Azur Lane: Anchors Aweigh

Harbor, Azur Lane Base

June 8, 1942

6:00 AM

As morning dawns at the Azur Lane Base, Pearl Harbor, 50 dead bodies littered the deck of the ships and floated in the water near the modern warships. The blue-green water of the harbor was tainted with red blood.

Manjuus, equipped with diving gear, were diving underwater to search for any explosives planted under the keels of the modern warships.

Other Manjuus reviewed security footage, looking for explosives planted inside or outside the Ships. The rest were in RHIBs, fishing out the dead bodies from the harbor.

Meowfficers checked for broken or missing equipment in and out of the Ship, their paws swiping the glass screens of their tablets. The US Navy prioritized the safety of its naval vessels, especially against espionage, which explained the brutal actions of the previous night.

Azur Lane Shipgirls avoided that section of the harbor to steer clear of the dead bodies. The Toddlers / Destroyers were told to stay away, and were supervised by the Adults to stay away at the area.

MPs and Military Personnel were deployed to keep unwanted onlookers away from the scene of devastation. Barricades were erected to prevent Journalists and Reporters from leaking the news to the public. Such news could damage the public image of the Modern Kansen, who were scheduled to visit the mainland.

The corpses and remnants of the ninjas who had infiltrated the harbor, stolen American equipment, and sabotaged the modern warships were being placed into military trucks, guarded by Union Army/Eagle Union Army soldiers.

Armed Manjuus maintained their positions along the perimeter between the barricades and the modern warships. Photographers and anyone who crossed the barricades set up by the MPs and Police were detained by the Manjuus, some got treated more.

CVN-80 USS Enterprise

Enterprise-80 finished reading the report on her ship's condition. There was no missing equipment and no hull damage. "I was wrong... again," she mumbled to herself.

Frigate Belfast, hearing her mumble, asked, "What do you mean, wrong again? You acted like a leader and protected everyone from the attack."

"No, I failed. First, I sent two of them to intercept a Siren fleet, and now this." She gestured to her surroundings.

"I didn't expect them to arrive so soon. I compared them to a WW2 deployment and thought it would take them two or three days to get here..." She spoke in a disappointed tone, believing this was her mistake and responsibility.

"No. You acted as any Commanding Officer would, finding themselves in a new world without prior knowledge. To us, you did what you knew best for us, here."

Bunker Hill-76 joined the conversation. "Miss Enterprise... we're in another world. The safety and rules we used to know don't apply here. You were tasked with protecting American property in another world. And you did well..."

William chimed in, a smirk on his face. "Ironic... isn't it? We tried to avoid getting involved in this conflict... then they gave us an excuse to get involved."

Enterprise-80 responded, "We all knew we would get involved in this conflict; it was only a matter of time."

William continued, "It's better to get involved now, before the Crimson Axis gains the upper hand with Siren Tech."

Bunker Hill-76 agreed, "William is right. If we want to get involved, this is the right time."

"What are your orders, Miss Enterprise?" Frigate Belfast asked.

Enterprise-80, still contemplating her orders from the previous day and her actions, sighed inwardly and faced the two.

"Belfast, inform everyone we're leaving at 8:00 AM. Also, tell them to secure their weapons. We might encounter resistance along the way."

"As you wish, Miss Enterprise." Frigate Belfast bowed and left to inform everyone.

She then looked to her right. "Bunker Hill, what's my schedule for Washington D.C.?"

"On June 9, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, you have a meeting with the leaders and flagships of the Royal Navy, Iris Libre, and Eagle Union factions. From 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, you'll address Congress, and from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, we'll attend a ball." Bunker Hill-76 finished reading Enterprise-80's schedule.

Enterprise-80 mumbled to herself, "It's easier to bomb someone into oblivion than to talk to a politician."

She then faced William. "I want a working prototype of any defense system before we head into battle, especially laser weapons and shield defenses."

William gave a lazy salute. "Yes, Ma'am." and smiled.

He immediately headed to his ship to begin developing the defense systems, placing a blueprint of an HELIOS Laser System and a scratch-built plasma cannon blueprint on his workstation.

