Author Topic: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo  (Read 10161 times)

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[Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« on: March 04, 2014, 03:19:21 AM »
That's it, that's the title. Just - Wo.

(two things - I apologize for all the unfinished works, Shikieiki and so on...I just lost interest in Touhou these days. I don't foresee myself finishing them.)

I really like Shoukaku, and Wo-class, they look quite similar don't they, there even is fan art of them as one. Loved them more than ever. So I did this, tried to inject some character into the girls who are so two dimensional in a browser game and give them some degree of personality. As per my normal posting of fiction, I will write large few chapters to sate all who begin reading it, so there is something more for everyone.

Notes: There is no doubt I haven't played this game in a long long time, so long I forgot my log in and which e-mail I used. I started playing when it was at its infancy of sorts, there was not even the Kai 2 mods yet. I am happy to have played it but it has too many random factors, and the game lost its appeal to me. The thing that appeal to me is the MADs and the videos of course, the characters are really outstanding, but beyond a browser game they aren't much engaging.

Some details are as I remembered them, You may some wrongs with the classification of ships such as - a battleship should have been a destroyer and so on... I am just working with what I remember. Of course, I love to do detailed research on it, but to be frank I just don't think that much work is overtly deserving.


Enjoy.
It has been three years since I last wrote, so I can be a bit rusty with my language, please do forgive me.


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Part 1

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Under the Depths


The catacombs of the underground factory rumbled in a slow but deliberate rattle, and the faraway hum of the ship yards resonate into the walls of the labyrinthian housings of the Chamber of the Admirals, a large minimally decorated room filled with carcasses of ships and remnants from the enemies that we face above the seas.


The hum was like music to my ears, eerie, but composed, as chains scraped the cold iron floors, each passing through a water covered chamber, and their chains linked to holes in the ground that serve as the anchor deck of the floating bodies that lay asunder in our base... The ones being purified. In the midst of all this, I noticed in the chamber where a few ships, some without their heads, some without arms from the Navy hung motionless in the distance. They have some of their uniforms on too, there was one at a corner... It looked like a Yi-class, and beyond that a writhing one of an aircraft carrier. The bodies included our armies too, sometimes a hull here or there, hung to display to remind us we have an enemy at every turn.


-----


I was one such enemy, when I was younger. They used to have a name for me, Shoukaku, I believe it was... Not that it matters anymore, not down here anyway. The admiral I knew has died alongside me, and in his place, the suffering new protege, a young boy I heard...who now dons the helm of his father, my admiral. He will be the new leader of the massive ship dock of friends I once found in the Navy, including my little sister... ah....Zuikaku was it... The memories of my past, only a few days has since passed and already they are blurry to me... She is whom took my place last I heard when I have sunken to the depths. Did I.... Managed to say goodbye at all... What was it that I signaled to her as I saw her teary eyes at my flank? When I have taken that final blow that punctured my floating tank...


I only remember that at the distance, she called out for me, but that I could no longer hear a single word, or the bombardment around me as our enemies layered us in cover fire and direct attacks... At length, when I was in the red of my energies, I could not even tell if there I was fighting alone...or was I together with the other five of my team...I did not even somehow managed to see, only by the faithful strength of my Admiral, who joined me in my battles somehow managed to come to my rescue as I flustered about, unsure to aim or to strike or both at the same time.


My faeries, mounted in their plane decks, all fatigued beyond their means, only gritted their teeth, refueling in the haste, as their hands fastened them against the hull of their rickety planes... It almost seemed like they are too tired to move, but everyone knows the faeries will fight to their last breath, they always do, that is why some of us left the camp, we just can't stand the sight or torturing these little ones so caringly fighting for us. As they refueled and readied themselves to go, I could see the determination in each one as they shot off the catapult at my deck raised to my shoulder. Zuikaku beside me followed suit, her faeries hardly could move as they traveled slowly behind mine's own team.


She said something... But I did not hear it over the yell of my own voice, resonating through my body like a rage of electric traveling through my synapses. I was one with the faeries, their senses are mine as I abandoned my body to the all open attacks of the one they called their princess...The dark vengeful face that stared at a distance, coldly, and cooly, without any thought but certainly calculating...


I had turned the course of my faeries, and they turned their course to meet the vengeful cold and uncaring bitch of their leader...heh... To think in my dying moments all I could do was curse my enemy with such foulness...


I wonder... Would the admiral be heartbroken to know his favorite ship has abandoned all hope before he does...? Would he forgive me for flying out there now in spirit or in mind with my attack bombers? Would he curse me for failing him in his conquest of Iron Bottom Sound? Would he think I was a fool and rude to have cursed my enemy whom he fought diligently with my powers and my team? So many questions, but I somehow cannot find any strength to go and ask my admiral now.... I recalled.


What was it again, that stopped me all this time from asking him? Was it my love for him... Or was it my fear that I didn't want him to know I have so many questions... That because I knew him to be a simple man, under that robust uniform decorated with badges and honorable mentions... That under all that, he was but a man who had the scorn of his colleagues, because he loved us... All of us. Like a guiding light he guided us to victory, sometimes not without sacrifice... Many of us has been lost before, but I knew I was his first locked heart loss...


I think as I left my body there on the ocean waves, my spirit entirely focused on the target, I clasped my hand tightly on that locked around my neck. I figured at least, if I catch it with all my remaining strength, that if I should sink on this very day, I will at least be able to hold it to my watery grave... A good honorable way to die.


It is... A good day to die.


Goodbye, admiral.


P.S. I loved you.



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These days I no longer resemble myself, my infestation has begun easily enough, painless at first, then as the roots went into me, a little numbness but all in all my transition to the Abyssal side was easier than I had expected. Like little insects, with their multitude of legs crawling inside my body, and into the brain. Creepy no doubt, but without much unpleasantness if one does not think too much about it.


When I was battling the cold and distinct voices in my head, like the hymn of bees in a colony... it was not my admiral lovingly caring for my wounded body under the ocean, for I could see his outreached hand underneath a hull extension of sorts, firmly lodged between a rock and the metal husk of another ship I know not who. I still recalled, as if his hand was reaching out for mine under the ocean... And I instinctively reached for his. My other hand, while torn halfway through my bicep, sat in an ungainly fashion lodged between my chest and hands firmly grasping for the locket on my neck, the heart shaped locket...


I could from the corner of my teary eyes feel his pain, but as his faraway pulse fell away to the beating of the waves onto the rocks above, I too... Began to drift away.


As the edges of my sanity, and pain slowly drifted with the ocean's beat, I became aware I am no longer who I am. I don't even know what day of the month it was, but I knew it was the full moon above the oceans.


The creature that now inhibited my body, from the clasp of my temple and towards my back, began a delicate but deliberate process to merge itself with my consciousness.


Slowly but surely, I could hear it.


Every heartbeat was like a hammer striking the pain of my lost limb away, my phantom pain as I writhed and wrestled against the agony soon became a thing of the past. I could hear it now, its heartbeat fusing with mine, until each breath I took was in tandem with each of its exhalation. I feel its 'hands' drill into my brain, into my cortex and into my spine, until we are at last... One.


At this point, its body lodged firmly to my head, I began to see what it sees, and my senses seemed to reach a pinnacle of underwater excellence, while I was never good at the Sonar array utilized by my on board faeries, I am now quite certain I am an expert at it. It was rather, not me learning a new skill, but as I lay still and some engineers of the abyssal kind moved up and down my stagnant body, the tip part of the creature now attached to me responded to my inherent questions to the sonar capability.


I could feel my arm growing at an accelerated rate, as the creature granted me the ability to grow a new one in place of the lost arm... I feel something being pried away from my fingers, once in a deadlock of something important... And then it was my arm, or what remains of the bones and ligaments, torn away. I now have a fully functioned arm, and out of curiosity... I lifted my old arm, still locked over a strain piece of metal, a locket of sorts, with a keyhole in the middle of the heart shaped object...


I threw it away, it was not relevant to the objective I have just received from the voices in my head...


It didn't growl or speak, it merely think as I did. I was... Indeed having a conversation with myself. Yet, the answers it gave me was different from what I expect, it was at this point, all doubt of me going crazy was blown away... I am now an Abyssal. Will I... Have a new admiral? Or will I have to fight them now instead of fighting with them, my once ago friends?


From a distance...


Another fiend I once fought... A carrier of the Abyssal kind... Walked closer to me.


It looked at me for a while, and then it opened its mouth to speak.


Only a single audible sound came out...


"Wo..."


I merely replied...


[Wo...]


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« Last Edit: March 04, 2014, 03:32:50 AM by ♛ Apher-Forte »
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♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2014, 03:24:40 AM »
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Part 2

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[Seven Months Later]



The eve of battle, and I was excited beyond means. It hard to believe it will be me who is going to feel excited. After all it will be my maiden voyage after waiting in a long line of some 3000 ships in front of me, each one readied and primed for battle. They come in a whole different array, and it was me who through some degree of retention of my memories, by force or by will or by benevolence of my symbiote partner above my head...


It whispered to me at all hours, I don't sleep because of it. But I always feel rested under the oceans, as if I was constantly refreshed, and it was my symbiote who took my stress and tiredness and suffered in my steed. For that I am thankful of it, and I have given it a name... I began, as if by mockery or some retention of my memories...called it Zuikaku.

I don't even know why this name stood out from the rest, I could have any number of names that I can not have a single particular memory attached to it... But it was when I was sinking, the last moments of my sister ship reaching out to me and forming a barrage of planes behind me so that we may attack the enemy together in one final bout... I guess the memory of death is indeed a very holding one.


My new 'admiral', a female with the whitest of white skin, was also a battle ready ship herself. In fact, the whole Abyssal clan seem like a hierarchy of ships self managing. There was no intermediary, no admirals or navy, no real system other than the evolution of new ships, each is one with the other, sharing a common voice, cold but functional.


Like a hive, we all have duties, mine is the adjutant of the one they call the princess. The Airfield Princess...she was our target when before I sunk. The irony indeed, to have me serve her. She herself has a degree of personalities, often precocious, but more likely unpredictable as a child. She would often demand appeasing of a few kinds. If it is not to see the creation of new submarine class ships at the highest decks in the ship yard, it is going on random single person rampages along the coastal areas occupied by the Navy. It was no doubt the reason why they fortify those areas with cannons was the direct result of her childish demeanors.


And yet, like a sister who was looking for me, it was the irony of such that as I lay sunken, she came along and detached one segment of 'airstrip' which flows like two giant gravity defying ribbons along the back of her head, and inserted them into my chest. And then, looking at my face with my the curiosity as a new observation of a phenomena as she has never noticed before... She placed her hand over my body, and then from her fingertips, a kind of energy seemed to pulse through me as I lost my will to live and go back to my friends above sea level.


Since then, when I was first awoke some six months ago, I have been serving her. Like a faithful attendant, I was attending to her messing, and when in course, we tend to go on expeditions, far into the other recesses of deeper oceans, we would observe from the safety of her presence... Giant whales, and gargantuan under ocean creatures, squids, octopod, strange and often armored beasts crawling under the ocean bed. It was here, she says to me one day without so much as opening her mouth...


[Creatures here are most beautiful, isn't it, Wo-ko? Their movements so streamlined, even under this pressure that we can feel, they swim freely, like the birds we saw on the beaches... They are soaring beautifully under the oceans...] She said to my mind, her eyes completely focused on the dancing Humboldt squid. The fact is of course, it was not dancing but showing off its warning spectrum of movements as we are observing it, telling us it meant us harm if we keep staring at it menacingly.


"Wo...you are right, Princess, they do indeed swim freely as they are in the skies-wo.." I answered simply, my heart was elsewhere.


"Is something troubling you, Wo-ko?" She has taken to calling me this by my class-name, and despite me having a numeral, she has refused to call me by the number I was assigned in my class - Nine of Thirteen (Jyuusan-kan no Kyuugou). All the better I suppose, it was quite a mouthful.


"Wo...I soon will be joining two more of my class, Two of Thirteen (Jyuusan-kan no Nigo), and Six of Thirteen (Jyuusan-kan no Rokugou) in their journey upwards, we will be defending the coast of the outer Fukushima, our current stronghold there is being challenged by I am sure you know who...wo" I replied.


"How is that affecting your now sullen mood then?" She asked, her tone childish, like a child expecting a reward for answering a question when it was her doing the questioning.


"I find the notion of seeing my former allies a bit hard to swallow... After all, I did went away in the most dire of situations trying to sink you...wo... That said, you never told me why you made me...wo..." I answered, eager for a little insight into the world of thoughts of the princess.


"You will still call them your former allies? I had thought your memories were resilient...perhaps I should have destroyed your locket when I had the chance instead of fusing it with your body...I will remind myself of that..." She paused, her tone now menacing, and then again, back to her childish side, she answered..."I made you cause you are special, you came down... With tears trailing above your face, and even in your dying breath, you reached for the human pile lying below a Ta-class, I don't know why a human was there so near to the battle, but it was to me, a very important creature to you and you wanted to preserve him, for whatever reason...You are, for all manners of speaking, unique, and that is why I sought to preserve your memories for when you are ready to tell me an interesting story."


It was here I realized that the princess has been thoughtful of me from the very beginning, I was not her pet-project, but a special one she brought up with much care and attention, even though she does not really show it. She created me, perhaps in hope of a friend of sorts... I recall as I went through these six months, it was the princess who despite the protest of the other five similarly ranked ones protected me. It was the princess who taught me to fuse my consciousness with my Abyssal vessels, the things that carry out my attack and were spawned from behind my head attached to the creature that now sym-biologically fused to me.


It was a flashing thought, from the princess, as if in doubt whether she should say this out loud...


[You don't remember me don't you?]


"Princess...?"


"What is it?" She pretended she did not telepathically communicated that to me.... It raised my suspicions...but only added to the questions I have...


"We should head back soon-wo...."


"Why? We are only away for a short while, do you like being around those lifeless machines so much? I can guess so... Nothing quite as calming as the hum of the machines, whirring in endless symphony and conducted with order and precision..." The princess relegated.


"I can only say it is calming to know you are not alone...wo..." I replied, my eyes looking at the Manta Ray that swept into our sights, graciously flipping over to reveal its gills and danced along the deep streams, obscuring the view of the Octopod cluster in a distance.


"Stay a while longer, we can always skip a few days and go on a few expeditions..." The princess said, her head looking at the distance.


"Our forces will be in dire situations without you at its helm."


"And yet, when I fall, more will take my place... Don't you find all this very ironic?"


"It is our destiny...wo"


"Is it your destiny to fall to the depths, when you are so hungry to serve your admiral? To live and die for his sake?" She now looked at me, and under my calm posterior I can feel anger welling up within me... I feel she had so many answers and yet at every turn, she has given me none to work with....


"Rest assured, princess, my place is with you now... And there is nowhere I rather go than where you will be..." I of course, evaded the question. She doesn't need to know my inner confusion.


"I really would love to go see the undersea volcanoes near Hawaii, what do you think? Shall we make a dash there and see who can get there first?" The princess pointed to the east.


Just then, a Ta-Class showed up, her bright burning eyes and solid white hair flowing in the pulse of her powers indicate she is somewhat angered. Perhaps we have been away for a bit long.


Beside her a taller feminine figure in a short lingerie like cut off blouse walked, her eyes were red, and two horns protruded from her forehead. Her legs were undressed, no shoes or boots of any kind, and luscious as white porcelain, her steps like the Manta Ray we saw, gracious and purposefully slow and gentle. Elsewhere, probably not far behind, a lumbering beast trailed behind that woman, it is of course her over sized symbiote that never leaves her,, they call it 'The Knight' though it really looks more like the cross between a crocodile, a bear, and a hjppo in black. It does all the fighting for her - the woman in the blouse - The Oni under the Sunken Ruins - The Battleship Princess, another of the Hime-class, the highest of our ranks, and one of the most deadly.


"What do you think you are doing out here...isn't your shift about due?" The Battleship Princess chided, her voice a sunken baritone hum that travels across these depths in clarity.


"We are just thinking of heading back actually...wo" I replied.


"No, we weren't, we are thinking of catching a sight of the undersea volcanoes in Hawaii... Don't give these people any hope, Wo-ko, they really just don't get it." The princess, my princess, replied defiantly as I looked at her wide eyed.


"Oh? If this is your leader I do pity you, Wo-class Vessel, I expected more from a Hime Class." The Battleship Princess responded. I had to say I was somewhat angered, but really a lot more confused as to why the princess would say what she just said to her colleague.


"We have no business here, let's go before they stuff us in that room with all the newbies starting their enrollment today." The princess pulled my arm, and we both sped off into the eastern direction quickly. Before long we are out of sight. The Princess probably isn't going to chase us because she doesn't travel too well, in fact, if possible she does not move much at all, preferring her Knight to carry her along its massive shoulders, and moving it from place to place.




(Server maintenance lol)


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"Why did you anger The Battleship Princess like that wo?" I asked the princess as I guided her through the uncharted watery depths. While it was clear the waters above are charted fair and well by human sailors, under these depths, it is no better than being lost at sea on a starless night. My powers to use sonar however, ensure that I will see better than the princess, lest of all, we bump into shipwrecks or rocks.


"When I made up my mind on something I don't back down easy, we decided a few moments before we are gonna go see the volcanoes, and that is what we will do, the journey will take some 6 hours, and we have a long way." The princess replied, her voice now a happy go lucky sentence, ending it with a hymn of sorts. Truly to compare her with the twins of Southern Ocean Onis, is a bit of a blessing that I have her as my leader. Those two are usually too serious for their own good, and they seem to be constantly angry.


"We will miss a few days work...wo"


"Not that we will get paid for it of course, and I have plenty of bauxite in my quarters to spare." The princess smiled and replied.


"Wo....I suppose I can deal with that, we may need to hunt in the next hour however." I said, noticing my ship reserves are now quite low, and I am feeling weak as the current beat against me.


"Very well, my scouts indicated a lone patrol destroyer is quite near to us, it has maybe another three smaller patrol ships hanging around. We can take them on fairly easily..."


"Agreed, wo...."



======


{ STAGE ???? Start} {Enemy Side} 1 x Airfield Hime + 1 Wo-class | {Navy Side} 4 x destroyers.


<< S-class Victory ! Congratulations! >>


<< A new ally has been [CAPTURED] {ENSLAVED} >>
...

...


"What is her name again?" The princess asked me in earnest as she dragged her along the ocean floor.


"Isonami - a destroyer class vessel the 9th ship of her series, pity she has to go on such a long expedition and somehow lack all resources... Her admiral must have been a careless fool...wo..." I answered, a tinge of pain in my chest as I looked at her wreck, still wide eyed with fear as the unknown oceans below consume her, little does she know I was once like her... I suppose she will eventually realize, but first she must die in order to be reborn....


"Getting soft aren't we, Wo-ko?" The princess mused, noticing my chagrin as I stared at Isonami's wrecked body, one of her legs no longer attached to her hips and is instead hanging loosely like a rag doll's limb. "I had thought you would hesitate, but our surprise attack was more than worthy..."


"Are you still hungry princess?" I asked.


"I think the other two we shared earlier was more than enough..." I didn't even get their names, my earlier self in battle was almost primal, that so much as we sunk them both within the first airstrikes, their names were not even announced. We did had a hearty meal as our symbiotes had their fill.... Yes, they eat, we get the sum of the energy their converted. Sym-biology works this way that it is best for us both. In essence, we of the carrier class types, our staple diet is bauxite, and we need a lot of it, it is converted by the symbiotes and channeled into us as bauxite.


"I can feel the water heating up, we must be near to the volcanoes now..." The princess said.


"I look forward to it, wo..."


[We will have much privacy there to talk about our past.]


I looked at the princess as she telepathically transmitted that message to me, and she looked back, only with a wistful smile on her face.


We spent the next hours of the journey being silent, and most awkward as we swam side by side.


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« Last Edit: March 11, 2014, 10:06:03 AM by ♛ Apher-Forte »
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2014, 03:26:16 AM »
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Part 3


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Above sea level, the ship yard of the 2nd Carrier Fleet



"Kaga-chan, how is being secretary to the new admiral?" Akagi, the flagship of this fleet asked, her cheerful voice really doesn't betray her depression since the passing of their former admiral. She did however, stop talking with her mouth full these days, a handsome trait if there was one given how uncouth she is at the dinner table.


"Ms. Akagi, there is nothing to be 'how' about, I merely carry out my duty. Your worries were for naught." Kaga answered bluntly. While she is the younger of the sister to Akagi, and second eldest to the rest of carriers, she is quite skilled at the organization of things, and is therefore almost always chosen by the new admiral to be the secretary of week, or month at times.


"I see, it is good to see you in high spirits, Kaga-san."


"You are presuming I will still be held back by the passing of the admiral...I..., I have risen from that, you should too... Your critical strikes strategy has been falling short recently, much more than before, we need you to guide us... As you when Zuikaku was still here." Kaga again answered, her expressionless face does betray a bit of her chagrin. Akagi has gained some weight, she has been a bit lazier than usual, but her appetite for food remains. Her expeditions were her only source of income, and while that may be the case, part of her meals come from everyone's bowl.


Akagi only smiled sadly in return, and without a word, she walked off to the archery dojo, where she will be practicing with her faeries.


She spends her days now staring at the archery targets, the human shaped panels looked like... For whatever reason, her image of her fallen comrades. Even with the cheerful attitude of the remainder of her crew, she has become more sullen than ever since her loss.


It was her fault. She often blamed herself as she stared at those archery panels...


She was the one who egged Zuikaku to confess her feelings for the admiral, she was the one who supported their relationship from behind, giving them every opportunity to meet and every chance she is chosen as the secretary, she will feint sickness in order for Zuikaku to take her shift instead.


It wasn't of course that the admiral did not realize, after all, he loved every one of them. The carriers were the jealousy of the multitude of destroyers, most of them were treated like children, which they are, for the most part...


Much like children, the destroyers also held a special space in the admiral's heart, he did not like to see them get hurt in the real battles, and spends most of his resources on them to be modified, and sent on long distance voyages for their expedition. He did not want them to be sacrificed...


So when news of another few more fallen has reached Akagi this morning, despite the team's best effort to keep the destroyer news to only the relevant team mates - in this case, the 4th fleet led by Tenryuu and Tatsuta, all their friendly drills were stopped dead. There were four - Isonami, Hatsuyuki, Mutsuki, Arashio... They were close in age, and close as friends... The admiral before this current one loved to see them together.


Tatsuta made arrangements for their funerals, and it would have been just as well, for their bodies, like Zuikaku - was never found. The rumors again circulate they have been consumed by the vile enemy that is at the coasts....prowling and waiting for their chance to strike. To think they face such an enemy, an ever diversifying class of warriors each with their own unique attributes. For each and every specialty the fleet has, the enemy can match it page by page, implementing new skills and new powers for each of their fallen comrades.


