Azur Lane: Savior

"I suppose we are inside a dream right now." Greynar said as he sipped on a green tea provided by the mythical foxgirl. 

"Correct, this one has tried to meet with you, but it was blocked by an interference from inside the dream." Shinano said. 

Shortly, after they greeted each other, Shinano asked him to sit on the tatami. After that she summoned a drink to make the talk more comfortable. She explained that this place acts like her own dreamworld, which is why she can easily summon something out of thin air. Her soft soothing voice could make one fall asleep instantly, Greynar was pleased with her voice. 

"Thanks for the drink," He put the drink on the table and returned his gaze on the foxgirl. "There are many question i want to ask, but first... have we ever met?" 

Shinano replied with a shook. "Nay, we never met in other dream and this is our first meeting. I could only see the vision of your figure but it was all blurry... This one also is interested in you."

He sometime confused her words, but considering this is Shinano he could partially understand some of the meaning. He decided to ask, "Is it because my existence?" 

She nodded slowly, she take a hold of his hand and closed her eyes. "This one never seen such existence exist... Is this a curse? Or a fate?" She looked at him with a worried expression. "Commander, no... Greynar, i suppose this is your given name. Have you ever been... scared?" 

It was the first time someone has called his name ever since the incident. He was a bit taken aback and being bashful towards the foxgirl. Looking at her azure eyes, he shook his head. "I don't... know..." He he gazed on the table, contemplating about his thoughts. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I pity your being, even i... could only be the wanderer throughout dreams. All possibilities that you have been through... Is a hard one." she spoke with a soothing voice that reverberated through his ears. "But," There was a pause on her voice. "This one trying to find a way to help you..."

With a voice of assurance, he nodded slowly. "But... how did you know me? We never meet like what you just said." 

"I am but a wanderer of dream... If you know how my power work, then it is as how you've guessed." The foxgirl explained. 

Greynar noticed what does she mean by power. "Ah, throughout the other's dream, you've learned about my existence." 

"With Siren as an exception, the dream i have seen are not limited..." She continued. "My consciousness may travel between realities... but my actual body is unable to move..."

"I see, so its like seeing a movie, and Shinano," He is curious about her opinion, he asked. "Do you know the hidden secret of this... world?" 

Shinano slowly nodded. "Yes, this world... Is not what we may have know." 

"Then—"

"But it is impossible to change it, and unless the key are opened... seal will still be erected." She said. 

He pondered after she talked about the possibility of the timeline is isolated from the rest, but it was the general knowledge he has about the test site-β. "Is it perhaps, because of my influence and Observer strange action?" 

She shook her head. "This one does not know anything about it." 

"Is that so? I guess not even the mythical carrier herself knows about anything going on." He shrugged jokingly.

"...Nnh..." Shinano stretched, taking a comforting position, she lay down. "Alas, you are here... Commander come forth closer to this one."

Greynar obediently went closer to her side. After that, she slowly put him on her blossom. Her tails curled up forming a cocoon barrier, protecting them inside. 

"S-shinano!?" Greynar was baffled, he didn't expect for her to pull him straight away to her.

"Don't worry Commander... Slowly, close your eyes." Her soothing comforting word resounding on his mind. 

"R-right." Unexpectedly, he obeys her word and closed his eyes.

The sudden appearance of a bright light nearby blinded him, and as his vision cleared, he found himself in a wide landscape. The sun shone through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground, while the sound of birds chirping filled the air. 

(Is this?) He take a look at his hand, it was transparent like a glass.

(I brought you to another place,) Shinano appeared beside him, her body also transparent looking like a ghost. (I don't know what is this place is but it's a peaceful one) She smiled before him. 

(What do you want to show me? If this is another reality, i assume we can't interact with it) He tried to touch the trees, but he went through passing it.

(Commander, this one brought you to take a look of a dream. A dream where everyone lives in harmony) She said. 

(A dream where everyone lives in harmony?) He suddenly picked up a hint of what kind of place is this.

'Isn't that just the peaceful timeline?' He know about the various stories that was unrelated to the test site-β. 'The only working timeline without conflict, and the one where Siren don't actually do something to this timeline.'

