KanColle X Devil May Cry: Devil Trigger Protocol

At the Devil May Cry Naval Base, morning found Dante still sprawled in bed.

"I'm first to the finish line!" a voice shouted.

A kanmusu burst into Dante's room—Shiratsuyu, a recent addition from a transport ship escort mission.

"Shiratsuyu, no running," Shigure scolded.

"Ha! I'm number one, Shigure! Num-ber-one!" Shiratsuyu crowed, puffing her chest.

"We're not racing," Shigure sighed. "We need to wake the Admiral."

"Admiral!" Shiratsuyu yelled, shaking Dante. "Get up, get up! You'll miss breakfast if you're not first!"

As she tugged, Dante's hand snagged her, pulling her into the bed.

"Waaah!?" Shiratsuyu yelped.

"Shiratsuyu!" Shigure gasped. "Admiral, what are you doing!?"

"Noisy ones get wrapped in blankets to shut up," Dante mumbled.

"Mmph! Mmmph!" Shiratsuyu flailed.

"Admiral, stop!" Shigure said. "How do I explain this to everyone? Just get up—it's breakfast time!"

"Wanna wake up quietly for once," Dante groaned.

Shiratsuyu, now still, snored softly. Zzzz…

In the dining hall, Shiratsuyu wailed, "I thought I was gonna die!"

"You were sleeping fine," Dante said, unfazed.

"Your bed was so cozy with your warmth, how could I not sleep!?" Shiratsuyu said.

Her careless words froze the room.

Shigure winced. Oh no…

"What's that mean, Admiral!?" Kongou demanded.

"Why was Shiratsuyu in your bed!?" Suzuya pressed.

"Did he mess with a destroyer?" Ooi said. "Men are the worst, Kitakami-san."

"Sounds kinda nice…" Kitakami murmured.

"Huh!?" Ooi said, stunned.

"Pretty bold, huh!" Naka said, mouth full.

"Naka-chan, don't talk while eating," Jintsuu chided.

Haguro blushed furiously. //////

"What's this? A juicy story?" Hiryuu said, grinning.

The dining hall erupted—some angry, some curious, others indifferent.

Houshou approached, her smile tight but her aura seething. "Admiral, explain."

"What?" Dante said. "Just a nice guy playing around. Gotta make a big deal?"

"Playing…?" the room echoed.

Dante's words poured oil on the fire. The kanmusu misread it as him toying with Shiratsuyu.

"I never thought you'd be like that," Houshou said, turning. "Ooyodo-san, call the MPs…"

Shigure panicked as the situation spiraled.

"Wait!" Shigure said. "The Admiral's not totally innocent, but he's not guilty either!"

"Which is it?" Tenryuu asked.

"I mean…" Shigure fumbled. "Shiratsuyu just fell asleep in his bed!"

"Huh!?" Shiratsuyu said.

Unable to explain, Shigure threw Shiratsuyu under the bus.

"Shi-ra-tsu-yu?" Suzuya said, glaring.

"Shiratsuyu got dragged into the Admiral's bed!" Shiratsuyu protested.

"So it is your fault," Houshou said, eyeing Dante.

Dante met her gaze and fell silent.

Shigure wasn't the only one stressed. Akagi and Kaga were frantic.

"Houshou-san!" Akagi said. "We'll handle the Admiral!"

"Over here," Kaga said, grabbing him.

"Hey, I've got bacon left!" Dante protested.

Akagi and Kaga flanked him, dragging him out of the dining hall.

"Just behave today!" Akagi said.

"Today?" Dante asked.

"It's Mother's Day," Kaga said.

"Mother's Day?" Dante said.

"A day to honor and thank mothers," Akagi explained.

"Didn't know about that," Dante said. "Grew up in a messy family."

"We don't care about that," Kaga said. "Just don't upset Houshou-san today."

"Why Houshou?" Dante asked.

"She's like a mother to us," Akagi said. "She handles cleaning, laundry, meals—everything. For Mother's Day, we want her to rest."