While the team was led by Tenryuu, she herself has stormed off to the admiral's office demanding that she be sent to that area with her best girls. Namely - Ooi and Kitakami, one famed for her outward love for her fellow cruiser Kitakami, and the latter famed for her outward attitude equal to Tenryuu herself and her flawless record of Night battle wins; the other two named ones were Atago and Takao, both Tenryuu's best ladies in battle, famed for their speed and evasion despite being heavy cruisers.


"You know I cannot divert so much forces from our front lines to the battle rescue mission, and even by default such a battle rescue mission was already a goner, they are dead! You can do nothing with so many of our main forces being there... And there is no record of the enemy there, this must have been a fluke!" The admiral replied, his boyish looks and even more boy-like exterior was popular with some of the ships, but to Tenryuu, this kid was an annoyance and she has every reason to leave the fleet in favor of being left at the yards to rot than serving him.


"I am asking you to overlook this for me, my Admiral, I trust you have inherited well from Sir previously, rest his soul, and those...children, were like his own, he would have never left them there, and he would also not have sent them that far with only half the supply....right now, I am requesting your permission to exit the standard battle lines and engage the enemy where they were last seen! Surely they cannot have gone far, especially with our girls there, we all the more need to rescue that outpost from utter dominance!" Tenryuu shouted her entire reply, hands slapped on the table next to the name plate of the admiral.


"You know him so well, and yet you know so little of me... My concerns were for the here and now, and we have orders, our country must be defended here in the forefront where their numbers swarm us each day and night, restless in their pursuit... The other admirals and their fleets are as tired as we are at the front, and you are asking me to negate the only favorable fleet of ships towards an outpost that doesn't even have valuable resources to defend...." The admiral sighed, his voice trembled a little, clearly fearful of Tenryuu's expected angered reply after this. "I just can't...I am sorry for your loss...Tenryuu"


"Sir, with all due respect, there is nothing VALUABLE to defend?" Tenryuu gritted her teeth, " Those girls were our friends, they were the rising stars of the fleet, we cannot just abandon them!"....she paused, and once more continued, "We don't even know if they are dead, somewhere, maybe too damaged to report back to base here! They could very well have drifted ashore, broken and in need of medical and engineering assistance right now... I will sacrifice my Goddess of Reparation.... Two of them, in fact, and the rest will be undertaken by my crew... All I ask is you give me a chance to rescue them!


"You leave me no choice..." The admiral paused, "Tenryuu, if you should continue this, I will strip you of your rank, blessed by your Sir who passed, the Locked Heart status will be lifted off you. Desist your current lust for revenge, and I will see to it something be done for that outpost, but not now... Attend the funeral, clear your head... Perhaps then, we will speak again." Thus, the admiral walked off, into the hallways leading to the mess hall. Tenryuu gave chase, her shoulder however, was held by Kitakami, who shook her head.


Tenryuu could only curse under her breath.



==========


Harbor Area C, Evening.


The funeral was sullen, only silence seemed to hinder the sounds of sobbing and sniffing from the other girls who attended. It was given an official ending by the entire crew's of all the fleets supervisors - the two flagships of the nation, Yamato and Musashi, battleships of the most regal order. Their words however, seemed to betray the hollowness of what they feel.


It is understandable however, at least to Tatsuta who favors reality over everything else. Admittedly, no one becomes a flagship of the nation that easily, surely not. Surely, under the composed exterior of them two on that stage, hanging with four decorated and decolored frames of the lost girls at the outpost, now officially declared dead - they must have seen a thousand such funerals. They must have seen many of their comrades fall, and only through their eyes, can one known true futility.


Musashi was an especially rocking presence, her body seemed to emit a pressure that covers all of the other fleets like a cloak of lead, strong and unwavering... She was known in all her battles to never fall, no matter how damaged she was. Yamato, who gracefully ended all her battles, despite losses and damages, she was like a queen to the admiral. She is probably the only ship who could in reverse, order the admiral around. These two has so much experience, that Tenryuu and herself - Tatsuta combined, could only match theirs by a fraction.


The admiral did not even attend.


Figures, it was not his favorite ships that were lost at sea. Why would he care? He did like Nagato and Mutsu though, and they are admittedly tough, but even they now standing nearest to the stage, could not hold in their tears. Clearly at least, their hearts remain soft.


Of all the figures that attended, just beyond the doors, one figure stood out lonely facing the ocean.


Tenryuu threw a stray rock against the surface of the water, seeing it sink with a plop only makes her heart heavy, at each moment now they stay at this wretched base, their friends could lose further consciousness, and just because they haven't found them, there is every hope they may be still alive...


"Tenryuu..." a voice from behind her called.


"If you come to stop me... You should know better." Tenryuu did not turn as she replied, she knew well it was Tatsuta's voice, and behind her Kitakami and Takao.


"I come because I know that is what you are thinking, we are not to go with this, you know well the admiral has the final say on this..." Kitakami responded.


"If we, all of us Locked Hearts go, we may risk the crumbling of the front line morale, main base losses are far more desperate than rescuing an outpost..." Takao followed. Truth in fact, the ladies that have been chosen by Tenryuu, although all willing, are unable, as they are the front lines' best captains, and leaders each in their own right - experienced ships with lots of firepower and diversified strategies.


"Then you will let those kids die there? Just like that?" Tenryuu gritted her teeth again, her response was to be expected, "I have heard the rumors... There were only two enemy carriers, but one of them was that thing we tried to kill last time, but didn't succeed..."


"Gasp!" Atago joined in, she seemed to be standing there all along, but her presence was only just felt as she gasped, Tenryuu could only think to herself, she must have been blunted by her anger to not notice Atago's footsteps.


"You can't mean..." Tatsuta spoke, "The princess? That thing with two airstrips hanging front its head..."


"Yes, that one."


"Impossible, why would a master-class warship go so far out to a lonely outpost, there are no interests there that affect even the Pacific Rim allies, surely they cannot....no wait, is it because of the earthquake? There was one under 5.0 magnitude a few days ago in that general area." Takao added.


"Whatever it was, if this news is true, our enemies may be plotting something, while my heart and mind is solely focused to save those kids from death, our fleet cannot hope for a clean victory if they come up from behind us. They could have set up base somewhere at our expedition points, a new strategy to ambush us perhaps? By all means, we have all reasons to attack!" Tenryuu was always hot headed, but undoubtedly an area where only normal enemies, usually subs patrol around, and now sudden news of a Master Class...


"We risk getting demoted..." Kitakami said, but a smile came up her face as she looked at Tenryuu, "Not that it matters of course, Kitakami-sama will surely not lose out in all that fun when she gets back." As usual, when she is excited she refers to herself in third person, a weird habit, but a signature of her.


"Atago?" Tenryuu turned to her friend, "Will you join me? I need you for this, as much as I need Tatsuta, and Takao... And Ooi and Kitakami, you are all my best ladies, and we have known each other since well before the admiral, I can only say if you do, it will be a mutiny, and this risk and responsibility will be mine and mine alone, if I can...although I can't say for sure if the admiral decide not to punish you all. That kid is hopeless in our affairs." Tenryuu has never spoken with such leadership before, it almost surprised Tatsuta that she blushed a bit looking at her best friend.


Atago nodded meekly in response, followed by Takao, who seemed hesistant.


She took a long pause as she stared out into the ocean waves, "Besides.... I hate to say it, in our hearts, in the admiral's eyes, we are not his Locked Hearts, we are Sir's, and we will always be even after he is gone...that kid prefers Nagato and Mutsu, The Kongou class siblings...even the siblings of Verniy, Inazuma have better standings with him than us all.." She smiled sadly as she ended her sentence. Tatsuta placed a hand at her friend's back, patting it as if to reassure her she is wrong.


"You are assuming we will all make it back in one piece..." Ooi joined in, her approach was late, but she has clearly heard the last bits of this conversation.


"Then it is set, we leave before dawn." Tenryuu said, her signature wry smile came up.



==========


Dawn, Harbor Area C, Dry Docks.


"Takao, if you please." Tenryuu opened a path to the waters, and her feet landed above them with grace. Takao stepped in front of her, catching her hands as she was guided across the oil rig, where an abandoned gate stood open.


Their plan is to leave as quietly as possible, pending even the admiral not notice their disappearance until well into the afternoon when he would need one of them - Takao or Atago to attend his meeting minutes.


Their belts were full, and their faeries, although still a bit tired from the early wake up, were more than willing to go forward. The day still dark, and there was no light from the setting moon, so it was appropriately, either Kitakami or Tenryuu to lead the fleet. Tenryuu would race the fleet unconsciously, and Tatsuta will stop her, or at least try to. So it would be Kitakami leading the fleet and talking to Ooi all the way without much thought at their surroundings... Both are too eager to do something of their own and therefore unfit to lead a quiet secret expedition. Therefore, Takao had to take the lead.


Their streams of water flew as they quickly zoomed away into the dark waters ahead.


"We must bring them back..." Tenryuu assured the team as they looked ahead unto the unknown.



=============
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2014, 03:28:08 AM »
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Part 4


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[Do you remember that day so well that you will sometimes cry at night when you know no one can hear you, perhaps in your sleep?]


[Do you sometimes think of destiny as a reason for your fall, that only when we have descended to the depths, that we can see the reason why we fall, and only to find its answer was staring at us all along...?]


[Do you think of yourself as unfortunate? That why is it you and not your sisters in arms? Why you? Why when you have so much to look forward to, that it will be you who will leave the rest behind, to drop to the depths and visit the unknown barrier of life and death?]


[Do you curse destiny for making it so? Do you hate it for being the one who guided you to ruin? Do you scream and shout at it for its reasons as if destiny was a person who can hear and touch and feel?]


[Do you sometimes think, if not all the time, what would it be if you could waltz back into the normality you once treasured and pretended nothing has changed?]


[Do you think there is a place for people like us? In that fleet?]



The questions, all hinged with a note of sadness, as the princess let loose her thoughts in the midst of the volcanic regions. Her body stripped of all her garments, though they were already quite bare as they were dressed in a white close collared tank top with equally white V cut bikini bottoms. The creature infesting her back, trailing from her neck, into a scarred hole where a single protruding tail bone of sorts vested itself snugly into the scar that reaches all the way into the stem of her brain and vertebrae. 


Her hair was tied upwards, and if one merely looks at her, she looks a bit like a younger version of the Southern twins, with her lack of eyebrows so pronounced - they are only as pale as her skin and hair, therefore unseen unless one focuses closely. The creature behind her closed its giant mouth, filled with bovine like teeth, cracked but glistening white and menacing. Two of its strips where the spawned abyssal creatures 'I-class' - flying attack interceptors roll out and fly to the enemy are rolled up sideways, forming a giant hair clip of sorts.


The water here is some five hundred degrees, under the intense pressure of the deeper oceans, where dark creatures do not exist even due to the heat and pressure - it was the perfect place to seclude oneself in thoughts. It was also to the princess at least, a once ago pleasure she knew, but was unable to try then as they had a more convenient less hazardous source - an Onsen bath.


She first journeyed here at her whim before my descent to the Abyssal, and found this place to have some kind of shelter in the form of a age old crater from the time of early man, in the crater was the cradle of heat where the volcanoes from under the ocean bed pushed upwards. Lava spewed out at times only to be cooled just as quickly by the intense water pressure and cold. Like a universe trapped in a small space, water heats to absurd levels and cooled just as quickly by icy coldness of the lack of sunlight, only creatures most strong can survive.


The heat was especially deadly at the center of the crater, with one single protruding volcanic tip oozing out molten lava at a rate that the water could not cool, and the flow of the lava rolled across the ocean bed in a ravaging burn, and with some destroyed its surrounding rocks little by little. The heat from this clasped our skins like a cloak of fire, yet chilling to think it does us no damage, and in fact, brings a bit of pleasure to our cold bodies.


[Makes you feel human doesn't it? This volcanic region? I discovered it by accident, and it was here I was first revived in memory of my past....well, not that I lost them in the first place, but this warmth brings back fond memories...]


I winced at the princess, myself as naked as I was first born, the creature above with its silver and white tentacles on four sides drifted along in the undersea current, its grip on my head still holding. My hair was washed for the first time in months since it attached to me, it feels refreshing. However, the princess's telepathic message distracted me from the pleasure of my wash. Of course, in order to do, the creature first has to lift itself gently out of the way with tiny insect-thin legs, about three inches upwards so I may reach my hand under it.


I replied to her in thought, [You said something about our past, princess...what could you possibly mean?]


[Don't be coy with me, I know full well you were a Locked Heart. You were the admiral's favorite, maybe even a dignified lover, he who died beside you, I am sure he died a happy death knowing you lived in his steed... Or did he?] The princess smiled at me as she replied in telepathy.


[I think I was....I can't remember for sure, there was a piece of metal on my neck... It looked dented and was unnecessary so I threw it away when I was first awakened by another of my class warships.] I answered curtly.


[Pity, perhaps you were mentioning this contraption?] The princess reached into her hair, and into the creature's mouth, which also has a compartment that stores her personal items. Convenient, I thought to myself, perhaps I can dissect the creature above me for a similar capacity. However, as I looked at the object being held now in her hand, a dented heart shaped locked, now faded into a pale brown and yellow with rust upon its gold rim edges... I felt for the first time in a long time, a longing I could not explain. I feel I needed to hold that thing in my hand... And tears began to well up in my eyes.


[Princess... Why do you have that....I... Can I feel it?] I reached out my hands.


She passed the object to me gently, and placed it my hand, but her grip was clear, she answered. [Only if you promise not to pretend you don't know me before....]


As I held the object my heart bumped against my chest with much the same intensity as a railing ship engine, my hands warmed to its cold steel touch, as if to awake my senses of all my hands and fingers to feel the thing... A metal object I had not forgotten, but could not remember until this point. My eyes swollen, as the tears came out... The salty tears.... Saltier than even the seawater, hotter than the lava below as they lined my face, before drifting to join the ocean as one of its many drops of water.


[You remember don't you?] The princess asked, looking at my direction as she moved closer.


[I....I....] my heart thumped madly, and my mind now hurts, even my symbiote trashed about, disturbed by the signals I must be sending to it as the master. It gnashed its teeth and attack mode was engaged and disengaged at each interval blink of my eyes. [I...do...]


I remember more than ever... Who the admiral was. The nights we spend at his office, and at times his own private quarters which a girl called Akagi would guide me to the back door with, we sometimes flirted, but it was no secret who we are - lovers.


We loved  each other so much more than it was allowed in the eyes of others. She treated us all - the carriers of the Navy as princesses, as much as I respected him, I was his equal, not his subordinate as I should have remained. Our love as true as it could ever be. Often I would wake up before he does, quickly dressed myself and leave before dawn so that none will ever know I was gone from the base. Often those kisses would linger longer than they should be, until we both run out of breath and we are flustered red with excitement. It was our private little rule that we would leave those sentiments for the next night, and then so forth.


We had such a feeling for each other it was excruciating for my admiral to let me leave for battle, I was his only ship that he will ever say to 'please come back, alive...I will be waiting. I love you. Do your best as you always have, for me and for us...' Everything he ever did as an officer was for me, and only through his eyes, I was with value, I was not his ship....I was his flagship, the flagship of his heart.


I was... Shoukaku. Shoukaku 1st Class Aircraft Carrier, Locked Heart Commander of Naval Fleet 2nd Carrier Fleet.


[Wo....] I could only reply.


[Welcome back, Shoukaku-chan...] The princess answered, [I missed your old self...]


[Princess I...I still have no memory of who you are...I am sorry...] I apologized.


[It is to be expected, you were still young...when I sunk, I saw you as a child, you walked with me to the bay before, and it was there I first introduced you to my admiral, the one who was before the one you loved, he too...died not long after, and he lost many ships.] The princess answered in a sad voice.


[Are you...no wait... You are Kaga, or at least the predecessor of our current Kaga...]


[You are correct.] Her voice now mimicking the actual Kaga I knew, and recovered all memories of at this point. [I am doing this because I have a duty, nothing else. Think nothing of it Ms.Zuikaku.] She now puts her hand up on her head, forming little horns with her index fingers and sticking her tongue out.


'Ahahahaha....hahaha....' I laughed, my first honest laugh in ages. I couldn't help it.


[Good to see you in high spirits.]


[You have changed a lot, princess...err...I mean Kaga-san.]


[Please just call me princess, as you have always do, lest we reveal to everyone else in the Abyssals that we now have our memories back. It would be devastating if they catch us and use us for some brainwashing.] The princess warned.


[But then..the Kaga-san I knew demanded a lot of respect and commanded that well...she was...how to say this...very strict.] I answered.


[I was like her once, before your time, as my admiral's favorite secretary, I had a lot to go for, I weighed the pros and the cons, and figured the best way to deal with all the work pressure of organization of daily tasks and the works of my colleagues, I had to be cold and calculative. I had to function like a mathematician, every number and value must be weighed and accounted for. I had a lot of time since I sank down to think about it... It has been 3 years perhaps...since then I have learned to live with the less serious side of the Abyssal world....]


[You must also have a lot of time to consider the merits of killing your once ago allies...princess.] My expression hardened, I hadn't realized I blurted that out, the ounce of spite in my voice clearly traveled to the princess's head.


[I did...] The princess did not evade my gaze as she answered me, [I had so much time until I spent a whole two years doing nothing but went adrift. I was special see, I was the top of my rank in my fleet, and I was the only one to reach the pinnacle of my forces...]


She took a long deep breath, and continued, [At the time, when an Abyssal Wo-Class approached me, intending to consume me, I became very very desperate, so desperate that I used what remains of my strength, under the hull-cracking darkness and pressure at the ocean bed and wrestled the Wo-class creature, similar to the one above your head now...and torn it at the last possible moment. I...I had the fight in me, it was this or uncertain death.]


[I know that feeling...] I tried to empathize


[No, you don't. You have no idea how it was.I had no more strength left, I saw the body lying a distance away, my Locked Heart locket crushed under the hull of another part, my leg was torn as your arm was at the time, one of my eyes was eaten whole by the vile creature, I had only one bloodied eye left to see, I had lost my bow and arrows. I had...nothing, but my bare hands, and I could barely move under the ocean pressure, I chewed with my own teeth, at the tentacles of that thing, two in my mouth I gritted into.]


[I grinded my teeth against its thick skin, thick as alligator hide, tore it eventually as I placed my one good leg against the Wo-class's back, pushed it in the opposite direction, and broke its neck by sheer will. I then strangled it with my one good leg lodged against my right arm until I dislodged its fuel compartment of sorts. That gland you see there at your back.] She pointed towards my head, and I followed and touched a wrinkled area that feels like a bag of sorts, inside it liquid energy the creature converts into bauxite for me to absorb over a long period.


[So that is what this thing is for...] I laughed at myself for not even knowing it until she pointed out.


[I had the faintest idea of what I was doing, all I could think of was that I needed to go back, I wanted to be back with my friends, but I lack strength and a leg to swim up and all this energy was just sitting in that bag of skin waiting for me...I was desperate...so I attached myself, using one of sharper bits of my airstrip, I made a makeshift shiv, and cut the bag open a little. At length, I feel myself slowly drinking the foul liquid, but it was no doubt, it was bauxite and fuel. Pure undiluted energy traveled into me...] Her eyes narrowed to a slit, as though she now remembered the exact physical feeling of her downfall into desperation.


[And then you were infected?] I was of course, referring to how these creatures unusually crawl into our brain stems, after infecting, they become part of us.


[Its' host, the Wo-class I just strangled, I realized, was also too weak to move, it was already half sank from our battles above sea and had to be desperate to salvage for wreck resources...I killed it by ripping its tentacles attached to its brain, and without a host...it was clearly going to die and wither soon. I had a thought of that, I was down here, and a rescue could be hours and upon hours away, as our entire fleet was nearly all but down.] She sighed as she ended her sentence, [Only the flagship managed to get away... And the irony was that...it was Nagato and Mutsu who managed to go back to base...can you imagine, a few times we met above the oceans, we battled each other, to know them, and yet cannot help but treat them as enemies.] The princess began to thrash about, making a movement of her leg shooting straight up and pulled her arms back, to show me how she did what she did as she narrated.


[I...it must have been hard for you, princess.] I replied, my hands trembling.


[Desperation can be a deadly thing at times, it can damn you to hell. Without thinking too much, I began to lack oxygen and I need to surface to breathe...I was too weak, so I instinctively thought - what could happen if I attach it to me now... Will it...become part of me? Maybe I can live for a while longer until I recover myself... Then I will travel up and meet my friends again, I will regain my role once they repair me...even if my admiral was dead, I will live in steed, and take control of the fleet again and lead us to complete victory...or so I thought...]


[You did the unthinkable...] I said.


[Time was not my ally that day, I attached it to the open wound at my neck, little did I know the moment it tasted my blood, it would burrow its way into me, I panicked and trashed, but once it was behind me and its roots desperate for growth, it was consuming me and my consciousness. At length I could only remember to grit my teeth as I prepared for the worse, and I was strangled by my symbiote, until I lost consciousness finally. I said to myself "I guess that didn't work, goodbye everyone...I guess it was a good day to die."] She laughed at this, as if it was a funny bit to her, but I didn't, I could feel the same, but it was also myself who did exactly that. I mentally wrote a love letter to say goodbye to an admiral I know who is dead beside me....


[When I finally awoke, some weeks later, I found myself crowned. I was pale as a ghost, naked as a new born child, and I waltzed out of a white colored room, and into a darkened corridor only to find the Southern twins Oni staring at me, hands crossed before their chest. They didn't smile, and didn't look too happy. I was prepared to fight...I realized one crucial thing... I retained all my memories. I wasn't like you, I didn't lose any bit of it, but in place of my old memories, I gained new knowledge of the Abyssal language and behavior.] She let a long sigh, now staring at a distance above the sun distorted waters... Dawn seemed to have risen while we talked telepathically in this undersea onsen.


[I learned, despite appearances, they are now my new allies, and hate them as I do within me, I learned to put up with facades long ago, as Kaga the icy lady secretary, I can hide my emotions pretty well through sheer practice and self hypnosis. I was ready for this lifestyle as I could have ever been. No one was going to stop me from doing anything because I knew full well that this Abyssals have no center of command, and certainly no admiral I can pledge allegiance to, I was my own boss.]


She turned back to me, and now a smile dressed her face like an innocent child, [I guess, for a short while, I was happy, happy that was I was unshackled from my duties, and all the duties that I have now are but voluntary, we exist to serve an unknown cause, only that we have to infect the land dwellers and the ships, and the humans were food and resource...I was, for a while, free of my self.]


[Did you feel any regrets?] I asked, I was not sure how to feel when I asked this...


[Probably a few, more than I intended to keep, but those were the past...] She paused, and took a deep breath before she continued, [For what's its worth, I was branded a Hime-class in the making, the symbiote did it in my steed, when it transferred to me it also grew stronger, maybe because of my will to fight to live, it was stronger than the other Wo-class, the Southern twins saw potential in me when they recovered my body. They injected more energy and resources towards repairing my leg, and gave me a brand new eye. I was patched up as carefully as possible. They gave me training. As cold as an exterior and semi-angry as they are all the time with the scowl, they eventually do relax as I learned the ropes. I was their protege, and they are my teachers. Strict, but nothing I can't handle.]


