The fleet is currently 300 miles out, operating in stealth mode. They have yet to set a destination.
The Daedalus Medical Bay was unusually lively.
Instead of alarms and hurried footsteps...
There were conversations.
Laughter.
Relief.
The rescued Shipgirls and Nikkes occupied nearly every recovery bed.
For once...
No one was fighting.
No one was imprisoned.
Only recovering.
Yuuki had made one instruction absolutely clear.
"Nobody leaves the Medical Bay until Vestal, Yuu, Akashi, Mary or Pepper clear you."
Complaints had immediately followed.
"I feel perfectly fine."
Pennsylvania attempted to stand.
"Sit."
Vestal gently pushed her back onto the bed.
"...Yes, Doctor."
Pennsylvania sighed. She was never good at getting past Vestal.
Arizona quietly smiled.
"It appears she's still the same."
Arizona smiled softly, her fingers lightly gripping the edge of the blanket as she sat upright on the medical bed. The weight that had once pressed down on her chest—heavy, suffocating, ever-present—was gone.
It wasn't erased.
She could still remember everything.
The prison world.
The fear.
The endless repetition of pain.
But now… it felt distant. Like recalling an embarrassing memory rather than reliving a nightmare. The sharp edges of trauma had dulled into something almost… manageable.
She let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh.
"…It's strange."
Vestal, who had been reviewing her chart nearby, glanced up immediately.
"What is?"
Arizona tilted her head slightly, searching for the right words.
"I remember everything. Every moment. Every feeling I had back then as a ship…" She paused, her brows knitting together briefly. "But it doesn't hurt anymore."
Vestal stepped closer, her expression softening as she listened.
"It's like…" Arizona hesitated, then gave a small, almost sheepish smile. "Like remembering something embarrassing I did a long time ago. I know it happened, but I don't feel it the same way."
Vestal nodded slowly, pausing as she reviewed the readings on the Med Bay interface.
"That's a good sign," she said gently. "It means your mind has processed the trauma instead of being trapped inside it."
Arizona looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers as if testing her own reality.
"The Commander… he told me something back there," she murmured. "That I didn't have to stay in that place forever."
Her gaze lifted, meeting Vestal's.
"I didn't believe him at first. It seemed impossible not to remember bad memories."
Vestal smiled faintly.
"He tends to say things like that."
Arizona let out a soft chuckle.
"…Yeah. He does."
There was a brief silence, comfortable and warm.
Then Arizona's expression grew more thoughtful.
"Vestal… is it really okay?" she asked quietly. "To just… move on like this?"
Vestal didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gently placed a hand over Arizona's.
"It's not about forgetting," Vestal said softly. "And it's not about pretending it never happened."
Arizona listened closely.
"It's about choosing not to let it control you anymore."
Arizona's grip tightened slightly, then relaxed.
"…I think I understand."
Vestal gave her a reassuring nod.
"You've already taken the hardest step."
Arizona looked around the medical bay—the laughter, the quiet conversations, the sense of peace that filled the room.
For the first time in what felt like forever…
She didn't feel like she was surviving.
She felt like she was living.
"…Then," Arizona said with a small, genuine smile, "I think I'd like to try having a normal life now."
Vestal smiled back warmly.
"I think you've earned that."
Further inside...
Arisa carefully adjusted another medical scanner.
Both patients remained asleep.
One bed belonged to Cinderella.
The former Anachiro looked peaceful for the first time in decades.
The traces of corruption had completely vanished.
Beside her sat Nayuta.
She quietly watched Cinderella's sleeping face.
"...Sleep well."
"We'll properly meet when you wake up."
Only a few Med Bays away...
Ayanami remained unconscious.
Her breathing was calm.
Steady.
Three familiar destroyers refused to leave her side.
Laffey rested her head against the bedside.
"...Ayanami..."
"...wake up soon."
Javelin smiled hopefully.
"You've slept enough already."
Nimi folded her arms.
"...We've waited years."
"We can wait a little longer."
Even so...
She never took her eyes off her oldest friend.
The remainder of the Medical Bay was equally occupied.
Every rescued Shipgirl underwent another complete examination.
Every Nikke received full diagnostics.
No shortcuts.
No exceptions.
Yuu, now dressed in her doctor's outfit converted from the Echo armor, insisted.
"I don't care how healthy you think you feel."
"Years of imprisonment leave hidden damage."
"We're checking everything."
Mary smiled helplessly.
"...She's impossible to argue with. As expected from the Head Doctor."
Pepper quietly nodded.
"I stopped trying."
Nearby...
Akashi continued pushing another diagnostic cart between beds.
"Everyone stays in bed until examination is complete, nyaa."
"No escaping."
Emma laughed softly.
"...This place feels more like a family clinic than a military hospital."
Mary smiled.
"We'll take that as a compliment."
Velvet looked around.
"...Everyone is being treated equally."
"No priority patients?"
Pepper shook her head.
"Commander doesn't separate people that way."
"Whether you're a veteran..."
"...or rescued five minutes ago..."
"You wait your turn."
Privaty quietly smiled.
"...That's..."
"...refreshing."
Centaur carefully touched one of her pointed ears.
Yuu immediately appeared beside her.
"Excellent."
"I was hoping you'd still be awake."
Centaur blinked.
"...Doctor?"
Yuu was already holding another scanner.
"We're continuing the mana examination."
Albion quietly pulled her blanket up.
"...Sister..."
"...I believe we're being studied again."
Centaur sighed with practiced resignation.
"...Indeed."
"Please be gentle."
"I always am."
Yuu answered without looking up.
Mary and Pepper exchanged amused glances.
"You say that every time."
Akashi quietly whispered,
"And every patient says otherwise, nyaa."
==================
A familiar voice echoed across the Medical Bay.
"Ara..."
"...look what the world still keeps."
Several heads turned.
Akagi walked in with her usual elegant smile, Kaga following quietly behind.
Her crimson eyes immediately settled on one particular bed.
"Our troublesome crane juniors are still alive."
Shoukaku looked up before smiling knowingly.
"...Akagi-senpai."
"...Kaga-senpai."
"So many years later..."
"...and your tongue is still just as sharp."
She folded her arms with a playful smile.
"I only hope the two of you haven't completely turned into crazy foxes."
Several nearby Shipgirls immediately looked between them.
"...Oh?"
Akagi's smile widened.
"So the junior still bares her fangs."
"How adorable."
Zuikaku couldn't help grinning.
"Shoukaku-nee started it."
Akagi slowly walked closer to the bed.
"My..."
"It seems our juniors still haven't learned how to respect their seniors."
She looked down with obvious satisfaction.
"How small."
"...How cute."
Then...
She casually projected her status window.
Level 33
It floated proudly beside her.
Shoukaku stared at it.
Then looked at her own empty status.
"...Really?"
"The first thing you do after rescuing us..."
"...is show off your level?"
Akagi innocently tilted her head.
"Of course."
"It would be rude not to greet one's juniors properly."
Shoukaku laughed.
"...Easy for someone with thirty-three levels."
"We just got here."
"We don't even have one."
Akagi covered a small laugh behind her sleeve.
"Then do try to catch up."
Yuuki quietly leaned toward Kaga.
"...Are they always like this?"
Kaga sighed.
"...Yes."
"They have been picking verbal fights with each other since the day they met."
"They're troublesome."
Zuikaku immediately nodded.
"Very."
Then...
Her eyes suddenly locked onto another familiar figure.
"...Grey Ghost!"
Enterprise looked up from where she had been quietly reading Cinderella's medical report.
Zuikaku immediately pointed dramatically.
"I challenge you!"
Enterprise slowly lowered the clipboard.
"..."
She looked at Zuikaku.
Then at her own status.
Level 33
Then back at Zuikaku.
"...You don't even have a level yet."
She sighed.
"Level up first."
"Then challenge me."
She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"...Even after all these years..."
"...that's still the first thing you say."
Zuikaku puffed out her cheeks.
"A rival is a rival!"
Before Enterprise could answer—
Flick.
"Ow!"
Zuikaku rubbed her forehead.
Houshou calmly withdrew her finger.
"Enough."
"You're still recovering."
She picked up a spoonful of soup.
"Open wide."
Zuikaku obediently opened her mouth.
"Haii~"
Houshou gently fed her.
"...Houshou-kaasama."
The entire room became noticeably quieter.
Zuikaku smiled sheepishly.
