________________

Shadow's POV
________________

it's amazing to think, how quickly one person can bring so much trouble to themselves. I was brought to Azur Lane for the express purpose of getting out of trouble due to my awakening as a Herrscher, only to get wrapped back into the trouble itself in only a week or two.

I had always said and stood by my saying, "if a problem comes up, the Leader is solving it,if the Soldiers are resting, the Leader is working, if the Command Chain in broken, the Leader is fixing it, if the Nation is at peace, the Leader is searching for trouble and if the Leader is working, then something has happened"

I never thought it to be catchy but it was something to remember and it was something that stuck with Me and all my friends from my years in the JFA. now that very saying is proven in current circumstances as I couldn't help but hold my head in annoyance

it felt like I had a splitting headache would hit Me any moment but I was holding it off as I watched with barely any attention, the sight before Me. bickering and arguing were nothing new to Me but after all I've been through so far, I thought the fatigue and stress finally caught up to Me, that or either the META's did something to my body without my knowledge

though I doubted that possibility as I watched the Sirens have a standoff with the two META's I had just brought home. so many new characters to meet, so many things to do, so many thing to get done and I still have to explain the situation about Sirens to the Shipgirls to stop a fight from breaking out

I could already sense them outside, they were ready for a fight but if that were to happen, I'm not sure I could hold off this headache for any longer than I am now as I looked M.Helena and Observer have a back and forth, arguing that neither side should be here and better leave for their own sake 

I was ready to stop them, I had heard enough but as I moved I felt the weight of my body, it was heavy, sluggish and slow, I hadn't felt this tired in so long, I couldn't figure out the true source of the fatigue. my mind was going numb and blank and it was hard to think straight, at times, I could barely make out anything in my peripherals but nevertheless, I had to put a stop to them to end the quarrel

Observer:which is exactly why-

Shadow:enough!!

M.Helena:Commander?

Shadow:I've heard enough.......out of all of you..........neither side is leaving........neither side is hurting anyone..........and.....neither.......side is messing with my fleet..........not as long as I live

Purifier:you alright there, Commander??

Shadow:I'm fine!! now get out.............. I've designated your rooms already..... Laffey and Javelin will............ lead both sides respectively and...... fill you in on the....rules and details

Observer:are you sure you're alright, Commander, you seem sluggish, I'd recommend-

Shadow:just get out and get moving!!! NOW!!!

with very little delay, they did as they were told. they had one last look at Me before they saw the girls outside and exited the room, leaving Me to myself and my migrain. it hurt a lot more than what those META's were doing to Me, it was numbing and painful, I felt my body heat up even in the air-conditioned room and even with the help of my jacket's support functions my cooling wasn't enough

I stood up to try to reach for my medical box as I supported myself from my work desk but suddenly, my vision became warped and narrow, everything was darkening as I felt my legs give in, making Me drop to the floor. I wasn't unconscious but I might as well be in my current condition as I felt the difficulty in breathing to be significant

???1:you're healing has used up too much of your energy, you're body's in overdrive trying to keep you running but you're overheating and failing

Shadow(mind):damn, did I really take that much damage, I thought-

???3:you underestimated the damage the META's did to you, especially with that special chain they used

???2:you'll die of exhaustion at this rate, it'd be best to call those girls of you're now

???1:not that you'd need to anyway

not long after my collapse, the door to my office opened with swift speeds and in came Warspite, finding Me on the ground in my sorry state as I breathed heavily. her surprised look was warranted as she rushed over to Me, allowing the others to peak in before coming into the room as well to find Me being lifted by Warspite into her arms as she placed her hand on my head, only to feel the intense heat from it

Warspite:Commander!!! you're burning up!!

Shadow:I'm.... just fine......I just need-

Warspite:drop the act!!!  you need help and fast

though her stature was small, being only as tall my upper waist to lower chest, Warspite was more than enough of a force to carry Me, which was unsurprising for someone who could almost lift up the Celestial Keep, as she forcibly carried Me to the Medical area with a few of the other girls in tow

it didn't take long as Warspite kicked the door open to show a relatively small girl with purple hair and blue eyes, wearing a nun outfit with a nurses cap

she was alone in the medical room, working on a computer but seemingly jumped in surprise when Warspite kicked the door open as her surprised look turned to worry when she saw my body being carried by Warspite

Warspite:Vestal!!