Enterprise-6 walked onto the flight deck of the supercarrier, observing the heavily armed Manjuus patrolling weapon emplacements like the M2 Browning and MK38 machine gun systems.

'I've never seen such readiness,' she thought.

After the surprise attack the previous night, all the Manjuus were on DEFCON Fuck of high alert, detaining anyone who approached the modern warships.

She reached Enterprise-80 and asked, "What are your plans? I'm sure the Sakura Empire will prioritize you."

Enterprise-80 responded, "Don't worry. We will pay them a visit... the 'American way'." She said, a slight smile forming on her face.

SSN-856 USS Denver

Denver-856 was scrubbing the stains from her submarine's hull, which was covered in blood and body parts from the previous night's encounter with the Ninjas.

"Damn it. These stains are too much!" she cursed, scrubbing the deck with a brush.

Her crew/Manjuus were also scrubbing away blood stains and body parts. She then saw the Cleveland sisters sailing toward her Nuclear Submarine in a wooden lifeboat.

The Sister disembarked at the boat assisted by Manjuus on deck, the Sisters were all to shock to see suck mess lingering at the deck of the Nuclear Submarine, the human blood felt alien and their stomach churn.

"Whoa. You did this?" Cruiser Denver asked, trying to avoid looking at the gore.

"Yes, I did this, and now I'm cleaning it," she said bluntly.

Cleveland covered her mouth, still shocked that her Sister's counterpart was unfazed by the killing. "How can you say it like it was nothing?"

Denver-856 replied, "I'm in another world. I'm not going to let a guy in a ninja costume get hold of billion-dollar equipment."

"But still... this is too much," Cleveland said.

Infirmary

Ayanami lay on a hospital bed, bandages covering her arms and legs. Lafayette sat in a chair beside her, watching over her since she was brought to the infirmary.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" he asked in a somber tone.

Lucas scratched his head, searching for an answer. "Well... blocking a Naval Strike Missile with a Sword and hitting a concrete wall... I don't know..."

"I see..." he said, sounding saddened at his actions.

Lucas tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, the fact she survived your attack is something. The Nurses said she'll be fine within weeks, so I wouldn't worry too much."

Lucas's intercom crackled. "Lucas and Lafayette, prepare your ships. We're leaving Pearl at 8:00 AM sharp."

Lucas grabbed the comms from his vest. "Roger that."

At 8:00 AM, the Carrier Strike Group prepared to leave Pearl and head to the Eagle Union mainland. The shipgirls waved goodbye as the Carrier Strike Group sailed away.

"Bye, bye," Laffey-459 said in her typical drowsy state.

"Bye..." Javelin, the cheerful one waved her hands.

Enterprise-6 watched the Carrier Strike Group leave the harbor from her carrier's deck.

Cruiser Belfast commented, "They're leaving this early."

"They had to change their schedule because of recent events," Enterprise-6 replied.

"Do you think she'll join us against the Sakura Empire after what happened here?" Hornet asked.

Enterprise-6 only smirked in response.

The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group sailed in formation, their flags waving proudly in the wind. Fifth and sixth-generation aircraft soared into the sky, providing air cover for the ships below. Aegis Ships were now allowed to use their long-range detection without interfering with the base radars.

Sakura Empire 4:00 PM

Two bunny girls waited at the harbor. One had black hair and wore glasses and a green kimono, while the other had white hair and a tomboyish demeanor, wearing a blue kimono.

"Isn't it a bit too early for us to be waiting here, Souryuu nee-san?" the white-haired girl complained, bored.

"I'm just a little worried, Hiryuu, about the report they gave us... about the new ships at Azur Lane," the black-haired bunny fore-eye fore-head said, concerned.

The black-haired fore-eye fore-head bunny-girl was Souryuu, and the white-haired tomboyish Bunny-girl was Hiryuu.

"Yeah... I heard Ayanami was captured, according to their report," Hiryuu said, noticing a shadow on the horizon.

"Looks like they're here." She pointed toward the incoming ships.