"Cleaning and laundry? Sounds like a housekeeper," Dante said.

"Admiral!" they snapped.

"Alright, alright!" Dante said.

In the laundry group, Kitakami said, "Houshou-san, we'll handle the washing. Take a break."

"Huh?" Houshou said, puzzled.

"We want to help!" Ooi said, laughing nervously.

"Alright… thank you," Houshou said, bemused.

Kitakami led the team—Ooi, Akatsuki, Ikazuchi, Inazuma, Kisaragi, Satsuki, and Fumizuki.

In the cleaning group, Hiei shouted, "Let's clean with gusto! Hiyah!"

"Hiei, careful!" Souryuu warned.

Hiei tripped over a water bucket, soaking the floor.

"Disaster…" Tenryuu groaned.

"I should've washed dishes instead," Naka said.

"Let's start over," Jintsuu said.

"Need help?" Houshou offered.

"We've got this!" Souryuu said. "Please rest, Houshou-san!"

"…Okay," Houshou said.

At the main gate, Fubuki muttered, "No trash to clean…"

"We can fake it," Hatsuyuki said.

"Do it properly," Murakumo said. "Wipe the gate too."

"It's too tall!" Fubuki complained.

Their height made cleaning the entire gate impossible.

"Cerberus, carry us," Murakumo said.

"Why me…?" Cerberus grumbled.

The cleaning team included Souryuu, Hiei, Tenryuu, Jintsuu, Naka, Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo.

In the dining hall, Kongou declared, "Mamiya, Tatsuta, and I will prep lunch and dinner!"

"Got it," Mamiya said.

"I'll cook with flair!" Tatsuta said.

"I'm bored," Shiratsuyu whined.

"Clean hard, and the Admiral will praise you first," Shigure said, emphasizing first.

That sparked Shiratsuyu's fire. "Alright, I'm on it!"

"Hiryuu-san, help instead of drinking," Haguro said.

"Seriously?" Hiryuu said.

The dining team was Mamiya, Kongou, Tatsuta, Hiryuu, Shiratsuyu, and Haguro.

In the office, Suzuya said, "Admiral, help clean!"

"Too much stuff to clean," Kaga said.

Dante lounged in his chair, flipping through a magazine.

"What's that?" Suzuya asked.

"Bike mag," Dante said. "My bike from the old man exploded in Maizuru."

"…Sorry," Suzuya said.

He'd lost it saving her at Maizuru Naval Base, so he was eyeing a new one.

"You can't afford a bike," Akagi said. "You keep ordering delivery pizza."

"Dining hall has pizza," Akagi added. "Why order out?"

"Craving delivery sometimes," Dante said.

"Sometimes?" Kaga said. "Hardly."

"Admiral, it's your office—clean!" Suzuya said.

"Clean what?" Dante said, tossing a tomato juice can into the trash and returning to his magazine.

"That's it!?" Suzuya said.

The office team was Akagi, Kaga, Suzuya, and Dante (barely). Ooyodo and Akashi worked their own stations.

The laundry team—Kitakami, Ooi, and the destroyers—finished the first load, hanging clothes.

"How much left, Ooi-chi?" Kitakami asked.

"Still tons," Ooi said.

"Ugh…" Kitakami groaned.

"Inazuma, careful!" Ikazuchi said.

"Hanya!" Inazuma yelped.

"Fue!" Fumizuki cried.

"What are you doing, Inazuma!?" Akatsuki said.

"Sorry…" Inazuma said.

Carrying a large sheet, Inazuma tripped, entangling Fumizuki. The laundry, including hung clothes, hit the ground.

"What are you doing!?" Kitakami said.

"Be careful!" Ooi snapped. "We're starting over!"

"The Admiral's underwear!" Satsuki cried.

A cloth sailed through the air.

"It fell in the sea!" Satsuki said.

"Oh dear," Kisaragi said.

"Ooi-chi, you've got this!" Kitakami said. "Everyone, sortie!"

A rare seven-ship fleet deployed.

"…I'm doing this alone?" Ooi said.