Vestal:what happened!?!

Warspite:we don't know but he collapsed in his office and is burning up 

Vestal:follow Me, quickly

bringing Me to one of the beds, Vestal was quick to run her usual check up on Me, making sure that she didn't miss a single detail on my condition as she gathered data on Me. she was one of my bets medic for a reason and I how doubt that her capabilities were nearly second to none, so much so she could patch up any Valkyrie in minutes and get them back into the fight to finish it

unsurprisingly, Vestal came to a quick conclusion and found the source of my weakness as she looked at Me disappointingly, worriedly, and concerned as she put away the instruments she used to give Me some space before turning to Warspite and the other girls to give them her answers

Warspite:what did you find, Vestal

Vestal:surprisingly, I believe this is the first time it has happened

Q.E:what happened to the Commander, tell us

Vestal:the Commander had exhausted himself out to extreme levels. this doesn't even compare to the description and report I was given by Shicksal about when he turned into a Herrrscher. his temperature is above average, his movements are sluggish, his thoughts are in disarray and most likely, his body is weakening. if he doesn't receive proper rest, as absurd as it sounds for him, he could die of exhaustion

Enterprise:he has worked off most of the base's problems and shortcomings ever since he got back

Wales:not to mention, most likely have to deal with these new Sirens we have in our ranks

Bismarck:and now with the META's involves, it may have pushed him over his limits

Hood:this is most certainly terrible circumstance, we were given order to keep his health in check to avoid a potential take over of his body by his Herrscher but  if he is like this then the worst may come to pass

Vestal:we weren't keeping a close enough eye on him. Shicksal is still dealing with the media about the Commander turning into a Herrscher, we can't allow him to awaken it again

Warspite:what do we do then

Vestal:our best course of action is to take him away from the work. hide the papers he needs to get done and make sure he can't find them, we need start filling in the gaps in the base's shortcomings that he hasn't gotten to yet and lastly, we should get him off the base for at least a short time and bring him somewhere relaxing, it'll help him rest and relax his body while we get these things done

Akagi:if so, then I suppose we could bring him to-

Seattle:HAWAII IT IS

Bismarck:don't be hasty, there are other suitable locations to choose from

Q.E:correct, we'd also have to handle everything from where to stay,belongings and-

Seattle:Commander and I have connections with people in Hawaii, we managed to win a first place prize in an eating competition, way back when and our prize was a 3 month luxury 5 start hotel stay. redeemable whenever we want. they'll supply food, lodgings, clothing, service, tours, activities and relaxation at the highest level of priority. not to mention, it's free and it's viable for 6 people, granted that I'm also needed to be  present to claim that, so technically, 4 extra people

Bismarck & Q.E:.............................

Enterprise:I suppose, Hawaii it is

Warspite:so who's going with them then?

Akagi:well-

Enterprise:we're sending the Starter Squad with them, it's the safest and arguably most relaxing choice for the Commander

Akagi:but-

Enterprise, Q.E & Bismarck:no

they had made their decision and there was no changing it. though I wasn't opposed to the idea of some rest, I would have personally taken Warspite, Nagato, Ibuki, and Vestal herself but I wasn't going to get a say in the decision as the girls started talking about hiding my paperwork while I dozed off and fell asleep

Timeskip brought to you by Shadow feeding Kiana some cake

________________

No One's POV
________________

Seattle and the Starter Squad left early in the morning to avoid hindrances as Shadow slept soundly in Laffey's ship while said sleepy girl was personally guarding her Commander, keeping her eyes open without blinking and even turning to the other girls to see if they were making any strange movements

though the trip was calm and boring, the Starter Squad, for once, was on edge. they had never seen their Commander in a more vulnerable state and their drive to keep him alive and with them was only making their minds swirl more as their alertness remained steady

on the other hand, Seattle was calm, she already knew no Sirens would come their way because she already reached an agreement with Sirens they had on their side. she wasn't one to judge, like the Sirens, she wasn't that innocent either. she's killed and fought just like everyone else on the base and though the Sirens keep their reasons a secret, she knows that they at least have one

she gave her trust to them for the sake of her Commander, the route they were taking was already pre cleared, long before they departed from the base, Observer and Purifier made sure of that and if her trust was well placed, Arbiter would get a delightful payment from her

looking back at the girls she was with, she found them scanning every inch of their surroundings despite there being no usable cover. Laffey was on her ASW gear, scanning for Submarines and Javelin was watching the sky like a hawk for any aircraft. she knew the right choice was made when they all decided to send these 4 with her as there was no one more protective of their Commander than them

