(WHOOO! Chapter 50!)

  Wind blows through Alicorn's ash blonde as she looks up to the sky, lost in thought. She stands on Prince Of Wales' ship.

  'What happened after that bright light?' Alicorn questions. 'All I remember is going in to kill Zuikaku.' Alicorn brings a hand up and covers one of her eyes as she grows confused. 'I... I don't feel right. I feel like something is worming its way inside me.'

  Something nds on Alicorn's shoulder and she looks to see her robotic Eagle staring at her. Alicorn gains a smile and pets her eagle, it starts to 'purr'. "I'm okay, girl. Just... unsure of myself."

  "Miss Alicorn." Sheffield calls out and Alicorn looks behind her at the maid. "We'll be arrive at the base in a few minutes."

  "Understood, thank you, Sheffield." Alicorn says and the maid curtsies. The maid turns around and starts walking away. "Sheffield?" The maid stops and looks at Alicorn. "Thank you for saving me."

  Sheffield gives Alicorn a small smile. "Anything for my mistress."

  Alicorn blushes and looks away. "Y-Yeah, whatever."

  Sheffield gives a small giggle and walks away. Alicorn huffs, before shaking her head and the blush goes away. "Such confusion times." She mutters.

  Alicorn holds her hand out and her Eagle screeches before flying off. "Oh, how I wish to be as free as you." She looks at her eagle with a longing stare.

  Several Minutes Later.

  The Fleet sails into port where many Soldiers and other ship-girls are waiting. Vestal is at the front of the group checking out the ships as the come in.

  Alicorn, steps off Wales' ship with Sheffield and Edinburgh behind her.

  "It felt like we've been gone forever." Edinburgh says as she pushes up her gsses.

  "It has only been 22 hours, 23 minutes and 43 seconds." Alicorn informs.

  "That's a very precise measurement, Miss Alicorn." Sheffield says.

  Alicorn nods. "I am a super biocomputer, I can accurately measure nearly anything."

  "ALICORN!" Team Destroyers runs through the crowd and tackles Alicorn into a hug.

  "We were so worried!" Echo states.

  "We've lost contact with you, and thought the worst!" Kalk fps an arm.

  "We were very scared about you and everyone." Belchan informs.

  "Hobby was scared she lost another friend." Hobby states.

  Alicorn can't help but smile as a warm feeling spreads in her chest, as she looks down at the four child ships. "I'm fine, we just ran into complications."

  "E-Everyone! Please, lets give t-t-t-the ships so-so-some room." Commander Sicilia's voice rings out as she nervously makes her way through the crowd. Her arms wrapped up in bandages.

  Commander Stait walks up behind her. "Yes, they've had a very long battle. So let's give them some room and let them eat and rest."

  People start to walk away and Sicilia walks up to Alicorn as Stait walks to another group of ships. "It's good to see you're okay, Alicorn." Sicilia smiles.

  Alicorn nods. "Most people forget I'm a very strong ship, I can take a very hard beating and still be fine."

  "That's a good trait." Major Freya Leslie walks over to her. A rge burn scar over her left eye, which makes it slightly cloudy, and her right arm is missing so her coat is button up to her shoulder.

  (This is Frey'a scar, though imagine it on the left side of her face. This is Bakia from Bck goon, a good anime you should watch.)

  Freya smiles down at Alicorn. "It's good to see you again, Alicorn."

  Alicorn nods. "Same to you Major."

  "Just all me Freya."

  "Major Freya." Alicorn says and Freya sweat drops.

  Clevend walks past. "Get used to it, took her a while to call me by my name."

  "Alicorn!" Unicorn runs over to Alicorn. "I was so worried!" Illustrious walks up behind Unicorn.

  Alicorn gives her younger sister a smile. "I'm fine."

  "It's nice to see that." Illustrious smiles.

  'It feels weird having all these people worried about me.' Alicorn says in thought. 'I'm a strong ship, so there's no need for worries, I've faced much stronger enemies and lived. So there's no need for them to be worried.'