They went for a walk, taking a look at the shipgirl that was playing with other girls. The destroyer, Yuudachi and her friends, followed by Javelin and Laffey were playing a tag game with each other. 

"I got you!" Yuudachi jumped as she tried to catch Laffey. 

"Too slow." Laffey caught her off guard by dodging to the side, unamused.

"W-woaahh!!" She crashed to the tree below. 

"Yu- yudachi! Are you okay?" Javelin with a worried expression come in clutch as she helped her stand. 

"Haaap!! Ehehe... Now i got you!" Yuudachi grabbed Javenlin's hand and locked her in place.

"Aww... Fine! I will try cratch everyone here!" As Javelin resolved, she began to countdown. 

Greynar chuckled at the sight of them playing. Glancing at Shinano, he noticed a smile on her lips, but there was a distant look in her eyes, as if her thoughts were elsewhere. 

(Shinano... Do you feel lonely?) He asked his concern to her.

(Nnh...?) She tilted her head, she turned to him with a puzzled look. (Nay, this one does not feel lonely... Although, slumbering has made me miss interaction.) She turned around behind her. 

The world around them begin turn white, ending the scene on them. They are once again teleported to a different place. It was a fleet exercise, a battle between swordsman took place in the middle. 

Zuikaku hold her katana in a steady position and thrusted forward but it was immediately parried by Renown's sword. Zuikaku stepped back and does a four-combo slash on her. Renown parried each of the attack and aimed her rigging at her. She fired her turret at point-blank range, which surprised Zuikaku as she retreated behind to make a space between them.

"Not bad, Renown! This exercise might be an interesting one." Zuikaku smirked as she readied her weapon again.

Exchanging glance with her, Renown smiled. "This is just a fraction of skill i have. I have yet to show you the power of a Royal Knight!"

They exchanged sword clash again and again, testing their endurance to see who will be the last standing between the two of them. Their ability to use their rigging effectively and their skillful sword play was something else to Greynar. He never seen someone able to use sword like that and this is his first time seeing the shipgirls who holds sword battling each other.

(Faction lives in harmony, no conflict, no sadness either... If this is what we can achieve, then this one want to support that future.) Shinano spoke from deep within her heart. 

(But with our current situation, there's no telling when danger are approaching. Yet, we still fight forward for our better future.) He murmured. 

(This dream will come to an end... Let's go back, Commander.) Shinano slowly turned behind. 

(Right, let's—) 

Greynar followed her along, he glanced back one last time at Zuikaku, but something other than her could be seen standing beside her. Bon Homme Richard with her smile appeared, their gaze meet for the second time. His whole body shivered but as the vision gradually blurred, he is back with her. Still at her blossom, he slowly wakes up. 

Shinano's tails slowly opened and let them have a breathe even though they are still inside a dream. Greynar could only remember that smile from the adventurous dream, the smile that tensed everything up to the core of his body. Shinano was confused why is he not saying anything, she waved her hand on his face, she brought her hand closer to his face and touched it.

"Commander... Your face is pale." Shinano said with a concerning looks. 

Greynar immediately snapped out of his own thoughts, "Did i? Sorry for making you worry. I just thought about some possibility appearing." He couldn't tell the truth to her, because this is beyond her own power to deal with the girl.

"This one will be your comfort place if you ever need something... Commander, do you need a comfort?" She tilted her head and one of her ears lowered.

Looking at her, there is a shade of redness on his cheek. "No... Sorry, i mean like i don't need it for now. Though, i will take up your offer in the future."

The foxgirl slowly nodded. "Then, it's time for us to bid farewell." Shinano glanced at the sky. "This one will soon awake from the slumber, but... It might take a while for us to meet." 

"Right, then thanks for everything, Shinano." The Commander rose up from the tatami. "If there's opportunity and fate allowed us to, we will see each other again." 

"Goodbye for now, Commander." Shinano small hand waved at him. 

As Greynar slowly awoke from his slumber, he found himself back in his room. With a scratch of his head, he made his way to the chair. As he sat down, the memory of his dream lingered vividly in his mind. Bon Homme Richard is clearly there, watching his movement, but he didn't know whether it was her or if it was only man-made by his thoughts.

'Bon Homme Richard... an existence outside of reality. Just what is she?'