This story takes some inspiration from the anime. I play the mobile game of Azur Lane but mostly on a casual level. When the anime came out, I watched the dubbed version of it mostly for the accents and was pretty impressed by it for it being an adaptation like the Neptunia anime. It had its weak moments, but I adored the pairing of Enterprise and Belfast greatly. Pairings that have a strong contrast with each other are always the best. From the straight man comedy act paired with a ditzy character, to a hopeful character that sees light inside a damaged soul always adds that spice. Opposites attract and I love it when the reason for them being together is that they both want to respond to the other's heart. The anime gave me a new appreciation for all the characters, and this is a story that I wanted to share.

Final note: Took some creative liberties with it and as of now, I've only seen the first ten episodes of the anime as the last two aren't out yet at the time of me making this story. I'm not versed in the lore of Azur Lane so there might be some mistakes. Thank you for reading and enjoy.

Chapter 1: Gray Ghost Catches

It was a sunny day in Azur Lane, and all the ship girls were enjoying the warm day.

Inside the cafeteria hall, a maid with long white hair with a blue tint to it was doing some light reading. She was pulled from her book when another woman with long white hair, purplish-blue eyes, and a captain's hat sat across from her.

"Hello, Belfast," she said flatly, yet it still invoked a warm greeting.

"Ah, good morning, miss Enterprise," she said with a smile that was responded by the other.

"You weren't there to greet me when I woke up today. It made me feel like I did something wrong." Said Enterprise with a hidden fear in her casual tone that that might be the case.

"Heavens no, miss. There was an urgent report I needed to take care of and I'm afraid the morning slipped away from me."

"I see." Enterprise picked up her coffee to sip it, yet Belfast could tell that a small smile of relief had formed around the corners of her face.

Belfast stood transfixed at the woman's face that was across from her. It held a level of charm amongst her when she smiled. That's not to say that her sadness and doubts didn't hold its own beauty. She wondered why she felt this way and her mind had yet to accept what her heart had already.

"Belfast? Belfast?"

The voice of Enterprise had pulled her out of her thoughts. "Oh, forgive me. I must have spaced out there," she laughed to play it off.

"Perhaps you should be drinking this coffee instead of me," softly joked Enterprise.

A small blush rose in her cheeks at the idea that her lips could be touching the same cup as Enterprise. "My tea will more than suffice, Enterprise."

"Then how about some of my food? They keep filling up my plate."

"Very well. Let's dig in as the Eagle Union will say."

To say that Belfast was proud of Enterprise would be an understatement. She was beyond proud without measure. She first noticed Enterprise no longer carried those awful ration bars around with her. She also started showing up for meals on a regular basis. The reservedness of her feelings was still there, however, when someone like Belfast probed, she would talk about her feelings in a constructive way instead of having them fester.

During their meal, Belfast could sense that Enterprise would leave her gaze on her when she suspected she wasn't looking.

"Enterprise, darling, could I perhaps have something on my face?" She asked with a cheeky look.

"Huh? Forgive me for staring. I must be spacing out, too," she said with a small hint of red as she turned her head sideways to fake a cough.

"I see... perhaps some fresh air would do us good, " declared the maid.

They agreed to a walk near the beach area of Azur lane. "Umm, Belfast is it just me or does it feel like everyone is avoiding us?" She said with concern.

Belfast scanned the area to see most of the ship girls staying to themselves. Even Javelin, Laffey, and Ayanami walked the other way when they spotted the two heading their way.

"I didn't really notice. It's probably nothing, Enterprise." The only conclusion she could make was that they suspected that this was a private moment between them. She blushed and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear as she dared to think they could think intimate would be a better word.

They both reached the dock that gave them a long look at the ocean. "What's on your mind?" Asked Belfast.

"Just wondering when the next siren attack will come," said the white-haired Eagle Union with a stern look into the ocean.

"Indeed, that does deserve thought. Nevertheless, after their Orochi plan failed miserably, I'm sure they won't be devising anything sinister early on."