Seattle(mind):heh, even I can rest easy when them around. once Commander is involved, these 4 turn into literal terminators just to keep him safe........................then again. I guess it is justified................ they are the only reason he became our Commander

it was so long ago since the day Shadow had first gotten to base but all of the girls remember it well and grimmly. their reception of him was large in contrast to the affection they give to him now and many vowed never make the same mistake again should there be another Commander that has more than meets the eye

after some time, the group finally arrived at Hawaii as the view of the military base they would temporarily dock at came into view. wanting to get to the resort faster, the girls sped and not long after, they docked into the open spaces prepared for them beforehand after contacting and getting the "go ahead" from the base Commander.

from there, the girls were given a ride to the resort and quick ride at that as 10 minutes after they left the base, they found themselves at the front of the resort. Javelin and Ayanami looked with sparkles in their eyes as the thought of some relaxation with their Commander crossed their mind. Z23 looked with content as she surmised that the resort will be good enough to keep the Commander rested and relaxed but as for Laffey, she looked with weariness. 

the girl had picked up on something that didn't seem right as she held the Commander closer to herself, having been the one to carry him as she scanned the area with her eyes, looking for something that seemed off while Seattle looked and remembered the good times she had spent with a much smaller Shadow at the time, at this resort, before leading the girls into the building

entering the lobby, the girls found a similarly luxurious interior packed with people inside trying to book a room into the hotel. as they entered, eyes of those who recognized them, landed on them as they walked by. moving past the regular line to the receptionist, the girls went to the special reception and were met with a black haired man with red eyes dressed as a butler

the man fixed his collar of his tux and sleeves and gave his full attention and a friendly smile as he brought out a thick book out from underneath the desk he was at

???:ah, Ms.Seattle, welcome back to Quanta Trinity, here to redeem the reward from 6 years ago, I take it?

Seattle: that's right, the Commander the needed a break

the man looked past Seattle to look at the unconscious Commander that was being dragged by Laffey before looking back to the silver haired girl in front of him

???:I see, well of course as promised, claiming the prize allows 6 people, Quantum Class Access to the resort, all paid for, for a duration of at least a week to a full month

Seattle:I know, I'm not really sure how long we'll be staying but we'll be here until the Commander gets a proper break

???:rest assured, he will get his relaxation here. you'll find all the activities you knew from before and new activities as well, many opportunities for him to get some rest

Seattle:thank you Mr.Pierce

Pierce:now then, we do happen to have a Mega Sized room available, it can accommodate up to 8-12 people and has a great view of the surrounding islands, would you like that instead of individual rooms?

Seattle:yes that would be great actually

Pierce:excellent, please wait here for a second while I grab your Access cards

Pierce left the station quickly while Seattle turned around to look at her companions, only to find them huddling around the Commander as he began coming to his senses. they didn't expect him to wake up so quickly, especially after giving a potent sleeping pill that was meant to keep him asleep until the afternoon, however, they never expected the Commander's resistance to drugs to be so extremely powerful

readjusting his vision, Shadow came to and looked around, finding his surroundings to be not the one of the base but something that seemed more public, he looked up and saw his 4 main Destroyers, huddled around him with looks of concerned as he pushed himself to stand up, getting assistance from Laffey

Seattle, seeing this, glanced to the side, seeing the civilians on the side looking at them, some with their phones out, supposedly recording or taking pictures as Shadow got on his feet, albeit wobbly at first before regaining some strength to stand on his own

Shadow:Seattle?? where are we

Seattle:Hawaii, Quanta Trinity Resort Main Building Lobby

Shadow:what?!? why? 