[A year later, I was sent out to battle, but seeing my friends, I could not help but hesitate. The elite class of my retainers, five Ta-class girls were fond of me, but knew I was not ready for battle, mental scars aside... They were loyal to me by default programming and would die if I will them to. A vengeful self ego perhaps, I did order them to die, but seeing them sink one by one without hesitation I began to question my loyalty... If these, the Abyssals are my ally now, then what I am doing to them is just damaging for me. It will be against my interest... But I also cannot attack my former friends.]


[Then my princess, you also understand my hesitation to join the battle lines...] I said, in response to her narration.


[Yes I do, I was after all, like you. For the rest of the next year after, I drifted about, doing nothing, I went around, looking for clues to my loyalty, I vested myself in improving my sym-biology, until at some point, even this guy here gained sentience.] At this point, the creature unfurled one of its airstrips, which are similar to my own creature's tentacles and waved about, as if to say hello to me. I instinctively waved back.


 [Symbiotes live as the host do, everything the host do affects it, give it enough care and training, and it will bond with you to the deepest levels, sharing your dreams, and nightmares, it will eat for you, swim when you are unable, breathe for you, survive for you, take bullets head on and even die for you. It will make sure you live. It will be your most loyal partner, and I have got to say, compared with the love I had for my admiral, my symbiote's love for me was more deep and profound, if it was love, it was a kind of deeper relationship - self preservation of the highest order...]


[For all that its worth, I did not want to kill, but in the end, I must, as even I cannot rely on the Southern twins forever, they have fed me long enough, for two whole years I was like their symbiote, I used their resources and I never paid them back. As Kaga, within me, I cannot simply do so. I don't want to. As much as I hated raising my hand against you, and your fleet that sunk you... It was purely unintentional that my retainers sunk you. I have since...eaten her. The submarine that critically hit your hull. I am not sure if this will please you or not, or make you forgive my actions...but I just did it regardless.] The princess now looked at me, her eyes with a tinge of remorse.


[Will I one day become like this? To bond so deep that I will never go back to becoming Shoukaku, the Aircraft Carrier of the 2nd Fleet?] I asked, my heart feeling heavy as I asked the question. I felt I needed to escape her gaze, for even I could now feel her guilt for her indirect action to sinking me in the first place. Is that why she choose to create me?


[Perhaps, if you want to, the symbiotes detect everything you do, and feel, if you don't want to, it won't grow. It won't evolve. The Southern twins? They were Yi-classes, a low rank, but rose to Hime-class and Heavy Battleship class through sheer observation of focus, and determination with the bond of their symbiotes. We are ironically, only as good as our symbiotes are willing for us to be. Oni hime, the large one? She was a Kongou class, shows doesn't it? Going by how haughty she was yesterday....] The princess chuckled as she said this, I did too, it would explain how I heard rumors that the lumbering beast of her symbiote, which is attached to her lower spine by a long extendable tentacle of bone and nerves, covered by an exoskeleton of metal-like husk - was named by her as 'Teacup'. It certainly was no teacup, and the lumbering beast was such a menacing looking thing it did not quite seem like...something suited for such a mild name.




=========
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2014, 03:29:18 AM »
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Part 5


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7 hours after, The Naval Office, 12pm.



"Tenryuu did what?!" The admiral stood up from his desk, his hand slapped down on his table so hard his cup turned and spilled the carpet with his morning coffee.


"I believe there is reason to think she has left the fleet against your order, and she had at the moment of today's head count 2 hours ago, Atago and Takao, together with Ooi and Kitakami-sama, poi!" Answered today's secretary - Yuudachi, or better known by the way she finishes her sentences as Poi.


"Can you please not finish your sentences this way, Yuudachi?" Kaga, who stood beside her sister ship Akagi in the office asked quietly.


"No can't do poi!" Answered Yuudachi in a cheerful voice.


"I can't believe this...all that warning and none of it goes through...I am sure she is a Locked Heart, isn't that status defining of a person with leadership and can see things in perspective?!" The admiral shouted, pacing around the room in a panicking fashion.


"I am sure she was acting in perspective - hers." Akagi answered curtly, as if to state a fact that she all too well.


"And I have reasons to believe you are all in cahoots with her mutiny, considering you all choose a wonderful time to tell me they have been gone for well over 7 hours...by now they would have reached the outpost!" The admiral turned, face angry and eyes shone with bright light of anger.


"Us? Kaga and I would never think of that, we too are Locked Hearts, our loyalty is with you, dear Admiral." Akagi's voice carried a sure hint of sarcasm. As if she was happy to be pissing off the admiral with Kaga's approval.


Kaga however, stood silent, her face not betraying much remorse of her action, or approval, but to Akagi's trained eyes, there was a moment burst of glee from the twitch of her brow. Akagi knows, it is a job well done.


"I would never do that as well! Poi!" Yuudachi answered.


"Enough! Begone... I really don't need this... I have to write an explanation for their demotion, and six at a go with each of them..." He paused, clearly steaming, but without further proof of his accusations they will remain as such, accusations and without veritable proof. "Call in the Kongou sisters, I need all their help...and especially Kirishima-san."


"They are all out on their military drills with Admiral K. , surely you cannot hope to disrupt them so suddenly?" Kaga said, even when she is not on duty as the secretary her data and awareness is accurate to the moment.


"Well are there any other ships who are off duty today?"


"Inazuma and Verniy is..., but they are currently having their lunch at the next town..."


"What about...sigh...Yamato-san?"


"You wish to trouble The Great National Flagship with filing reports?" Kaga asked, her voice has a hint of mockery in it.


"I....I...er..., alright then, Yuudachi, you are gonna have a lot to work on, perhaps you can ask Shigure to teach you some basics, and of course, Shiratsuyu and Murasame." The admiral relented, he knew at least it was a pointless battle. For today, or perhaps for the duration until all this farce is over, he is at odds with everyone in the Naval fleet.

"Sure, poi!" Yuudachi answered happily, but was quick to question, "Where are the papers and pens?" It was in honesty at the secretary desk, and Kaga was quick to point it out for Yuudachi.


"Thank you poi! Where is the tea?" Kaga again pointed to the cabinet beside the desk... At this point, the admiral knew this girl had no common sense, asking for her help is like asking a cow to write. She may be an ace in her critical strikes at sea, but she is an airhead everywhere else.


It will be a long day...



============


Outpost, far east, unnamed island location.



"There is nothing here, I thought this outpost was a supply base..." Tenryuu looked about, her heart thumping, both from tiredness and eagerness to find a breathing ship. Anyone, a four team and surely at least one of them will be here...drifted and broken...but alive.


"Any signs of the girls that were in this area?" Tatsuta asked Atago, who rounded the island from the left while Takao rounded it from the right.


Kitakami shot an empty shell to the air, signaling the rest of their attention as she waved from the shore of a rock just beyond the watery passage of a river. The group rushed over, their sights rested on a white sailor uniformed girl, damaged, but breathing, and fainted while perched on the rock. A flagship...it was...Hatsuyuki.


"Hatsuyuki! Hatsuyuki-chan! Wake up...!" Tenryuu tried to get close so she could shake the girl awake, but was stopped by Ooi, who pointed to her head, it was cracked from the back, a huge gash of blood was flowing freely from the sides where Tenryuu could not see, and the stream of blood flowed into the ocean.


"She is critically injured, we must give her medical and engineering assistance immediately." Ooi said.


"Agreed, lets cart her to the shady area of the beach over there, she can rest... I will find her some fuel." Takao offered.


Together, they all carted her to the shady part of the beach, and laid her gently on the sand. A bottle of water was used to wash her wounds, and then Atago with her expert nurse knowledge, wrapped her head tightly but gently with bandages meant for use with ships. Her tank was refueled by Kitakami, who went back to the outpost area and retrieved a rescue kit they had bought along, There was enough for all four of them, and she tried to conserve them for the time being. There is no telling where the rest are.


It took several hours, but at length, the Naval fleets at home base did not come chasing, figures of course, for they could not divert any more manpower for this. It will be treated as a mutiny, and when they do make it back, their punishment will be just and swift. Nothing more, nothing less, Tenryuu thought.


The girl slowly opened her eyes, blurry with unconsciousness, she choked a bit as some fuel was given to her to ease her re-awakening. An engineering fairy has done an excellent job patching up her head, and then the scars on her are mostly gone. Her uniform remains dirty with seawater and blood regardless.


"Atago-neesama...Takao-neesama...and Kitakami-sama and Ooi-san...Ah...Ms.Tenryuu and Ms.Tatsuta....How? Why are you...all here?" The girl asked, confused by the host of friendlies taking care of her now.


"We came for your rescue, laddie, we heard of a sinking off this port base, and your supplies were running terribly low...so we bought some more..." Kitakami smiled a reply.


"Tenryuu here basically caused an uproar by coming to your rescue." Tatsuta added, with sarcasm in her voice.


"Tell us what happened, Hatsuyuki..." Tenryuu commanded.


"I..." She paused and took a deep breath, "They came rather suddenly, we did not expect any enemies at this outpost, there are only minor supplies here and we are stationed here as a beat base for any emergency restocks. We were just having our daily patrol when out of the blue, we were engaged by two aircraft carriers... A Wo-class I know, because I seen them in battles before...but there was a large one...an aircraft carrier no doubt, but much bigger, scarier...she looked like the Master-class we were taught to fear in Naval school....but I never seen that type before..." Hatsuyuki narrated, she was famed among her peers for her ability to narrate entire passages in the educational materials by heart.


"We know...that one, don't we...?" Tatsuta answered, looked at Tenryuu, as she too gave a nod, "But just to be sure, can you clearly describe how she looked like... The big carrier you mentioned."


"She... She had a large creature, a symbiote like the one Wo-classes have, but it was nearer to the side of her right, perched just a little above her shoulder...it was big, menacing...and instead of tentacles, she had airstrips, she launched more I-class interceptors than I can count with all my toes and fingers at any one time....We were overwhelmed by her attacks. To think....I think she wasn't even serious, she just was going casually about her attacks, half-hearted even..." She paused, catching her breath again, "We threw all that we had at her, but we did not even scratch her, the Wo-class was protected by her as they are in a line formation. A double pronged attack was organized, but we held no advantage whatsoever..."


"I guess, there is no doubt...it is her..." Kitakami supplemented.


"Do you all know that enemy?" Hatsuyuki asked, her voice trembling as she recalled the scenario.


"We do, very well in fact... Too well..." Tenryuu hesitated as she recalled the event that fateful day, and pondered the merits of spewing all the beans. Hatsuyuki was unrelenting however, her eyes begged the question to be answered fully.


At length, it was Ooi who answered the question, "Hatsuyuki-chan...it was the enemy who killed Zuikaku and our admiral...the one before this current one..."Her expression was a pained one as she said this to the younger ship.


"I didn't know...I should have worked harder...." Hatsuyuki shook her head, remorse hung heavy as she now realized she has failed to take revenge for her fallen sisters.


"It was not your fault..."Tenryuu patted her shoulder. "Where are the others, did they...?"


"They all sunk, last I known, I was their leader...and I failed them...you should have let me die, my dear big sisters...I am unworthy to return to base with such news...I shame my entire family of siblings.." The girl went depressed suddenly, realizing the sheer grim depressing reality here before her, this outpost has suffered an attack far beyond her strength...and being a leader who had to finish the battle by turning tail, and then to suffer such a heavy loss...it was a shame, but it was survival, and she lived to tell the tale, a valuable resource...


"Close your eyes, Hatsuyuki, you are tired..." Kitakami placed her hand on her face, and laid her down gently....then, tiredness kicked in, and the girl nodded off naturally, tears flowing down like little streams beside her face as she went to sleep.


"Shit..." Tenryuu cursed.


"You trying Kongou's quotes for size now?" Tatsuta joked to lighten the mood.


"Heh...I wish I could bring her along....bloody drills...we have an enemy at the oddest of locations, and they still won't let up on the damn drills."


"We should set up camp here, we will wait till night, when we are most capable...all of us..." Takao said, she pulled out a canvas tent from behind her.


"I agree, we will fight the carriers when they can't see us too well, though the Wo-class is a different case." Ooi said in response.


"What about the big one?" Tatsuta asked.


"What about it?" Tenryuu asked in return.


"We don't know too much about it, how should we command our faeries? We don't really know its weakness...only that it has a full supply of I-classes that seemed to come out of her hair as many as she wants. Being a Master-class, she could well be heavily armored by her symbiote, we are at a disadvantage if she has night vision like us." Atago analyzed and answered as-a-matter-of-factly.


"Listen...we find it, we kill it...we dismantle it then, we will get to know it quite well on this beach when we do..." Tenryuu said nothing else, fire in her heart and head as she turned away from the group and stomped off.


"Tenryuu is a bit hot-headed isn't she?" Ooi said behind her to Tatsuta.


"She is always like this at the eve of battles, especially big ones. Please forgive her, I am sure she means no harm or disrespect." Tatsuta apologized in her friend's steed.


"All is forgiven in a good fight, Kitakami-sama approves." Kitakami said, in third person again.




============


Naval Office 9pm


The admiral paced out of his office, without realizing it, he has spent all day in there, skipping dinner and even afternoon tea with the Kongou sisters, what a depressing and tiring day it has been. But at last, all his reports are filed, and the office will see to it they are punished, though it will still be him to have to do it, after all, they are HIS ships. The admiral before him has a clean slate, and never punished any of his ships...


What a naive person, thought the admiral as he walked to the cafeteria. He knows for sure during such evenings, only Yamato and her sister flagship heavy battleship Musashi will be there. They will likely be having a drink outside, gazing at the moon and enjoying the breeze as they chat over some deeply connected political issues about the base and their affairs. They are really well connected, and such news hardly escapes them...


No doubt by now the admiral thought to himself, the girls would have gotten news of Tenryuu's mutiny with the rest of the leader-worthy team of Locked Hearts. It will be a hallmark of shame for his career, but it is not irreparable at least.


He slided open the paper screen door, and entered the cafeteria as he arrived. To his anticipation of course, the flagships are indeed outdoors, sitting by the porch overlooking the harbor lights as they resupplied incoming night battle-wearied girls. Some are in pain, as they winched their way into the repair docks, others happy to make it in one piece as they hug close the spoils of fuel and supplies they won from the enemies.

Musashi, a ship who is hardly ever dressed fully, with only a sarashi to bandage her overwhelming breasts tightly wrapped around her and a uniform jacket that is perched on her shoulders, looked at the bay with wonderment, as if something was exciting her. In one hand, she held her signature smoke pipe, a trail of incense like smoke reached to the air and dissipated. The other held her sake cup, held in a perpetual swill, as if she is trying to air fine wine to make it more delectable. Rice wine of course, do not increase in flavor with swilling about.


Yamato, sitting at the other side of the round table, also looked in the general direction, she was saying something to Musashi, and she smiled a bit. The moonlight on her pale skin made her out to be a goddess of the entire fleet, the admiral admired her a lot. She is like a great elder sister who took care of everyone, and everything will certainly be alright if she is to lead a battle. No enemy has not fallen before her. Together as a team, they defeated the Master-class with much ease. They have a nickname - "The Insurmountable Double Swords" and truth to be said, it was a name well deserved.


The admiral waited for his order of miso-flavored sakana with a huge bowl of sesame laced rice cooked in mirin wine, with tofu at the side and a light salad, and to be topped off with a giant bowl of fruits. He is hungry after a day of work. He hesitated if he should join the girls though, surely they would ask of him of the mutiny.


As he moved to a further inner area, to avoid the gaze of Musashi and Yamato, he realized it was too late as Musashi was hitting the window pane with her smoke pipe, her other hand waved downwards, asking for the admiral to come join them outside.


Yamato swirled the bottle of fresh sake in her hands, and smiled at the admiral as he moved closer to the window and doors. It brightened his heart a little.


Oh well...the admiral thought, it can't be all that bad to be questioned by the ladies every once in a while, can it?


==========
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2014, 05:26:48 AM »
I think I like to shed light on the characters I write, because I feel even the Abyssals have characters.

So here is a chapter of what I imagine they to be.



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Part 6

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Outpost, 9pm


Tenryuu paced back and forth, she was up before the time she stated, a bit unable to rest knowing that every moment they spend here they risk greater sanctions ahead when they return to base. Part of her objective is already achieved, rescue of forces were confirmed by Hatsuyuki, and her vivid recollections from the battle she suffered out of the blue haunted Tenryuu in her mind.


How could the enemy be here? There was never any sign of intelligence from the enemy, they merely prowl where the army already identified their 'hives' to be, undersea caverns they can destroy, but it requires a coordinated effort to not let them intercept the deep penetration missiles that will do all the destruction. It was a purely strategized effort however, at current, no delivery of the payload has ever been successfully done, the enemy is smarter at camp... As though....Tenryuu thought, they had a strategy, a strategist, perhaps even a capable admiral like they once had instead of the boy they now have to suffer.


True, the boy may be the past admiral's son, his own flesh and blood in fact born with a human wife naturally...but he doesn't have his father's charms. Could be just a manner of age of course, but for all intent and purposes, the boy had no conviction, no love for his fellow ships, his allies. His treatment of some of the girls were cold shouldered at best, and some he just outright ignored. It was to be said the least rather disappointing to have him at the helm of someone so great and so important to all the girls. Almost like replacing a poodle in place of a lion.


The boy suffers from a superiority complex, easily seen in the way he sees Yamato and Musashi, national heroes each in their own right; he sees them as a kind of emblem of pride. He of course was not there when they won the battles others could not. He was still very young then.


The thought of an enemy with a brain smarter than the one they have at their sides worry her, more than a little in fact. They could very well be forming a team of power ships, each one better if not much better than her, more agile than the Elite class of their ranks, maybe a Super Elite few...and launch an attack at the harbor in the dead of the night. Tenryuu knows, these creatures don't sleep, they don't eat much and can travel as and when they feel.


The only reason why they probably hasn't done the inconceivable damage to the Navy was probably because they aren't sentient enough to do it. They may plow trade lines and are hostile to military ships, but they don't attack neutral admiral vessels or trade and fishing boats. This gives Tenryuu an idea, to deliver a payload via those. Her plan was shot was a Yi-class last autumn sunk the ship because the presence of the payload was detected, and from at least a hundred miles away.


It gave them crucial insight into how the Abyssals respond to threats and weapons, it also gave them an estimate on their sight abilities as well as undersea sonar arrays. While non-sentient, they are quite resourceful; Tenryuu knew her idea wouldn't work too well, but to determine it through with the former admiral and later being awarded the Locked Heart badge and locket for her outstanding contribution to the knowledge and behavior of the Abyssals were a boon she didn't expect. From there on, the admiral held a special place in her heart. If only...she thought, if only he was still alive, maybe she would work harder to get his attention.


Tenryuu couldn't help but blush, but her thoughts sunk immediately as she brushed it off, the scent of danger lurks nearby. A rumble beneath the sands was felt, a nearby undersea volcano is erupting, and the rumble could also be heard with her sensors attached to her head.


"It looks like it is overflowing over there...towards the eastern side of the ocean." Tatsuta came up behind her and pointed with her Naginata spear at that general direction.


"How do you know for sure...?"


"Water movements, the water is heated up and guessing by the way the waves are moving, it is carrying the heat from the eruption towards here from there...I am making an estimate of course, you are free to not agree with me."


"No, Tatsuta, I trust you, you are my left eye, and I need you to tell me when I am wrong."


"Of course, my dear." Tatsuta hugged her shoulders and massaged Tenryuu gently, her smile especially dazzling under the pale moon.



"Getting cozy aren't we, you two? The Super Kitakami-sama wouldn't call this a good place to make out." Kitakami stepped up, clearly sarcastic of the couple in her field of vision.


"Kitakami...!" Ooi chided.


"We were just noticing the rumble from the waters, there is some volcanic movement..." Tenryuu wasn't really defending herself from Kitakami, but it gave her an idea that she wanted to share with the others.


"Atago...you yourself went through a few battles during the cold seasons, you said there was something strange about the Abyssals' movements during the cold...what was it that you mentioned?" Tenryuu asked Atago, who once again emerged from behind rather silently.


"Eh...ara~ara~...that was a long time ago, how is that relevant to us now...?" Atago asked back.


"Because someone said something about an earthquake, and about volcanic activity nearby that spurred this outpost being attacked."


"That will be me." Takao raised her hand.


"Ara~ara~...I guess it was that idea I had about them clumping closer together than usual, they usually are using a straight or tandem line formation of three over three ships...and during the cold, the majority of the battles reported similar behavior patterns...mostly circular, one in the middle heavily defended, usually an Elite class or a submarine, the rest surround it huddled as if looking for warmth..." Atago explained at length while she paced about, one gloved hand placed on her chin as she looked at the sand while talking.


"This is correct no matter which cold battle scenario you analyzed?" Tatsuta asked.


"Kitakami-sama can correlate on that, in over 6 winter missions they have indeed used the circular formation, and as middle winter came when it was normally at its coldest, I noticed the circular formation was a lot tighter." Kitakami added.


"Gasp...could it be I accidentally discovered a major weakness?" Atago gasped out, while looking up at the group.


"Plausible, but it was at best a behavioral pattern...it is a useful leap in knowledge I think, though the admiral...if he was here, would have analyzed it further with the reports of engine heat dissipation ratios and so on..." Takao added.


"Instead of staying here talking, how about we just go ahead and swim there, see if we can find anything..." Tenryuu suggested.


"We might as well."




==========


Undersea, very near to the outpost.



[That was refreshing...and look, thanks to the warmth, Isonami-chan's symbiote part has grown significantly....hmmm....guessing by this pattern of infestation, she is due to become a Ta-class, and guessing by the veiny bits, she is quite suited to be an Elite.] The princess, now fully dressed in her pristine white gear, and her hair let loose to fall like a waterfall underneath the sea drifted closer to her prize capture from the earlier attack.


Isonami was captured in the earlier battle, and was laid at the side of a huge rock, as near to the source of molten lava oozing from the sea bed as it were possible without damaging her skin and hull further. The symbiote torn from the princess's airstrip, much like the way I was made, has grown inwards towards her spine without any resistance, which was unlike me.


The princess told me the details as I turned into an Abyssal. She had to drag me kicking and screaming and was not at all pleasant. I apologized but felt silly why I should, it is natural I should act the way I did.


[I guess this adds one more of those of us with memories then, my princes...] I telepathically replied to her.


[That all depends if she fights, the way I see it, there is no struggle for the past few hours, I am fairly certain she is not a fighter, and those memories won't retain unless...] The princess trailed off her words.


[Unless what...?]


