Devil May Cry Naval Base, Office
Ooyodo spread nautical charts across the desk, her eyes sharp with purpose. "What's the plan, Admiral?"
Dante leaned back, scratching his head. "Beats me. These maps are gibberish."
Tenryuu groaned, arms crossed. "Hurry up and decide!"
The room was packed with every shipgirl except Akashi, despite no strategy meeting being called. They were here for the chaos, not the charts.
Dante grinned. "Let's hit the sea with the toughest Abyssals. More fun that way."
Ooyodo's brow furrowed. "No clearance for those zones."
"Tch, stingy," Dante muttered. "One call to the old man, and we're in."
The phone rang, cutting through the chatter.
Dante smirked. "Speak of the devil. Probably him… Devil May Cry."
Yokosuka's voice exploded through the receiver. "Why haven't you called me!?"
Dante yanked the phone from his ear, wincing. The shipgirls, minus Kongou and Kisaragi, stifled awkward laughs.
"Chill, I can hear you without the yelling," Dante said, frowning at the group.
Yokosuka's tirade continued. "I told Souryuu to have you call! And you still owe me!"
"Owe you?" Dante raised a brow. "For what?"
"Don't play dumb! You forgot!?"
Ooyodo whispered something in his ear. Recognition flickered across Dante's face.
"Oh, right. Borrowed some materials from the arsenal," he said. "Put it on my tab."
"With interest!" Yokosuka snapped. "And Hiei's curry left a stench for three years! Three!"
Dante glanced at Hiei. "Talk to her about that."
Hiei squeaked, "Ehh!?"
"And the date you promised!" Yokosuka added.
"Date?" Dante blinked.
Kongou lunged, snatching the phone. "No dating the Admiral!"
Yokosuka's voice crackled. "Kongou!? Put him back on!"
"No way!" Kongou shouted. "You're not stealing him!"
The two hurled insults over the line.
"Stay out of this!" Yokosuka barked. "It's between me and him!"
"Shut it!" Kongou roared. "Trying to seduce my Admiral? You're a billion light-years too early! Go date a donkey!"
Yokosuka scoffed. "Go back to England! He's probably sick of you anyway!"
Dante muttered, (A billion light-years? What's that even mean…)
The pointless fight escalated, leaving Dante and the shipgirls exasperated.
Kongou's voice rose. "Yokosuka's Admiral should get [×××] by [×××] in [×××]! And then [××××××××××××××]—"
Dante sighed, slipping out of the office. "I'm done with this."
Tenryuu waved a hand. "Let's bail, guys."
Everyone but Hiei followed, leaving her to deal with Kongou.
Hiei pleaded, "Nee-sama, calm down—"
"Quiet!" Kongou bellowed.
"Hieee!?" Hiei yelped.
Arsenal
Akashi looked up as Dante strolled in. "Decided on a mission zone yet?"
"Nah," Dante said. "Yokosuka called, and Kongou started a shouting match. Figured I'd build something instead."
Akashi frowned. "We're low on resources, so don't go overboard."
Using what little they had, plus some instant-build materials, the result was…
"Special-class destroyer, Akebono," a sharp voice announced. "Don't stare, you shitty Admiral!"
Dante's eyes narrowed. "Some greeting. Rebellious phase?"
"Shut up!" Akebono snapped. "Put me down, you shitty—!?"
Dante hoisted her over his shoulder and walked off.
Akashi winced. "Oh, boy…"
Cafeteria
"Put me DOWN!" Akebono's shouts echoed outside.
The shipgirls inside tilted their heads, confused. The door swung open, revealing Dante with Akebono slung over his shoulder. Jaws dropped.
Houshou gasped. "Admiral, what's going on!?"
"Built a kid with an attitude problem," Dante said.
Houshou blinked. "That's Akebono-chan."
"So, how do I tame a brat like this?" Dante asked. "My way work?"
Houshou stepped behind him, peering at Akebono. "Did you call him a 'shitty Admiral'?"
Akebono squirmed. "He is shitty! Put me down!"
Houshou sighed. Every Akebono called her admiral that, sparking trouble time and again.
"Admiral, put her down," Houshou said.
Dante complied, setting Akebono on her feet.
Houshou's voice softened. "I know why you call him that, but this Admiral's worth trusting. So—"
"He's just another shitty Admiral!" Akebono snapped. "All admirals are—"
SLAP!
Akebono's cheek stung. Murakumo stood before her, hand raised.
Houshou gasped. "Murakumo-chan!"
Dante frowned. "Hey, Murakumo."
"Enough," Murakumo said coldly.
Akebono clutched her cheek. "W-What…?"
"You don't know him, so stop labeling him 'shitty,'" Murakumo said.
Dante watched silently.
Murakumo had once been just as prickly with Dante. Scolded by him, fighting demons alongside him, seeing him protect them—she'd come to trust him. Akebono's attitude reminded her of her old self, and it grated.
"He throws himself into danger to protect us," Murakumo said. "This Admiral's different."
Akebono faltered. "That's…"
She stormed out of the cafeteria.
Houshou turned to Murakumo. "That wasn't right."
Murakumo stayed silent.
Dante grinned. "Pretty moving speech, though."
"Admiral!" Houshou scolded.
Dante shrugged, his attempt to back Murakumo falling flat.
Houshou's tone softened. "She has her reasons for saying that, but it's not her true feelings. Build trust with her over time."
"So I'm 'shitty' till then?" Dante said. "Hey, everyone, I'm officially shitty now."
"YEAH!" Kitakami, Junyou, and Hatsuyuki cheered, playing along.
Kitakami smirked. "Sazanami from Maizuru said Akebono's 'shitty Admiral' is her way of showing affection."
Dante chuckled. "That's a new one."