Souryuu looked where Hiryuu pointed, then adjusted her glasses. "Seems so. Come on, let's greet them."

The two then headed to the port to greet the docking ships. What greeted the two bunnies was a horrifying sight. The four Kongou-class battlecruisers' superstructures were burned and riddled with holes. The five Fubuki-class destroyers were limping, critically hit by 155mm and 127mm Rounds on their thinly armored decks.

A girl with dog ears and a tail jumped off a Destroyer onto the harbor, kissing the concrete ground.

"Arigato, Kami-sama, for solid ground. I don't want to go back there!" she exclaimed, excited.

"Careful there, Fubuki. You don't want to get hurt," Zuikaku said.

"Hai..."

"What happened, Zuikaku?" Souryuu asked, her voice urgent and concerned.

Zuikaku had charcoal smudges on her face and slight burns on her skin, resembling someone who had been in a coal mine.

"We... we faced the Gray Ghosto, and... this happened," Zuikaku said, her voice defeated.

Then Shoukaku and Hakuryuu walked down the gangway, assisted by imperial medics. This surprised the Sakuran shipgirls, many of whom were waiting for their return. Their two most powerful shipgirls were injured and beaten.

"Who did this?!" Hiryuu shouted, angry. Souryuu placed a hand on Hiryuu's shoulder to calm her.

"No need to shout, Hiryuu," Souryuu said, controlling Hiryuu's emotions.

She faced Zuikaku and asked, "Now... tell me what happened?"

Zuikaku clenched her fists in frustration as she recounted the events. "The Gray Ghosto shot Shoukaku in her right shoulder while we were distracted by its powerful and accurate anti-air. And Hakuryuu was defeated by a bunny girl, one of those Benson-class destroyers, I believe. She broke Hakuryuu's katana with ease."

The only information they had about Laffey-200 was that she was a Benson-class destroyer, due to her resemblance to DD-459.

They all looked at Hakuryuu, who mourned her 'beloved' katana, now in two pieces. The katana looked like it had been cut in half by a lightsaber.

"How long did the fight last?" Souryuu asked, curious, as no one could beat Hakuryuu in a one-on-one battle, let alone break her sword with ease.

"The battle... the battle only lasted a minute," Zuikaku said, trying to swallow her pride.

"I see... So, the new Azur Lane ships did this to you, Kongou-san?" Souryuu asked.

Unzen slowly walked down the gangway, her face defeated. Hiryuu noticed and asked, "What's with that expression?"

Unzen sighed. "I let them all die. That guy prioritized them. I was so engrossed in the battle that I didn't notice he was targeting the men I was supposed to defend."

"Even you?! How strong are they?!" Hiryuu exclaimed, surprised that even Unzen felt defeated.

Kongou replied, "That's the whole report. We were blind to their capabilities, and they used that to wipe the floor with us. Their shots were too accurate and could reach far, even beyond the Iron Blood's best gunnery. They precisely targeted us as we fled."

"So, Azur Lane has a ship more powerful than the Iron Blood, huh?" Hiryuu chimed in.

Hiryuu then noticed the silence between Takao and Atago and asked, "Takao and Atago, are you two alright?"

Takao was about to speak, but Shoukaku spoke first, catching everyone's attention. "No, it wasn't Enterprise we fought... the one we fought was the shipgirl of that massive carrier."

Zuikaku interjected, "That can't be her. She's the Gray Ghosto! You saw her face."

Shoukaku shook her head. "No. Have you ever seen Enterprise use a gun in battle before?"

"Now that you mention it... she didn't act like the Gray Ghosto," Zuikaku said, contemplating.

'Just like that JS Maya. She looks like one of my sisters, but isn't,' Takao thought.

"Okay, that's enough. We have no idea who the Shipgirl of that massive carrier is. Maybe you should all rest," Souryuu said, breaking the tension.

A brown-haired girl with glasses, wearing a student uniform, ran toward them and spoke. They all looked in the direction of her voice.

"Takao, Shoukaku, Hakuryuu and Unzen... Lady Musashi wants to see you in her office, now." She was tired from running from the temple to the harbor.