"...I remember..."
"When we first saw you again..."
She looked toward Shoukaku.
"...The four of us..."
"...cried like children."
Shoukaku laughed softly.
"We did."
Hiryuu scratched her cheek.
"...Not our proudest moment."
Souryuu smiled.
"...No."
"...But I wouldn't change it."
Houshou simply continued feeding Zuikaku another spoonful.
"...There is no shame."
"You were separated from your family."
"And now..."
Her gentle smile warmed the room.
"...you've finally come home."
Hiryuu watched Akagi proudly parade her Level 33 status with visible envy.
She let out a dramatic sigh.
"...The First Carrier Division gets rescued first..."
"...and levels up first."
She crossed her arms.
"That's not fair."
"I want to level up too."
Shoukaku laughed.
"You've only been awake for two hours."
"Exactly!"
Hiryuu pouted.
"That's two hours of lost experience!"
Enterprise couldn't help chuckling.
"...I forgot how competitive you were."
Souryuu quietly adjusted one of her long rabbit ears.
"...We're still their juniors after all."
She looked toward Shoukaku and Zuikaku.
Then toward herself.
"...Although..."
She gently gathered a handful of her long hair.
"...I think we have a more immediate problem."
Everyone looked over.
"My hair..."
She sighed.
"...It's become far too long."
Her rabbit ears twitched again.
"I desperately need a haircut."
Shoukaku blinked.
She slowly pulled her own ponytail forward.
"...Now that you mention it..."
"...Mine too."
Zuikaku immediately grabbed the end of her own hair.
"...Whoa."
"When did it get this long?"
Hiryuu scratched the back of her head.
"...I was wondering why it kept getting caught under the blanket."
Yuuki looked at the four Sakura carriers.
"...Actually..."
"You all have the same problem."
The four girls looked at each other.
Long hair.
Untidy bangs.
Years without proper grooming.
Houshou quietly smiled.
"...That can be arranged."
Akashi immediately raised her hand.
"Akashi knows where the salon equipment is, nyaa!"
Mary laughed.
"We actually have a salon?"
Akashi nodded proudly.
"Of course!"
"The Daedalus is practically a floating city now. Akashi took the liberty of exploring everything this carrier has to offer, nyaa!"
Pepper smiled.
"...She's right."
"We even have a flying drone barber that can cut hair better than any human."
Yuu suddenly looked up from Centaur's examination.
"...Actually..."
"I'd like to collect hair samples first."
The four Sakura carriers immediately stiffened.
"...Hair..."
"...Samples?"
Yuu adjusted her glasses.
"For comparative biological analysis."
"The effects of long-term imprisonment on keratin composition could be valuable research."
Centaur quietly whispered to Albion,
"...We're no longer Doctor Yuu's only victims."
Albion nodded sympathetically.
"...I almost feel sorry for them."
Shoukaku looked toward Yuuki with pleading eyes.
"...Shikikan-sama..."
"...Help?"
Yuuki slowly took one step backward.
"No."
"I've already learned."
"When Yuu says 'research'..."
"...there is no escape."
Akashi nodded wisely.
"Experience talking, nyaa."
The entire Medical Bay burst into laughter.
Even Akagi couldn't resist smiling as she watched her troublesome crane juniors realize...
Their recovery now included medical examinations...
And apparently...
Scientific hair sampling before they were allowed anywhere near a barber.
Before Akagi could continue teasing her juniors...
A slender hand suddenly reached from behind.
Bonk.
It landed squarely atop Akagi's head.
Her fox ears immediately stood upright.
"Kiii?!"
A familiar amused voice followed.
"Now... now..."
"...bullying thy juniors like this."
"Art thou truly so low, Akagi?"
Akagi slowly turned around.
The ten-tailed fox smiled elegantly.
Her hand still rested on Akagi's head, preventing the carrier from turning any further.
"Kiii! Kaguya!"
Akagi playfully hissed, her tails puffing up.
Kaguya chuckled.
"Thou seemest to have forgotten..."
"...that thou still standeth beneath me."
With a playful flourish, Kaguya projected her own status.
Level 35
A small golden badge floated beneath it.
==========
Mission MVP
Defeated Anachiro
Highest Rapture Eliminations
==========
Akagi stared.
"..."
Then back at her own.
Level 33
"Kiii!!"
Akagi pointed accusingly.
"Shikikan-sama!"
"Permit me to scratch her face!"
Yuuki looked up from his chair.
"...No..."
Kaguya covered a laugh behind her sleeve.
"Ara."
"Thou art but a tiny fox."
"A rather adorable one at that."
"Kiii!!"
Akagi stomped one foot.
"Stop calling me cute!"
Kaga quietly looked away.
"...She's going to sulk for the next hour."
Enterprise sighed.
"...Probably longer."
Shoukaku immediately sat straighter on her medical bed.
"...Kaguya-sama."
She gave a respectful bow.
Zuikaku quickly followed.
"Kaguya-sama."
The two crane sisters lowered their heads without hesitation.
Kaguya smiled warmly.
"There is no need for such formality."
Shoukaku smiled politely.
"Even so..."
"You are still the legendary Arcane Shipgirl."
"We've heard stories about you ever since we were commissioned."
Zuikaku nodded enthusiastically.
"The fleet used to say that if Kaguya-sama ever entered a battle..."
"...the battle was already won."
Kaguya laughed softly.
"Those stories grow more exaggerated with the passing decade."
Houshou smiled knowingly.
"And yet..."
"They are not entirely inaccurate."
Akagi folded her arms with an exaggerated huff.
"Hmph."
"Everyone keeps praising Kaguya."
"What about this carrier?"
Yuuki looked toward her.
"...You want praise too?"
Akagi immediately brightened.
"Yes!"
Yuuki smiled and gives her ear rubs.
"You did well."
"You protected everyone."
"You helped rescue your juniors."
"I'm proud of you."
Akagi froze.
Her tails immediately began swaying happily despite her best effort to hide it.
"...Naturally."
Kaga quietly whispered to Enterprise,
"...Three compliments."
"...She's satisfied now."
Neon nodded with a helpless smile.
"...Factory reset successful."
Yorktown sighed.
"Master..."
Belfast, currently attending to Velvet and Privaty alongside Ade, Soda, and Cocoa—now dressed in maid outfits formed from Echo suit nanomachines—glanced over.
"No fair, Shikikan-sama! Onee-san wants reward ear rubs too!" Atago declared as she joined the growing crowd. Takao stepped forward as well, while Choukai and Maya sighed at their sisters' eagerness. Even Kaga and Kaguya seemed interested.
"One at a time, please!"
Shoukaku and Zuikaku exchanged curious looks, just like Hiryuu and Souryuu.
"Are his ear rubs really that good?"
"Indeed, elvish ears feel quite pleasant," Yuu grinned as she gently played with Centaur and Albion's ears.
"Doctor… not our ears." Both sisters flushed as their ears were gently touched.
"Trust me, Chief knows exactly how to handle them. You might even end up asking for more." Yuu grinned.
"N-No… our ears are reserved for our future spouses." Both elves blushed deeply.
"Then that makes him one!" Yuu added, causing both of them to turn even redder.
Esche watched the scene from atop a fruit bowl with a sigh, while Oberis casually munched on a grape the size of a small ball beside her.
===============
Friedrich quietly observed the lively Medical Bay.
Children laughing.
Old friends reunited.
The endless chatter of Shipgirls and Nikkes sharing space between beds and medical equipment.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"...It is nice..."
"...to have peace once more."
She slowly reached out.
One hand rested atop Eugen's head.
The other gently patted Hipper's.
"My children..."
Eugen closed her eyes with a content smile.
"...Welcome home, Mother."
Hipper folded her arms.
"...D-Don't think a few head pats will make me cry."
"..."
"...I just had something in my eye."
Eugen laughed.
"You've had something in your eye for the past ten minutes."
"I-I have not!"
Nearby...
Mecklenburg smiled brightly while Hindenburg quietly watched the reunion.
"It really suits you."
Friedrich looked toward the Decisive Shipgirls.
"...A mother..."
"...never truly stops being one."
Her crimson eyes slowly turned toward another familiar woman seated nearby.
"...It has been a long time..."
"...Houshou."
Houshou returned the gentle smile.
"Indeed..."
"It has."
She poured another cup of tea from a small portable set placed beside her bed.
"It seems..."
