Our Bonds

Alright. My resources are slowly returning back to before the 'Black Inferno' incident. To simplify our reports, the incident from last week was given the designation 'Black Inferno', because a black mental cube was involved and there was fire all over the place. Awesome naming sense, Rondo. I can't wait to hear the name of your child, if you are going to have one. My resources were in the red, with everything being less than 5000. Now, everything is in the five-digits. At this rate, give it maybe a month or two and everything will be back to the original numbers. HQ gave me some Fast Repair Buckets to makeup for all that I have used to repair the multiple shipgirls involved. For the time being, I'm focusing on expeditions to obtain resources and Fast Repair Buckets. The sorties I'm supposed to be in charged of have been reassigned to other bases.

Ah. This is bad. We are going to miss the hospital visiing hours.

I grabbed my jacket and rushed to the gate. Shigure was there waiting for me.

"Sorry. I took too long."

Shigure shook her head,

"No. It's alright. Admiral is busy after all." (Shigure)

I like how Shigure is so understanding, but I won't adcantage of this trait of hers. I will bring her for some ice cream later.

"Are you sure you're fine like this? Isn't it cold?"

Shigure only used a scarf and leggings to protect herself from the cold.

"I'm fine. It's not as cold as before." (Shigure)

Must be nice having an internal heating system...

"Let's go."

I stuck out my hand. She just stared at it.

"What's wrong?"

"Eh? Uh..." (Shigure)

After a few moments of hesitation, she finally grabbed my hand,

"So warm..." (Shigure)

The guard fairy opened the gate for us and we made our to the train station. Next stop, Osaka University Hospital.

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"Let's see... Okay. Thank you for your patience. Everything checks out. Here are your visitor pass. Take the elevator to the eighth floor and head towards the Seiteki Ward. Suwanto-san's room will be at the end of the hallway." (Receptionist)

The receptionist gave back our ID cards and placed the visitor pass in our hands. Shigure and I made our way to Commander Ao's room.

"This is a really big hospital." (Shigure)

"Yeah. It doubles as a medical academy as well. This is one of Japan's best hospitals after all. They do all kinds of medical stuff here."

And this is also the hospital where Shigure's eye operation will take place. Or so I heard. Grand Admiral Hasake called the other day to tell me about the progress on Shigure's bionic eye. It's near completion, with only a few more adjustments and some tests to be done. He will book a surgical room and a team of surgeons to do the operation once it's ready. Of course, I'm not telling the girl in question about her new eye. Wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.

We strolled towards Commander Ao's SS type Private Room, one of the most expensive and luxurious rooms the hospital has to offer. I knocked on the door, and waited for one of them to let us in.

The door slid open,

"Ah. Admiral-sama. Shigure-sama. Please come in." (Belfast)

"Please don't add the '-sama' in. It feels weird."

"You can just call me Shigure." (Shigure)

Belfast opened the door to let us in. The private room is the biggest room the hospital has to offer. With a size of 104 metre square, there is a bathroom, toilet, kitchen, lounge room and a separate bedroom for people staying overnight. There is even a 46 inch TV and telephone equipped. This looks more like an apartment rather than a hospital room. How much money are they willing to spend?

"Ara, Admiral-san. You are here." (AL Taihou)

"Hello."

"Sorry for intruding." (Shigure)

I looked around the room. The other one doesn't seem to be here today.

"If you are looking for Akagi, Amagi-sama dragged her back to help repair the base. So tonight, I have Commander all to myself~" (AL Taihou)

"Eh? Then what about-"

"I will be heading back shortly afterwards. I am also involved in the repairs." (Belfast)

"I see. Anyway,"

"We brought some gifts." (Shigure)

Shigure presented the basket of well-wishes and soft foods she was holding. The well-wishes were written by my girls.