  Sicilia looks down at team Destroyers, as they are still hugging Alicorn. "N-N-Now girls, lets give A-A-Alicorn some room. I-I'm sure she w-w-wants to rest."

  Team Destroyers lets go of Alicorn.

  "Oh, Alicorn!" Belchan calls out. "You should come and help us make a new song."

  "Yeah, we'd be honored to have you help us." Kalk smiles.

  Alicorn thinks for several seconds. "I guess I can help tomorrow."

  "YAAAY!" Team Destroyers cheer and run away.

  Sheffield walks up next to Alicorn. "Shall we go now, Miss Alicorn."

  Alicorn yawns. "Yes, lets."

  Alicorn, Edinburgh, and Sheffield walk away from the docks.

  "Have a good night Alicorn!" Unicorn calls out with a wave.

  Alicorn gnces back and gives a small wave.

  Sicilia looks over at Javelin and Laffey as they hold onto Ayanami. "Now to d-d-deal with this." She lets out a sigh. "So much paperwork."

  Baxterbro

  The sun rises on the Azur Lane base and Alicorn slowly opens her eyes, only to find herself stuck between Edinburgh and Sheffield as they sleep on each side of her, Alicorn's face squished by their breasts.

  'I want to get up, but I feel too comfortable.' Alicorn says in thought. 'Ehhh, just a few more minutes.'

  Alicorn closes her eyes and snuggles between the two more.

  .

  .

  Hornet stands in front of Clevend, Laffey, Javelin and Belfast. "Seriously, that was really reckless of you." the Aircraft Carrier reprimands the Destroyers.

  Hornet continues. "A thoughtless charge, in order to save an enemy. I have to say, it's not something we'd give out medals for."

  "I'm sorry." Javelin apologizes.

  Belfast takes a step forward. "Please wait. I am the one who set them off. It is I who should be held responsible."

  Wales, who's standing in front of a window, looks back. "You say that, but... We need to send the right message to the others."

  Commander Sicilia and Commander Stait sit on the couches as they drink some coffee.

  Hornet speaks up. "So it's decided, then.Ordered by Commander Sicilia, Laffey, Javelin, as punishment for your actions, the two of you are assigned to prisoner supervision duties."

  Javelin and Laffey are both surprised.

  Clevend smiles. "Prisoners of war need to be taken good care of. Those are the rules."

  "So that means..." Javelin questions.

  "We're counting on you." Hornet says.

  "Hai!" Javelin and Laffey nod and they leave the room.

  Stait looks down at her coffee. "I prefer tea."

  "S-S-Sorry." Sicilia apologies.

  Stait smiles. "Don't worry.I like anything you make."

  Sicilia blushes and takes a long drink of her coffee.

  Several Minutes ter.

  Wales, Hornet, Clevend sit at the couches and chairs with their commanders, as Belfast gives out coffee, before standing next to Stait. The bck Cubes Box rests on the table.

  "Oh, I-I hope I d-d-did the right thing wi-wi-with them." Sicilia grows nervous.

  "Don't overthink it." Clevend says.

  "That's right." Hornet drops some sugar cubes into her coffee. "Coffee, tea, and life in general... Being sweet makes everything better."

  Wales then speaks up. "At any rate... This here is the real problem." She opens up the bck Mental Cube's box.

  "The Cube..." A drop of sweat falls down Clevend's face.

  "It still gives me a bad feeling." Stait mutters and drinks some coffee.

  "Ever since that battle, the Cube has been behaving quite abnormally." Belfast informs. "Unfortunately, there is no way to know what exactly this means."

  "The Bck Mental Cube is the key to Project Orochi..." Wales states. "There is no doubt that this is part of a plot by the Sirens."

  "This probably has something to do with my sister, right?" Hornet asks.

  It's silent for a few moments before Wales looks at Belfast. "How is Enterprise and Alicorn?"

  "We are performing a diagnostics on Enterprise's body and her gear, but so far, we have not found anything out of the ordinary."

  Clevend speaks up. "I always thought she was an exceptional ship, but..." She thinks back on Siren Enterprise. "Back there, Enterprise was... terrifying."