"...fellow mothers such as ourselves..."
"...are still needed."
Friedrich accepted the tea with a graceful nod.
"As long as children exist..."
"...there will always be mothers."
Their eyes drifted toward another section of the Medical Bay.
Yorktown was happily speaking with Pennsylvania, Arizona, Enterprise and the Eagle Union girls.
Helping adjust blankets.
Checking everyone's condition.
Making sure no one was left unattended.
Friedrich smiled knowingly.
"It seems..."
"...Yorktown has embraced her role..."
"...as the Eagle Union's mother."
Yorktown immediately looked over.
"W-What?!"
She nearly dropped the tray she was holding.
"Friedrich!"
"I'm not that old!"
The nearby beds erupted into laughter.
Houshou covered her mouth with a sleeve.
"Fufufu..."
"Do not worry, Yorktown-san."
"You'll grow accustomed to it."
Yorktown's cheeks turned bright red.
"H-Houshou-san!"
"Not you too!"
Pennsylvania chuckled.
"She's not wrong."
Arizona nodded with a warm smile.
"You've been taking care of everyone since we arrived."
Enterprise quietly added,
"...Including me."
Yorktown looked between them.
"...I..."
She scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"I was only doing what felt natural."
Friedrich smiled.
"Exactly."
"A mother rarely notices..."
"...when she has become one."
Yorktown sighed dramatically.
"I surrender."
"If everyone insists..."
"...then I suppose I have no choice."
Neon immediately leaned forward with a grin.
"We already see her as our mom!"
Anis followed without hesitation.
"Mom!"
Yorktown froze.
"...I regret everything."
Neon pointed dramatically.
"Mom, can I have dessert?"
Anis raised her hand.
"Mom, she took my pudding!"
Zuikaku joined in with a mischievous grin from across the room.
"Yorktown-kaasama?"
Pennsylvania couldn't hold back her laughter.
Even Enterprise looked away to hide a smile.
Yorktown covered her face.
"...Commander..."
"...Please help."
Yuuki, seated nearby among the patients, simply smiled.
"I've learned something."
"Hm?"
"When mothers gather..."
"...it's safest not to interfere."
Even Friedrich laughed softly at that.
Houshou nodded in complete agreement.
"A wise decision."
===============
Across the Medical Bay...
Hindenburg quietly watched Yuuki from her bed.
The moment their eyes met...
She spoke without hesitation.
"...Contractor."
Yuuki looked over with a helpless smile.
"...Yes?"
"Let us finalize the contract."
Several nearby Shipgirls looked over curiously.
Yuuki sighed.
"We'll do that..."
"...after you've properly recovered."
Hindenburg frowned ever so slightly.
"My physical condition is already stabilizing."
Mary immediately looked up from her clipboard.
"No."
"The doctor says otherwise."
Pepper nodded.
"Minimum twenty-four more hours of observation."
Akashi raised a paw.
"No escaping medical orders, nyaa!"
Hindenburg quietly leaned back against her pillow.
"...Very well."
"I shall wait."
Mecklenburg immediately raised her hand from the neighboring bed.
"Great Wizard!"
Yuuki looked over.
"...What now?"
"You promised!"
She pointed dramatically.
"Flying broomsticks!"
"You promised to show me!"
Several heads immediately turned.
Anis blinked.
"...Flying..."
"...broomsticks?"
Neon leaned forward with a grin.
"Ah, those."
"You've been talking about them since we freed her."
Mecklenburg nodded enthusiastically.
"They're real!"
"I want to ride one!"
Yuuki rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"...Recover first."
He pointed toward her medical monitor.
"I am absolutely not letting you fly..."
"...while you're barely able to walk."
Mecklenburg puffed out her cheeks.
"...But I can walk."
She immediately swung her legs off the bed.
"I'll prove—"
She stood.
Took exactly one step.
"..."
"Wobble."
Before she could fall...
Friedrich calmly reached over and caught her shoulder.
"...Perhaps..."
"...the Great Wizard has a point."
Mecklenburg slowly sat back down.
"...Maybe..."
"...just a little dizzy."
Hipper folded her arms triumphantly.
"Hah."
"I knew it."
Yuuki couldn't help smiling.
"See?"
"No broomsticks until Doctor Mary clears you."
Yuu adjusted her glasses from across the room.
"And after I perform a full mana compatibility examination."
Mecklenburg's shoulders slumped.
"...Another examination?"
Centaur and Albion exchanged sympathetic looks.
"...We understand your suffering."
Mecklenburg looked toward the elf sisters.
"...You've been through this too?"
Both sisters nodded together.
"...Many times."
Yuu smiled brightly.
"It'll only take a few hours."
The three magical Shipgirls immediately looked horrified.
Akashi quietly whispered to Pepper,
"Doctor Yuu found new research subjects, nyaa."
Pepper smiled helplessly.
"...She certainly did."
Yuuki laughed softly.
"Recover first."
"After that..."
"I'll teach you all about flying broomsticks. I'll even teach you all how to fly it."
Mecklenburg immediately brightened again.
"A promise?"
"A promise."
She happily settled back beneath her blanket.
"I can wait..."
"...if it means learning real wizard magic."
Kaguya watched the exchange while sipping her tea.
"'Tis amusing."
Yuuki glanced at her.
"What is?"
She smiled knowingly.
"Thou hast rescued warriors..."
"...yet somehow..."
"...they all end up becoming children around thee."
The Medical Bay filled with warm laughter once again.
===============
Not far from the growing crowd around Yuuki...
Eunhwa quietly watched the commotion.
"...They are quite noisy."
She sighed.
Rapi simply smiled as she scooped another spoonful of warm porridge.
"Open."
"I can eat by myself."
Eunhwa looked away with a faint blush.
"You are aware of that, aren't you?"
"I am."
Rapi held the spoon exactly where it was.
"But today..."
"...you're my friend."
"Let me take care of you for once."
Eunhwa stared at her for a few seconds.
Then...
"...Fine."
She reluctantly opened her mouth.
"...Ah."
Rapi smiled warmly as she fed her.
"There."
"...Happy?"
"...Don't push your luck."
Despite her words...
Eunhwa didn't pull away.
Emma watched the exchange from the neighboring bed.
A broad smile slowly spread across her face.
"...There they are."
Vesti looked over from across the room.
"The old Absolute Squad?"
Emma nodded.
"No..."
She chuckled softly.
"...Something even better."
"Our family."
Eunhwa rolled her eyes.
"I can still hear you."
"Good."
Emma laughed.
"Then you know I mean it."
Even Eunhwa couldn't suppress the tiny smile forming at the corner of her lips.
Meanwhile...
Several beds away...
"Hit me."
Neon confidently crossed her arms.
"I've got this!"
Anis slowly dealt another card.
"...Twenty."
Neon grinned.
"Ha!"
"Beat that!"
Vesti carefully looked down at her own cards.
"...Um..."
"...I think..."
"...Blackjack?"
Silence.
Anis blinked.
"...Again?"
Vesti timidly nodded.
"...I think so."
Neon stared at the cards.
"...No way."
Anis leaned over to check.
"...Twenty-one."
She looked back at Vesti.
"...That's your fourth blackjack."
Neon dramatically grabbed both sides of her head.
"Impossible!"
"Firepower can't lose to probability!"
Vesti shrank slightly.
"...S-Sorry..."
Anis immediately waved her hands.
"Don't apologize!"
"You just have terrifying luck."
Neon pointed dramatically.
"I demand a rematch!"
Vesti blinked.
"...Again?"
"Again!"
Five minutes later...
"...Blackjack."
Vesti quietly placed her cards on the bed once more.
Neon slumped over dramatically.
"...I'm retiring."
Anis burst into laughter.
"I've seen you charge Rapture fortresses without fear..."
"...and yet a card game defeated you."
Vesti nervously scratched her cheek.
"...Was..."
"...I too lucky?"
Laffey glanced over from Ayanami's bedside.
"...Vesti..."
"...is secretly overpowered."
Even Nimi allowed herself a faint smile.
"...It would appear..."
"...her luck stat is considerably higher than Neon's."
Neon slowly pointed toward the ceiling.
"...Commander..."
"...please nerf Vesti."
Yuuki looked over from the ever-growing line of Sakura girls waiting for ear rubs.
"...Sorry.. a little bit busy right now.."
The Medical Bay erupted into laughter once again.