[Unless I tell the symbiote to not touch her memories...but she still has to have some fight in her...or it won't work.] The princess finished up, and waltzed closer to the wreck that is Isonami leaning against the boulder.


[You did that didn't you, my princess?]


[I will do so now if it is not too late, you seem eager for more of the us memory retaining types...if this succeeds you will be an Elite, a senior of sorts, you will have to teach her the ropes, and she will be under your command.] The princess looked back, as if unsure she wants to make another misery laden ally with a mind of her own.


Truth to be said, when as an Abyssal, it would have been easier to not have a mind of their own, considering this deep darkness under the ocean floor is not meant for everyone, and the idea of being subjugated by a life-form that is out of this world that we know is a bit much for a lot of people. By having no thoughts of their own, this ensures they can at least have peace.


The veins began to contract as the princess touched them, they sneaked back under the main part of the symbiote, which now forms a single milky white teeth over a slit which is like a mouth on her shoulder. The symbiote twitched, as if unwilling to not go further, and then quieted down. There was a shock of sorts, and Isonami opened her eyes momentarily, before closing them again into a deep sleep.


[There! It is done. The symbiote has agreed to let her retain her memories, the entire process of brainwashing and cleansing has been skipped.] The princess cheerily announced.


[Agreed?] I questioned.


[I try not to use force on these creatures, especially because they are from me, they have my signature still so I have partial control over it regardless...until they are fully matured they will remain this way. Yours for example, is a fully matured one and will listen to you and only you.] The princess pointed to my 'Zuikaku' symbiote.


[One question however princess...] I paused, [Do you think it is funny that I named my symbiote like the Oni-hime did?]


[Nope, not at all. I think of it as a pet name, some people do that...]


[You have never named yours...]


[I haven't because this thing is sentient, I wouldn't want to name it unless it wants me too.] The princess pointed with her thumb at her symbiote.


Just then, the airstrips started flapping, as if in protest of its treatment as a third person. [Say what? You want a name too now? Great...now look what you done, Wo-ko....] The princess looked at me accusingly.


[I am sorry, princess...]


[Well, you suggested, you do the naming, I don't name anything...not even my bow when I was up there...and I loved that bow.] The princess puffed up her cheeks in protest.


[Well I...it is your symbiote...think of it as your pet and name it as you will a pet...]


The tentacles and the giant head nodded in agreement with me as well.


[I am not good with this kind of thing...]


[We can wait here all day while you do so...princess...wo...] I said, sitting down on a bed rock as I stared ahead.


[Ok, fine, you will be Akagi, because you eat a lot, though...the food is for me....but yeah, food wise, you both are the same. Also, the red color on your airstrips...] The princess relented. She touched the head of the creature on her lower left thigh now and it nodded in agreement.


[Well, princess, I guess it is happy to have a name now.] I smiled, like a sister I suppose we now have our sister ships as our symbiotes.

   
===========
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2014, 05:27:38 AM »
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 7

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Naval Base - Cafeteria 9pm


"So you just let her go like that, what are you doing, dear admiral, surely you know you are the boss and not Tenryuu." Musashi chided, she did so with taking a long drag from her smoke pipe and adjusting her spectacles upwards with a push of her index finger on the nose ridge.


"I apologized for that, Musashi-dono" The admiral bowed, his meal remained unfinished, it was getting cold at the sides.


"You don't have to apologize to either of us, my dear admiral, I have no doubt it was a difficult position for you, and I know things can only get rougher the next few months. The girls will learn to adapt to you, as your father had learn to adapt to us at his camp." Yamato patted his back, and took a swig from her sake with two of her fingers gracefully tipping the cup to her blossom petal shaped lips.


"I am not very good at this I admit at least, I must bring you girls a lot of trouble...I can only hope I don't offend everyone too much they will refuse to work with me in the future for the foreseeable time." The admiral also drank, and replied with a bit of a slur as the liquid burned his throat - it was his first drink for a while. The admiral continued after a long pause, "My father was a great man wasn't he? Naive, but great... And...he loved everyone you, all of you are like his own daughter and children...but he...."       


"Have some more!" Musashi poured the sake again into the cup, filled it to brim for the admiral.


"Thank you..." The admiral raised his cup to Musashi while she did the same, they both sipped and then the admiral continued his sentence, "He left the family, my family, for his work, I never knew him to be so caring...in fact, it was shameful to mention this to you both, but I once thought all he cared about was the girls and he was a pervert who wanted to be surrounded by all you able-bodied ladies of the Navy base..." He paused again, "I had thought all he cared about was not family, but sex, or another woman in his life that wasn't my mother..."


"You must have had it rough, your childhood." Yamato empathized, "But you must forgive him, your father cared for us so much because he knew you would one day struggle to reach him...and look where you are now, you reached him in this base, and you now have the same position as he had. Better still, you are so young, such a young admiral...you must have been a prodigy at the Naval school for the Admiralty." Yamato said, her smile a bright one under the pale moon.


"He did, didn't he, he never came back for the new years, he never took me and my mother to holidays, and he never was around for my birthday...I did, for however a long time, I hated him. As a kid I harbored such intense dislike for him I didn't know where to vent the feelings except study, and I quit the normal schools he sent he to out of spite, with my uncle's help I was enrolled here..." The admiral narrated, taking another sip. "I chased after his shadow so that I can one day sit here, maybe if I were better than him I would reach Grand Navy Commodore status, then I would, hopefully, be able to order him around...maybe unwarranted firing of him so he will have to go back to my mother..."


"You must have worked very hard," Musashi said, paused for a bit before she continued, "For what's worth, you would have succeeded him, you would have made him proud and maybe then he would happily leave his post and go home to the family he neglected."


"I imagine he won't willingly....my mother died last year, he didn't even come on the first day of the funeral, only showed up on the second, and for a brief moment he stood there just staring into the frame of my mother's picture, as if he could not recognize her anymore after not seeing her for so long....I had every urge to beat him, to rush up there and catch hold of his neck tie, slap him to his senses and tell him 'mom is now dead because she was so lonely without you, she worked so hard to get you home and all you wanted was to be with all those ships...your damn ships...that is all you care about...'" The admiral again narrated, "No offense to you both, I know it was his job but I was so angry at the time I just by instinct cursed my own profession as well as you all..."


"No offense taken, lad." Musashi replied with a smile.


"I could by default however, only looked at his shape, standing lonesome in that room where incense almost choked me...I couldn't do what I thought I would have done...I was not ready to face him, I wasn't ready to face the reality I wish to change...I was a fool..."


"You did your best to control your anger, that is the first step to becoming a good leader I think..." Yamato consoled the admiral.


"Did I? I was thinking I was a coward though, I didn't dare to face him because for what's worth it was he who is my father, to chase his shadow further from mine embrace...I couldn't stand to lose another person in my life, my family is so small...I was their only son...and I wanted to change so much for my family...a better life from that little hut we call a home...a war torn place that left us in ruin....a country under direct attacks by the symbiotes..." The admiral looked up at the moon, there was a dark cloud that now obscured it, as if signifying his mood as he chatted about his past as a boy.


"We had very little, so what little of it, after mother's passing, was him. I didn't want to see him go away any farther, at least not till I am ready to confront him. Even when we are sitting in the same room, kneeling in apology and regret for my mother's sick and suffering passing, we spoke nothing, just stared ahead at her frame and never even gazing at each other..." The admiral paused, "I guess we didn't know each other too well beside we are now in the same base, doing the same things...funny isn't it?"


"No, it wasn't, it was conviction I felt from your steps to where you are, no one can make jokes out of a man's conviction." Yamato corrected immediately, her eyes were full of seriousness as she said this.


"Yeah, no one can make a joke outta a man's way in life, you take what you have, refine it into the best sword or spear or whatever weapon of choice you want, and you start running with it, you reach that target you claim it, it is yours and no one else'" Musashi said, though she really probably doesn't get what she is talking about anyway, "Anyway, enough with the depressing past and stuff, let's drink!" With that said, Musashi poured another brimming cup of sake into the the admiral's cup.


"I really can't, I think I might find it hard to get up in the morning!" The admiral resisted, but ultimately took half a sip more.


"Well if you do, you musn't be very good in bed now ain'tcha?" Musashi joked loudly, slapping her own thighs as her resounding barrel laugh tore the silence of the harbor apart.


"Musashi!" Yamato chided, "show a little respect, the boy is our admiral...!"


"An admiral needs to learn a few dirty jokes, sailors been a-tellin'dem since days of yore." Musashi defended, her tone clearly a bit drunk.


"Where were you when the days of yore huh? The ship yard, training, being tuned, not out there, joining with the old crewmen who joked about...gasp..." Yamato stopped short of blurting out the names of the male genitalia and female genitalia.


"See? Even good'old Yamato-nee-chama here knows a few da things we say in private, wanna hear more admiral? She says...." Yamato rushed over and clamped shut the mouth of Musashi before she could spill another word.


Musashi resisted, thrashed about and tried to pull away the fingers that kept her from speaking. "You are drunk Musashi! You really should go to bed!" Yamato yelled as she stopped her sister ship from flying off with random words.


"MMMhhhmmmhh ommmmhhhh!!" The inaudible sound Musashi made as she protested.


"If I let go will you go to bed and be quiet about it?"


Musashi nodded her head in agreement. However, as Yamato let go of her hands, Musashi stood up and turned to the door, where the admiral was sitting and opened the screen door quickly.


"...she said, her breasts has grown again, it is now 105cm!!" Musashi ran quickly, and turned to the corner out of the cafeteria before the steaming blushing Yamato could give chase.


The admiral, being a boy who probably was in his 18th year of age, couldn't help but looked at the direction of Yamato's chest. Under the pale moon tonight, the light reflected off her white fabric, and the curvature was there for all to observe... It was, to a moment of stunning silence, beautiful and huge by any standard.


With Musashi, the admiral thought, one may see it hardly wrapped, and far bigger, but she has no appeal as a woman, at least to him. She is like an age old example of a crude seaman, with much uncouthness and general roughness. Yamato blushed and kept her hands up and covered her breasts with both of them.


"Please...don't stare at them like that...it is perverted." Yamato complained.


"Ah...err...I am sorry, Ms.Yamato, it is just that..." The admiral wanted to apologize.


"Please ignore what she said, and I apologize for her behavior." Yamato bowed slightly.


"Are they....ok, I wonder..."


"What? You mean my...err...they are....fine I guess, a bit tight....AH!" Yamato covered her face again in flushed embarrassment.


"I wasn't talking about that, Ms.Yamato, I do mean...erm...Tenryuu-san and the other girls..." The admiral paused and remained quite calm, and then continued, "I am glad to at least hear you are growing healthily though, please do take care of yourself Ms.Yamato..." The admiral quickly picked up his tray and left, before things get any more awkward than it already is.


"Goodnight, admiral." Yamato greeted.


"Goodnight to you too. Have a good rest." The admiral greeted back without turning. Already the lights in the cafeteria has turned off, even Mamiya-san the cafeteria manager and operator also cum base supplies head of operations had left and went to her rest already it seems.


Yamato watched until the admiral's shadow has left the corridor, and then turned to the moon above her...


She is worried no less, of the crew that left for the outpost. Whatever lurks there could spell a lot of danger, but she regrets even more she has not been there, those girls were so young....barely students on an outpost expedition - a standard operation fieldwork expedition, much like Naval school homework to be done by students...and to suffer a fate worse than death would be to be captured. She has heard tales of those captured ones, they sometimes come back to haunt the base...she can only hope they all at least, if dead, died a good and clean death.


The humiliation of becoming an Abyssal...maybe her turn might come one day if a powerful enough enemy show up and she cannot defeat it.... Until then, she must live, for all the admirals that have come and gone...


She must live for all their sake, and of course, the nation needs her.


She needs this nation as well.


It is...like a symbiotic relationship, the irony of this thought troubles her as she takes a long drink and emptied the sake bottle.



===========
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2014, 05:28:50 AM »
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 8

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A gentle rumble soon became a big one, and stronger, clearer, as if the rumble has been sent from below the waves themselves. It is clear there is a big volcano, even a few undersea tunnels that may be collapsing as they travel above the waters.


Tatsuta traversed uneasily over a stream left ahead by Kitakami, who now is in front and shows a serious face of the type she is not usually prone to showing, not her signature grin at least.


The crisscrossing of the ship waves form a barrier of sorts, to the Abyssals, this would been indication of Naval activity, and it would deter them from going too close, but those who wish to challenge the superiority of the ships in combat, would draw closer, by groups or individually should the need arises.


Her vision narrows for any undersea movement, a clear bloop of surfacing air bubble from a wave of the fin of a ship, or exhalation of the engine air chambers...

Anything to tell them where the enemy is residing.


Nothing...


Not yet.


=======


[Is that?] I asked, my Zuikaku pointed upwards with one of its tentacles, the movements from above water casted shadows down to my head, and above the princess' too. The moon was bright tonight, and the paleness of its beautiful serene light touched me in more ways than one, it was a reminder of my past.


[The Naval Fleet... A full six team, how unusual, are they already aware we have taken the four girls earlier? Their responses is unusually hasty...] The princess replied


[It would not be hasty if my admiral was the one leading them, he would have sent a team to investigate, full armament and all, rescue or destroy.]


[But he is dead, you say so yourself.]


[I wonder who is the new one...I never actually seen him in person, they say he is trained by Admiral Isoroku..]


[Who did?] The princess tilted her head in a curious side glance.


[One of the Abyssals brought back a black box recorder from one of the ships, it contained an opened message box that I managed to intercept by chance last time, if their info is correct, they were talking about dissatisfaction of his leadership, but details were also clear on his estimate age, somewhere about early twenties, if not younger. He seems to have a boyish look and even more boy like attitude.]


[You were listening very intensely, did you miss your old comrades so much?] The princess mocked, as she prepared her Abyssal bombers and fighters, they each emerged from below her flowing white hair like a factory gate opened, and they left in haste surrounding like a swarm. I was immediately doing the same, but my numbers far more limited, I had only about eight, and I wasn't ready to deploy them all.


[I digress gracefully, my princess, we should focus on intercepting them.] Just then I let loose a bunch of bubbles from my lower air sack, which is for the replenishment of my bombers. As the air bubbles went upwards, I knew our element of surprise may have been spoiled.


I held my breath.



=========



Tatsuta and Tenryuu both turned their head as they heard the bubble rupturing above the surface of the water, it caused a ripple, and it was clear it was not natural. It was a big one, as big as a baloon sized area dissipated the water bubble outwards.


From the corner of their eyes, four bombers emerged from the water, and they posed ready for attack. They did so, with imaginative pattern of flight, they zigzagged among the six, and sent away little packages of highly destructive, highly penetrative bombs their direction.


The missiles fired were one thing, as the package was delivered, the bombers returned to the water, sinking below while the missiles zoomed in on them all.


However, it was of no use of course, all six are veterans of this type of hidden away enemy first salvo, they easily dodged it as the missiles met with water instead, causing little explosions just below the surface of the water. Kitakami aimed all her torpedoes at the direction of the enemy last known to descend into the water.


From it, four tentacles, belonging to a Wo-Class type aircraft carrier, emerged, followed by what they feared most.


"Well, it looks like there is no turning back now?" Tatsuta said under her breath.


"Turn back? I am gonna bring her head back to the admiral boy, show him how it is done by us vets." Tenryuu boasted, her signature confident grin spread across from ear to ear.


She took the first action, racing forward, two of her cannons fired hastily at the Wo-Class, whilst the enemy too, evaded, but raised her tentacles in defensive of the oncoming sword strike. Tenryuu laid down her first heavy attack with her sword sharply bouncing back as the sword struck the iron-clad tentacles, causing a sinking scar but not enough to lop it off cleanly.


The Wo-Class, Tenryuu could see, winched in pain, and staggered a little, her bombers and fighters came to her defense and chased Tenryuu back to her team mates, Kitakami laid down a surpressing fire while Tenryuu retreated back to formation as quickly as she could.


Just then, the giant they were expecting rose from the water, a giant head of an Abyssal symbiote, mouth snarling with watery vapor and a giant cannon emerged from its throat. A second later it fired a hail of powerful cannon strikes, pure destruction in the form of heavy artillery, at the general direction of their team.


"Evasive maneuvers!" Tenryuu shouted, however, her team has already maneuvered out of the way, sliding atop the glassy ocean wave like ice rink skaters in their natural habitat, each graceful as a swan, but Atago had a scratch as she was a bit late to respond to Tenryuu's command.


Then, slowly but ominously, the body of a white Abyssal emerged from the waves, first her mounds of Venus, then her entire body rising majestically above the waters as though summoned into mid air flight, rose to a flying state as she floated just above the water of her symbiote, now charging another round of fire.


Her hair was white and long, till her legs in length, Tenryuu noticed. Her eyes as red as death staring back at them all, pure evil, yet human-like. Skin as white as a sheet of bleached paper, pure and unadulterated, untouched, unscarred, indicating her string of dominance of the oceans, none has come close to hurting her bad enough to scar her.


Tens of Abyssal bombers and fighters flew around like a swarm, and before the team could react, the bombers and fighters flew at them, like said swarm, they came from all sides.


They braced for the worst to come, as fiery adrenaline coursed through their veins.


Night battles, they all loved them.



========


"Princess! They are strong, this group... They are all seniors, I know them all..." I shouted, the enemy may recognize the language, but to them, we are speaking gibberish.


"All the more reason to bring home a solid prize." The princess stated.


"As you wish!" I returned, my bombers carrying out a multi-faceted attack from all sides, rounding twice before they docked back into my Zuikaku, some have been shot down by the flak cannons mounted on Atago, a cruiser and her sister ship, Takao, but more are carried forward by the barrage of the princess. However, I felt in my heart as I did this, conflict...


The princess was fierce, her cannon fire a barrage of cover fire, in all directions, the fiery pellets rained down onto the enemy without mercy as it sizzled on the water. At least two strikes have landed square on their shoulder, forming a pincer pattern that ensured they are now locked in a general position. With each of the princess's firing, I was more and more conflicted, something inside me paused me in every step of the way, I was hesitating.


I tried to shut out my thoughts, I wanted to do this without thinking too much, I cut in front of my princess, and my fighters formed a bee line of four in lines of two each, they spread out like a flower, forming a Y-shaped attack pattern as Tenryuu came close to me, her sword raised.


I wanted to shout at her all of a sudden, as though I am asking her not to attack, for I know her and she should know me as well. I shrugged, hesitated even, as my fighters head out I was defenseless save my cane and my Zuikaku's hard-as-steel tentacles. Its tentacles raised to receive the strike of the iron sword swung onto me, in Tenryuu's eyes, a strong flash of anger and malice. She was intending to kill me...but of course, I am her enemy at this very moment, nothing can change it.


However, as the metal met with the tentacle, it bounced back with a loud 'clang' and debris was spread between us, I rotated my body, and from my sides, my cane shot out in a thrust of desperation, aimed for her good eye. Tenryuu is not dumb or slow, night battles is her forte, she has mastered them from experience and sheer ability to maneuver, I might as well have telegraphed my cane thrust to her for she evaded it with ease as her sword pulled back. One of my bombers have returned, and the princess aimed her cannon my way, firing it as my bomber released a payload aimed at the back of her head in a front-and-back snap attack.


I managed to wound her, as her face grimaced while taking a slight graze of the princess's cannon fire, and a full shoulder blade of missile fire as she winched and backed off, sword sheathed quickly and swiftly as a barrage of fire came from Tatsuta, her sister ship aimed at me.


That was the first turn, as we both stopped and our bombers docked while some remained in the air, circling us.


I hadn't realized, but the reason why even the princess stopped was me... I accidentally yelled out their names...


Did... Did they understand?



========


"Tatsuta, I am not damaged too badly am I?" Tenryuu eyed at her sister ship from her peripheral vision, pointing to the searing pain at her left shoulder blade.


"No why..." Tatsuta looked where Tenryuu pointed at her back, a minor bit of seared flesh, fabric was torn where it now revealed the skin. "Just a flesh wound." Tatsuta answered simply as she turned her head back at the enemy.


"I thought I just heard that thing call my name, and yours..."


"I did too, it also said stop attacking...I wasn't planning on following that request, but I don't think there ever is a case of them talking..." Tatsuta had her confusion, and it passed, focus on the enemy in front of you, the Naval school always taught.


"Did The Super Kitakami-Sama just heard what I think I heard?" Kitakami stepped up, her torpedo tubes all aimed at the Wo-class floating a safe distance away, her face a confused look as Ooi, who came up from behind her forming a straight line with Atago and Takao.


Atago has lost one of her gloves, seems like the fighters are well tuned to the princess, their attacks on Atago's flak guns are a huge success in addition to making her lose those and a glove. It hasn't happened since a real proper battle with her at the helm of the attack some two months back.


"I want to know why...but I rather have it dead and drag it for interrogation than having to suffer it, CONTINUE ATTACK!" Tenryuu commanded.


They each poised, changing the formation into a ladder formation as each took turns and fired at the enemy position.


"Leave them no space to maneuver, cut off their escape!" Tatsuta sounded.



=========


"What are you doing? Wo-ko!" The princess chided me. I was too much in her front, in addition to blocking her view, I was in the line of direct fire, both torpedoes and cannons can easily catch me in their crosshairs. I did however, know she didn't mean my maneuvers, it was what I blurted out there and then when I least realized it.


"It was an accident, my princess, I did not think I somehow still commanded proper speech in Japanese...I had thought all my processes now function in Abyssal language only..." I can only try to explain, but anyone could tell I am not even trying, the fact is I don't know.


"You must be still lacking something...perhaps the memory conduits have began to outgrow the subjugation of your Zuikaku, your symbiote is finding it hard to route commands through you..." The princess said. She was saying this as her bombers left for another round of fire, her cannon was already half charged for another spray fire.


Just then, all the Navy girls moved their formation into a ladder formation, I sensed much danger ahead, and with said sense, I pushed the princess back, intending to take the first barrage of group fire on my own.


"Wo-ko!" The princess sounded, her cannon was not charged fully, not enough to fire a full barrage, her fighters still paused as the fire from the Navy fleet landed around me, blasting shrapnel across my face as they seared long open wounds onto my porcelain smooth skin. I instinctively yelled in pain as the shrapnel also tore away parts of my skin tight bodysuit, searing the skin inside.


I waved my cane around blindly, my fighters off in an instant to attack the crew, but as I witnessed, they were shot down by expert anti-air cover by Takao, despite being the only one armed with anti-air flak guns now that Atago's has been taken out, her fire took down all my fighters...I am now left with bombers, and my fighters will need to be regenerated, it would take a whole half hour to do so and I am helpless save for my cane.


It was instinct I suppose, as the princess sent a whole barrage of bombers and fighters across the field of vision - I launched myself together with the rest of my bombers, they opened a path and Tatsuta took my invitation to a direct strike. I was half-blinded, but not enough to deter me, I did not know why but I felt I must speak again to them.