Seattle:Commander, you're overworked and long due a vacation

Shadow:I had 3 years vacation before coming back and in that time, I got kids, so far from it. we're heading back

Z23:Commander, you collapsed in your office due to exhaustion

Ayanami:you need rest

Shadow:I'll be fine, I've gone through

Z23:just because you've gone through worse doesn't mean you should be breaking your body like this

Javelin:yeah, plus you got captured by the META's for a week, they must've done terrible things to you

Laffey:Commander, rest

Seattle:you can't keep pushing yourself to the limits, you yourself told us this 6 years ago. forget about the work for now Commander. the others will handle it for you, right now, focus on resting, please

clearly outnumbered and outdone by very persistent and determined Shipgirls, Shadows sighed to himself in surrender, giving the girls a small smile on their faces as Pierce came back, right on time with their cards

Pierce:6 Quantum Class Access Cards for you all, this will give you access to your room. you'll find it on the 99th floor. please feel free to use the Quantum Rift to make your ascension quick and easy

Seattle:thank you very much

Pierce:ah, Mr.Shadow, feeling better

Shadow:could be better, now that I think about, I remember asking you if I could speak with this "Master" of yours, is he in?

Pierce:unfortunately not and will not be for some time

Shadow:hmm, shame, if comes by, do let know, I want to talk, I have a pretty good business proposal for him

Pierce:I shall let him know, please have good day

proceeding to head to their rooms, the group took their luggage and headed straight to where the elevators where. there, they found rift appear in front of them. skeptical, Javelin and Laffey quickly approached to investigate it but before they could, Shadow walked right in, quickly followed by Seattle as the 4 Destroyers hastily followed the two into the rift before it closed

on the other side, the group found themselves on the 99th Floor and in front of them was the doors to their room. approaching it, Shadow presented his Access Card and the doors opened, revealing a luxurious room with 4 Sofas, 5 Recliners, 3 Tables, 5 TV's, 7 Gaming Consoles, 2 PC's, a Kitchen, a elevated reinforced glass balcony, an upstairs area with 3 Queen Sized Beds, 4 Closets, 2 working desks and a single massive chandelier to light up the room

The Starter Squad's eyes lit up at the sight of the room they'd be staying at. Seattle only held a small smile at the familiar room she had stayed in before while Shadow had memories of very good times come back to him as he stepped into the room

putting their luggage down, the group quickly went to explore the room while Shadow went straight up the stairs to the beds above as Seattle placed down a small device on the table in front of the sofas before turning to the smaller girls

Javelin:this is amazing

Seattle:Quanta Class is the Second Highest Access you can get at this resort and it's branches. it's pretty expensive but it's all worth for even a day of this luxury

Z23:how did you and the Commander win a prize for such a place, for 6 people no less

Seattle:eating contest. Commander downed over 280 hotdogs to win this place 

Javelin:h-how is the Commander alive after that

Seattle:it wasn't easy and his opponents were persistent too but he found it worth it so I did too

Shadow:hate to break the great atmosphere but there's only 3 beds up here, which means we're all sharing tonight. unless one of you wants a bed to themselves, then I can sleep on the sofa

the girls quickly turned to each other with serious looks. an opportunity to take the Commanders side was available and they'd only need to prove why it should be theirs to claim it. at least, that's what they thought as Seattle had already known about the Bed situation and made simple preparations

Seattle:I.R.I.S, spin a wheel with our names on it. the one to get picked is sharing with the Commander, and be fair about it

from the device that Seattle had placed down, a hologram of a wheel with the names of the girls appeared. quickly, it spun rapidly before starting to slow down until it stopped, landing on the name of Seattle, much to the others disapproval

Seattle:well looks like-

Javelin:I don't believe it

Ayanami:riiiigged

Shadow:I.R.I.S, reroll the wheel and get it over it

spinning again, the wheel once again landed on Seattle's name, much to the Cruiser's enjoyment and to the Destroyers disbelief as they looked at the wheel 

Seattle:as I was saying, looks like I'll be sharing a bed with the Commander

Z23:..............

Laffey:...............