Soon after, Laffey quietly stood up and walked over, dragging her pillow along.
"...Vesti..."
"...sharing is efficient."
She climbed onto the bed without waiting for permission.
Javelin followed right behind her, smiling brightly.
"Hey! Mind if we join too?"
Without waiting for an answer, she hopped onto the bed as well.
Nimi adjusted her glasses before stepping closer.
"...It would be inefficient to remain separated."
She carefully sat down beside them.
Unicorn hesitated for a moment before softly speaking.
"...Um..."
"...may I join too?"
Vesti immediately nodded.
"Y-Yes! Of course!"
Unicorn smiled gently and climbed onto the bed, sitting close while holding her plush.
Soon, the once quiet bed became crowded.
"Sandy too!" San Diego came with the three bulin sisters and join them as qell.
A group of little girls playing together.
Nikkes and Shipgirls.
"Bulin!"
Warm.
Lively.
Vesti looked around at everyone gathered beside her.
Laffey resting lazily.
Javelin chatting happily.
Nimi calmly observing.
Unicorn smiling softly.
Neon is clinging to Nimi.
Sandy tried her best to count card numbers.
The bulins were running all over the med bay.
Her hands tightened slightly around her blanket.
"...I..."
She hesitated.
Then smiled.
"...I have a lot of friends now."
Emma watched from nearby, her smile widening.
"...Yes."
"...you really do."
Emma had been idly flipping through a magazine she found nearby, humming softly to herself.
"...Hmm?"
Her eyes paused on a small section of text.
Without thinking, she read it aloud.
"How to make a Nepoleon Cake?"
Avrora, who had been quietly observing the room, suddenly turned her head.
"...You speak Soviet?"
Emma blinked, surprised.
"Oh!"
She looked up at Avrora with a bright smile.
"You understood that?"
Avrora's lips curved into a gentle smile.
"Of course. I am Northern Parliament."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I didn't expect to hear Soviet here."
Emma laughed softly.
"Well, I picked it up here and there."
She closed the magazine and leaned a bit closer.
"I didn't expect to meet someone who speaks it fluently either."
Avrora's expression softened.
"That's nice."
Emma nodded warmly.
"It really is."
For a brief moment...
The noise of the Medical Bay faded into the background.
Two people...
Connected by something unexpectedly familiar.
And for Avrora...
That small, simple exchange...
Felt like a piece of home.
==============
Lunch aboard the Daedalus turned into complete chaos.
Not the kind born from alarms or battle...
But from having dozens of hungry Shipgirls and Nikkes gathered in one place.
Instead of scattered seating, everyone had been gathered around one massive table that stretched across the cafeteria.
Above them, service drones hovered and moved in perfect coordination, delivering trays upon trays of freshly prepared food.
Rice, curry, grilled meats, soups, desserts—everything arrived faster than anyone could finish.
"More rice!"
"Already here!"
"I'll take another bowl!"
A drone gently lowered a steaming plate right in front of the speaker.
The serving never stopped.
Yuuki sat among them at the long table, quietly watching the lively scene unfold.
A small smile never left his face.
"...They're getting along."
Kaguya sat beside him, gracefully sipping tea.
"Indeed."
"'Tis a rather pleasant sight."
Around the table...
Former strangers were already eating side by side.
Pennsylvania sat beside Emma, comparing military rations with amused disbelief.
Arizona quietly chatted with Mary and Pepper while Vestal insisted she eat more vegetables.
Privaty, Velvet, Cocoa, Ade, Soda and Belfast sat together, with Belfast calmly observing them with a composed smile.
Belfast gently folded her hands.
"You have not yet officially begun your duties."
"There is no need to restrain yourselves."
Privaty let out a relieved sigh.
"Finally."
Velvet quietly picked up her utensils.
"...Thank you, Head Maid."
Belfast inclined her head.
"Enjoy your meal."
And just like that—
The table finally began eating.
Nearby...
The Sakura Empire group had turned their section into a battlefield of a different sort.
Zuikaku proudly stacked empty bowls beside herself.
"...Eight."
Hiryuu immediately pointed at her own stack.
"Only eight?"
"I'm already on ten!"
Shoukaku sighed.
"You two are making this into a competition?"
"Obviously."
Zuikaku answered without looking up.
"We haven't had proper food in years!"
Souryuu quietly nodded while taking another bite.
"...Agreed."
"...I refuse to stop until I'm full."
Houshou watched them with gentle amusement.
"...Slowly."
"No one is taking the food away."
"Eat properly."
"Hai~"
The four carriers answered together before immediately reaching for more.
Centaur quietly looked at the mountain of food Hiryuu was consuming.
"...Remarkable."
Albion nodded.
"...I had no idea someone could eat that much."
Hiryuu proudly looked up.
"...Want to race?"
The two elf sisters immediately shook their heads.
"...No."
At another section of the same long table...
The Nikkes were no less energetic.
Anis looked at Neon's plate.
"...How is that your fourth serving?"
Neon proudly pointed with her chopsticks.
"Firepower requires fuel!"
Vesti looked down at her own mountain of food.
"...Should..."
"...I eat this much too?"
Emma laughed.
"Go ahead."
"The doctors practically ordered it."
Rapi quietly placed another piece of meat onto Eunhwa's plate.
"...Protein."
"You'll recover faster."
Eunhwa sighed.
"...You're enjoying this far too much."
"I am."
"...I noticed."
Not far away...
Yuuki watched the table.
Shipgirls.
Nikkes.
Everyone laughing.
Talking.
Eating.
Drones quietly continued delivering more food without interruption.
For a brief moment...
There were no Sirens.
No Raptures.
No battles.
Only lunch.
Kaguya quietly followed his gaze.
"...What occupies thy thoughts, dearest?"
Yuuki smiled.
"...Nothing complicated."
He watched Zuikaku and Hiryuu arguing over who had eaten more.
He watched Vesti laughing with Neon.
He watched Avrora teaching Emma another Soviet phrase.
He watched Centaur and Albion cautiously trying desserts for the first time.
He watched Akagi and Kaga joining Shoukaku and Zuikaku.
He watched Yorktown smiling as she conversed with Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Enterprise.
He watched Centaur and Albion joining the fairies, who secretly ate less out of quiet jealousy.
He watched Friedrich with Eugen, Hipper with Hindenburg and Mecklenburg.
"...This."
Kaguya smiled.
"...Peace."
Yuuki nodded.
"...Yeah."
"For today..."
"...that's enough."
Around them...
The recovered Shipgirls continued eating with astonishing enthusiasm.
Every empty plate was quickly replaced by another by the hovering drones.
Years of starvation.
Years of surviving on nutrient solutions.
Their bodies no longer needed to conserve every calorie.
Now...
They could finally eat until they were full.
And no one aboard the Daedalus intended to stop them.
==============
Not long after lunch...
Akashi clapped her paws together.
"Alright everyone, nyaa!"
"The doctors have finished the examinations!"
"Next stop!"
"...The barber!"
Several of the newly rescued Shipgirls blinked.
"...Barber?"
Akashi nodded enthusiastically.
"Follow Akashi, nyaa!"
The group was led into another section of the Daedalus.
As the doors opened...
They were greeted by several sleek flying drones hovering in place.
Each hovered beside an advanced barber station, equipped with delicate articulated tools.
Shoukaku blinked.
"...They're robots?"
Akashi puffed out her chest proudly.
"Drone barbers, nyaa!"
"The Commander made sure everyone can choose whatever hairstyle they want!"
Zuikaku immediately grabbed the end of her long hair.
"...Finally."
"I've been stepping on this thing."
Hiryuu laughed.
"I almost forgot what my original haircut looked like."
Souryuu gently touched one of her rabbit ears.
"...I'd like mine back too."
One by one...
The rescued Shipgirls took their seats.
The drones projected holographic previews.
Original hairstyle restored?
Yes / No
Shoukaku smiled.
"...Yes."
Soft humming filled the room as the drones worked with incredible precision.
Within minutes...
Long, overgrown hair disappeared.
Their familiar hairstyles returned.
Zuikaku looked into the mirror.
"...That's me."
Hiryuu grinned.
"I feel ten years lighter."
Even Friedrich quietly smiled as her elegant hairstyle was perfectly restored.
Nearby...
Another row of machines activated.
The Clothing Generator.
Akashi proudly gestured toward it.
"Next!"
"Original uniforms, nyaa!"
One after another...