After lunch, Dante idled in the office when Houshou entered.

"Admiral…" she said.

Alone with her, Dante braced for a scolding over the morning, but her demeanor was off.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Am I… unneeded here?" Houshou said.

"…Huh?" Dante said.

She explained how everyone took her tasks—cleaning, laundry, cooking—and wouldn't let her help, making her feel pushed out.

"Am I useless?" Houshou said. "You think so too, right? I'm always nagging you."

Dante froze. The kanmusu's well-meaning plan had backfired. He hadn't expected this. Most would love a break, but not Houshou. She was tearing up.

"Chill," Dante said. "A break's lucky, right?"

"I'm just…" Houshou trailed off.

She wasn't listening, and it wasn't working. Dante hesitated, unsure if he should reveal the Mother's Day surprise.

Couldn't they have handled this better? he thought.

Akagi and Kaga burst in. "Admiral, it's time—Houshou-san!?"

"Akagi-san, Kaga-san…" Houshou said.

"Sorry, Houshou," Dante said. "We're heading out. Take it easy today."

He fled with Akagi and Kaga, leaving Houshou behind.

"He's avoiding me too…" Houshou murmured, then left without a word.

In town, Dante, Akagi, and Kaga shopped for gifts.

"What's wrong with Houshou-san?" Akagi asked.

"Your fault," Dante said. "You took her jobs and brushed her off, so she's down."

"…Oh," they said.

"Spill the beans soon," Dante said.

"Got it," they replied.

As dusk fell, they headed back.

"You guys go ahead," Dante said.

"What's up?" Akagi asked.

"Got a stop," Dante said.

"We'll come—" Akagi began.

"Alone," Dante said. "Head back."

"Alright," Akagi said.

Dante hit a bike shop, buying himself a gift.

At a park, Houshou sat alone on a swing, still dejected. Dante, passing by on his new bike, spotted her.

That's her… he thought.

"Fun sitting there alone?" he called.

"Admiral!?" Houshou said. "What are you doing here?"

Dante sat on the other swing. "What about you?"

"I…" Houshou began.

"No one thinks you're unneeded," Dante said.

Houshou's eyes widened.

"Everyone did it for you," Dante said. "You work hard, so they wanted you to rest."

"For me…?" Houshou said. "Am I really needed?"

"Of course," Dante said. "Without you, they'd be a mess. Me too."

"That's rich coming from you," Houshou said.

"Give me a break," Dante groaned.

Houshou finally smiled.

"C'mon," Dante said. "I'll give you a ride."

They walked to his bike.

"What's this?" Houshou asked.

"Bought it," Dante said.

"More wasteful spending…" Houshou sighed.

"Necessary expense," Dante said.

They rode back to the base, Dante taking the scenic coastal route. The sea sparkled under the sunset.

At the dining hall, decorations adorned the walls, with a banner reading "Mother's Day."

"What's this…?" Houshou said.

"Thank you, Houshou-san!" the kanmusu shouted.

"They see you as a mother," Dante said.

Tears welled in Houshou's eyes—happy ones this time. The kanmusu gave her gifts, and she thanked each one. A lively feast followed, but Dante and Akashi slipped out, vanishing somewhere.

"There's one more gift," Akagi said.

"Huh?" Houshou said.

The group moved to the darkened training ground.

"What's going on?" Houshou asked.

No one answered. Suddenly, the lights blazed on, revealing Dante on the morning assembly platform, microphone in hand, holding Nevan, his guitar.

In town, Dante hadn't settled on a gift. Thinking of his mother, he recalled a lullaby she sang him as a child—"Seeds of Love." It was all he could offer Houshou.

Strumming Nevan gently, Dante began to sing.

"Seeds of Love"…

Cerberus roared a breath skyward, ice dust falling, glittering under the lights.

Houshou teared up again. She didn't understand the English lyrics, but the song's warmth and kindness touched her. Tears flowed freely.

"Thank you, Houshou," Dante said.

"Thank you, everyone," Houshou replied.

That day, an unforgettable memory was born.