"What concerns me is my data. I still feel ashamed for allowing myself to be used as a means for their data collection. When their massive warship went down, I could feel that my data didn't play a part in it. Which leaves me to think about what they could be doing with it."

Belfast lowered her eyes in understanding. "That vision you told me in secret... about a version of you that embraced the fires of war and severed all emotions from herself to create her crimson lane... that will never come to pass, my dear."

Enterprise lowered her head to cover it with her captain's hat.

"Enterprise, are you alright? I hope I didn't upset you."

"I-It's nothing like that. I'm just confused, I guess. You say words like dear, and darling, and my face gets red. It's funny how we try to sound-"

"Human? Yes, I can see you're not quite ready to acknowledge that, Enterprise. However, your actions in recent weeks have appeared to be human as you so like to put it."

Enterprise blushed unable to refute it.

"Cheer up, my dear. That is your final hurdle until any possible future where you might become her is extinguished." She leaned in close where anyone walking would have turned the other way. "You just need to embrace it and proclaim that you are human at your core."

"I don't even know how a human should even act," said Enterprise in a trance and unaware of how close she was to Belfast.

Belfast could feel her cheeks reddening as they were so close, she could tap her forehead with Enterprise's hat. "You overthink it too much. Humans act based on whatever their heart tells them." They slowly inched closer to each other and then...

"Gray Ghost!"

They were pulled out from their unaware moment after hearing a shout that came from the sea.

Zuikaku along with her sister had quickly approached from the horizon.

"She sounds angry, " said Enterprise whose battle mindset made her forget the context of what the two of them had inched closer for.

Belfast remained shocked with herself that she was about to kiss Enterprise.

"Gray Ghost. I've come to settle the score with you once and for all." Shouted the long brown-haired Sakura Empire Aircraft Carrier. She looked and sounded out of breath during her declaration.

"Settle the score? Aren't we allies now when we saved Akagi and took out the sirens' plan?" Said Enterprise.

"She has a point, dear sister. There is no reason for this fight, " said her older sister, Shoukaku.

"You're missing the point. I- I acknowledge you as an ally and we are all fighting together against the sirens now but... it doesn't change the fact that I need to battle you."

"So, a mock battle in the sense for sports, and not bloodshed?" Asked Enterprise.

"Yes... I deserve a fair fight with you. No you being injured and none of that mind control stuff either. I want you at your fullest."

Enterprise felt the sting of the time where she was influenced by the sirens that made her rampage and seriously hurt an enemy instead of putting them out of commission. "I see... I hate fighting without meaning if it's not for protecting my friends, but if you want to do this for sport then I can offer you a friendly match."

"There is meaning in this for me, " challenged Zuikaku.

"Very well. Belfast, excuse me for a moment."

"None at all. She's a formidable training partner, so give her what she asked for."

Enterprise valued the words of encouragement from the maid. "T-thank you for our talk."

"Anytime, " warmly replied Belfast without hesitation.

"Zuikaku, if you're ready, I will show you what lies at the end of power."

"Then brace yourself, Gray Ghost, " smirked the brown-haired carrier.

"Let's settle this out in the open waters and away from the area." If she needed to settle this, it would be at a safe distance from the shore. Once she retrieved her rig, she signaled to Zuikaku to follow her.

"Fine with me," said Zuikaku with a boastful smirk.

Both Belfast and Enterprise accelerated toward the open water once they were fully ready.

Zuikaku was about to follow until her older sister grabbed her attention. "Um, sister. Maybe this could have been done at another time. I think they were in the middle of something. "

"What do you mean? From my point of view, they were giving each other a serious stare. If that maid wants to challenge Enterprise, then she needs to get in line."

Shoukaku sighed at her sister's cluelessness. "Oh, what a mess this is."

Out in the open water, Zuikaku was ready to do battle. "Okay, Gray Ghost. The first one to get the first scratch is the loser."