  Belfast then continues. "Alicorn nothing seems different about her, but she was acting slightly unusual on the way back here. So we are keeping an eye on her."

  Sicilia sighs. "I-I hate to say i-i-it. But we c-c-can't let Alicorn n-n-near the Cube."

  "I agree." Stait says. "Given her past, and her connections with the Sirens, we can't let her near it."

  "But she's given us no reason to doubt her allegiance to us." Clevend points out. "We can't just not trust her for no reason.

  "It's only temporary." Wales says. "Just until the Cubes problem is resolved."

  Hornet just looks out the window behind Wales and sighs. "I hate this but I agree."

  Clevend looks shocked. "Hornet!"

  Hornet just avoids eye contact.

  "I can't believe you all." Clevend frowns.

  .

  .

  .

  Osami curls her hands into a fist as she reads the report in her hand. "Damn it!" She sms her fists onto her table.

  Musashi and Yamato kneel at a kotatsu behind her, drinking tea.

  Osami sms the paper onto her desk and puts her hands on her head. "This is so bad! Not good at all! Ayanami has been captured and Akagi is MIA, probably dead!" She starts to panic. "This war is not going in my favor at all!"

  Yamato appears behind Osami and puts her kiseru in front of her Commander. "Take a puff, it'll calm you down."

  Osami leans forward and takes a long drag from Yamato's kiseru, before letting out a long breath and leaning back in her chair. Yamato's tails curl around Osami.

  "Commander, stressing out too much is bad for your health." Yamato states as she hugs her Commander. "So please, calm down."

  Musashi fils her arms up and down. "No fair sister! Flirting and touching our Commander! So lewd!" A pen sms into her nose and she falls backwards. Musashi nds on the ground, with swirls in her eyes and blood falling from her nose. "N-Not cool."

  Osami sighs and leans back into Yamato's chest. "I can't help but worry, two of my ships are missing. But I guess Nagato's handling it for me."

  Yamato brushes Osami's hair. "Yes, so please calm down and rex."

  Osami closes her eyes. "I guess I can rex for an hour."

  Yamato smiles. "I'll accept that."

  .

  .

  .

  Alicorn is walking through the Academy's halls. Several soldiers walk past carrying crates of supplies, with several Manjuus following them.

  "Alicorn!" Team Destroyers wave as they run up to her.

  "Girls." Alicorn nods.

  "Have you come to record a song with us?" Belchan asks in excitement.

  Alicorn nods again. "Yes, I have promised you I would."

  "YAAAY!" The four cheer.

  "Follow us!" Kalk fps her arms as Tea, Destroyers walk off and Alicorn follows.

  The four girls lead Alicorn to a rge studio room with many different instruments.

  "Wow." Alicorn looks around. "I didn't know this pce existed."

  "We helped build it!" Echo flexes her mussels.

  "And we did help pay for the instruments too~" Hobby informs.

  Belchan cps her hands. "Okay girls, I will be in the control booth, you four go into the recording room."

  "Hai." The other four respond.

  Belchan walks into a separate room as Echo walks into the recording booth and gets on the drums. Kalk grabs a four stringed base guitar and Hobby grabs the electric guitar. Alicorn sighs and goes up to a microphone.

  "Okay girls." Belchan's voice is heard through a speaker. "Let's start with a... hmmmm.... Let's do a rock song."

  "Okay!" Echo, Hobby and Kalk respond.

  "Not really my kind of music, but I can try." Alicorn responds as she smooths out her military coat and fixes her tiara.

  "Okay, give us a couple cords Hobby, then follow it up with Echo and Kalk." Belchan says.

  "Okay!" Hobby starts pying her guitar, followed by Kk and Echo joining.

  Alicorn sighs. 'Okay, just sing from the heart, like you did st time.'

  Baxterbro

  Alicorn nods as the music starts, then she starts singing. "The secret side of me, I never let you see.I keep it caged but I can't control it.So stay away from me, the beast is ugly.I feel the rage and I just can't hold it.It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls.It comes awake and I can't control it.Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head.Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?"