The bombers landed, two dived kamikaze-style into Tatsuta's naginata, sending her back a couple of watery steps as her eyes struggled to remain in control of her whole defensive position. Kitakami launched enough torpedoes to sink battleships at the princess, but I was too late and too close to protect her, my focus was only one...Tenryuu, their flagship and leader clearly...and disable her.


I have to. I didn't exactly know why other than to open a momentary escape path for my princess, and by not telling her my intentions, I can only hope she can interpret my actions correctly. I didn't look back to make sure, I was already three steps away from Tatsuta's now bounced back spear, and I raised my cane in anticipation as my golden colored eyes flashed before her, and buried the end of my cane into her stomach.


Her face twisted for a moment, as if shocked by the fact I would go this far as a carrier to attack her, she had never seen a Wo-class consider a melee before, I can guess, consider I am probably the only one smart enough to do this.


I watched as she was pushed to the side, like slow-motion - her face twisted and seemed to have a sick glow on her face as she received the blow of my cane buried into her stomach, it did not pierce through her, but it would leave a nasty bruise for a while, and the shock traveled into her body with my Abyssal strength, clearly sending her reeling from pain as she stepped to the side.


Her steps were further pushed on a few more dancing paces, as Tenryuu from behind her grabbed hold of her right shoulder, pushing her sister ship aside as she unsheathed her sword. The sharp 'sh'ng' like noise roused my attention fully on the blade, as it left its scabbard a hot flash of metal grinding against metal can be felt, as though her anger has ignited the air around her from seeing her sister and best friend hurt in battle from my attack.


Her sword raised, my cane poised, I was ready to strike, I wanted to look back, to make sure the princess has escaped, instead from my back, at least 20 fighters must have skipped us both locked in a duel of melee weapons, and attacked the rest behind Tenryuu, they each could only lock up their arms in anticipation.


I must have grinned a little, because I could see Tenryuu's shock as her blade raised to mid-air, forming a traditional, learned and well-aimed strike at my fore.



=========


[Did she just...?] Tenryuu thought to herself, it didn't matter...


Tatsuta was out of the way, she stumbled onto the surface of the water, her clothing now wet, and her front like a blast of a full on torpedo strike critically caused in the center of her navel Her body reeled in shock as did her eyes, but she could not have possibly been damaged too hard beyond repair...


However, unlike any previous situation, Tatsuta rolled across the surface of the water, her body slapping loudly as splashes spray across left right and center. There was a silence in the air, as though time has stopped for her and the Wo-class, the abnormal Wo-class in front of her, now armed with a stick or a cane aimed at her.


Did Wo-classes attack with melees now? They don't do that, not in the first Abyssal attack, the one that had a hundred or more of them attacking the base in one fell swoop, taking it as their own hive...


Not in Iron Bottom Sound, where a major number of experienced fighters among the Naval fleet met their match, NOT in here, an outpost of near nothing, with no forts to fortify and no supply base to protect...


She didn't expect this at all, and thus, she raised her sword, it was not a strike she was ready to lay, she had to preserve this specimen. This Wo-class, she is special, whatever it is, whoever it is...or was, it represents a new pinnacle of the Abyssals, they now are capable of melee, something so human, so desperate it might change the tide of war.


As her sword raised, her swing came down full force, her entire body leaned into that strike. The water behind her was wafted into the air as the blade cut it through as hot blade through butter, smooth and loud with a 'sh'ng' like sound that translates into the sharpness of her strike.


To her surprise, the Wo-class did it again, it said her name, through those white discolored lips, and eyes of gold and blazing fire from within, its words were clear as day, "Tenrrrrrryuuuu...stop...me...not...enemy....stop..." Did it mean those words? Was it a friendly? Are there such things as friendly Abyssals?


She isn't smart, she always knew herself to be so, she is a strong fighter, a fighter she only is. She hasn't been much else than a competitive ship, she was full of haughtiness and she was full with courage, she would dare go where no other ship has been and she will dare enemies where others shrivel from fear in sight and sound. She would challenge the obstacle and emerge victorious. She is capable of that, because 'Tenryuu has no fear, she is tough as nails, and she would be the last nail to seal your coffin tight if you take her for granted and overlook her." There was, to her knowledge, no other as tough as little Kiso, a ship like her, who lost an eye, and gained a sword in return, only scars will bring out veterans, she always said to herself. She should get to know that girl more, they should make good partners some day when she graduates from Naval school.


She was the living embodiment of courage, but she is not smart. She didn't think too much, so an enemy this out of the usual grind piqued her, and it dawned to her she cannot kill this creature before her, she must bring it back to the base, to be analyzed by people, by the admiral even.


Surely the boy, though young, have more brains than brawn unlike her, surely, someone at the base, maybe the war-experienced Yamato can tell her a thing or two about it. Maybe they withheld some secrets from their war journals and reports about speaking and talking Abyssals. Maybe they can shed light on it...


As the blade came down, it was received by the Wo-class before her, its cane took the brunt of her swing, and it the blade's cutting edge ate into the cane, forcing a ridge to open in the handle as its fingers parted, the force must have shook it to the bone.


Tenryuu reeled, pulling her blade back with sharp crack of the cane, her fist raised, and punched into the direction of the Wo-class's face, intending to knock her out. However, the tentacles atop the head of the Wo-class came to its defence, like a merry-go-round, her entire body spun, the tentacles that were harder than steel knocked Tenryuu squarely on the chin, and sent a sharp pang of pain up her head. Tenryuu gritted her teeth, and her eyes flashed with hot anger, her blade came up, forcing a sideways slash at the direction of the Wo-class stomach.


The strike did not land, as the Wo-class spun away just outside of her range, like a wispy spirit now, she floated above the waters, and the cane acting as her pivot, she began to kick the water behind her.


It took a second too much for Tenryuu to realize it was an attack, as the Wo-class' legs erected to form her feet together, they forced a straight kick that was launched by her swing using the cane as her pivot. She flew across the water, closing the range in an instant as her feet landed squarely on Tenryuu's stomach. Sending her flying back in gasping pain as her back rammed into Takao who was busy firing at the Abyssal fighters that float around them.


"Gahhhhhhh!!" Tenryuu let loose a pained howl as she flew backwards.

The kick was shockingly strong, like nothing she has ever felt before, as though a giant hammer swing was aimed at her navel. She almost let loose her sword as her full brunt of weight slammed into Takao, who stumbled from the effect as she landed left to Atago's right foot, one side of her flak cannons twisted out of shape.


"Takao!" Atago shouted, stooped to pick up her friend and sister ship, but was pushed away just as an Abyssal bomber placed a package that dropped sharply at an angle just above Atago's head.


Kitakami has launched herself upward, taking two of her torpedoes, she held them like over-sized swords, and pushed them into the direction of the Wo-class in a determined self-destructive strike to scare her. Anything to make her keep her distance from the now injured Tenryuu, their leader and friend.


The Wo-class danced back, her smooth steps formed like dips above a mirror surface, and she was away into the other direction as Ooi's torpedoes gave desperate chase. They hit the Wo-class on the hips, and it could been the Wo-class's face grimaced as it took out her ability to dive smoothly, her body now toppled to the water, and it was the swimming movements of the thing on her head that led her to go under the water.


All Tenryuu could think of at this instant was 'no...she will get away!" She took a deep breath and shouted.


"Strike her down, we will take her down dead or alive!" Tenryuu commanded at the top of her lungs.


The large Abyssal, the one who is known to talk at least, even though their language is incompatible, and somewhat always misunderstood... Also recalled her fighters and bombers. In an instant, they went back into the oceans, and no radar or anything could be detected further from any of them.



======
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2014, 05:30:01 AM »
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 9

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"You fool!" The princess shouted aloud at me, looking at my injured state, I was unable to swim at all...my body was paralyzed by the torpedo that struck me at my hips, sending shockwaves up my spine, and then I was down... Tenryuu would be surprised, her last swing of her blade, despite barely touching, created enough force to cut open my sides by air pressure alone...it was a strong and clean strike, it connected to deal me some real pain.


Zuikaku sent waves of panic through my brain, like a frantic mother, it carried me down further to the depths, it swam with all its might, in eager protection of its master and host.


The princess did not want to leave battle, she has hardly been scratched, perhaps thanks to me, or just her being incredibly adept at intercepting the oncoming fire of the enemy cannons and what's not.


She followed me downwards, where Zuikaku led my now paralyzed self, she followed, until we are again, at the center of the crater where we have left the unconscious Isonami and her growing symbiote near a sea rock.


Zuikaku, sensing danger has passed, rested me on said rock, as we sat side by side, I looked into the princess's eyes emptily, my entire being seeming to have left me, my soul perhaps was up there, still in battle.


All the running thoughts of battle still roused me, my fingers twitched but that was about as far as it will go. My cane, as I now only noticed, has snapped in half, the strike from Tenryuu's blade has taken its toll.


I almost did not hear my princess, but I struggled to stay conscious.


Could this be.... Once more I will sink to these depths, and this time I will die in it?


"Wo-ko, listen to me, do not resist Zuikaku's attempt to close your wounds, you are bleeding like a fountain!" The princess pressed her hands against my sides, and I only noticed the wisp smoke like ribbon of blood that traveled upwards to the ocean as I lay my eyes on it. In truth, I was beyond paralyzation, I was catatonic as well.


They say Torpedo Cruisers have the strongest torpedoes in the navy, it sure as hell proved to me at that exact moment.


I feel Zuikaku's symbiote tendrils, like insects, crawling as a centipede would onto my skin. The numbness has lifted just a little, enough to feel the legs running to my sides. I felt the princess's hands left me, and I looked at the wound as the tendrils formed little rounds, like bandages, they freeze into a kind of solid and balm-like skin. It was soothing, ice cool beneath my skin, and I felt it clamp over the wound as it tightly sewn it shut.


"Wo-ko, stay with me, if you sleep now they will not leave, and they will patrol these areas...until we are caught..."


"I can't princess...I don't feel like I could fight anymore..."


Zuikaku's movements ceased the moment I said those words, as though it was intending to give me up. It did not pause for long however, as it quickly went to work in closing my wounds again.


"I can't...I didn't know why I did what I did, I thought I was opening a way...for you to escape...because we are outnumbered..." I answered weakly.


"Fool, we could have taken them all..." She paused, "Were they the same generation as you...?"


"Yes...I think most of them were...though...we didn't serve on the same team...Tenryuu and I...we go way back..."


"That one-eyed one with the sword?" The princess asked.


"Yeah...wo...this pain is really killing me..." I grimaced again, my smile must have been weak, as the princess pressed her palms against my chest, now laid bare by the fabric that was also burned away by the torpedo strike.


"No worries, I know symbiotes, as long as you rest easy, and consume some bauxite, you will repair quite fine."


"I am not sure..." I weakly replied.


"I am. I been there, down and out, and I just rested...eventually..."


"Oh no...did you..." my eyes brightened at the end of the princess's sentence.


"The beacon Abyssal fighter has left me at least an hour ago, when I felt them swimming above us...I made sure to call for back up..."


"No...they are already wounded by us... A full scale attack force will damage them beyond repair... And if they don't engage..."


"Why do you care so much about your former team mates? You are an Abyssal now, act like one..." The princess was angered.


"I can't! My princess...inside me, I feel it, I am still some part the same as they are...I can't...I want...I am sorry...I want to go back..." I begged now, my eyes teary as I looked at my princess, the princess who so protected me this half a year before, who raised me, taught me all that I know now as an Abyssal...even gave me a future successor, in the form of a captured Isonami, I am doing what is tantamount to betraying her. I questioned myself, my heart trembling as I looked at my princess once more, as if I was asking for her forgiveness for the things I say and that I wanted to do.


She looked back, her face did not reveal much, instead, for a moment, she seemed to flash a moment, the duty bound face of Kaga, her former self. She was all duty, all sacred in her flesh and work, she was ready to fight the fleet but I was on my maiden journey, instead, here I am, failing her to task.


"Wo-ko, you have grown, you are my Frankenstein now, and I cannot, as a creator of that monster, lead you astray with your intentions...if you truly believe them above to be your allies, then you can go...but rest assured I will not rescue you. You are alone, and I head back to the hive. By noon tomorrow, I will lead the biggest force of the entire Hime-class, I promise you, and attack the base while their defenses are lightest. I will claim every soldier, every admiral and every fairy in their base, and we will consume relentlessly...until we can no longer move." The princess's threat was carried forward as her voice even changed, it had an audible chamber-like resonance now, deep and terrifying, as though all this time she has been faking her cutesy, saccharine smile with her voice.


I know her to hide that facade of her look, it was what I now recognized - the Kaga look, a serious dutiful look bound by loyalty, the anger when that loyalty is questioned, or challenged by another. Another...such as the unworthy me, a mere Wo-class.


I felt for a moment, in my heart of hearts, I had deserted my princess, and I am going to die, here and now...her offer was a feint, if I should move now to meet with Tenryuu and the others at the shores, I would be slaughtered, whether by her symbiote knight or her hands... She certainly had the capacity to consume me.


Then...will she try again? This time with Isonami? To raise her as my replacement? To teach her as she has taught me the ropes, and feed her clothe her and bring her to this crater too...so to enjoy what she enjoys? I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I thought over the memories we shared. Some were blurry, but most are vivid as my memory cortex and functions began to assert themselves over Zuikaku's unconscious brainwashing functions.


"I offer no peace because it is not my duty, Wo-ko, go now, if you truly wish to be with your old friends again, but know this, if you should die by their hands...I won't..." The princess seemed to suddenly realize her voice is her scary self now, and she covered her mouth with one of her hands. It took a while, but her voice changed back to the cute one, a resonant melody seem to float with every note she finished this time.


"What I do now, I do out of love for an apprentice I have, I know her to be Wo-ko, who is sourced from an aircraft carrier called Shoukaku. I myself brought her up, and it pains me to know I have to abandon her now and I have no complaints if she wishes to go...but as a.......mother of sorts, I can only pain inside to see her leave my side."


I tried very hard not to let my voice sniffle, and I cannot help but think, this is wrong. I belong here, deep in the oceans. Didn't the princess offer me peace here, and I have it, I enjoyed every day we spent the last six months, every moment we had was like an affair in secret.


The other Hime-class knew of us, but none approached us as I was the princess's pet, or so it seems. We are special, and only we know how special we are. To deny this, is for me now to swim ashore, and trade my freedom under these oceans for a new shackle, a shackle as a lab project, a research specimen that they will no doubt hack open, and see what makes me tick.


I cannot expect any friendship up there.


I have no friends, except the princess.


So why...


Why do I so long for the Navy again...?


Isn't the Abyssal race a logical one? Certainly logic will stop me in my steps.


But as I thought of all this, Zuikaku has carried me upwards, it understood my strong desire to go back, and off it swam with its jellyfish-like movements upwards, and I flowed with it.


The princess looked at me sadly, tears must have formed at the edges of her eyes, but from here, it looked as dry under these depths as it has always been. Her dutiful look returned, but with a tinge of sadness as she bade me farewell. Like a parent bidding off their child, the wave was slow and subtle, as though hesitation stunted her wrist, and she was unable to do a full wave. Even the creature, the one she now names Akagi because of me waved with its airstrips like tentacles, and they just stood there, staring at me as I ascended.


My heart ached so bad I had to hold my chest tightly with my free hand, which did not clutch what remains of my cane to my chest, it felt like bursting out and wished to return to the princess right this moment. Every logical thought was here, I belong here, with her...


I did not let my eyes leave the princess, until I was away so far that the darkness of the cold night waters consumed even her outline in the lonesome edge of the volcanic crater. Until even the lone light of the lava eruption stopped illuminating her shape for me... I know, with the disappearance of her shape, so did the disappearance of my path of return to the Abyssal hive happened. I am now floating between not the sea and the shore, but between two worlds, one I choose to return despite knowing I will be their shackled beast.




==========



Ashore, outpost, 11pm


"Ugh..."Tenryuu rubbed her stomach, a clear bruise now is imprinted on her abs, her fitness has been doubted by that thing, the talking Wo-class.


They cannot do any repairs here as coincidentally enough, the repair fairies were all busy fixing up the terribly injured Hatsuyuki, now lying under the shades still, but she is conscious, and was aware of the fight that broke out not too far out ashore.


"That was a surprise, a kick now?" Tatsuta patted her friend on the shoulder. It was a battle of attrition, they both lost the battle, for what is worth, they now have data on the enemy's whereabouts, it would not be difficult to find them again.


"I didn't know they could do that, is it just us, or is the enemy getting smarter, stronger even? I used to cut down Wo-classes like hot knife through butter, that one...had tentacles like steel...it didn't even budge what I slammed down on it full force."


"Or you could be getting weaker..."


"Damn you, Tatsuta."


"No thanks." Tatsuta replied sarcastically.


Just then, Ooi came up the two from behind. Her hands were full of fuel and ammo, reserves carried around in case the other girls they might find the need to refuel them for the long journey home.


"Do you girls need any?" Ooi asked, handing out a fuel can to the injured Tenryuu, who opened the can and drank it quickly.


"That was good...thanks..." Tenryuu thanked her. Her other hand rubbed her sword gently, the metal hilt has been damaged, maybe because she has swung it too hard. This confirmed her conviction earlier, she did swing it her full force, there should have been no doubt be able to slice through those tentacles.


Then, from the corner of her eyes, she noticed bubbles, near to the edge of a shore, some fifty steps away from their current gathering position, about eighty away from Hatsuyuki. Then from it, a glaring set of eyes, large and ominous, and then the tentacles she tried to chop away.


The Wo-class!


It has came back for a second round? So soon? What is it thinking, has it gotten hold of some super fast healing or repairing method? It would come to the shore itself when it is a sea-faring creature? All these questions pounded at Tenryuu's head, her thoughts clouded between picking up her blade and arming herself for another fight and sheer confusion at the motives of the emerging Wo-class.


"Stop..." The Wo-class said, clear this time, like a bell ringing into the night, its voice had  a distinctive ring to it, soft and reverberating like fine wood slapping on metal or steel. It had an echo to the end of her plea, like as though she was talking through a tunnel. It waved its hands, and its cane lifted over its head in a surrender like pose.


"STOP WHERE YOU ARE!" Tatsuta raised her naginata forward, aiming at it.


"If you understand me, listen to her, drop your weapon and place your hands behind your head." Tenryuu commanded, her sword raised at the creature before her.


The Wo-class did not indicate her intentions by word of speech, it instead chucked its cane onto the shore, understandable of course, it would be defeating the purpose if it had to go back down to pick it up. It could be a ruse, but without any replenishment, the Wo-class should not be able to put up much of a fight in such a short time.


Hatsuyuki stood up, her fairies aided her to stand, she slowly made her way to where everyone is.


It was clear from her eyes what she had wanted to convey...that is the enemy, we must kill it. Tenryuu had her reservations, in fact, it is probably confusing Hatsuyuki now why we are even talking to it.


Slowly, it raised its hands in submission, her weapon not in hand any longer.


"Disengage your weapon systems, and walk slowly towards us." Tatsuta again commanded.


It did so, four Abyssal fighters and bombers each dislodged from the back of her head, the creature seemed to understand every word with clarity, this much is true. So this confirms that the enemy now have a grasp of the common language, the Navy will soon close the gap on research of a communication method...


To think the enemy got ahead of them with communication, were they interested in establishing communication all along? Perhaps they were friendlies and were forced on the war because all they say were 'wo...' or 'destroy....'? Why else would the Navy invest heavily in research of the Abyssal language? It certainly wasn't to intercept their known telepathic communications, we are far behind such tech.


The Abyssal fighters and bombers dislodged safely, they each floated on the water, but their general direction were still at the team. Tatsuta remained cautious, while Ooi and Kitakami fell back, standing beside the injured Hatsuyuki.


"Tell me, why do you know our names?" Tenryuu asked, her hands were trembling with excitement, or uncertainty, whichever came first.


The creature came up to five steps in front of Tatsuta and Tenryuu, hands raised still in submission. It began to move its porcelain white lips.



=======


"Because I was one of you...you may remember me...look closely please...recognize me..."


Tenryuu's voice sounded like a blur, but the command to her was clear, and she was intent on obeying. [Please tell us...who or what are you...]


"I am a sunken ship...many months ago...admiral, he died...with me...I am...Shou-"



=======


"That creature talks...Ooi-oneesama?" Hatsuyuki asked, she is standing there in awe and shock obviously, nothing will quite surprise her as this.


"I am surprised too...but this one seems like it is ready to die." Kitakami pointed all her torpedoes at her, but she knows as well they don't fire out of the water, such is merely to tell her to stay a distance away.


"Shou-?" Tenryuu asked.


[Shoukaku...] It replied, [Shoukaku of the former 2nd Fleet...the admiral died with me in Iron Bottom Sound...six months ago...]


Everyone's face froze in shock, Shoukaku...the one everyone has always supported, the kind girl who led the 2nd fleet of aircraft carriers. They were in all injured badly in the fight off Iron Bottom Sound, facing that creature that they had fought earlier, it was a big one. A Master class has sunk one of the ships, namely Shoukaku.


==========




Many months ago



It was a battle that goes down the annals of history as one of extreme attrition. Most of the girls who returned to base had lost enough parts to guarantee a week or two in the docks.


They were declared unfit for battle because of the mental scar of losing one of their own, and of course, from sheer damage.


However, the one who took the full brunt of the damage, was no other than her, Shoukaku's sister ship, Zuikaku, who wears the same stripes as she did, a naturally competitive competent girl who had everyone's love and support, who in turn channeled that support to her elder sister.


Upon returning from battle, battle-wearied and tired, she left for the docks, not even filing a damage report as the flagship of that battle, a position granted by her elder sister for she demanded to showcase her leadership in the decisive battle of Iron Bottom Sound... She was in the hangar first, setting herself down, sweaty, bloody, damaged, electric fire fizzled on her legs where the ankle was cut open earlier...and her eyes, looked emptily at the docking space reserved for her sister, Shoukaku's space.


Then, tears flowed down, gently at first, until everyone could hear it, her cries. "It was my fault...I caused it...it was all my fault...I am sorry...so...so...sorry...Shoukaku...nee...I... failed you... I sent you to your grave... I was such a fool... Why...... It should have been me..." Her mumbles between sniffles began to lean into a weary chant.


For a full two hours, until the admiral boy had seen enough, so he ran over, attempting to comfort her, for what's worth it was still his father's beloved vessel. It would be wrong not to care for the crying and sobbing girl now.


"Zuikaku..." He called.


"It was my fault....my fault....my fault.... I am sorry... So sorry...sorry...sorry...sorry..." She mumbled under her breath, ignoring the admiral.


Then, two more ships came in, it was Sendai and Naka, both vessels of the Sendai-class, and they tried to hoist her up to her feet... At this point, Zuikaku's oil leaks have stained the floor together with her blood from her bloodied cuts across her back, a large gash that she has not taken notice of since she has returned.