"Thank you. Let me take them." (Belfast)

"Nmh... Hmm? Oh. You are here." (Commander Ao)

"Good morning, my dear Commander. It's afternoon now though." (AL Taihou)

I grabbed a chair and brought it next to his bed,

"Yo. Feeling any better?"

"Not... really. It's still hard... to breathe and my whole body hurts."

"You broke quite a few bones after all."

Commander Ao laid on the bed, covered head to toe with bandages and an oxygen mask. He suffered four broken ribs, a broken leg, broken arm, and a head injury. His broken leg and arm were each in a cast and suspended in midair with a harness. He looks much better than when he was first brought here.

After the affected Shipgirls stopped moving, I sent in Monarch and a few others to search for their Commander. Then I remembered how big the island was I got the rest of Azur Lane to help with the search while IJN handled the clean-up, which means dragging the unconscious shipgirl's back to the beach. If Akashi hadn't activate her distress beacon and meowed constantly, it would have been too late for the both of them. They found the both of them in a cave, buried in rubble. Akashi was fine since Ao shielded her with his body.

Ao himself was in a worse condition. His lungs were punctured, and he had internal bleeding. I heard his heart actually stopped for a moment, but Eldridge was able to restart it as they rushed to my base. I have prepared a ambulance which rushed him to Kyoto University Hospital. His life was saved but he was placed in intensive care unit until two days ago.

"By the way, I meant to ask you. Why did you order everyone to attack?" (Commander Ao)

Gh. I knew he would ask me that sooner or later,

"Well... I sort of took a gamble. After Taihou punched Akagi, I noticed that the cube still had the same healing properties. So..."

"I feel so light after that. It's like all of my stress is gone."

Yeah. Taihou and Shoukaku both ganged up on Akagi.

"It was hard not to laugh when I see Akagi massaging her face. Ufufu~" (AL Taihou)

"I had a feeling that cutting of the tubes would be able to stop the healing process, but I didn't want to risk activating a kill switch or them sinking because of their injuries. I can risk that with the Abyssals but not with shipgirls."

"I never knew Bel-chan was able to put up such a fight. I heard from Edinburgh that she shot my arm off. That explains why my right arm has been hurting for a while." (AL Belfast)

"You can come to our base and take a bath. Our medicinal pools work miracles." (Shigure)

"Um..." (AL Belfast)

"That... may be a good idea. Since you hurt my girls, I will... have you heal them." (AL Commander Ao)

"I saved them. In the first place, you should be the one repaying me. I exhausted almost all of my resources trying to buy time for you."

"What?! *Koff* *koff* What kind of monster *Ghrk* demands payment from the injured?" (AL Commander Ao)

"If you can give such a retort, I guess you are fine."

Ah. Taihou is staring daggers at me.

"Anyway, make sure you recover. Everyone is worried for you."

"Easier said... than done." (AL Commander Ao)

"The sooner you recover, the sooner you get to enjoy night battles with Taihou again."

"That... kind of motivates me a little..." (AL Commander Ao)

"Oh my. Commander, you desire my body that much?" (AL Taihou)

Taihou blushed. Looks like that took the heat off me.

"Anyway, I won't disturb you any further. Rest well. And don't you even think about running away until you repay me."

"I suddenly feel... very sleepy. Belfast, please see them out." (AL Commander Ao)

"Oh. You piece of-"

"Don't worry, Admiral-sama. Azur Lane will make sure to repay the help you gave us." (AL Belfast)

"Belfast! *koff* You are supposed... to be on my side." (AL Commander AL)

Shigure and I left the room and head back to the reception to return the visitors pass.

"It's great that Commander Ao is doing well." (Shigure)

"I guess so. It will take him months to recover but that won't stop him. That guy is as tough as nails."

Our fingers intertwined as we left the hospital.

"Want to get some ice cream on the way back?"

"Can we?" (Shigure)

"I know of a good ice cream place nearby. We can enjoy ourselves for a bit before going back."

"That's sounds like a good idea. Let's go, Admiral." (Shigure)