Narrator:Takeo has found his ships, and is now spending time with them individually due to him 'neglecting' them.

*Takeo and Javelin meet with everyone else*

Takeo:"Alright, who's gonna get one-on-one time with me now?"

Ayanami:"I call next."

Dido:"W-Wait, we were reserving?!"

Z23:"I don't think we agreed on that-"

*Ayanami grabs onto my arm*

Ayanami:"Too late, I'm already on him."

Z23:"A-Alright, fine. Ayanami can go first."

Dido:"Aw..."

Takeo(mind):Oh boy...when did today become like this?

*Takeo heads off with Ayanami, and they walk around the plaza*

Takeo(mind):Two more after Ayanami, I can do this!

Takeo:"So Ayanami, do you have anything on your mind that's bothering you lately?"

Ayanami:"Hmm...no, not really."

Takeo(mind):Not the response I was expecting!

Takeo:"O-Oh, alright then."

Ayanami:"...Maybe..."

Takeo:"Huh?"

Ayanami:"There has been something on my mind lately, commander. That is...your bonding with new girls."

Takeo:"Bonding with new girls?"

Ayanami:"Yes, ever since the photo shoot, I feel like you haven't been paying too much attention to me or the others."

Takeo:"Really? I haven't noticed."

Takeo(mind):Now that I think about it, I mostly spent the past few days with Dido. I didn't know my starter girls were bothered by that.

Takeo:"Alright then, I understand now."

Ayanami:"Huh?"

Takeo:"I'm gonna pay attention to all of you from now on, you girls are always my main four, after all."

Ayanami:"Commander..."

*Ayanami's face blushes as she hugs Takeo*

Takeo:"Huh? What's this for?"

Ayanami:"To promise, that you will pay more attention to us."

Takeo:"Heh...right, I promise."

*Takeo hugs Ayanami back, and they head back towards the others*

Takeo:"Alright, Nimi. You're up next."

Z23:"H-Huh? You want me to go next, commander?"

Takeo:"Yep, come on."

Z23:"Y-Yes."

Dido:"Master..."

Takeo:"Don't worry, Dido. I've saved a special talk for you."

Dido:"Really?"

Takeo:"Yes, but it's not gonna make you as happy as you think you will be."

Dido:"H-Huh? C-Could it be that you're-"

Takeo:"Never gonna give you, Dido. Well, I'll be back." (Was that a Rick Roll reference? Yes, yes it was.)

*Takeo and Z23 walk around the plaza*

Z23:"...So commander..."

Takeo:"What's on your mind?"

Z23:"O-Oh, well. I-I just..."

Takeo:"You think that I've not been paying much attention to you or the others, right?"

Z23:"D-Did everyone else think that?"

Takeo:"Maybe..."

Z23:"Well, I'm not gonna say I don't agree with them, but I-I'm not as judgmental as everyone else..."

*Z23's face starts blushing*

Takeo:"Don't try to make yourself look so confident when you're face is as red as your nation's flag."

Z23:"Ah! I-I'm not trying to-"

Takeo:"It's ok, Nimi. That's what I like about you."

Z23:"H-Huh?"

Takeo:"Well, it's cute to see that you can get embarrassed while trying to act like your usual self."

Z23:"...You don't make any sense at all, commander."

Takeo:"Huh? Wait, did I say something bad?"

Z23:"No, no. You're just...so unique, commander."

Takeo:"Uh...thanks."

Takeo(mind):Being 'unique' can be interpreted as either a comment or insult. Here, I see it as both.

Takeo:"Ugh...oh well, shall we head to the others?"

Z23:"Oh, sure..."

Takeo(mind):She's got something else to say, I can tell in her tone of voice.

Takeo:"Is there anything else bothering you?"

Z23:"Huh? O-Oh, no. It's nothing."

Takeo(mind):There is something that's bothering her still, right?

Z23:"Let's just head back to the others. Ok, commander?"

Takeo:"Alright then."

*Takeo and Z23 head back to the other ships, and Dido immediately approaches Takeo*

Dido:"Master, I apologize for whatever it is that I've done. Please don't abandon me."

Takeo:"This again? I already told you, Dido. I'm not gonna abandon you, I'm just gonna have a serious talk with you."

Dido:"S-Serious? Master, are you going to trade me with another maid?"

Takeo(mind):No! It's like my relationship with her went back to when we first met within a couple hours?!

Takeo:"Ok, we'll be back in a bit."

Javelin, Ayanami, Z23:"O-Ok."

Takeo:"Come on, Dido."

Dido:"M-Master? Where are we going?"

Takeo:"..."