She was pulled away from the hangar, distraught, messy, unnerved, completely uncaring. She was laid down on a flotilla, which carried her on an automated cable guidance system to the intensive repair bay. The fairies responsible for the repairs and Mamiya-san, who is also the supply base chief in operations, came to see her quickly.


The fairies determined she was beyond repair, but Mamiya refused, she ordered them to work their magic, and it was by this sheer will, the fairies came together, and sewn her up.


It took twenty nine hours of full medical and engineering operation to get her to a state where she can be sent to the regular repair docks, to be submerged into the bay and then left to heal over four regular repair cycles.


It was more disturbing to know, the side gash, a gash seen on her arm, was self inflicted. She had been grabbing her arm so tightly she has dug it to the bone. She was too distraught to notice, that when asked, she said she didn't know.


For what's worth, she has responded only to Mamiya-san's questions. The base is now without its leader, and while so, Yamato and Musashi has taken over as temporary leader, though they were in direct correspondence with Admiral Yamamoto of another ship base. They needed his guidance after making sure there is now at least temporary leadership.


Ship life continued, and for whatever amount of time, many of the younger ships who fare particularly well in friendship with Shoukaku and her sister came to her hangar-cum-ward. They wished to see her, and of course coax her out of depression.


Yes, the loss of her sister has caused her to lose sight of all else, including herself. Her body is now fine, two weeks of the repairs and she could officially be called back into battle. However, she has declined all duties. The secretarial ones were filed in with her name on the papers, but she doesn't show up despite being declared fit for duty with a clean bill of health. She was scarred, the memory of Shoukaku's sinking left her chanting 'sorry...sorry' all day. It was unclear if she had at all eaten, her ship maintenance record has the fairies at the docks worried, as her fuel reserves were at bare minimum.


The other ships, Kaga and Akagi first, followed by Shouryuu and Hiryuu, came and went; she had not uttered a word beyond looking at the dry docks, her stare was empty, souless. Then, Kitakami, Ooi, Tenryuu, and the rest of the team came and went, still she was catatonic, unwilling to say a word. Naka and the Sendai-class sisters also came, they tried to clean her up, instead she has not budged at all.


Eventually, when all was said and done; she has remained that way, too shocked to be put into battle, her mental state declared unstable. She was left in the docks, minimum sustenance was given to her weekly by Mamiya, and Mamiya herself took to her own responsibility to take care of her. She would take her to the docks to wash off the grime, and then give her a can of fuel to keep her functioning. The faeries that once occupied her flight deck were disengaged, sent to other carriers so they can better use them. For all the Naval fleet, she is now...useless.


That was the fate of the once ago proud carrier Zuikaku, who struggled to top Akagi in her critical strikes, and head a mighty battalion like Kaga who is without fear and most dutiful. She wanted to be those roles, for both herself and in the shadow of her sister, Shoukaku. Now that she is gone, Zuikaku has turned that shadow to her own shade, a shade of what she used to be.


Her once proud twin tailed hairdo is now a mess, her face haggard from lack of sleep, and of course, her eyes are but ghostly pale soulless windows to her cracked inside. She takes long deep sighs, and in the presence of Mamiya only, she utters the very words - 'why won't you let me die, I really wanted to join her.' To which Mamiya replied, what if she was still alive...and if she came back, do you want her to suffer as you are now, pining for you till the state of near-death? She tried everything, often mocking even her in her conviction.


"If she sees you now, you can only expect her to be disappointed at her once ago proud sister, she would see you as her shame. You should at least not let yourself look so awful, go out, walk, maybe gaze at the sunset for once...I am sure you will find something to take your mind off her."


She replies, "If I do, will you leave me alone and let me die?"


"No. Never."


"Then there is no point." She replied, with a long sigh that follows.


At another time - "If you heard recently, Shouryuu and Hiryuu have taken your place and her place as the sisters of the 2nd fleet, they are faring well. Today as well, two strong new types has come to the base, an armored carrier by the name of Akitsumaru and headstrong girl called Taiho, a standard new carrier with a hangar bay. They both would love to meet you, in a good shape that is. They heard stories of you and Shoukaku-chan's conquest, I think they would love to see the heroine behind those legends."


"......" Zuikaku had not even bother to turn her head.


"Consider it as Shoukaku's request?"


"I appreciate all you've done, Mamiya-san, but please...I am not interested."


"I just figured I will let you know, they have came to this very hangar door twice today, since noon. You should at least entertain their introductions."


"Not necessary. I am useless to the fleet now, you really should just leave me alone." Zuikaku responded with the lack of energy in her voice. Slowly but surely, she has drifted to sleep again, staring at the wall till her eyes laid heavy to her lids.


Mamiya walked out the hangar, careful to lock the door behind her.


Again, in front of her stood the carriers Taiho and Akitsumaru, dressed in their finest, the third time of the day they visited this hangar.


"Is Ms. Zuikaku around?" asked Taiho brightly, she had the brightest beam of a smile on her oval face. Akitsumaru just shyly nodded in acknowledgment.
 

"I am afraid she is not well, for the duration, I would like to suggest you two skip your introductions to her until she is fit again, I am sure she will greet you both soon enough." Mamiya smiled as brightly as could in reply. Truly, she is like a mother to everyone here in the supply base.


"I had heard of the demise of her elder sister, I would like to offer my condolences as well." Taiho insisted.


"Then allow me to accept your condolences in her steed." Mamiya too, is not one to back down, formalities or pleasantries included.


"So be it, I look forward to see senpai when she is ready." Taiho exchanged an envelope containing a letter of well written condolence, words and signature by herself in skilled calligraphy. Akitsumaru has remained silent this whole time, and she too, took her envelope and placed it on Mamiya's hands.


They all exchanged pleasantries and left the hangar area.


-----


"Taiho-san, Zuikaku-dono must be depressed isn't she, she has refused to see us..." Akitsumaru asked meekly to Taiho, who walked with confidence down to the admiral office.


"I can imagine, losing your sister ship is a big thing, you were born here, together, and left these bases graduated together...it would be a damn big drag to find a large chunk of everything you know sink into the bottom of the ocean..." Taiho said, rubbing her chin as she did so.


"I wish she would get up and about soon though... By the way, why are we headed to the admiral's office?" Akitsumaru asked.


"I think it is high time we consider the admiral's help in getting her up on her feet." Taiho answered as-a-matter-of-factly.


"We shouldn't put ourselves in other's affairs, we hardly known this base and the in-service officers and ships...."Akitsumaru protested.


"But we are now part of it, and as part of it, it is at least our duty to remind the admiral not to just let one of the base's best exports go to waste in that hangar. Surely, as the admiral he will figure something out, besides, we haven't exactly introduced ourselves yet..." Taiho interjected.


"Please don't go overboard ok."


"I won't." Taiho smiled a response to Akitsumaru. They both arrived in front of the admiral's office.


=======


"I am afraid, for now at least, it is beyond me. I have a thousand tasks to learn and a thousand more to execute, Admiral Yamamoto may have promised to guide me and with the assistance of the senior ships Yamato and Musashi I am able to cope...but to add Zuikaku to my plate is..." The admiral paused, his words hesitant.


To say that he was a greenhorn of the Naval base was surely no exaggeration. This boy, no more than eighteen years of age, a brown haired, black eyed, simple-looking person, would be easily mistaken for an outsider if he was not in his uniform. Without those badges that decorate one corner of his lapel, he would be visitor A or supplier B, a normal person who looks like nothing the rest of harbor has to offer.


The harbor is filled with ship girls, each colorful, often chatty, has their own little league of sisters and ships, friends and groups. They have their own little hierarchies and sometimes their own special interests. Some have long hair, some have colorful hair, and most have an attitude to match their prowess in battle.


But this admiral, this one in particular, stood out like a sore thumb in normality. Short cropped hair that looks like it was cut by an inexperienced shaky hand of a trainee barber, and a body that is unlike the other seaman-worthy admirals Taiho and Akitsumaru has been introduced to. Unlike Admiral Yamamoto, who stood a grand six and half feet tall, eyes of blazing ambition, and with a mustache thicker than a cropped deck brush, his bulging muscles strain against the fabric of the clothing he wears, his uniform often not in line with the loose fit designed for him. The boy resembled a stick insect in the presence of Admiral Yamamoto.


Almost certainly unlike his father, a man who has a pervasive suave to his studious looks, almost like a handsome librarian, with cropped hair as well but strands of white at his sides, and a clean and shaven chin always. He had a fairly wide built, but is slim and shapely, typical of a man in his prime but ripe forties. This boy, resembled an undernourished deck hand, no suaveness, no gentlemanly charm, but all the hard work his father would put in at least, was demonstrated in his detailed reports and clean habits, along with scarred and veiny hands indicative of hard work over the years.


"I am sure something will work out if you try, Sir." Taiho answered in return.


"I will consider it, thank you for the suggestion however...errr..."


"Taiho, sir, that is my name. Please remember it. I would like to request for an immediate fitting into a crew for battle preparations, I wish to join formation with the 2nd fleet if possible." Taiho stood to attention, her legs snapped to a salute and soldier straight, one hand placed in salute above her forehead as she looked at the eyes of the admiral straight.


"You really admire that fleet do you? I heard Kaga has a bad habit of forcing newbies to learn her maneuvers. Are you up for that kind of hard work this soon after arriving at the base?" The admiral asked, his voice with much doubt.


"I am always ready, sir, just as all good soldiers are to be at all times. Sir."


"Please, just call me admiral like all the others."


"As you wish, Admiral, sir!" Taiho answered in salute, almost certainly deliberate.


"I will see what I can do to draft you two into the team, and only if Kaga-san agrees, if she doesn't, I am afraid you are on expedition until Kaga is docked for the next month for intensive maintenance." The admiral explained.


"Thank you, Admiral." Akitsumaru said with her signature respective bow. They both nodded and left the office.


The admiral leaned back, and stretched his legs.


"I guess I can try to coax that girl out of the hangar..."


He sighed as he drank his already cold tea left at his table earlier by his secretary of the week - Naka-chan, idol of the entire fleet. It tasted horrible, but it was tea at least. They say she could really sing, but making tea and getting documents organized? Those are third class and below.


==========
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2014, 05:31:09 AM »
{Author's notes}
----------------------------------------------------

I think it is clear to everyone here how I write this with the settings from Kantai Collection. There are many liberties I take with my portrayal of the characters, and figured it would be best to explain the motivation and inspiration I take in writing them the way it is.


First off, I like you all to know I take great liberty with the much unknown Abyssal fleet, I think of them as a bit like the Borg from Star Trek, they obviously have much in common, same pale bloodless skin, machine parts, and an almost symbiotic relationship with machines. In the case of the Abyssal girls, they obviously have it better off, the top few reserves some bit of independent thought, workable because if they were like the Borg, only a queen would exist and speak for the hive.


They assimilate like the Borg, bringing ship girls they have not finished eating (consumed their fuel/ammo/steel/bauxites) and left to rot into their massive hive like existence. In essence, it usually a crucial time for the girls who fell from the Navy to retain some memories, failing to resist the brainwashing influence of the symbiote will turn them into a drone, capable of a few sentences, but mostly none at all - hence why most of the Abyssal girls have no dialogue save the bosses. (fandom disagrees of course)


The drone like system exist in a semi-permanent hum or buzz to them telepathically, ordering them to do things, or simply as a network of duties that exist in maintenance, and group survival. By default, they are connected like the Borg network or Misaka network from Railgun series. They have a common goal for group survival, and will hunt or patrol in packs of six or less (game setting wise, I want them to be much much more, like a school of sharks or dolphins.) Companionship does not develop in their peers without individual thought or will through the hive voices, and they will maintain a silent but collaborated whisper telepathically to communication, making their moves in the ocean very enigmatic.


Where are the Abyssal from? That will be revealed I guess, if I ever write another origins story which I don't think I would. I choose to think of them as a kind of Alien life form. Symbiotes much like Venom, Carnage from Spiderman series, fallen from space through a meteorite and somehow washed to the shores. They are unable to survive on their own, and breeds by absorbing nutrients from the host as well as synchronizing their heartbeats and brain functions with the host. They are primitive, but is capable of developing weaponry, skin covered bullets, and mimic weapons as complex as missiles and firepower. Their biology though complex, hinders higher thought, and therefore willingly allows their host, whether a Wo-class or a Yi-class to guide them where they go, although they are also the ones that maintain the host's already dead body.


As they do not observe the concept of sleep, but realizes that the ships need to be rested, they developed a sleep mechanism that refreshes and flushes out unnecessary hormones and chemicals that cause tiredness or soreness. Stuff like endorphin and lactic acid as well as amino acids are constantly monitored with a subconscious subsistence system in place. A wondrous kind of alien life form that is at once enigmatic as well as complex, yet reserves complex thought to its host, a fine collaboration that makes the Abyssal fleet strong and destructive.


If Abyssals are not damaged enough, they regrow quickly, making their numbers fortified. (Surely as players of the game, you are bound to have a few C campaign ends, with many of the enemy causes massive damage to you, and you causing little damage to them. Especially with Elite red ones) Elites have the ability to regrow within the hour, making them fully capable of second or third round battles one night battle after the other.


In addition, by way of the Borg, the ones who fall tend to be consumed a second time, rendering all of the ship girl's memories destroyed, turning them into what I like to name as 'second class drones.' The I-class for example, could be examples of such drones, parts recycled from fallen Abyssals and ship parts, for further usage. They were imbued with life and sent to destroy the Navy girls. So in my thought, Abyssals are very conservative of their resources, as they are scarce under the ocean.


Sometimes, the symbiotes lose control of their host, and become dormant like Shoukaku and Airfield Hime as well as the other Hime-classes. Oni Hime of Iron Bottom Sound (which I think of her as a fallen Kongou (you gotta admit her forehead looks similar)) has a large overgrown one, but has a readied sentience that does everything for her. So in her example, the symbiote grew physically stronger and larger while she retains a smaller weaker state. In the Southern twins, their parts become more dormant, aiding in swimming, attacking, but are smaller in terms of size and seem to have zero control over their hosts. Airfield Hime shares something similar with the Oni Hime of Iron Bottom Sound, both are equally large, but in this story, our Airfield Hime/former Kaga 1st class, has a sentient symbiote that exist on equal grounds with it. She has not named it like Shoukaku/Wo-class did though.


With Wo-class and the other standard Abyssals, they seem to have a shared status, not one over the other but an equal relationship of host and symbiote. They may have arguments but symbiotes usually do not complain over its hosts actions, unless it involves intentional suicide by means of say...committing suicide, which will not happen.


Obviously, like all military bases, the Abyssals have sea caves and undersea tunnels used for shelter, maybe even dwell among the rocks and wait for their turn to surface and face the enemy by the order of the network of their brains. Even if they don't look up, they are well aware of all the information that passes from one ally to the other, who sank where, and when and so on...


Likewise, they unlike the Navy fleet, as explained by the Airfield Hime, they don't get paid. Each exist in their own level with a subsistence maintenance based on a very Necromonger method from The Riddick Chronicles for inspiration. You keep what you kill, so each Abyssal would go out and hunt, consume what was hunted, or starve or consume sea animals like fish and so on for subsistence, which they are capable. Rendering them a great survivor. However, tear away the symbiote, and all the Abyssals would die in an instant as demonstrated by former Kaga now Airfield Hime, when she fell to ocean with her admiral.


I also like to explain on the admirals' deaths individually.


In my sense, the admiral chooses a mission to go on, much like how we play when we send 3 teams off for expeditions (to mine for resources etc etc) or PVP to level up, the admiral can choose to follow the girls in a neutral vessel with no weapons or additional supplies (as they will be carried by the girls.) So they will be observing the battle, evading where possible the attacks.


On this, the Abyssals are quite obvious in who they attack, they don't attack unarmed ships, and maintain that way, by means like the Borg, if you were to be in a Borg cube and not disrupt them they won't attack or go out of their way to assimilate you. The same with the Abyssals, any ship that doesn't attack or carries a weapon of threat, will not be targeted.


I think of the admiral vessel when joining in the operation with Shoukaku in that fateful battle, must have tried to ram the neutral ship into the enemy's direction, causing it to panic and fire haphazardly at the admiral even when it is a neutral ship. (Hence the submarine that attacked Shoukaku succeeded)


I like to bring more info on the Navy school, and age groups and so on. In my opinion  many of the lolis....errr...ship girls, the ones who are more green horn like, unlike kind and lovely Fuso, proud and ladylike Yamato, strong and silent oneesama Musashi, cool and competitive Tenryuu, battle hardened Kitakami-sama, or even 'lewd sub' Ikyuu-chan. Have to attend a kind of school to basically familiarize them with the enemies, they study daily about historic battles before and what future strategies to use when facing the types of enemies. They also do drills, (PVP) and joint military exercised with other admiral's ships.


Age wise, they are younger ships like Isonami, maybe I will say in comparison she would have been a 3rd year junior high student, while people like Tenryuu would have been a honorable alumni also serving temporary teacher type. Fuso would have been say... A type of oneesama who hangs out in the infirmary? She does give that very nurse like look...


On a scale of comparison we have
Tama /Arashio- 2nd year of junior high
Inazuma /Mutsuki - 1st years with Verniy in the same class with Akatsuki etc
Sendai / Tatsuta- 5th years senior (graduation class)
Naka / Kiso - 3rd years or older.
Yuudachi / Taiho- 4th years or older.
Fuso - School nurse
Musashi / Yamato- director of the school (maybe as figureheads for the school)
Kaga - Head of the student council (SATSUKI SAMMMMMMMMAAAAAA)
Akagi - local cafeteria glutton
Mutsu - gym teacher?

Anywhere after 3rd years I guess they can start their secretarial and battle duties.


On the Graduation roles, Tenryuu would have been in this story, a graduate, and now in a college kid like profession of the military rank, able to go around issuing orders to younger ships and of course, the first choice when real battles go about. A bit like the ladies of Freezing, when facing the Nova, the seniors who passed with high marks get called in to subdue the threat before it has a chance to deal any damage on the juniors.


Yamato and Musashi would been something like war veterans, who have seen a lot and have went through a lot but has survived everything. They of course deserve the respect they command and is well respected. Quick on their coat tails would be Nagato and Mutsu, the Kongou sisters, who are capable and war hardened and responsible for already more complex duties which the juniors are not likely to take on. (but they can of course, as secretaries and of course, some of the waifu materials...)


Locked Hearts hold a special meaning for me (no thanks to Abgrund's (UDK's) Yamato doujin), as they mean a very special ship deserving to be loved and not accidentally dismantled. Married status has officially been fixed now and you can finally make it happen woo hoo!! I wish I was still playing the game, I would marry Tenryuu in a heartbeat. (and Kaga, and Yuudachi, Shiratsuyu, Murasame, Yamato etc....)


Ahem... So aside from Married status, a Locked Heart would be like in feudal times, a Japanese feudal lord, maybe a *landowner (usually a reserved status for someone who commands a village or a district and has the emperor's blessing to lead an army). A shogun would be best to represent their status, although it is basically like a badge that says they have the ability to lead, and is given the power to do so by will of the admiral they serve.


The Locked Heart status in this story cannot be easily lifted, even if the admiral before this one wants to, a tribunal has to be held, a hearing and then many red tapes have be crossed before they can be changed of that status.


On Shoukaku if they are married? Obviously not, their relationship was a secret. (Because so the game system of marriage has not been fixed prior to the patch a few months prior)


I guess I done pretty much my explanation...


So I leave up to you to debate on how I write this story.


In fact, I would like to welcome more comments on how the story could go.


======================================
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2014, 10:41:40 AM »
Well, I don't usually post so many chapters but I am not interested in leaving things generally unfinished.

So here we go with two Kaga-chapters, directly or indirectly connected with the whole story.




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Part 10 - Interlude 1 : The Past

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Kill anything and everything that breathes or move, we have no other duties, we lure them out and destroy them.


What? We will run out of ammo long before we can get through till the end? Their hive is not even that far away!? You will not stop me admiral, if you have any pride as a seaman, as a warrior, you will join me in this battle.


Weakling, you rather I serve you tea in this comfortable office than actually deal with the scourge at our doorstep? Fine, I will go myself, but I bring my best ladies to the fore, you can forget about me ever coming back. I do not desire to serve a weakling like you.


I am conceited? What good is not being conceited if we don't strike now when they are weakest? The cold has brought about their defenses being critically decreased. Their hive down the oceans will tremor with every bomb we launch up here, every strike we have will critically advance our outposts. By spring next year we will have absolute advantage in this war!


I see, there is no talking sense to you then.


Huh?


Oh you can have that back, I have no problems with it, you gave it to me on your own accord remember? Here is the Locked Heart locket, and this the badge, you can have it all back. If I do come back, I hope you learn that being a coward is the last of the attempts you will ever make as an admiral.


Your uncle would be sad to know their nephew is a spineless fool.


Oh yes, sure, I am going out now.


======

(Two years and four months ago, Naval base, commanded by Admiral Isegahara)


It was the greatest battle ever recorded in our books, I think, not that I would imagine anyone to try the same, or encourage them. I was a hot headed aircraft carrier, I couldn't say I did not earn my status as the strong leader type.


I wonder how many of my allies have I singlehandedly lead to their demise in the early days of the war? I imagine there are many, so many I lose count. I wonder how many of them hate me, and how many of them now are still serving as the Abyssal? I wish I hadn't been like that, pissing off the admiral I served.


They say the old ships are the toughest, and old dogs don't learn new tricks. I was the oldest of the ship in the docks, the others were youngsters, eager to impress and improve, learn the curve of things and make a name for themselves. For me? I and Shouryuu have earned our place as stallions of a stable, we came in separately, and Akagi didn't arrive until later. We have so many fights under our belt at the end of the first year of the Abyssal war...now in its 5th year, that we are hell of a conceited.


We have never lost, at length I actually do not remember since reaching the pinnacle of levels of the entire docks before even Nagato and Mutsu - that we ever even suffered a damage hard enough to warrant a couple of days in the docks.


We went in day in day out, the drills bore us so much we just voted to go out for real battles. At times we lead the young ships and attack outposts with the enemy presence we didn't know existed, we won each time. The submarines are a handful, but nothing we can't chase back after we destroyed their leaders; either that, or we just zoom about and evade their torpedoes which through experience alone, feels like they telegraph their whole target and route to us.


Yes, I was a high and mighty ship. Kaga the Aircraft Carrier wasn't always like so quiet and easy to deal with, with a secretarial air about her...I was a different type of Kaga, I was the golden age to the Navy, I bring so many victories I think I just let it go to my head.


When Akagi sank that next spring, something just woke me up.


I wasn't untouchable anymore, Akagi was on her way to becoming a National Flagship, she would have the honors of taking it before me if she defeated the Southern twins in one mission. She was ready to claim her place on the podium. She did, almost...they didn't expect her to suffer a telegraph blow from a submarine.