The rescued Shipgirls stepped into the generators.
Particles of light surrounded them.
Moments later...
They emerged wearing the uniforms they had once lost.
Shoukaku gently brushed her sleeves.
"...It feels nostalgic."
Arizona smiled softly.
"I never thought I'd wear this again."
Centaur adjusted her Royal Navy attire.
"...Perfectly fitted."
Albion nodded.
"The fabric even feels the same."
The room quietly filled with relieved smiles.
For the first time in years...
They finally looked like themselves again.
A short distance away...
Privaty stood in front of Yuuki instead of entering the Clothing Generator.
"...Commander?"
Yuuki looked up.
"Hm?"
She hesitated briefly.
"...May I ask for something different?"
"What is it?"
She looked toward the GDI personnel walking through the corridor.
"...May I wear a GDI uniform instead?"
Several nearby Nikkes turned toward her.
Yuuki smiled.
"I don't see why not."
Privaty looked relieved.
"I... wanted something that represents where I belong now."
Yuuki thought for a moment.
Then shook his head lightly.
"No need to change everything."
Privaty blinked.
"...Huh?"
Yuuki gestured toward her current outfit.
"Your uniform already suits you."
"Let's just make one adjustment."
He activated the Clothing Generator's interface.
"The Triangle insignia..."
"...replace it with the GDI crest."
A holographic preview appeared.
Privaty's familiar uniform remained unchanged—
Except for the emblem.
Where the Ark's Triangle once was...
Now rested the GDI insignia.
Privaty stared at it.
"...I..."
Her fingers lightly touched the projection.
"...It's still me."
Yuuki nodded.
"But now it shows where you stand."
Privaty smiled softly.
"...I like this better."
The Clothing Generator activated.
Soft light enveloped her.
Moments later...
She stepped out once more.
Her original uniform remained intact—
Perfectly fitted as always.
But now...
The GDI crest rested proudly where the Triangle once had been.
She looked down at herself.
Then toward the others.
"...How do I look?"
Ade immediately smiled.
"It suits you."
Soda clasped her hands together.
"You look amazing!"
Velvet nodded.
"...Very dignified."
Belfast gave an approving smile.
"A refined military appearance."
"It complements you well."
Privaty gently touched the GDI crest on her chest.
A small, confident smile formed.
"...Then..."
"...I'll wear this with pride."
Yuuki smiled back.
When Velvet's turn came, she stepped into the Clothing Generator with a quiet, almost nostalgic expression.
"...I'll use my old outfit."
The machine hummed softly as it scanned her preferences.
Moments later, Velvet stepped out.
Her original maid attire appeared—sleek, elegant... but noticeably revealing in certain areas.
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"...Absolutely not."
Belfast's voice cut through the room with calm authority.
Velvet blinked.
"...Is something wrong?"
Belfast approached her, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she examined the outfit.
"The design is... aesthetically pleasing."
A pause.
"...However."
She gently adjusted her gloves.
"It is far too indecent for proper service."
Velvet tilted her head.
"...Indecent?"
Emma, standing nearby, let out a soft laugh.
"Oh my..."
"I was wondering how long it would take."
Belfast turned toward the Clothing Generator.
"Allow me."
With a few precise inputs, the machine activated once more.
Light enveloped Velvet again.
When it faded...
She stood in a refined, classic Royal Maid uniform.
Longer skirt.
Proper apron.
Elegant sleeves.
Perfectly balanced.
Velvet looked down at herself.
"...This is..."
Belfast gave a satisfied nod.
"A proper maid's attire."
"Elegant."
"Respectable."
"And suitable for service."
Velvet slowly turned, examining every detail.
"...It feels different."
Emma smiled warmly.
"You look wonderful."
Velvet glanced at her.
"...Do I?"
Emma nodded.
"Much more fitting."
"And far less distracting."
Velvet paused.
"...Distracting?"
Belfast cleared her throat.
"I was referring to how you tend to distract the Commander."
"That will not be necessary to elaborate."
Emma chuckled softly.
"I told you."
Velvet looked between them, then back at her reflection.
After a moment...
A small, quiet smile appeared.
"...I understand."
Belfast gave a graceful bow.
"Welcome to proper service."
Emma crossed her arms with a playful grin.
"Told you."
==============
Much later that evening...
For the first time since the operation began...
Yuuki finally had a moment to himself.
His quarters aboard the Daedalus were quiet.
No alarms.
No tactical displays.
No mission reports.
He simply sat on the edge of his bed and let out a long breath.
"...Finally..."
"...A day is over."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The rescued Shipgirls.
The rescued Nikkes.
Ayanami.
Cinderella.
Everyone was safe.
That alone made the exhaustion worthwhile.
A calm voice suddenly broke the silence.
"...You seem to be in a rather good mood."
Yuuki immediately looked up.
"...What?"
Standing a few meters away...
Was a small grey figure.
He resembled an anthropomorphic frog.
Smooth grey skin.
Bulbous eyes with horizontal eyelids.
Gills along the sides of his head.
Four thin tendrils hanging from his lower jaw.
Two longer tendrils from his upper jaw forming a beard-like appearance.
His posture was calm.
His expression unreadable.
Yuuki's eyes widened.
"...Azmuth?!"
"How..."
"I thought I was in another universe."
Azmuth calmly folded his hands behind his back.
"You are."
"...And you aren't."
Yuuki blinked.
"...What?"
Azmuth sighed.
"I sometimes wonder whether your hearing deteriorates after every adventure."
"The Omnitrix you carry..."
He pointed toward Yuuki's interface.
Mainly his inventory.
Where the Omnitrix is located.
"...contains a dimensional anchor."
"Primus exists within its own separate dimensional layer within the Omnitrix."
"It is no longer tied to any conventional universe."
"It follows the Omnitrix."
Yuuki slowly looked down at the watch containment in the inventory.
"...So..."
"...I've been carrying Primus this whole time?"
"In simplified terms."
"...Yes."
Azmuth answered matter-of-factly.
"The Omnitrix remains synchronized with its core systems."
"Distance is irrelevant."
Yuuki leaned back against the wall.
"...That's..."
"...actually reassuring."
Azmuth quietly observed him.
"You have changed."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"Is that a compliment?"
"...An observation."
Azmuth replied.
"When we first met..."
"You sought power."
"Now..."
"You seem more interested in saving people than defeating enemies."
Yuuki chuckled softly.
"...Power's pointless if there's no one left to protect. Plus, saving extended to these Shipgirls and Nikkes. Maybe some other people along the way."
Azmuth remained silent for several seconds.
Then...
A faint smile appeared.
Barely noticeable.
"...Perhaps."
"...You finally understand why I created the Omnitrix."
Yuuki looked toward him.
"I used to think it was just the most powerful weapon ever made."
Azmuth immediately corrected him.
"It never was."
"It is..."
"...the greatest instrument of understanding ever conceived."
Yuuki nodded slowly.
"...Yeah."
"I think I finally understand that now. I used it for years before taking it off to focus on developing the GDI. "
Silence settled over the room once more.
Comfortable silence.
After a moment...
Yuuki smiled.
"So..."
"You didn't come all this way just to compliment me."
Azmuth gave him an unimpressed look.
"I did not compliment you."
"...Right."
"You observed me."
"Correct."
Yuuki laughed.
"...So."
"What brings the smartest being in five galaxies to my room?"
Azmuth looked at him quietly.
"...Have you considered my offer?"
Yuuki already knew which one.
He looked down at his wrist.
"The Omnitrix?"
Azmuth nodded once.
"...Putting it back on."
Yuuki smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Azmuth..."
"...I already have everything I need."
He tapped the glowing crystal embedded in the center of his chest.
"The Tacitus."
"My nanomachines."
"The Legions."
"My fleet."
"The girls."
"I don't need more power."
"I don't want to be a hero. I rather command heroes than be one. Three lifetimes is more than enough. "
Azmuth remained silent for a moment.
Then...
"Ah..."
"...the Tacitus."
His expression became thoughtful.
"An extraordinary piece of Galvan technology."
Yuuki blinked.
"...Galvan?"
Azmuth nodded.
"It was never intended for warfare."
He slowly walked toward the window overlooking the stars.
"It was originally our planetary knowledge archives."
"A supercomputer."
"A living information server."
"It catalogued civilizations..."
"...scientific discoveries..."
"...and technological achievements of the Galvans."