Takeo(mind):I've gotten to make my point come across clearly enough so that she doesn't misunderstand what I'm trying to say. I don't wanna make Dido sad or lonely, I wanna make her understand that she is going to be a maid, and I have to treat her as a maid. My feelings won't change and I hope her feelings won't change either. Ugh...how am I going to say all that to her?!

*They start walking around the plaza*

Takeo(mind):Alright, I just have to hope my wording isn't too mean.

Takeo:"So...Dido..."

Dido:"Y-Yes, master?"

Takeo:"Well, I have something to discuss with you about."

Dido:"Are you really gonna abandon me, master?"

Takeo:"No, of course not. I just..."

Dido:"You don't want me around?"

Takeo:"I do, it's just-"

Dido:"You don't love me, right master?"

Takeo:"I just want you to take care of the office, ok?!"

Dido:"...Huh?"

Takeo:"W-Well, I just think that you're much better at taking care of the office and the dorms when me and the starters are out visiting other nations."

Dido:"So master doesn't like having me around?"

Takeo:"I do, how many times do I have to say it?! I will obviously come running into your arms when I get back."

Takeo(mind):It's just that the girls feel like they are being left out.

Takeo:"I hate to say this on your first time traveling with us, but...I would like you to stay at the office whenever I visit another nation, ok?

Dido:"..."

Takeo:"Y-You can always keep the office clean and tidy, and I'll even let you hug me when your sleeping."

Takeo(mind):No matter how many times you squeeze me...

*Takeo bows his head towards Dido*

Takeo:"I just don't want you to think I've abandoned you, Dido. I still love you. Please don't hate me."

Dido:"M-Master..."

*Dido approaches Takeo, and hugs him*

Takeo:"Huh?"

Takeo(mind):She isn't making a commotion about how much I'm abandoning her?

*Takeo hugs Dido back, while Dido headpats him*

Dido:"I will always be loyal to you, master. Even if you throw me aside, I'm grateful that I could still be of use to you."

Dido(mind):I could never be his number one, I knew that...but it still hurts.

Dido:*Sniff* "It's ok, master. You don't have to worry, whenever you're out there, having a good time. I'll make sure you come back home to a beautiful and clean office."

Takeo:"Dido..."

*Dido stops headpatting Takeo, and he starts headpatting her instead*

Takeo:"I promise that I will make you happy, whenever I am with you."

Dido:"Master..." *Sniff*

*Tears start welling up in Dido's eyes, and Takeo pulls her in, as she starts crying into Takeo's sleeve*

Dido:*Sobs* "Master Takeo..."

Takeo:"...It's ok, Dido. I'm here, I will always be here."

Dido:"Master..." *Sobs*

Takeo(mind):I don't understand why she's crying, but I'm just glad that she'll be happy.

*Dido continues crying. Once she stops, they start heading back to the rest of the girls*

Takeo:"We're back."

Javelin:"Aw man, what took you guys so long?"

Z23:"Dido, are you ok?"

Dido:"Y-Yeah, I'm ok." *Sniff*

Ayanami:"Dido looks sad, but she's smiling."

Dido:"I'm fine. What should we do now?"

Takeo:"It's getting kind of dark, we should start heading back, ok?"

Javelin, Ayanami, Z23:"Ok!"

Dido:"O-Ok..."

Laffey:"Zzz..."

Takeo:"Alright, let's hurry to the dock before something interrupts us, and we end up being too late-"

???:"Wait, are the commander?"

Takeo(mind):That was quicker that I thought...

???:"I've heard you were here, so I went looking around for you, commander."

Takeo(mind):At least it's someone new, I haven't heard a cheerful voice like that before.

Javelin:"Whoa, look at that staff!"

Z23:"Is she from the Iris Libre, or the Vichya Dominion?"

Ayanami:"What's up with her twin-tails?"

Takeo(mind):Stop it, girls. My desire to meet whoever's there is only getting worse."

*Takeo turns around*

Narrator:To be continued, hehehe...Yes, I did just do that to ya! Haha!

Hey bros, it's me, the author! Sorry I had to do that to you guys, I was just saving room for ideas for the next episode. Now, onto announcements, or more so a thank you to you guys...I'm slowly getting less and less obsessed with Azur Lane, and it's probably affecting the quality of the story, and I'm sorry for that. I hope you guys are still liking this story, and it means a lot to me that it's still very popular for some reason. Alright, time to show off my new ship from the new event:

Heck yeah bros! And now for the meme of the chapter:

From left to right, Face: 4th, Oppai: 2nd, Butt: 2nd, Legs: 4th. My girl may not have thicc thighs, but she's still thicc. Now you have to pick your poison boys! With that, I'll see you guys next time!