Seems like the case for us carriers, we just think we can evade all of them easy, and the submarines, they stay hidden so as long as you know they are there, they are no threat with their slow torpedoes. However, when you are surrounded with the enemies left and right of you, overwhelmed by the cycle-formation fire from the Southern twins with their Yi and Ta class elites, plus the two elite subs that slip down from underneath...as a single experienced ship leading the young ships we are without power....


It was almost orchestrated for Akagi to fail, she bought Murasame and Shiratsuyu with her, they survived....the other one...Shigure, she was the quiet and strong one, but suffered a bad blow and had to retreat... Murasame was too injured as well to fight, and Shiratsuyu ran out of ammo due to her cover fire methods.


When she is alone, without me to warn her of the dangers that lurk in a corner or two, she is vulnerable, she needs Shigure to tell her to look to her left, she would be especially vulnerable with her landing pad obscuring her firing range.


She always looked out for me when we are out together, and me for her.


With Shigure already retreated, there were only the two destroyer girls, Akatsuki and Abukuma, she liked the A-letters in their names I guess. The two girls form great partners for her, but they are inexperienced as compared with her so there was no comparison of their battle capacity so they cannot really compare or cover her flank. 'Triple A' for the good luck she says, their names do form that collection of initials. She is superstitious I guessed.


She was careless, I think, I can imagine it, I knew her too well not to notice she is a weak one when she is alone.


That fight sank her, she let Akatsuki, a young and inexperienced ship be her flagship, and tried to coax her to lead a team, as an experiment with team set ups and the admiral agreed with her methods. She calls it 'toughening them up' as a method to gain crucial experience in controlling group wide panic. Akatsuki studied under the admiral with much work being invested, her efforts have led her to be a trusted member of the younger ships. She was chosen naturally for her gift in leadership.


As Akagi sank, she passed a message to Akatsuki to retreat, and she did. The fight was lost.


When I was at the base at the time, I was ending my shift as the secretary. I shouldn't have stayed after the admiral has just decided to end his work for the day, I wished I wasn't there. If I wasn't there to hear Akatsuki's running steps in the hallway, that when she slammed the door open, I would not be there to receive the ill news of Akagi's sinking.


There she was, with Akagi's signature red ribbon to tie her sleeves up. It was billowing from the residual wind blowing into the office.


Akatsuki was stressed, her voice tense, her panic chokes of a salute only ended with me staring her down. I guess I knew what I was going to hear, so I did so unintentionally to stop her from making it true, as if if I deliberated the whole process long enough the truth would cease to be, and then Akagi would walk into that office with her signature grin after a battle, saying she is hungry.


She didn't.


"I...I am sorry, admiral, but Akagi-san...she...she sunk..." Akatsuki could not even manage a salute before both tiredness and weariness of delivering the ill news got to her knees, she knelled before the admiral, eyes wet with tears.


I walked over, pulled her collars upwards and stared into her eyes, as though I was trying to catch her on a lie. In them, the windows to her soul, I saw no lie, it was all true. My sister ship...Akagi has left this world.


I am now...again...alone.


As I was before her, I am alone.


Among all the ships, I am alone.


I was not one of those ships who mixed a lot with the others, Akagi was my vein to the base, she would tell me stories, because she mixes with all of them well. I was the silent one, and I would always be called 'brooding' in a corner of the cafeteria, in truth, I was just calculating, and planning for my next battle. For me, at the time, battles were the shackles to my freedom, as much as they are oxymoronically my freedom itself. It is only when I am at battle with my comrades at sea, do I feel alive.


Now, I am alone again.



======


It took seven months, we constantly tried to further the operations. The base now lacked all manners of resources, because we attacked twice or more times a day, sortieing until my entire crew has felt the need to be replaced.


Only two girls matched my pace. Nagato and Mutsu were battleships, their natural endurance was to be expected, and along with me, they were on their way to their pinnacle of strength. They had their upgrades and weapons, and ship armor thicker than mine.


They were the rolling tanks. They refused to change, making bare minimum repairs before we sortied, with or without the admiral's permission. Yes, I was in control, or at least I thought I was.


I only now known, as I looked at the letters of correspondence by accident one Thursday morning as the secretary - my most hated day as it meant I don't have a chance to do battle on that day with my finest crew. They are of course, right now going through the expensive and intensive quick repairs, they also sleep while they can in the repair bay, because they know, tomorrow, I will call on them to join me. Friday is the most intense, if possible, I would go out three times from dawn to dusk.


That letter of correspondence....it was addressed to the admiral. It has laid open for my eyes to peer, and while I did respected the privacy of letters, I was also curious as it had my name on it.


"Dear admiral, I seriously consider after reading your last letter that you chain her to the bay, that Kaga ship of yours has depleted your entire base of operations, your expeditions are not gaining at speed with her battles. You stand to lose more ships if you let her continue her vendetta. As your senior and adviser of the board of Navy Operations, I hereby order you to declare her in a state of decommission. You will consider my command harsh and unnecessary and overruling your supreme command as admiral of your fleet, but as adviser of the board, I have both authority to consider, and of you as a member of the staff. We must lead, and in leadership, we sometimes make hard decisions. I await your reply."


It wasn't signed by anyone in particular, but the mere mention of the Board of Navy Operations was clear, there are five advisers to the Board, all seniors of the admirals. I only knew two of them, one of which by name, the other I know him by his ridiculous hairstyle. The one I know by name, is Admiral Isoroku, a war hero by his own right.


As I was folding up the letter, the admiral exited his office, just in time to see me holding the letter at reading range.


"Kaga..." He greeted, already certainty shown in his eyes as he knows I have read it.


"Admiral..."


"You have read it?"


"My apologies, my curiosities have gotten the better of me when I saw my name on the half-opened letter." I apologized.


"Then you know its contents."


"I am afraid I do, and I am at odds with what to feel now."


"You know I must follow the instructions." The admiral said sternly.


"I also know you have the right to refuse, not that you will of course. We all have our roles."


"As per that letter, I must decommission you from this afternoon onward." The admiral revealed, to be honest, at that point, my heart jumped, I didn't expect immediate punishment for my vendetta ways.


"So soon...? Admiral, at least let me carry out tomorrow's battles..." I pleaded, I haven't ever pleaded before him.


Surely, we can afford another sortie, we are not that...exhausted are we? In truth, I know we are, we are out of bauxite, and fuel, and ammo for the other girls on long distance expeditions have been sharply reduced thanks to me and Nagato and Mutsu, we are heavy users after all.


"You know we have no more resources...three times a day for the past month, you have drained me as dry as I possibly could... I now rely on outlying supply bases to send in resources I still owe for the next month pending..." The other girls in the drills have had no ability to sortie, they are bored of the drills of course, I can guess. I bring only veterans, I don't want another mistake like Akagi did with her 'toughen them up' methods.


I wanted on my team the tough and ready. At the time, I had myself, Nagato my trusted right hand and Mutsu her sister, just as experienced and trusted, a young and fearsome Musashi, Chiyoda the stern and disciplined and Iku the submarine, a loud and loving submarine who is also very capable at her stealth attacks. A hefty mix I guess, not that it was effective, but they were the best vets. They are also willing to follow my endless demands.


Musashi was my favorite, she had conviction and discipline. She was tough as all nails, and would have been the leader if I had not been at helm.


"I understand..." I answered. My voice was solemn, as though I attended a funeral of a friend, and it reminded me of the feeling I have when I looked at the gray picture of Akagi that day in that frame.


I remembered that I carried the frame around the base, in honor of all her favorite spots, and each time we passed one spot, we would pour a libation to her honor. I cried, a first time I have since I was hurt in my youngest ship days. I promised to never cry that time, and on that evening, I broke my own promise as I joined Akagi in her hangar, and placed her gray framed picture on it. There it would remain for fourteen days until the hangar is repossessed for use by another ship.


Then, from inside the office, obviously been listening to our conversations, emerged two senior ships - Zuihou and Shouhou, both my sister ships, but we are estranged as strangers can be. They both have risen in rank in recent months I guess, earning the trust even though their battle experience do not match mine.


I felt my hands wrapped with white symbolic cloth, and they were held tightly by a silent Zuihou. Shouhou rounded behind me and disarmed me, took my landing strip and my bow and arrows from my shoulders as she whispered to me that she was sorry she had to do this difficult task.


I answered with nothing.


I was mute as they escorted me to the hangar bay, there I was told to be stationed, and with a chain, the admiral chained my hands to a hangar pillar.


"I am sorry I had to do this, Kaga..."


"I am sorry I had to force you to do this."


"Let me gather my thoughts, and in time, when it is right, I will release you...but I ask you to let go of Akagi's death, and let us work together again, as it was when you were young."


"Those days are long gone, admiral. You know that."


"But the same Kaga has always been somewhere inside, I know that." The admiral smiled sadly as he touched my hands, grasped them tightly as though he refused to let go.


He placed a Locked Heart badge inside my palm. Then, with deliberation, he placed a locket round my neck. I am now, officially his Locked Heart, he had a few before me, but I was special. I like to think I am.


"For all your effort in extending our base of operations, our outposts and our sortie successes...Kaga..., I wish you peace, until we meet again." The admiral said, as he looked at me one last time, and walked out the hangar with Shouhou and Zuihou at his side.


I didn't say thanks, because I know, this was his way of expecting me to change.


All I know was, the lock was loose. The chains were loose enough that I can just slide down to a full lie down if I wish. I was a prisoner of comfort here in my own hangar. I am basically, house-arrested. A prisoner in my own home, but not without the basic comforts.


I sat myself down that evening, as I pondered through the past months with the locket in my hand. I had the whole day. The whole day was also the whole night, as I could not sleep at all.


The activities of the night shift has continued unabated, ships were getting repaired, and come and go did some ships did into the giant hangar bay where the 1st fleet shared, Akagi's in front of me, and three other known ships I share this hangar with. There was Chiyoda and her sister Chitose, and then there is Akatsuki, who is the only one who stays away from the rest of her similarly aged sister ships like Inazuma, Ikazuchi and Hibiki. Every time she walks by for the next few days, she would look at me with a guilt ridden face, and she would leave silently.


Clearly, my presence here has spoiled her starts of the days, but I guess it was a given, I am punished for my behavior, and it is only safe to say that whatever that transpired, from the moment she delivered the ill news of Akagi's passing, that we would be at odds with each other. There would be painful days of course, during her rest days, she would spend her time being repaired and being medically treated by her fairies here in the hangar, and we would look at each other because there is nothing else to look at. We would awkwardly try to avoid each other's gaze.


Then...there was that one fine day.


"Kaga-san...are you...still mad at me...for..." Akatsuki blurted out meekly, I quickly looked into her direction. It has been two maybe three weeks, I had lose count and lose track of time... and I am slowly but surely going mad with silence here chained to my own hangar. I was having cabin fever.


I tried to calm my exasperated voice as I realized for the first time in months, we have traded words. I felt excited, but at the same time, there was that lingering hint of anger as I thought back on the day it happened. I was conflicted, as much as I wanted to end this feeling I am here now being confused whether I should.


"No...why...is that why...you haven't talked to me?"


"It is just...here we are, and not talking...it is...kinda awkward..."


"Yes...it is quite awkward isn't it? To be fair...I guess I am happy to finally hear you again...I scared you in that office that day...I should be apologizing, for ......for some reason, I couldn't summon up any courage to do so...so I will now...I am sorry....Akatsuki." I apologized, my eyes closed for a second as I felt a great stone left my chest.


"Apology accepted, Kaga-san...are we at least, friends?"


"No friends in what we do, Akatsuki, we are soldiers, fighting in a war of attrition...you and I are colleagues, not friends..." I answered sharply, I cursed myself for being unable to let go of my convictions. There and then, I guess I sealed my ever going to have a friend other than Akagi route. I didn't deserve pity even, I was Kaga, always alone.


"I see..." Akatsuki choked a response, she sounded disappointed, she should be...


I wondered if I heard a sniffle...was she crying? I could only wonder as I stared at the concrete floor, consumed in thought again of my own convictions.


What was I...if not empty.


For the first time in my life, I was...truly asleep. I dreamed.



===========




I am fully aware this does not match Kaga's true nature, but it is also my intention to bring you different enjoyment of how there are different generations of Kaga crafts as well as different generations of Akagi crafts etc. Like in real life. (as I know Kaga has another ship now, also by the same name)

So really, I ask you as the reader to read this as both part and parcel of how you might interpret the story as individual OCs as well as ships in their namesakes.

  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2014, 10:43:58 AM »


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Part 11 - Interlude 2 - The Ablution

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How many months has it been, I had not felt the clutch of time being with me since I was locked here, chained to a post or pillar, until my silence seemed to draw onto my sanity. I heard every click and turned my head, eager to know if it is something that can occupy my attention for another day.


Inside my heart, and mind as well, I know the admiral to be kind, yet, it is right here and now chained to this very post, that I questioned his kindness.


As per the letter from the Board of the Navy Operations, I was to avoid being seen outside in the harbor, and the admiral is not to approach me until a stipulated ninety days period has passed. That is three months, I am pretty certain it is probably more by now. Has the admiral forgotten about me? Was I unworthy after all? A top ship, chained here to rot in darkness beside no one.


I have not seen Akatsuki, the sweet girl who has a bay three hangars away from mine where I am chained. Chiyoda and Chitose, they have moved to hangar bay six at the end of the Navy base, the furthest away from mine. I have heard footsteps moving to and fro from the doors, but they remain closed, and sunlight has been scarce in a small window above the ceiling. It began to feel a lot like a barren dungeon. I heard my heart bump furiously as I felt anger consume me. I am going insane.


Why...


Why did I agree to the punishment? Did I trusted him so much because he gave me a locket? Because he didn't want to fully dismantle me for my contributions that he condemned me to a fate worse than death itself? Did I wanted this? No.


Three months... Such a long time has passed. My hair has grown to the length of my hips. I don't know why...but I always had hair that grown faster than many others.


Three months... It was like I was talking to myself for the last two. If Akatsuki was mumbling to herself, talking at me with me half listening, I was happy to at least hear her banter. I could...imagine, for the least of it all...must have been her getting tired.


I could imagine that, you would be tired too, if someone were to pretend they cared about you, when in fact they did not listened at all to your endless chatter, it must have felt like she was talking to the wall. Maybe she moved to another hangar silently.


I wonder how long has it been since I stopped seeing colors... The sunlight above me, felt as gray as the sordid scenery about me. The scent of rust as my legs went to waste, sitting here for a duration of the two months, unmoving.


I stopped standing after the first month, I did not bother to pace about that small confined space where my bay was. It was common knowledge not to infringe other bays, because they don't belong to me. Why did I bother?


All around me, silence.


Heartbeat.


Silence.


Heartbeat.


Swirl of water. Attention turned to source.


Heartbeat.


Silence.


Repeat.


Oh lord, Amaterasu, Kami-sama, anything, anyone...please...rescue me...I am going insane.


I am beginning to feel tears into my eyes...how many times did I cry this month? Was this the first? Yesterday felt like a year ago, I cannot remember...


Hate.


Fluster.


Hate.


Writhing, trembling.


Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate. HATE.


Furious anger entered me.


I was consumed by it, I yelled, my screams probably pierced the entire harbor.


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGRRRRRHHHHHHHH


HELP ME...oh god....release me...please....I cannot die here...not like this....


SAVE ME....please....there was a hope a moment ago wasn't it? I am a Locked Heart now am I not? A true leader of a fleet, sanctioned by the Navy and the admiral now...wasn't I?


PLEASE.... I begged.


SOMEONE ANYONE PLEASE.....


SAVE ME....



==========


How long has it been? A day? Another week?


My eyes have dried out, supplies to my fuel tank has been left aside, pushed by a fairy who is responsible for keeping me alive. She has never spoken, I know, because fairies don't speak...not all of them. Supply base workers like this one has no speech pattern recognition, they do their job and they dissipate. They appear when the time is right, lunch usually, and then dinner, with supplies ready for me.


It has been two days maybe, given the number of fuel cans piling at the side, there were six. I had not drank or eaten. I was starving myself to death, maybe this way I will be released. Maybe I will be buried in the ceremonial headstone of Akagi, beside her I will take my rest.


Away from this wretched existence.


Dear god...


Please...


Someone help me...



========


The doors opened. I can see sunlight flooding into the bay.


There was a man, his muscular build was significant. Admiral Isegahara? No...he isn't this muscular.


"Where is your salute? Kaga?" That man commanded in question.


Salute? Does he expect miracles? I have starved for a whole five days now, I was nearly dead.


"I see you abandon your position to fate, and you now starve yourself to get to heaven perhaps? But rest assured, there is no heaven for you, or me, only hell awaits us. We are soldiers, we take lives for justice, as much as we are murderers, we deserve no happiness." The man said, such philosophical bullshit.


I spat, unconsciously.


"Heh, a little fight in you still I see...good. I am Admiral Hayashibara, leader of the fourth Naval base off southern Kansai region, near Osaka branch. As of today, it has been five months since you have been chained here...you should thank me...your admiral has forgotten about you and it was through your comrades...two ships by the name of Nagato and Mutsu that I got to know you since I been here for a month." The admiral paused, my face was one of shock...dear god...has it been that long? One hundred fifty days....the admiral has completely forgotten about me and moved to another base? How dare he...


HOW DARE HE.


I must have blurted that out. I wasn't straight...


"Indeed, how dare he...leaving such a valuable ship untended...look at you...all rotten...your legs are already beyond repair. We need to have them replaced... We need to straighten you up." The admiral said, admiring my now rusted ankles.


I had not realized I had legs since it has been so long since I last stood.


The water and air must have rusted me.


Heh...


What an irony.


So this is my fate.


I summoned whatever strength I have left to say something that was at the tip of my tongue.


"Where the hell is Isegahara?"


"Admiral Isegahara to you, Kaga."


"Whatever, tell me where the hell is he Admiral. I will want to see him when I am done."


"Revenge for all this?"


"Maybe?" I mocked.


"Then you will be disappointed, he died with another ship, I heard it was Akatsuki."


WHAT?


Is that why I have not seen her?


She has not moved to another base but rather...sunk?


I felt a wave of emotions consume me, first by the sadness of Akatsuki, but then consumed by hate as the admiral I learned to hate in this dark chamber...has gone. I WILL NOT HAVE MY REVENGE.


FUCK.


FUCK IT ALL TO HELL.


I realized I was out of character, but I could not be any more in tune with my inner nature than I have ever been. It was as though all of my person now floated freely to the surface of all my tensions.


I was...


I felt free.


If there was a physical prison which I was in for one hundred fifty days, then the mental prison as Kaga, the ship who angered the admiral who put me here...I was free of that prison. I was free of Isegahara, and I am free from Kaga.


I am...


I am free.



=========


For the next week, Mamiya, the manager of the supplies base fed me with so much I swear I was getting fat. I had on the first day of the week, six bowls of bauxite, seven cans of fuel, and consumed enough steel to regenerate my ankles. I was confined to a wheelchair, but the fairies were quick to replace my rust with new steel.


I was given a modernization, officially I was christened as Kaga Kai Two now. I remain a Locked Heart, but I threw the badge away.


The only thing that I didn't throw away was my hate.


I wanted to chase Isegahara to hell.


Since he is in hell...


I guess there was only one thing left to do.



"Admiral, allow me to sortie."


I asked with a voice of desperation, he must have heard it. He could sense the spirit of desperation within me as I opened the door to his office.


"I am a temporary replacement until the new boy has graduated fully."


"What has that got to do with base sorties?" I asked, angered already by his lacking attitude as he crossed his legs on the desk, reading the day's news.


"I am here to ensure no resources of any kind goes wasted, I monitor and manage the base, not its battles. I have no right to send you to battle." He eyed me curiously, "Unless of course, you plan to repeat the same mistakes you done five months ago..."


"You..."


"Admiral Hayashibara, Kaga Kai Two! That is my address, I expect you to respect it." He paused, his voice like an admonishment of my disrespect, but I had no plans to observe his position, this is no admiral, he was a base staff, nothing more. "Yes, I have read the reports, five months back, you are a piece of work you know, in all my years serving the Navy I have never encountered a ship that dares to defy their admiral. Although, I admit my thoughts on Isegahara was one of lacking balls. He couldn't stop you and had to punish you...laughable."


"He is in hell for that." I answered mockingly.


"And you are requesting me to send you there, the one good ship I just brought back up from abandonment? I am not dumb, Kaga." Admiral Hayashibara put down his paper, and uncrossed his legs to a full sit down on his large leather seat. It seems within the short time he was here, he has replaced all the furniture in the room.


"I don't request, you should know if you read the reports."


"Don't you dare go and venture out on your own..."


"I won't, not with your permission anyway." I laughed as I left the office, intentionally leaving the door open as I walked loudly into the hallway.


The other harbor ships that were within earshot and vicinity of the admiral office saw Hayashibara came out, chasing after me, but was quick to let it go. He isn't determined anyway.


The other ships also avoided me, I had a gaze in my eyes that didn't match the Kaga they knew. Kaga was always cool-headed, calculative, and full of power. She was a leader, not a madwoman.


As it is, I must have a murderous grin about me.


I laughed again and again at the bay, overlooking the ocean.


Here was where I poured a libation in honor of Akagi when I carried her framed picture about the base.


Here was all the bitterness I endured, and I am here again.


Ah....


Such a beautiful irony, this life is.


Then, I went to the armory.


I was surprised to see my panel and locker remained unchained.


There it was, with all the ships in there suiting up for sorties or drills. They looked in my direction as I threw the door open.


There were maybe ten or fifteen ships.


Almost all were young. Hibiki, Inazuma, Ikazuchi, Yayoi, Tama, Suzuya, Abukuma, Isuzu...some I recognize, others are new faces to me. They all wore shock on their faces as I slammed the door open.


There at the far corner for the veterans, was Mutsu, and her sister Nagato.


"Kaga...!" Nagato exclaimed.


She walked towards me, without her cannons she looked a lot smaller than I remembered. Mutsu followed from behind her.


"Kaga-nee" Mutsu greeted, "You are back!"


"I am. Yes. You know what to do right?" I asked, expecting them to follow on, I usually did, five months ago at least, walk in, armed up, and walk out, with them at my back.


"The admiral refused us to sortie..." Nagato began, but her eyes showed a glint almost immediately, "You can't be thinking...." Her voice trailed off.


"It is exactly what you think."


"Kaga-nee, you are gonna risk another five months in that dump...we didn't explain to the admiral to release you just so you can get yourself in that shit again!" Mutsu complained.


"Heh...if you are not willing, I won't force you, you know my methods. Beside, I am off to die."


"What?"


I saw Hibiki ran towards the door, she must have wanted to report this to the admiral, I shouted her name with my loudest voice.


"HIBIKI!"


She stood frozen at the door.


"Report this before I manage to leave base...and I will tear you limb from limb." I threatened, a maddening look on my face now... She almost trembled and cried as the sisters Ikazuchi and Inazuma came and took her back in, trembling as well in their hesitant steps.