Yuuki folded his arms.
"...Then how did it end up here? I mean back in original Earth?"
Azmuth sighed.
"...The Scrin."
"They stole it."
"They reverse-engineered what little they understood."
"They weaponized the rest."
"What was designed to preserve knowledge..."
"...became a tool for conquering worlds."
Yuuki wasn't particularly surprised.
"They're the Scrin."
"They corrupt everything they touch."
"Precisely."
Azmuth answered.
"They never understood the purpose behind the technology. When the Galvans sought to reclaim it, the Scrin sent it to Earth—your Earth, at that time. When humans discovered it, we were disappointed to see them use it to build weapon after weapon. Primitive species—both humans and Scrin. What disappointed me most was that a human, Albert Einstein, used it to gain knowledge of time travel. We Galvans forbid time travel, though we preserve its theory within the Tacitus. It seems he used it and disrupted the timestream. I admit, I was disappointed in humanity."
"They only saw weapons. Your chrono-technology are based on our research on timestreams."
"Oh..."
He slowly turned back toward Yuuki.
His eyes settled upon the faint blue glow beneath Yuuki's shirt.
"...May I?"
Yuuki looked down.
"The Arc Reactor?"
Azmuth nodded.
"I would like to examine it."
Yuuki shrugged.
"Sure."
He pulled coat aside slightly.
The blue triangle-shaped energy construct embedded within the chest plate became visible.
Its light pulsed rhythmically.
Almost like a heartbeat.
Azmuth stepped closer.
Several small holographic scanners projected from his wrist.
Blue beams quietly swept across the device.
His eyes narrowed.
"...Remarkable."
Yuuki smiled.
"Good remarkable?"
Azmuth ignored the question.
"...You created a duplicate."
"A functional one."
Yuuki nodded.
"It took years."
"The Tacitus helped."
Azmuth slowly circled him.
"The original Tesseract manipulates exotic spatial energy."
"Yours..."
He observed another reading.
"...does not."
"It achieves nearly identical results through an entirely different energy architecture."
Yuuki scratched his cheek.
"...Is that bad?"
Azmuth shook his head.
"No."
"If anything..."
"...it is more elegant."
He looked genuinely impressed.
"You did not copy the Tesseract."
"You understood its function..."
"...and recreated the effect using technologies available to you."
Yuuki chuckled.
"Engineer mentality."
Azmuth looked directly at him.
"No."
"...Galvan mentality."
That answer surprised Yuuki more than any compliment ever could.
Azmuth deactivated his scanners.
"I underestimated you."
"You no longer imitate advanced civilizations."
"You innovate."
He gave one final glance toward the glowing cube.
"I suspect..."
"...given enough time..."
"...your version may eventually surpass the original."
Yuuki laughed awkwardly.
"I think that's the first real compliment you've ever given me."
Azmuth immediately folded his arms.
"I merely made another observation."
"...Of course you did."
"...Naturally."
For just a brief moment...
The corners of Azmuth's mouth lifted ever so slightly.
Yuuki looked curiously at the glowing construct in his chest.
"...Why do you call this the Tesseract?"
Azmuth folded his hands behind his back.
"Because that is precisely what inspired it."
"A Tesseract is a Galvan energy cube."
"A cube containing virtually limitless energy, created by harnessing the spatial forces permeating the universe itself."
He calmly continued.
"A single authentic Tesseract supplies enough energy to power all of Galvan Prime."
"Our cities."
"Our research facilities."
"Our planetary defenses."
"...Everything."
Yuuki looked back down at the crystal embedded within his armor.
"And this one?"
Azmuth's scanners continued sweeping across it.
"You created a duplicate."
"Not an identical copy..."
"...but one that faithfully reproduces the original's purpose."
He looked at Yuuki.
"You could power an entire planet with this."
Yuuki immediately shook his head.
"...Too dangerous."
"That's why it's restricted."
"It only powers my Echo and Gamma Suits."
"The fleet."
"The Daedalus."
"GDI installations."
"I don't intend to build civilization around limitless energy. I can trust my faction but, not the ones after me."
Azmuth quietly nodded.
"...Wise."
"Limitless energy often creates limitless temptation."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"I didn't invent it from scratch anyway."
"I found the concept inside Professor Siegfried's research."
"He couldn't finish it during the Mental Omega War."
"There simply wasn't enough technology."
"I completed it during the Third Tiberium War."
"The Echo Suits all use miniature Tesseract reactors."
"The older Zone Armors still rely on Palladium Ark Reactors."
Azmuth slowly turned toward him.
"...Wait."
"...Siegfried."
"He proposed this?"
Yuuki nodded.
"I think studying the Tacitus gave him the idea."
"He probably found archived Galvan data describing the original Tesseract."
"He left the mathematics behind."
"I merely finished what he started."
Azmuth was silent.
Then...
"...Remarkable."
"You did not merely copy Galvan engineering."
"You interpreted incomplete theoretical work..."
"...and improved upon it."
He looked back toward the glowing crystal.
"You created limitless energy..."
"...for your people."
His expression remained calm.
Yet...
There was unmistakable admiration in his voice.
"...I am impressed."
Yuuki laughed awkwardly.
"I'll treasure that compliment forever."
"I did not compliment you."
"...Observation."
"...Yes."
"...Observation."
Both of them smiled.
Azmuth's attention shifted toward the Omnitrix inside his inventory.
"There remains another matter."
Yuuki looked down.
"...The Omnitrix?"
Azmuth nodded.
"When it selected you..."
"I expected you to rely upon it."
"Instead..."
"You rarely transform."
Yuuki leaned back in his chair.
"I used it when I needed it."
"But..."
"...after a while..."
"I realized something."
Azmuth quietly waited.
"...I'm not human."
The room became silent.
Azmuth slowly looked toward him.
"...You know."
Yuuki nodded.
"I've suspected it for a long time."
"My body."
"My healing."
"My compatibility with everything."
"It never really made sense."
Azmuth folded his arms.
"...Do you know what you are?"
Yuuki slowly shook his head.
"...No."
"To me..."
"I'm just..."
"...me."
Azmuth activated another holographic display.
"When the Omnitrix selected you..."
"I searched the Codon Stream."
"The complete genetic archive of every species catalogued by the Omnitrix."
"I expected to find your DNA."
He looked directly into Yuuki's eyes.
"I found..."
"...nothing."
Yuuki frowned.
"...Nothing?"
"No corresponding genome."
"No ancestral record."
"No evolutionary lineage."
"You do not exist..."
"...within the Codon Stream."
Yuuki remained silent.
Azmuth continued.
"What are you..."
"...kid?"
Yuuki looked out toward the stars.
"...I honestly don't know."
He smiled quietly.
"But..."
"...when I look in the mirror..."
"I still see a human."
Azmuth slowly nodded.
"Perhaps."
"But your biology tells another story."
He began pacing once more.
"You synchronize effortlessly with Wisdom Cubes."
"A phenomenon unique to these Shipgirls."
"You've also interacted safely with Bastion Cubes."
"Technology capable of rebuilding humans into Nikkes."
He glanced toward the door.
"And today..."
"I detected Arcane Cubes."
He remembered Kaguya.
"A remarkable construct."
"Cubic mana condensers."
"They contain and regulate Arcane energy at densities I have never encountered."
Yuuki smiled.
"Kaguya's cube."
Azmuth nodded.
"Then there are Wisdom Cubes."
"They manifest warships as living beings."
"Bastion Cubes."
"They recreate mortally wounded humans as combat-capable artificial life."
He looked thoughtful.
"Three fundamentally different technologies..."
"...all built upon cubic energy matrices."
Yuuki folded his arms.
"Don't forget the Origin Cubes."
"And Metal Cubes."
Azmuth nodded once.
"I detected those as well."
"The so called META Origin Cubes."
"The Sirens' Metal Cubes."
He looked genuinely fascinated.
"...This universe..."
"...is unlike any I have ever studied."
He turned back toward Yuuki.
"That..."
"...is why I chose to leave Primus."
"And speak with you personally."
"For the first time in a very long while..."
The greatest mind in five galaxies allowed himself the faintest smile.
"...I have found something..."
"...that I do not yet fully understand."
Azmuth remained standing by the window, silently watching the stars beyond the Daedalus.
After a long moment, he spoke.
"...Vergil would be pleased to see me again."
Yuuki smiled.
"Yeah."
"He's changed."