Houshou frowned. "This isn't a joke. It's up to you, Admiral."
"I'll do my best, shitty as I am," Dante said, leaving a sardonic quip as he exited.
Office
Kongou was still on the phone. "I'll destroy Yokosuka myself!"
Yokosuka's voice crackled. "Try it, then!"
Dante sighed, snatching the phone. "If it's a date you want, I'm game anytime."
He hung up.
Kongou gaped. "Why'd you agree!?"
"Cool it," Dante said. "Go to the cafeteria with Hiei and chill."
Grumbling, Kongou left with Hiei.
Dante muttered, "Do one thing, and it's a circus. Patty's starting to look cute."
Ooyodo entered. "Excuse me."
"No more headaches, please," Dante groaned.
Ooyodo blinked. "What? Houshou asked me to bring Akebono's file."
Dante skimmed the documents, then handed them back. "More than a rebellious phase."
The phone rang again.
"Not Yokosuka again," Dante said. "Devil May Cry."
"Aoba here!" Aoba's voice chirped.
"Aoba? Where are you calling from?"
"Outside."
"Why the hell are you outside?" Dante asked. Shipgirls needed his permission to leave, and he hadn't given it—nor heard of any plans.
"Well, you see…" Aoba began.
Akebono wandered outside the base, her steps heavy along the coastal path. Exhausted, she slumped into a chair at a café's terrace.
Lost in thought, replaying Murakumo's words, she barely noticed someone approach.
"Hey, Aoba here!" Aoba said, plopping down.
Akebono jumped. "W-What!?"
"What're we ordering?" Aoba asked.
"Uh…" Akebono hesitated.
"Come on, we can't just sit here," Aoba said. "Bad for the café."
"I don't have money…" Akebono mumbled.
Aoba grinned. "Leave it to me."
They ordered drinks and began talking.
Aoba tilted her head. "Why'd you bolt from the base?"
Akebono looked down. "No reason…"
"'Shitty Admiral,'" Aoba said suddenly.
Akebono's head snapped up, eyes wide.
"Got it right?" Aoba teased.
"How'd you…" Akebono stammered.
"Easy," Aoba said. "The Akebono at Yokosuka called her admiral that too. Got a spanking for it, though."
She laughed, reminiscing.
"Did the Admiral scold you?" Aoba asked.
Akebono shook her head.
"Did he say something?"
"Not him," Akebono muttered. "Murakumo."
Aoba's face twitched. (Yeah, Murakumo's blunt as a sledgehammer…)
"Why are you here?" Akebono asked.
"Saw you storm out looking miserable," Aoba said. "Couldn't just ignore it."
Akebono fell silent.
Aoba leaned in. "The Admiral's interesting. Human? Demon? Bit of both?"
Akebono frowned. "Demon? Like, he's a jerk?"
"Not quite," Aoba said. "Half-demon, actually. But not a bad guy."
A man slid into a seat at their table. "Mind if I join? Coffee, please."
Dante glanced at the empty tables nearby. "Plenty of seats elsewhere."
The man grinned. "Eating alone's boring. Wanted company."
Dante, Aoba, and Akebono exchanged looks. Silence hung heavy.
The man sipped his coffee and spoke. "Scary world, huh? Abyssals, monsters… What's it coming to?"
Dante shrugged. "Beats me."
"Think there's monsters nearby?" the man asked, finishing his drink. He stood, leaving cash. "Keep the change."
As he passed Dante, he murmured, "See you, Dante-kun."
Dante spun around, but the man was gone.
Aoba frowned. "How'd he know your name?"
Dante didn't answer.
A scream pierced the air. Demons materialized, attacking passersby.
"Get everyone to safety," Dante ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Aoba said.
Akebono grabbed his arm. "Where're you going, shitty Admiral!?"
"Shitty Admiral's got some trash to clean up," Dante said, pulling Rebellion from his guitar case.
He hurled the sword, slicing through a demon pinning a civilian. Catching it on the rebound, he unleashed a barrage with Ebony & Ivory, shredding the horde. A silver-armored knight-like demon lunged from above. Dante dodged with a backflip, gripping Rebellion.
"Not bad for a demon," Dante said, mimicking the knight's salute before raising his blade.
They clashed, swords sparking. After several exchanges, they locked blades.
"Got some guts for trash," Dante said. "Name?"
"I am no one," the demon rasped.
"Nameless, huh? That's inconvenient!" Dante quipped.
They broke apart, circling.
Aoba and Akebono returned, cannons ready. "Backup, Commander!"
Their shells fired, but the demon slammed its sword into the ground, shattering it into a shield of rock. The shells hit the barrier, and the demon vanished.
"Got away," Dante muttered.
Aoba rushed over. "You okay?"
"Fine," Dante said.
Akebono stared, bewildered. "What was that?"
Aoba grinned. "He's a devil hunter. Half-human, half-demon."
Akebono's mind reeled, unable to process it.
"That's the deal," Dante said. "Let's head back."
They piled into the car, driving toward the base.
"Akebono," Dante said.
"What?" she snapped.
"Make up with Murakumo when we're back."
Akebono hesitated.
"Or Houshou'll lecture you into next week," Dante added.
"…Fine," Akebono muttered.
Ten Minutes Later
Pop! Pop!
The car sputtered and stopped.
Aoba blinked. "Commander, don't tell me…"
"Out of gas," Dante said.
Akebono gaped. "What!?"
Aoba flailed. "What do we do!?"
"Damn Akagi…" Dante muttered. It was her car.
In the fading twilight, the three pushed the car back to the base.
"Do your job, shitty Admiral!" Akebono yelled.
"Tell Akagi!" Dante shot back.
Aoba wailed, "I did my good deed today! Why this!?"
To be continued…