Takao smiled slightly. "Arigato, Kako-san. We're heading there right now."

"Everyone, rest. Your bodies need it," Souryuu ordered.

Sakura Tree Sacred Temple

A dark purple-haired woman with fox ears and nine tails sat in the middle of the Sacred Temple. She held a report, then opened her eyes and spoke.

"So, the operation failed... two of our best Shipgirls are injured, and one is captured." She put down the report and looked at the four.

"Hai, Lady Musashi, but I found out one of the new Kansen's names," Takao spoke, catching her attention.

Musashi looked her in the eye and spoke in a low, serious voice, "Go on."

Takao took a moment to speak, taking a deep breath. "The one Atago and I fought is a destroyer with capabilities comparable to or surpassing a cruiser. One of them resembles Maya, but with a more mature body. Her name was JS Maya, and she is a Destroyer. Her full name is DDG 174 JS Maya, destroyer of the JMSDF."

Shoukaku, Hakuryuu, and Unzen were shocked by Takao's report.

"Wait, I thought you and Atago faced two opponents?" Shoukaku asked.

"Hai. There were two of them. One was a Male Kansen..." Takao struggled to say 'Male Kansen,' remembering how he humiliated her. Musashi noticed her slight blush but ignored it.

Musashi maintained her stoic expression. 'JMSDF, is that a new faction? And Male Kansens, did Azur Lane manage to overcome Siren hypnotism?' she thought.

Takao continued her report. "They are also capable of intercepting 14-inch shells mid-air. Their weaponry is akin to the Iron Blood's Secret Weapon Projects."

She then stared at Shoukaku and glanced at her injured right shoulder. Shoukaku, noticing the attention, gave her report.

"Zuikaku and I faced a Shipgirl similar to Enterprise, but different. She's a bit taller, and her voice is like a seasoned veteran."

Shoukaku paused, remembering the fight. "She has good detection and anti-air. She tore through my ten Vals in seconds with ease."

Musashi thought, 'If Shoukaku's saying is true, she might be able to fight Shinano on equal footing. The worst is, she has good detection and anti-air; we're at a disadvantage.'

Musashi then looked at Hakuryuu and her injured left shoulder and spoke in a low voice, "...and you?"

"I faced a Shipgirl who..." Hakuryuu struggled to accept that she was defeated by a mere Destroyer.

"She looks like a Benson-class destroyer. She defeated me and broke my katana," she said, controlling her anger.

Musashi turned her attention to Unzen. Unzen gave her report. "I failed... I failed to protect them. That man specifically targeted them."

'A man like that went toe-to-toe with Unzen and emerged victorious? This is far worse than we anticipated,' Musashi thought, her mind racing.

The four had grim expressions, humiliated in battle. For the first time, they felt utterly defeated and humiliated by an opponent they couldn't touch or match.

After Musashi read their expressions, she clasped her hands and closed her eyes. She sighed inwardly and spoke.

"You're all dismissed. Get some rest. You're tired from the recent mission."

The three left the sacred temple. Musashi leaned back and thought about their situation. 'Yamato nee-san is out of action against the Sirens, and Adm. Nagumo's death made everything worse... Nagato-sempai is still broken by Amagi and Adm. Yamamoto's deaths, and her health is deteriorating.

Akagi lost her sanity at the battle of Midway and the Mirror Sea. And now... Azur Lane has new Modern Kansens that can rival or defeat our strongest Kansens.'

She held her brows and frowned. "Kami-sama, make this nightmare stop!"

A commotion behind her office door caught her attention. Two familiar voices were shouting as guards tried to quell the disturbance but failed.

Then, the office door burst open, and an angry fox-woman walked in, shouting gibberish. Her hair and kimono were wrinkled from the commotion. A white-haired fox-woman was holding her back.

"Speaking of the devil," Musashi muttered to herself as the problem came to her door. She took a deep breath and spoke.

"What do you want, Akagi?! I thought you were injured and needed treatment. And you... Kaga, didn't I tell you to keep her in her room?"

