
But it wasn't the door...
The closet door opened to see Roon just walking out of it. Like she used that closet as a teleporter.
"Roon? Morning. What are you doing here?" Caster said surprised. Not knowing what is Roon capable of. In other words, he hasn't read her report yet.
"Commander..." She pushed him back on his bed and sat up top of him.
"I hope you don't mind~"
Then if you think this can't get any worse, Dido woke up and the door was torn down by our local yandere Akagi.
"Roon... What are you doing so early in the morning?" Akagi made a terrifying smile and a tone of anger that was too hard to hide.
"I am only protecting him... Is that a problem~?" Roon responded back with the intent to hurt someone.
Roon got off Caster's hip and faced Akagi. At this time though, Dido already took out her sword to protect Caster.
"Master... I won't let anyone have you." Dido plainly stated. Making Caster just say: "What?!"
Akagi and Roon formed their weapons and Caster knew that he needs to get out ASAP!
"Dido, you may want to let go of my Commander..." Roon glared at Dido.
"I could say the same..." Akagi also told Dido. As she was jealous that she was the one protecting Caster. And perhaps Dido hogging Caster for herself.
"No," Dido answered and Caster knew he was screwed.
The laser blasters of Roon and the flaming airstrip of Akagi were now glowing covering the room in the color red.
"GIRLS! NO! NO!"
"STOP!!!!!"
Word Count: 3953 Words.
6/10/20
11:50 PM