"He used to be a power-hungry bastard."
"Now?"
"He researches whatever catches his interest."
Azmuth nodded.
"I see."
"Intellectual curiosity is a far better motivation than conquest."
Silence lingered.
Then Azmuth looked back toward Yuuki.
"...Have you reconsidered my offer?"
Yuuki already knew the answer.
"...The Omnitrix."
Azmuth nodded.
Yuuki leaned back in his chair.
"I don't want to rely on it."
"I have everything I need."
"I'd rather let them become the heroes."
"They're the ones living in this world."
"I merely guide them."
Azmuth folded his arms.
"I understand."
"But this world..."
He paused.
"...is unlike any I have observed."
"The Raptures."
"The Sirens."
"They are tampering with forces they do not yet understand."
"And that concerns me."
Yuuki quietly listened.
"It remains your decision."
Azmuth continued.
"I will not force you."
"...However."
"I have upgraded your Omnitrix."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"...Upgraded it?"
"With what?"
Azmuth simply answered,
"...Something I believe you will appreciate."
Yuuki laughed.
"You're really trying hard to convince me."
"As a precaution."
Azmuth replied immediately.
"You possess one of the greatest repositories of knowledge ever created."
"The Tacitus."
"You possess technology rivaling—or in some cases surpassing—that of the Galvans."
"You command a rapidly expanding interdimensional faction."
"And..."
He looked directly into Yuuki's eyes.
"...you possess a body I still cannot identify."
Yuuki remained silent.
"I have reached a conclusion."
Azmuth continued.
"For the time being..."
"...I trust you with the Tacitus."
"I have watched how your faction employs it."
"You rescue."
"You build."
"You preserve."
"You do not conquer."
His expression hardened slightly.
"...But if you fall..."
"...the consequences would extend far beyond this universe."
Yuuki looked away.
"...You still want me to wear it."
"I do."
"You need not transform."
"You need not rely upon Alien DNA."
"But there may come a day..."
"...when you have no other option."
Yuuki slowly nodded.
"I understand."
Azmuth continued quietly.
"You possess an extraordinary physiology."
"Unknown."
"Uncatalogued."
"If others discover what you truly are..."
"There will be those who seek to study you."
"...Capture you."
"...Or weaponize you."
Azmuth studied him for a moment longer before speaking again.
"...Have you told the others that you can manipulate mana?"
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"No."
"I haven't."
Azmuth tilted his head slightly.
"...Why not?"
Yuuki looked down at his hand.
"...I'd rather keep it that way."
"I'm already different enough."
Azmuth gave a small nod.
"I noticed."
"They remain unaware."
He paused briefly, then accepted the answer.
"...Very well."
He began walking toward the fading dimensional gateway behind him.
"I shall continue observing."
"From within Primus. Within the Omnitrix."
He looked back.
"...This world fascinates me."
"I remain the smartest being in five galaxies..."
"...yet this universe continues presenting phenomena beyond my understanding."
He gave Yuuki one last, measured look.
"So..."
"...consider my request."
"When the time comes..."
"...do the right thing."
Yuuki quietly nodded.
"...I'll think about it."
The room's automatic door slid open with a soft hiss.
"Chief... everyone is—"
Yuu stopped mid-sentence.
Her black eyes widened slightly.
"...Oh."
She immediately recognized the small grey figure.
"...Azmuth."
The Galvan turned toward her.
For the first time since arriving...
His stern expression softened.
"...You are as beautiful as you once were..."
"...Kirino Yuu."
Yuu smiled warmly.
"It has been a long time."
"The last time I saw you was back on Earth 2.0."
Azmuth gave a single nod.
"Indeed."
"I suppose it has."
Yuu glanced between Azmuth and Yuuki.
"...Why are you here?"
Then realization dawned on her.
"...Wait."
She looked toward Yuuki.
"You're not trying to convince Chief to wear the Omnitrix again..."
Azmuth answered before Yuuki could.
"I would prefer not to pressure him."
"...However."
"I believe I have presented a convincing argument."
Yuuki gave an amused shrug.
"...He's surprisingly persuasive."
Yuu folded her arms.
"...He always was."
She suddenly looked at Yuuki with narrowed eyes.
"...Remember the first time you transformed?"
Yuuki immediately pointed accusingly.
"Exactly!"
"You wanted to dissect me!"
Yuu looked completely unashamed.
"...You were an entirely different species."
"Of course I was interested."
"You suddenly turned into an alien lifeform that violated everything I understood about human biology."
She adjusted her glasses.
"Do you know how many research papers that could have produced?"
Yuuki deadpanned.
"...My first concern was surviving."
"Your first concern was obtaining tissue samples."
"I only requested a few."
"A few?"
"You were holding surgical tools!"
"They were sterilized."
"They were scalpels!"
"They were scientific scalpels."
"There is a difference."
"There isn't!"
Azmuth quietly watched the exchange.
Then...
He gave the faintest chuckle.
Yuuki and Yuu both stopped.
They slowly turned toward him.
"...Did..."
"...did you just laugh?"
Azmuth immediately regained his composure.
"I merely found the situation..."
"...statistically amusing."
Yuuki grinned.
"That's the closest thing to laughter we're ever getting."
Yuu nodded in agreement.
"I'll count it."
Azmuth sighed.
"...Humans."
Yuu immediately corrected him.
"...Chief isn't entirely human."
Azmuth looked toward her.
"...Neither of us knows what he is."
Yuu nodded thoughtfully.
"Exactly."
"Which makes him the single most interesting biological specimen I've ever encountered."
Yuuki slowly backed toward the door.
"...You're doing it again."
Yuu blinked innocently.
"Doing what?"
"Looking at me like I'm tomorrow's laboratory experiment."
"...I would never."
She paused.
"...Without asking first."
Yuuki stared.
"...That does not make it better."
Azmuth folded his arms once more.
"...You two remain exactly as I remember."
Yuuki sighed dramatically.
"...Unfortunately."
Yuu smiled.
"...Fortunately."
For a brief moment...
The room was filled with comfortable laughter.
A rare sight.
The greatest scientific mind of the Galvans...
The GDI's brilliant chief researcher...
And the commander who somehow managed to survive both of them.
Azmuth's figure slowly dissolved into blue light.
The dimensional gateway closed behind him.
The room became silent once more.
The room fell quiet once more after Azmuth's departure.
Only the faint hum of the Daedalus could be heard.
Yuuki slowly walked toward a storage cabinet.
Yuu remained beside him the entire time, quietly observing.
From inside...
He removed a small metallic sphere.
The sphere unfolded in his palm with a soft mechanical click.
Resting inside...
Was the Omnitrix.
Untouched.
For years.
The last time he had worn it...
He had been sixteen.
Back on Earth 2.0.
He gently traced the familiar green emblem with his thumb.
"...It's been a while."
He had removed it by choice.
Not because he hated it.
Not because it had failed him.
But because...
He wanted to become stronger as himself.
Just...
Yuuki.
The engineer.
The commander.
The man who built armor with his own hands.
Who brought the GDI away from Earth 1.0.
Who led fleets instead of fighting every battle alone.
He wanted to be...
Normal.
Yuu stood quietly at his side, never leaving.
"Chief..."
She stopped after noticing the object resting in his hands.
"The Omnitrix..."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"...Yeah."
He turned toward her.
"What do you think, Yuu?"
He lifted the watch slightly.
"...Should I?"
He smirked.
"...Other than trying to dissect me, of course."
Yuu snorted.
"...Pff."
She stepped closer, standing right beside him as she looked at the Omnitrix.
Then at him.
"What do you think, Chief?"
Yuuki remained quiet.
Yuu continued.
"You shouldn't ask me."
"You should ask yourself."
"Why do you need it?"
She looked him directly in the eyes.
"Because Azmuth asked you to?"
"...Or because you want to?"
Yuuki looked down.
"...I..."
Before he could answer—
Thud.
Both of them turned.
Yorktown stood awkwardly at the doorway.
One hand was still resting on the half-open door.
"...Umm..."
"...Sorry..."
"I happened to..."
"...hear quite a bit of it."
She looked embarrassed.
"I promise..."
"I won't tell anyone about the little green frog..."
"...Az..."
Yuuki smiled.
"...Azmuth."
"Right."
"...Azmuth."
Yorktown immediately took a small step backward.
"I'll leave you two alone."
Yuuki gently shook his head.