The crazy fox-woman was Akagi (Of course!), and the white-haired fox-woman was Kaga.

"Gomen'nasai, Musashi-san. Akagi nee-sama ran off," Kaga said, restraining Akagi.

"Cut the crap! Why did you cancel Project Orochi while Azur Lane is building this new Big Carrier?!" Akagi shouted, her voice echoing through the sacred temple.

"Nee-san, I know Lady Musashi has a reason. Please calm down," Kaga pleaded, trying to calm her half-sister.

"No! Let me go! I need to settle this with her, right here, right now!" she yelled, annoying Musashi.

Musashi, maintaining her stoic face but inwardly about to explode, replied, "I paused it for now... because you and your gamble at Midway were a total failure. One-third of our fleet is in dire need of repair. Finishing those repairs is my top priority, rather than a hopeless project."

Akagi shouted in anger, "Damn you! You FAT BITCH!"

Musashi snapped, her nerves frayed. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR BLABBERING! I WILL SEND YOU TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Guards! Take her away!" she ordered.

Battleship Kii and Suruga dragged Akagi out of the office. Akagi kicked and scratched as she was dragged away.

"Please don't make it worse for us, Akagi," Kii said, grabbing both her hands.

"Nee-sama, calm down," Kaga said, trying to soothe her.

Akagi kept screaming throughout the hallway. "Let me go!!!!!!"

Monks, Office Staff, and Guards were silent as they watched the spectacle in the hallways of the Sakura Tree Sacred Temple. A girl wearing a beret saw the commotion as Akagi was taken away.

"The Sakura Empire is in chaos. This is bad for the Crimson Axis Alliance," she said as Akagi passed.

*Whistles* "Akagi's gone crazy again," a girl wearing a beret with a tomboyish voice said.

Musashi sat down, calming herself, and muttered, "If this continues... there will be no Sakura Empire left." She then heard a drowsy voice near the door.

"What's with the commotion...? I'm trying to sleep..." A purplish-haired woman with fox ears and nine tails entered, rubbing her face and yawning, looking like she had just woken up.

Musashi noticed her presence. "What are your visions telling you about this war, Shinano?"

The purplish-haired woman with fox ears and nine tails was Shinano.

Shinano, still sleepy, spoke, "The vision tells me that a sun will fall, and the Eagle will bare its talons on a fox. That's all my vision; the rest is blurry." She yawned and fell asleep.

"That same vision from yesterday. A sun will fall, and the Eagle will bare its Talons on a fox. What does it mean?" she mumbled.

Training Grounds

Takao and Atago told Cruiser Maya about her counterpart and their encounter. Choukai was also listening.

Cruiser Maya was baffled. "You're telling me the other me is in Azur Lane and is one of the new ships? But how?"

Takao nodded. "Atago fought her, and she managed to punch Atago in the stomach. It was so fast I couldn't follow her movement. But her acceleration is similar to that guy."

Choukai chimed in, "Is she more developed than our Maya?"

Atago gestured playfully. "Let's see... Yes. She also threw an after-kick with a flip-flop at Takao's face."

"A flip-flop?!"

Choukai and Cruiser Maya exclaimed in shock.

Atago exaggerated that part, the unconventional flip-flop after-kick.

Takao groaned. "Atago, enough exaggerating."

"Hai~," Atago said playfully acting a child again.

"Boo... I want to hear more," Choukai said.

Atago, being Atago, continued her playful banter. "She's also with a man."

"She's with a man?!" Cruiser Maya's voice echoed.

Swordsmith Shop

"Can you fix it in a day? Right?! Right?!" Hakuryuu asked the Swordsmith. She was at the Swordsmith Shop to fix her broken katana, even though the shop was closed.

The Swordsmith looked at the two pieces, scratched his head, and spoke, "I don't know if I can do it in one day. But..."

Hakuryuu grabbed the poor Swordsmith and shook him violently. "Can you fix it, right? Right? Right?" she cried.