  The music picks up louder.

  "I FEEL IT DEEP WITHIN, IT's JUST BENEATH THE SKIN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I HATE WHAT I'VE BECOME, THE NIGHTMARE'S JUST BEGUN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!"

  Alicorn backs up from the microphone and wipes some sweat from her brow, before moving back and continues to sing.

  "My secret side I keep hid under lock and key.I keep it caged but I can't control it.'Cause if I let her out She'll tear me up, break me down.Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?"

  Alicorn grabs the microphone and brings it close to her.

  "I FEEL IT DEEP WITHIN, IT'S JUST BENEATH THE SKIN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I HATE WHAT I'VE BECOME, THE NIGHTMARE'S JUST BEGUN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I FEEL IF DEEP WITHIN, IT'S JUST BENEATH THE SKIN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!"

  Alicorn lets go of the microphone and takes a deep breath, before continuing.

  "It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp.There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart.No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream.MAYBE IT'S INSIDE OF ME, STOP THIS MONSTER!"

  Echo and Kalk stop pying, letting Hobby do a solo.

  "I FEEL IT DEEP WITHIN, IT'S JUST BENEATH THE SKIN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!"

  Echo and Kalk start pying again and Alicorn grabs the microphone.

  "I HATE WHAT I'CE BECOME, THE NIGHTMARE'S JUST BEGUN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I FEEL IT DEEP WITHIN, IT'S JUST BENEATH THE SKIN!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I'VE GOTTA LOSE CONTROL, HERE'S SOMETHING RADICAL!I MUST CONFESS THAT I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!I, I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!"

  Alicorn steps back from the microphone and the three stop pying behind her.

  "That was awesome!" Belchan cheers.

  "That was so cooooool!" Kalk fps her arms heavily.

  "We really should have you sing with us more, Alicorn!" Echo says.

  "...Maybe. I've got to go." Alicorn swiftly walks out of the room.

  The three girls gnce at each other.

  "Did we do something wrong?" Hobby asks.w

  .

  .

  .

  Alicorn is standing in front of her father's grave as moonlight shines down onto her.

  "Hey.... Father." Alicorn starts. "It's been a couple months, since I've been here." She sighs. "Why am I doing this? .... I just feel kinda alone I guess, even though I'm surrounded by so many people that seem to care for me. But then why do I feel alone then? I think I may get why-" She puts a hand on her mostly ft chest. "I wasn't made like the others, I'm just an experiment that failed and now I'm the only one of my css because of it. I may technically be a Yorktown/Illustrious Css, but that's just on paper and by blood."

  Alicorn looks up to the moon. "I can't help but feel like a monster. I've killed so many, I have a higher kill count than most ships here." She looks back down at the grave. "You'd know what to do, you always did. Mother is too sick to get out of bed most days, and I've been really busy and haven't been able to see her. I feel like something really bad is going to happen soon."

  Alicorn grows silent and stares down at the grave with a saddened look.

  A pair of footsteps approach Alicorn.

  "Miss Alicorn." Sheffield calls out.

  Alicorn gces back to see Sheffield and Edinburgh standing several feet away.

  "Sheffield, Edinburgh." Alicorn grows a small smile, before frowning and looking away.

  "Is something wrong, Miss Alicorn?" Edinburgh asks.

  "Do... Do you girls see me as a monster? A Siren?"

  The two don't answer and Alicorn grows sad, before a couple pairs of arms wrap around her. Edinburgh and Sheffield hug Alicorn.

  "No, Miss Alicorn." Edinburgh smiles.

  "You are the sub aircraft carrier Alicorn, not a Siren." Sheffield says. "You are the daughter of Yorktown and a valued ship girl of Azur Lane."

  Alicorn wipes a few tears that were forming, before turning around and hugging her maids. "Thank you. I really needed to hear that."

  Sheffield smiles. "Anytime Alicorn."

  "Yes, anytime." Edinburgh smiles.

  Baxterbro

  ---

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  07-22-2023

  2782 words