"...No."
"...Stay."
Yuu remained beside him, arms folded, watching quietly.
Yorktown hesitated.
"...Are you sure?"
He nodded.
"...Hana."
Yorktown walked over quietly.
Yuuki held up the Omnitrix.
"...What do you think?"
Yorktown didn't answer immediately.
Instead...
She gently wrapped her arms around him.
A warm hug.
Yuu stayed close, not interrupting.
"...Commander."
"You once told me..."
"...why you came to this world."
Yuuki smiled softly.
"...I came..."
"...for you."
"...And Laffey."
Yorktown nodded against his shoulder.
"Exactly."
She looked up at him.
"So..."
"...you've already answered your own question."
Yuuki blinked.
"...What?"
Yorktown smiled.
"You came..."
"...for those who needed saving."
She gently closed his fingers around the Omnitrix.
"You decide when to use it."
"You don't have to wear it every day."
"You don't have to rely on it."
She glanced toward the Daedalus beyond the window.
"...You have us."
"We're your fleet."
"You're our commander."
"Lead us."
"Fight beside us."
"Not instead of us."
Silence followed.
Yuu quietly smiled, still standing beside him.
"...Chief..."
"...She's right."
She leaned slightly closer rather than stepping away.
"Back then..."
"You carried every burden yourself."
"You used the Omnitrix because you believed everything depended on you."
She gestured toward the bustling carrier outside.
"...Look outside."
"The GDI fights together."
"You don't have to become the hero anymore."
She smiled warmly.
"If you wear it again..."
"...don't wear it for yourself."
"Wear it..."
"...so you can fight with us."
Yuuki looked down at the Omnitrix resting in his hand.
Then toward Yorktown.
Then toward Yuu, still beside him.
For the first time in years...
He wasn't looking at it as a weapon.
He was looking at it...
As another tool he might one day use...
To protect the family he had built.
He smiled. "Its been 11 years."
Yuuki looked down one last time at the Omnitrix resting in his palm.
He took a slow breath.
"...Guess it's time."
His Mark 86 armor responded to his thoughts.
Tiny nanomachines flowed away from his left forearm.
The armored gauntlet slowly dismantled itself.
Layer after layer.
Until only his bare wrist remained.
Yuu and Yorktown silently watched.
Neither interrupted.
Yuuki carefully lifted the Omnitrix.
"...Welcome back."
Click.
The device locked securely around his wrist.
For a brief instant...
Nothing happened.
Then—
BEEP.
A familiar emerald light pulsed across its face.
Unlike the prototype he had first received years ago...
This was the fully recalibrated Omnitrix.
The completed version.
The one Azmuth himself had perfected.
The interface awakened almost instantly.
Unknown system messages briefly flashed across its display before disappearing.
"...Huh?"
Yuuki frowned.
"I don't remember that."
Yuu leaned slightly closer.
"...Azmuth really did upgrade it."
The Omnitrix emitted another soft tone.
Its display rotated once.
Then settled.
Synchronizing with Yuuki's biometric signature once again.
A calm computerized voice echoed softly.
"Genetic profile confirmed."
"User recognized."
"Synchronization complete."
Yuuki flexed his fingers.
"...Feels..."
"...lighter."
Not more powerful.
Just...
Comfortably familiar.
Almost as if it had never left.
Then another system reacted.
The Mark 86 armor.
Nanomachines immediately flowed back across his exposed arm.
But instead of covering the Omnitrix...
They stopped.
Separated.
Reforming around it instead.
Armor plates carefully folded around the device without touching its face.
Leaving the Omnitrix perfectly exposed while integrating it into the suit.
Making it look like a gauntlet.
Several blue holographic displays appeared above the gauntlet.
Yuuki blinked.
"...Wait."
"I don't remember adding these."
Yuu adjusted her glasses.
"...You didn't."
"The armor detected new hardware."
"It simply recalibrated itself."
She smiled.
"...Honestly..."
"...it looks rather cool."
Yorktown nodded in agreement.
"It doesn't even look out of place anymore."
The Omnitrix now resembled the centerpiece of an advanced combat gauntlet.
Elegant.
Integrated.
Purpose-built.
Yuuki rotated his wrist slowly.
"...Not bad."
He laughed quietly.
"...Still feels strange wearing it again."
He hadn't felt its weight in years.
Back then...
He had been fifteen.
A boy who believed every battle had to be fought alone while GDI was developing.
Now...
He was a commander.
Surrounded by people willing to stand beside him.
He wasn't putting the Omnitrix back on because he had become weaker.
He was putting it back on...
Because he no longer had to carry everything alone.
Yuu looked toward the glowing green emblem.
"So..."
"...how long do you think before everyone notices?"
Yuuki looked down at the unmistakable device on his arm.
Then sighed.
"...About five minutes after I used it."
Yorktown giggled.
"...Probably less."
Yuuki rubbed the back of his head.
"...I'm going to owe the entire fleet..."
"...a very long explanation."
Yuu smiled mischievously.
"Oh..."
"I've been waiting years to hear you explain alien DNA, Galvans, Primus, and the Omnitrix to a room full of curious Shipgirls."
Yuuki groaned dramatically.
"...They're going to ask questions."
"Thousands of them."
Yorktown smiled warmly.
"They will."
She gently looked at the Omnitrix.
"But..."
"They'll still see the same Commander."
Yuuki looked at the familiar green symbol one more time.
"...Yeah."
"The watch may have returned..."
He smiled softly.
"...But I'm not the fifteen-year-old who first wore it anymore."
Yuuki looked down at the Omnitrix integrated into his Mark 86 gauntlet.
The green hourglass glowed softly beneath the armor's blue tactical interface.
He smiled.
Then looked toward the two women beside him.
"...Thanks."
"Hana."
"Yuu."
Yorktown smiled.
"You've already thanked us."
Yuuki shook his head.
"...No."
"I mean it."
He lightly tapped the Omnitrix.
"I don't have to use it."
"...But I'll keep it on my wrist."
"As a precaution."
He remembered Azmuth's words.
"'You don't have to use it.'"
"'It's simply another option.'"
Yuuki chuckled.
"I suppose he's right."
"I already have my armors."
"My nanomachines."
"My own abilities."
"This..."
He looked at the Omnitrix again.
"...is simply another tool."
"One more option."
Yuu nodded approvingly.
"Exactly."
"The best tools are the ones you rarely need."
Yorktown gently rested a hand on his arm.
"And if that day comes..."
"...you'll have it."
Yuuki smiled.
"Besides..."
He laughed quietly.
"I can't exactly reveal myself every battle."
"The Mark 86 ends up taking all the attention."
Yuu folded her arms.
"...You say that as if it isn't a seven-meter-tall flying suit of armor."
"It is rather difficult to ignore."
Yuuki grinned.
"Exactly."
"So..."
"If I ever need a distraction..."
"I can let an alien deal with the Raptures."
Yorktown blinked.
"...A distraction?"
Yuuki nodded.
"The Sirens and Raptures already spend a ridiculous amount of effort trying to analyze GDI technology."
He tapped the Omnitrix once.
"Imagine their reaction when a completely unknown lifeform suddenly appears."
Yuu couldn't help smiling.
"They'll immediately begin asking questions."
"What species?"
"Where did it come from?"
"Is it related to GDI?"
"Can it be replicated?"
She chuckled.
"And while they're busy trying to answer those questions..."
Yuuki finished the thought.
"...The fleet completes the mission."
Yorktown laughed softly.
"So you're planning to confuse the enemy."
"Pretty much."
Yuuki shrugged.
"Sometimes the greatest weapon..."
"...is making your opponent chase the wrong answer."
He looked at the Omnitrix one more time.
"I won't depend on it."
"I won't become that fifteen-year-old boy again."
"But..."
"If protecting everyone requires one more card up my sleeve..."
"...then there's no reason not to keep it."
Yuu smiled proudly.
"That's the answer I hoped you'd reach."
Yorktown nodded.
"Not because Azmuth asked."
"But because you chose it yourself."
Yuuki flexed his left hand.
The Omnitrix's emerald glow reflected briefly across the room.
"...Welcome back."
"...Let's hope I don't need you too often."
For a brief moment...
The Omnitrix emitted a soft, almost approving chime.
Yuu raised an eyebrow.
"...Did it just respond?"
Yuuki looked at the glowing emblem.
"...I think..."
"...it missed me too."