"H-hai! I can, but not in one day. I'm not a wizard! Damn it! Stop shaking me!!!!!" The Swordsmith yelled, getting dizzy from the shaking.

"Please...! You must...!" she yelled in his face, shaking him more violently. "

Please...! Stop, I'm getting dizzy...!." The Swordsmith pleaded.

Citizens walking by could hear shouting and crying inside the Swordsmith's Shop but ignored it as the sound was that concerning.

A random citizen said, concerned, "What the hell is going on inside the swordsmith shop?"

"I beg you...! Please... stop..."

Iron Blood Embassy

A blocky building with three red flags waved in the wind. The flag design consisted of white lines and an iron cross in the center circle (That didn't raise some red flags?).

Office Workers wearing Third Reich uniforms fiddled with typewriters and fixed documents. Others answered calls from Iron Blood citizens living in the empire.

In a large office reminiscent of 1940s Germany, a table with more red flags as decoration stood in the center. A white-haired woman with a red streak in her hair, wearing a gray short dress with long red sleeves, spoke on the telephone with a German accent.

"Ja, the enemy has a new weapon at their disposal. According to the report from Sakura Intelligence, those ships intercepted 14-inch shells mid-air and have quick acceleration and awareness."

"What about the situation in the Sakura Empire?"

"The situation is bad. One-third fleet needs repairs. The only capable ships remaining are the Home Fleet."

"About Project Orochi? Ja. I heard Lady Musashi postponed the project to allocate resources."

"Ja. I'll keep an eye on the situation here in the empire." "What about the situation in Iron Blood?"

"Royal Navy Spies are still a threat, huh..."

"Ja. I'll keep you informed." She put down the telephone, followed by a bell ring.

A girl wearing a beret entered the room and spoke. "Eugen, Lady Musashi wants to see you."

The white-haired woman speaking on the phone, sitting at the table, was Eugen.

Eugen looked at the girl and spoke, "Couldn't she wait until tomorrow?"

The girl shook her head. "Nein. This is important." Eugen stood up. "Tell Z-23 I'm on my way."

The girl wearing a beret was Z-23, or Nimi.

Z-23 slowly left the room to inform the Sakura Empire staff at the embassy. Eugen slowly put the files under her table and walked to the window, looking at the starry night.

"They said in the report that Takao and Atago faced a 'male kansen.' I hope you live up to my expectations," she mumbled.

(I removed the use of too much German accent from this chapter because of my previous backlash when I first uploaded it. To those who read this first, sorry, no excessive use German accent for this chapter.)

Sakura Empire Coast

A single Virginia-class submarine was tapping the Crimson Axis Alliance's underwater communication line. Many underwater communication lines lay on the seafloor; this one connected to Iron Blood itself.

Manjuus and Meowfficers fiddled with keyboards at the communication panel, listening to conversations and any encrypted messages.

Arizona was in the sub's armory, gearing up for his mission. M4A1s were checked, electronic devices for gathering information were put in waterproof bags, and US Navy SEAL gear and equipment were donned.

*Insert Commando: Arnold Schwarzenegger epic gear-up*

After gearing up, he headed to the access hatch where the SEAL Team Delivery Vehicle awaited. Before embarking, he said, "Showtime."

The Delivery Vehicle reaches the shores of the Sakura Empire. Arizona quickly disembarks with his gear and bag. He runs to the nearest forest with professionalism, ensuring the locals don't know his presence. Like a phantom, he blends into the dark. Alongside him are Manjuus in Navy SEAL gear with camo paint, blending their round features into the environment.

In the forest, he looks at his digital map on a dimly lit screen. His position is close to the Capital City of the nation he is infiltrating. After a quick check, he slowly lowers his night vision goggles to his eyes and radios back to the submarine. The others do the same.

"Bravo six, going dark."

They then proceed to walk through the dense foliage like phantoms, heading unnoticed towards the Sakura Empire's Capital City. The cover of the night and the dense forest help them move without any of the Empire's aerial reconnaissance detecting him.

Primary Mission: Gather Information and spot key weaknesses for further future operations. Second Mission: Sabotage and Assassination.