Belfast and Shoukaku retreated to a good distance, ready to jump in if they needed too.

Zuikaku calmed her racing heart as her true opportunity to face the Gray Ghost laid before her. She pulled out her katana and launched her flaming red mini planes with a quick movement of her hand.

Enterprise quickly pulled back her bow and shot down the incoming flaming planes.

"Where are you looking at?!" Roared Zuikaku.

Enterprise darted to her left as Zuikaku closed the distance. The speed of the Sakura Empire swordswoman was nothing to scoff at. Her katana came down at the same time Enterprise guarded against it with the side of her massive bow.

The force strained Enterprise's arms and propelled her back. With her free arm, she fired her long airstrip that housed her fighter planes to her left side.

Zuikaku quickly observed the Gray Ghost's tactics as the fighter planes did a sharp U-turn and headed toward her. "Damn it!" She disengaged from her assault and gained some distance while deflecting the bullets from the fighter planes.

"Now who's the one that's looking where?" Declared Enterprise. Her arrows were in her hand and ready to fly toward a distracted Zuikaku.

Zuikaku grunted. "How dare of you to assume where my gaze lies," she found a pause that allowed her to sheath her katana rapidly to load one of her flaming mini airplanes from her airstrip rig to her side. Her katana then emerged from her sheath with a burning aura. "Your planes will fall like flies to burning flames!" She slashed at the air that sent out slashes of flames toward the fleet of planes. They burned without a struggle giving her a clear path toward Enterprise.

Enterprise gritted her teeth as she let her arrows fly.

Zuikaku glided expertly across the water completely avoiding the arrows.

"Your speed is impressive." She aimed her airstrip rig and fired a focus shot of a combined fleet of planes.

Zuikaku didn't avoid them and faced them with her burning weapon. They shredded like paper upon her blade and moved in for the final strike. "You're strong Gray Ghost, but distance is your greatest strength."

Enterprise gave her a serious stare, then she smiled as she fired her arrow underneath her. The arrow caused an explosion of water that caught Zuikaku in it.

"C-cowered!" She slashed at the uplifted water causing it to turn to steam upon her burning blade. Her blood froze when she sensed Enterprise behind her.

Her gaze stared down the arrow that was mere inches away from her face.

Just before Enterprise fired, she moved her bow to the right of her. The arrow missed Zuikaku by a few inches and exploded the water behind the brown-haired girl.

Zuikaku felt a stinging cut on her cheek that was due to the shockwave of the arrow. Zuikaku's knees gave out causing her to plummet to the ocean. However, before that could happen, Enterprise had caught her by picking her up bridal style.

"Are you alright? I might have overdone it with that last one."

Zuikaku stood wide-eyed unable to form any coherent sentence. It wasn't fear that had petrified her heart. It was something else entirely. A foreign feeling that she never experienced yet came from her heart the longer she gazed at Enterprise.

"Sister, are you alright?" Said Shoukaku.

Belfast made no sounds. All she did was look at Zuikaku's face to understand the Sakura Empire woman's views on Enterprise had changed. Her heart tightened with a sting that she understood as jealousy.

"Y-yeah... g-good... that was a nice duel."

"Really? I'm glad you weren't too angry at the outcome. You kept me on my toes, and you should be proud of that feat. You only need to not let the rush of battle cloud you."

Zuikaku dreamily nodded at the Gray Ghost that had done more than just conquered this battle.

Sister don't be down, you did a great job. Um, Enterprise, you can put her down now," said Shoukaku.

"Sorry about that. I didn't want you to fall into the ocean," she said with a warm smile after she placed her back on her feet.

Zuikaku once again nodded weakly as these new emotions in her heart made her feel light.

Feedback would be appreciated as this is something I want to work on. The story will start off as a love triangle but change later. The story will probably branch off from what the anime is doing, and some characters might be OOC. I'm going from mostly what I've seen in the anime along with game dialog as another reference.