Hymn From the High Seas (Azur Lane x Commander Male Reader)

Storm in the North

Chick chick-clack.

After racking the bolt of my rifle, I empty my lungs according to Drake's teaching as I take aim with my Lee-Enfield. Find the target. Line up the sights. Squeeze the trigger. The rifle cracks and kicks into my shoulder, the metal target pinging in the distance.

Drake whistles as she oils her flintlock, "You haven't missed since I corrected you."

"Squeezing the trigger really makes a difference," I rack the bolt again and focus on the next target.

The rifle booms one last shot, but I end up missing.

Drake laughs in her chair, "Should I have knocked on wood?"

I huff and pull the bolt back, sending a bullet casing into the air. I double check the chamber to make sure nothing's left before handing the rifle over to Drake. She slides her flintlock into a holster on her thigh and inspects the rifle.

"Those girls always fawn over each other's rigging. Me? I fancy these hand-held cannons loads more," she chuckles before putting the rifle away, "How'd you like the target practice, Commander?"

"It was fun," I say, my shoulder aching a bit, "It's definitely easier than learning the cockpit of a fighter plane with Enty."

Drake pulls one of her boots up higher, "I hope you know fighting's not your job – it's ours. Besides, what the bloody hell do you think a Lee-Enfield's gonna do against a warship?"

"I was thinking of an elite Siren on the other end of my sights, not their mass produced ships," I explain.

Drake nods her head, unconvinced as she steps over to the range, "Are you prepared to take a life?"

I watch Drake reach for her flintlock, "I was told the elites have minds like a computer."

In one strafe, Drake nails every target on the range, including the one at fifty meters, "Us kansen weren't conscious until a little cube brought us to life. Can you prove I'm conscious, Commander?"

Drake stares at me out of the corner of her eye, and I reply, "No."

"Then leave the killing to us," Drake spins the flintlock around her finger and into its holster, "We hardly understand the Sirens after all this time. It's not like we can call a timeout and talk to them, anyway."

"Still," I grip the pommel of my saber, "I feel like a liability."

Drake turns to me with a look of sympathy, "Every life is a liability, Commander. Our Vanguard is a liability to our Main Fleet and vice versa. I bet that my own life is a liability to you! You don't want me dead, do you?"

"Of course not," I answer immediately.

"Point proven," Drake grins and points at my saber, "Now, shall we move on to fencing?"

I look down at my sword and draw it enough to see the blade, "Maybe. Using the real thing might be a bad idea, though."

Drake draws her sword from her left hip, "Nah, it's a prime idea! You'll become more acquainted with your weapon this way. Weight, handling, the clash of metal... all of this is necessary to know by heart."

Reluctantly, I trust her word as my teacher and draw my saber, "Fine, what are we doing first?"

"Just come at me for a minute. I wanna see where your strengths lie," she holds her weapon in front of her and enters a guarded stance.

"Alright... here I go," I swing my weapon at her and she parries it instantly.

"Stop!" she shouts.

"It's been, like, two seconds!" I shrug at Drake's scowl.