Shadow:doesn't matter to Me, who's in my bed unless it's an assassin. you all can sleep where you want, I'm going to take a nap

quickly exiting from any further possible conversations, Shadow took off his shoes and hopped onto one of the beds, looking to quickly doze off and fall asleep while the girls face the facts and get settled down as well

Timeskip brought to by Shadow getting straddled by Seattle

morning went to noon and noon went to afternoon in a flash as the girls went around the resort, getting sorted and prepared for their Commanders relaxation in the following day. Shadow, meanwhile, slept through the day like a rock, not moving from his bed as he caught up on his lack of sleep. only when it neared night time did the supposedly tireless Leader of the factions got up form his bed, seeing the already near night sky and deciding the freshen up as he got off his bed and found some already laid out male clothes for him use

as the night got darker and the moon rose up from the pitch black horizon, the girls all returned to their room, tired but full of content at the set up they had done. they were sure their Commander would have a great time at the resort with all the preparation they had made and nothing could get the thought out of their head

wanting to tell her Commander about the fun times he'll be having the following day, Seattle walked up the stairs to the beds, only to find the beds empty and her Commander missing, much to Seattle's worry as she rushed down the stairs

Seattle:Girls!! kis the Commander down there!?!

Javelin:the Commander?? I thought he was asleep on the beds

Seattle:he's not up there!!

Z23:everyone calm down, I found his clothes over here. he must be in the bathroom freshening up

Laffey:Laffey agrees

Seattle:right right, Commander isn't brash enough to just leave

Ayanami:mmm, Commander knows he needs rest

Javelin:we should freshen up before dinner too

Seattle:right!! we booked a table on the rooftop for dinner, that's in 40 minutes

Laffey:Laffey is going first-

just as the girls were talking, the unmistakable sound of a door opening was heard as the girls turned to the bathroom door to see the unbelievable sight of their topless Commander, freshly walking out of the bathroom, still dripping slightly as his only form of cover was a single towel covering his lower half

opening his eyes as he swiped his hair to the side, Shadow was met with the opposite sight of his girls, standing completely still as they looked at him with various expression. Z23 looked with absolute embarrassment as she turned red, Laffey and Ayanami looked with amazement as they saw their Commander's well toned body and abs, Seattle started steaming at the sight, all the while Javelin looked with hearts in her eyes while drool escaped from her mouth

coming to the realization of what was happening, Shadow quickly activated a projector from I.R.I.S pocket sized device on the table to apply some clothes on to himself before stepping further into the room as he walked up the stairs to get dressed

the girls stood still, processing the sight they had seen, engraving it into their minds to forever remember till the ends of time as Seattle shook off the thought first and grabbed her clothes and entered the bathroom next to freshen up before the girls all took their turns doing the same

once they all had gotten a nice bath, they all proceeded to the rooftop where they had a table reserved for their dinner. the high altitude provided a magnificent view of the islands and with the minimalistic lights, the stars shone brightly above in the skies

sitting down at their table, they were served a 4 course meal of some of the luxurious made food they had ever eaten, all ranging from the appetizers, sides, main course and desserts, it was a night to remember for all it's deliciousness and laughs as the group reminisced on some of the better days they had together

when all was said and done, the group returned to their room, it was late and they were ready to drift to sleep. they all took their spots on the beds, with Seattle rightfully claiming her spot next to the Commander, much to the Starter Squads annoyance. Shadow, showing his respect and manners, turned his back to Seattle, not wanting to make things awkward between them as they slept, however, unexpected to him, Seattle directly approached him, wrapping her arms around his body and claiming a rare instance of alone time together

he didn't mind it, so he didn't bother brushing her off and he in fact enjoyed her closeness that allowed her to do things such as this. he had wished he could have more time with the girls in moments like these, where everything is quiet and peaceful, where the mind and body can rest easy but he knew it wouldn't last forever and this kept him up. thankfully, Seattle was a master with words, she was one of the first he had, she knew him well and all it takes is the right words at the right time

Seattle:*whisper* sleep well Commander, no need to think about the problems while we're here. we're going to have lots of fun tomorrow 

Author:I'M BACK, I'M SORRY AND I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED. IRL things really got Me feeling dead already. gaming has become my rest instead of story writing and I want to change that but I'm having a hard time doing it. I'm glad you all can be patient with my updates even if their not that worth while. other than that, hope you all look forward to the next one, until next time

Shadowgamer254 out