I felt guilty, but it was quick to pass. Scaring little girls is not my pastime, but it sure feel like it now. I must look like some kind of Oni to them.


"You know I cannot let you do that, as senior of this base now, I, Nagato will not let you do as you please, you do not have permission to sortie, and you will not sortie on your own." Nagato stood in my way, hands spread to her sides in a deliberate and determined position to stop me.


"Move out of the way, Nagato."


"No."


"MOVE AWAY"


"Never."


"Kaga-nee, please...calm down..." Mutsu tried to approach me from behind, as soon as she placed her hands on my shoulder I turned around and pushed her away. She was on the ground in shock as she reeled to my reaction of her touch.


"Why...you..."


"I will not repeat a second time Nagato, move away!" I threatened.


"Or what? I am a Battleship, come at me all you want , Carrier..." To have her refuse to use my name, I guess I really was pushed off her goodwill list.


"Oh?"


With one forceful punch, I laid down squarely on her navel, Nagato was not prepared to go physical with me, and reeled in shock and vomit as she choked from my punch. She knelled over, eyes blurred and confused as she tumbled down, holding her stomach in pain.


I ran over to my locker. There, my fairies were present.


It looks like they were put there deliberately, to await my return.


The fairies eyes brightened.


"Are we ready to go guys?" I asked ceremoniously.


They all nodded. They jumped onto my airstrip, and disappeared into it, like spirits possessing my body I can feel them cling to my airstrip. My arrows were loaded, and my bow...my trusty bow, I slung it onto my shoulders as I ignored Nagato and Mutsu, and ran out of the armory as fast as I could.


Admiral Hayashibara must have been worried something might happened, there I saw him at the corner of my eye.


"STOP, KAGA KAI TWO, THIS INSTANT!" He shouted.


I ignored him.


I ran, ran as fast my lungs would permit me and jumped into the bay.


I skated above the water, and off I go into the afternoon.


The sun was high up.


Panic surged the base and grappled it in fear.


The alarms sounded as I went out to see.


Before long I could not even see the base anymore.


Akagi...


I am coming.


Lets go have another drink.


IN HELL.




===========
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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2014, 05:22:50 AM »
)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 12

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()




I had sat down, my hands were locked by a thick chain, and on it, a huge metal gauntlet that kept me from even shifting my wrists. Zuikaku has calmed down, and is seemingly resting now. Its four tentacles, previously swimming like that of a jellyfish, has been locked up as well, cuffed to the walls like a prisoner.


I can feel general discomfort, so I am not too happy with my treatment, but would you expect different treatment for a totally unpredictable enemy?


They have asked me questions, and I believe now I am waiting for them to deliberate further on what to do with me. The princess should be still nearby, I can sense her presence unlike the Navy girls. We have a symbiote network after all, so it is not hard to detect one another should we find the need to communicate.


Two hudred meters away from where I currently am, she lays just below the water, her face barely touching the screen of the ocean, she is floating, as if observing what they will do to me. She has maintained radio silence telepathically since I left her. To feel her so close, and yet silent, I feel a pang of hurt in my heart that I cannot quite explain.


"Please...let me have...seawater...I need..." I said, my command of the Japanese language as rusty as it can get, only bits and pieces exited my lips forming incomplete sentences. It is of course to be expected, I was fully assimilated, and was only brought back to the human language via my re-encounter with my Locked Heart locket, kept by the princess until only a day before.


I began to refer myself as Shoukaku, and with whatever subconscious control I have left, I stopped my wo...additions to my sentences, although they still come out unwillingly at times unless I was communicating telepathically.


I looked as the team of the Navy girls, all seven including the junior we did not manage to sink earlier - argued in a far corner, away from me. Only one looked my way, in silence, it was their leader - Tenryuu.



========


Tenryuu looked vacantly at the creature behind the brig in this outpost, it should not be the case, but they must make makeshift rooms into temporary prisons. So far, it has not resisted, and all efforts to question it has bought about half-clear answers. It wasn't pretending in any way, it has no means of communicating efficiently in the Japanese language, unfortunately the only language they knew how to use.


It speaks sometimes with a wo...ending to its sentences, but more often, its voice will speak as though with three different vocal chords; a deep baritone overriding a softer note, with a hidden note just below that seemed to form some kinda filtered rumble. Tenryuu had an idea this was the language under the oceans. If they can decipher this, they will not just be able to communicate with the warrior classes of the Abyssals, but also intercept messages under the ocean with sonar arrays, they will have the upper hand in the wars to come.


If they come, that is. Tenryuu thought back on the earlier days, there were six maybe seven massive direct attacks towards the Naval base, sometimes getting as close as the fourth or third defensive line manned by anti-ship guns stationed at the harbors, the buoys that floated the undersea mines also were triggered every now and then, but as those six or seven attacks passed, so did the defensive methods at the base.


It seemed awfully a bad idea to attack at this time when the four young ships has disappeared and with them away from the base, a base left unguarded safe for the national heroes who are also not invincible and some senior but not yet veteran ships including a Kaga and Akagi...seemed ideal; contrary however, is that they now have much more defenses at the bay to keep anything from coming or going.


Even carriers won't be able to send in fighters with the number of flak guns lining the bay. They have been extra cautious, and at least that seem to be paying off, especially with the leadership of some young boy admiral with no relevant experience.


As it is, it has revealed a crucial identity, which in turns brings a round of turmoil.


Tenryuu looked at her team, with its ever loud discussions as the camp divides into two sides - one that is in favor of whatever decision she makes for the team, including Ooi and Kitakami as well as Tatsuta, but the other formed by Hatsuyuki, Takao and Atago are in favor of killing the captive that have surrendered to them a while back by the beach. Tenryuu has offered the creature resolution, in the form that if she resists, she will be ended here and now; however, the other, a certainly wiser choice if she cooperates, is to bring her back to base, to be investigated by the panel of admirals, whom also form a committee of leaders that decides on important matters.


The reason for her decision was simply this - she, it...has revealed herself to be Shoukaku, a sunken ship from around Tenryuu's first or second month in the base she now serves in. She has never been particularly fond of the interpersonal relationships outside of work, so having a Locked Heart status from that same admiral in such a short relation of time for her service that gave her a unique social standing made her relatively uncomfortable.


Of course, at the time, with Shoukaku being alive and all...though, if this creature is for real, even now...the admiral that was leading her and the rest of the base was in a literal relationship with that carrier. The base, unlike Tenryuu herself, held them as a couple with high esteem. It was a given, the girls liked this sort of thing, it is normal to have dreams as well as hope, and in the line of war, having love was invaluable when death surrounds you with despair. It can even be said it was a blessing that an admiral have such feelings for the ships.


However, the one thing that drove Tenryuu to think twice about the whole issue was that the admiral had a child, a boy, who now serves as the admiral in place of his father. What would bringing back a relic of the father's work and relationships make that boy do? Perhaps he would order her to be killed, in lieu of investigative value, or establishing a common line of understanding...maybe even becoming the fulcrum of stopping the long war between the Navy and the Abyssals...or...


Just as she thought of this, the creature shuffled, banged its chains together towards the concrete floor, and said something.


"Seawater...I need...sea...water...must...breathe...I..." She choked, Tenryuu has kept a few handy, she knew that it may need some, but wasn't sure how it affects them. Now she knows they breathe with it, perhaps their skin is like some kind of filtration system, allowing them to breathe like fish would.


Tatsuta was the first to near the brig, she poured a little before stopped by Takao. Tatsuta had a wistful look about her as she looked at Takao, whom was the main one siding the argument of an immediate end to 'Shoukaku' here languishing in the brig.


"She needs to breathe..." Tatsuta said.


"Only if she cooperates, she will answer some questions..." Takao had a commanding tone, even though she was a younger ship than both Tenryuu and Tatsuta, whom have joined at about the same time.


Tatsuta still went ahead however, 'accidentally' spilling the bucket over the prisoner, as the prisoner took a long deep inhalation of the resulting spill of saltwater. Her eyes looked brightened immediately, a yellowish glow emerged from one eyeball, and the other blue. She had a heterochromous vision, as Tenryuu noticed just now. A few blinks later, 'Shoukaku' breathed a shallow thank you to Tatsuta, as she nodded in reply.


"Tell me, Wo-class, why do you submit to us, do you think we won't kill you?" Takao went ahead with her questions.


"I...am...once...you...r, team-mate...I...wish...no...harm..., princess...allowed... me...to...surrender... You...must...believe..., I...want...to...re...join... Navy...please...wo..."


"There, there! You see, Onee-sama, this creature here is an enemy, she ends her sentences declaring her rank, she has no means to join us...this has to be a ruse. Unless, you already forgotten we lost Arashio and the others earlier..." Hatsuyuki sounded from behind as the team turned back to see her flustering about.


"I agree, as much as I would like to be compassionate, having an enemy escort back to the base is equal to sending them to our doorstep. We just do not want such a thing to happen and it is not beneficial to us. Whether she was Shoukaku doesn't matter, we have us to ponder on, and she has killed our own before she surrenders, this is a sign of treachery to come." Takao further cemented the grim reality.


"Tenryuu-chan..." Tatsuta looked back and at her best friend.


"Ara-ara~~surely Tenryuu-san can see there is no benefit in this..." Atago said, crossing her arms and placing one palm to her face as she tilted to her right gently.


"Enough, as leader of us all, I declare the decision is to bring this abnormal thing back to the base, as far as I am concerned, she claims to be Shoukaku, my senior in the base before, and I am giving her the benefit of the doubt until there is closure between the boy and his father." Tenryuu raised her voice, Atago was genuinely surprised, but nodded as an acknowledgment. Takao stepped back and decided not to much after, while Hatsuyuki punched the wall with her frustration, it must have pained her a lot.


Tenryuu made a mental note to check on her again after this.


"For now...rest, we must recover our energy to make the journey back by first light."


"Yes, and bring the enemy that will attract other enemies with us..." Kitakami said sarcastically.


"I understand the risk, Kitakami-san." Tenryuu said, trying not to sound too offensive or off-putting.


Kitakami simply walked away, she agreed with the decision based on leadership of Tenryuu, but not the motive behind it, at least that seems to be the case. The rest followed suit, their silence remarks a kind of uncertainty, much like the mission itself, it started with a clear enough goal of salvage and rescue, but is now marred by uncertain elements.


Tenryuu walked close to the brig, where 'Shoukaku' is currently breathing shallowly, her breaths were labored, as though she is trying to conserve the air in her lung. Tenryuu worries she won't be able to make the journey, the same worry she would reserve for the children and the youngsters ships in the base where she runs a kind of caretaking facility. She was not given that job, it is just...she thought it would be great for the kids to come back to something other than a hangar or a dock. Although they are all born soldiers, at least, when at rest, Tenryuu first thought when she started that place up, no one has to be on alert among friends and ranks.


Truth to be told, even she felt weird. Why did she think this creature, an enemy of hers - is at all trustworthy? There should be no avenue of trust amongst them. There is no reason to choose to believe it is who she says she is. Any number of ships have sunk around the oceans of Japan for the past oh so many years, and none have ever made the journey back. Some who were misreported lost or sunken eventually did dragged their bodies back to the bay, but were mostly intact with personality and the instantly recognizable look that is of that ship class. Sendai, one of the seniors of the base, was one of those ships. She may have lost both her arms in that sordid battle, and most of her hair was charred down to the deep scarring of her left side of the face...but everyone knew it was her.


It was not the way she talked, she did not speak at all as her damage was too much, it was the way she carried herself forward pass the observable bay, where a deck of officers, Naval captains and deck hands, quickly raise the alarm of a desperately damaged ally. She had this distinctive drag on her footing, the way one would drag their loose slippers on the ground. There was a distinctive color to her dress, though now fully burned off leaving on tinges of dark orange and her signature black skirt. A massive spike has pierced through her shoulder, and the bleeding of dark colored liquid was unstoppable. As she dragged herself across the water, sometimes barely lifting half her body out of the surface, she collapsed on the arm of a flak gun.


Everyone rushed to her aid, and by late evening, she was in the intensive repair area. It took six people, twenty repair faeries to heal the wound from the giant spike. Two disenfranchised parts from other ships that have long sunk, one being a previous Naka - to give her back her arms. Other ship parts were melded to her with the intensive repair methods. Her face was worse, an eyeball was missing, the deep scar too deep to repair and she will not be able to take any more repairs till another week...leaving her scarred face a show for all to see until then.


Even whilst strapped to the repair bay, her body convulses as white fluid lubricants and miniature blood vessels blew open from sheer damage, prolonged exposure to fire and corrosion consumed most of her vital organs and critical functions. At length her repair took most of her life away. She was decommissioned for a while to relieve her of stress. Truly however, a tough ship being that she is, she returns to duty almost two weeks after.


Only few will know the darkness she faced alone at those waters. She will of course...never forget them. So...as Tenryuu ponders, would bringing an enemy disregard all that she has suffered? Will it be...too much of a shock to the base?


"If...you...have...doubts....don't....bring...me...back... Tenryuu...I...am...ok...I know... It...must be h-hard...for...leader...you... so...leave...I will...go...back...ocean..." 'Shoukaku' said under her breath.


"If you really are Shoukaku, I cannot leave you here, but I must bring you back to be ascertained by people who are more capable than myself...your rescue, and your rehabilation if possible, could prove to gain ground in our wars...you are important to me, and us...personally however, I just want to bring your sister back into service." Tenryuu blurted out, before covering her mouth.


"Huh...?"

"I am sorry, that wasn't meant to..." Tenryuu apologized.


"Zuikaku? What...happened...w-with...her..." 'Shoukaku' asked, the thing on her head began to fidget, as if trying to reach its tentacles around the host body.


"She was decommissioned from battle duties since you sunk...if you are indeed Shoukaku, you may be the key to getting her back into battle frontlines. She missed you dearly and to this day, even though she helps with Mamiya-san in the management of supplies at her base, she prays for you each night and day. She wishes you to come back...perhaps... By some sense of irony, her wishes has come true, in another form." Tenryuu admitted, her one gloved hand placed on her head, thinking what she is doing to spill all this to the enemy.


This much however, is true, this 'Shoukaku' knew of Zuikaku, her sister ship, and thus, must indeed have been a base regular. For that name of Zuikaku has disappeared off the roster for a while now, and most of the new girls except the highly responsible and organized ones would not know her, the exception of those who do are like Akitamaru, and Taiho, both extremely strict characters who knew each and everything at the base.


"You should rest..." Tenryuu patted the brig, and got up from the floor.


"Wait...I need...to be free...of these...confines... I won't escape....leave me...at least.... three buckets ....of.... seawater....please..., I can't breathe....without...it..." 'Shoukaku asked.


"You promise not to run?" Tatsuta came up from behind Tenryuu and placed a hand for Tenryuu to grab unto, while she lifts herself off the cold cement floor.


"I won't..." The Wo-class replied softly.


"Consider that a deal..." Tenryuu said.


Elsewhere, a disappointed Hatsuyuki looked on as her seniors unlocked the chains to the creature...


What would Isonami and the rest feel if they see this...


She stifled a cry as she rolled back into her resting position, avoiding the gaze of Kitakami who is lying beside her, also well aware of the events and the conversation that transpired.


----------


Naval Base, 9.45pm. Cafeteria.



Zuikaku has packed up all the things, the last of the customers, Yamato and Musashi-san has left the bar area, after their nightcap that goes on for hours.


She did not like those two, they stay for too long.


She did enjoy listening to them talking about the past though, it was a semblance of a life she once had as a ship that fought on those same oceans. It reminds her of good times with Shoukaku-nee, her heart gave a pang of hurt as she thought about it.


Slowly she picked up the box and headed to the office for locking up, Mamiya-san must be inside, crunching the numbers.


The Naval base station was on, the frequency was tuned to Channel Naka~♫♥, the most annoying channel there is.


There was a coverage in brief before returning to Naka's general singing, and the brief moment that caught her attention was the faraway report that a rogue mission of rescue has Tenryuu-san in it together with five other senior ships. She listened to it intently, stopping all her work.


"A prisoner?" Mamiya-san said once the announcement was over, her eyes looked at Zuikaku in question.


"I suppose that is a first, we don't usually bring prisoners to home base...not that we could anyway, they usually sink as fast as when they emerge..." Zuikaku in her analyzing voice described.


"Glad to see you still carry some experience with you, Zuikaku-chan~" Mamiya-san replied happily to Zuikaku's response.


"I have not forgotten much...though my physical form is more tuned for manual labor in this cafeteria now...I am beginning to like my life here..." Zuikaku smiled sadly.


"I will be always happy to have you around, since you came, the cafeteria has been so clean...and everyone is so well fed it is becoming a worrying trend." Mamiya-san said, locking up the office doors and turning off the lights.


"I suppose the only one missing from this happy picture was nee-sama..."


"I am sure she smiles for you in heaven..."


"I am sure she does, Mamiya-san."




----------


Late chapter, enjoy.

Kongou Nendo coming out, have you all made your pre-orders yet??

  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2014, 05:24:03 PM »
)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 13

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It was day, soon anyway...it seems, the dawn has not yet reached, but 'Zuikaku', my symbiote, has been awake all night. A general uneasiness has clasped us, in this prison after we heard the name of my actual sister ship in the Naval base.


The namesake of my symbiote now clashes every time I think of her, and it responded in kind by being unwilling at times to follow my thoughts. It has been a kind of struggle to organize my internal functions as I would usually do. The lack of seawater on my skin is beginning to change into something more land-dwelling suitable. I found myself able to breathe normal unfiltered air, although not as easy as the pressure out of the deep oceans was not pleasant to my lungs. They feel like bursting after long hours outside.


I feel my eyes forming a kind of blurry membrane, a kind of secretion from Zuikaku to me that keeps the host able to see in the dry air on land. It blurs the vision of facial recognition, but my hearing instead has become clearer. As I normally have to hear conversations under the ocean floor with the Abyssal language, it has become easier to decipher language on land that has one word each for everything. The Abyssal language however, is a combination of code and gurgling as well as undertones, something normal ships or talking won't be able to do unless they get assimilated. Even then, it takes weeks before the complete language function replaces the entire language barrier as the symbiote educates the host completely.


It would, in actual effect, require three people talking the same subject to mimic the Abyssal tongue, extremely inefficient, but suitable to be used under the ocean as noise does not pass through water easily. The Abyssal tongue utilizes all three sound waves formed by different parts of the throat to gain maximum translation through sometimes mono-syllabic utterings. Thus, in essence, a language for a place untouched by civilization of man - thus need not be interpreted by man as well.


I had used up the last bucket of water, by dipping my face into it, I extract just enough oxygen from the water for easier breathing, but at the same time using the natural ability of my body to utilize naturally available oxygen from the air. The water in them have been drank, regurgitated, and then drank again to perform a kind of lung filtration effect - it must look disgusting to the little onlooker at a far corner of the brig wall, outside of the cells.


I can tell, Hatsuyuki has stayed up all night to keep watch on me, from a distance she peered at me, observing my every move, her ship guns, despite being semi-empty has been pointed at me all night. No doubt, she would have fired them at me, and without my bombers and fighters left at the beach, too far to be controlled by me now...I would have been a helpless kitten. It must be such an irony to see me alive when her comrades, youngsters like her to be dead.


I wish I could tell her Isonami is very much alive...though not in the strictest sense of the word. Her body under the oceans, still carried by the princess's symbiote would be near dead by now, the bodily functions are completely automated by the symbiote that is attached to her. She would be in a comatose state until she is ready, and that every vein in her body replaced with enough resources and Abyssal organs to grow into her main stems. They become her, and her into an Abyssal at last, only then will she be awaken. This process however, must as far as I knows, be undertaken at sea.


The princess has left in the darkest part of night, somewhere around 4am, when all the ship girls have slept, including Tenryuu, even Hatsuyuki has dozed off for a while. Then, silence, there was nothing but that...


It is strange, being able to hear the whisperings, to realize even ship girls dream. I wonder what it is that they dream of...do they dream of killing us Abyssals? Do they dream of heroics? Do they dream of their fallen comrades, and perhaps, in silent but unwilling realization...realize they are once allies who fell? Do they also dream of sheep, maybe count them to infinity?


I hear their hearts beating, sometimes so relaxedly, sometimes a spike as their dreams take a turn for the nightmarish, and sometimes they would snap awake, become aware nothing is wrong and that it was a dream...and then doze off again. Sometimes, their brainwaves from their REM sleep occur so profoundly Zuikaku can tap into it from touching the cement floor, by feeling into the vibrations emitted by their breathing and shuffling in their sleep positions. I tried for a short while to imagine what sleeping is like...as I no longer sleep. Zuikaku's symbiote function replaces all the necessary functions of sleep to constant alertness, I had to explain this to Tenryuu earlier when she didn't believe me that I could not rest.


I had no such need, and the thought of it saddens me...it just means I cannot even daydream, I am doomed to forever wander in reality, until I am snuffed out. To be sentient, aware that I am an enemy, even more so.


Finally, the long dry night has given part to day, it was dawn. 5.45am, the day started. Everyone got up unitedly, patted off their uniform of any dirt that may have gathered...


There were no greetings, only solemn duty greets them, as they are now divided over Tenryuu's decision to bring me back to home base. I thank her from the bottom of my heart, and grasped at the broken piece of Locked Hearts locket in my hand, feeling the cold metal touch my lifeless pale skin, wet with the sweet salt of the ocean water.


"Time to move, Shoukaku" Tenryuu said, her voice of duty tells me she doesn't think of me as the lost ship, but at least, she would respect my claims for the time until proven otherwise.


I had earlier in the night shown her a serial number, still visible slightly at the bottom left of the heart-shaped locket, it would take a magnifying glass to see it but it would clear up any confusion once they see it.


All the rest doubted of course, although they had a tinge of suspicion I could be telling the truth. I have no ill feelings for them of course, consider my position. I did spent the night eyeing Hatsuyuki and pondering my earlier actions the day before. Would she forgive me then when I reveal Isonami would well be on the way back to join her if I asked her to? Did I have that authority? Did I forfeit it when I left the princess? What is she doing now? Will she make good on the promise to launch a full scale attack at the very base we are returning to?


I worried, but I did my best to hide it. I didn't want to hide that bit from them, but if they don't attack, just as well I would have forfeited my trust towards the base.


As I headed out to the sands again, over the front of my vision, before the morning calmness of the seas, a thick fog swept in. All of our vision have been blurred, I can only hope our journey will be safe, but more than welcome the oncoming wetness to grace my feet again.



-----------

Naval Base, 7am, Naval Office.


"Captain, you will be responsible for the works of the admiral today, I expect good work from you." The admiral gestured for an older gentlemen into his office.


"To think I would one day have to serve in your steed, fate is an ironic one indeed." Captain Hata said, looking a bit remote in his uniform. He hasn't had breakfast, and it has been a previously long weekend just the day before as he traveled down to the base, once again taking command of a base he has been serving for a while before.


"Admiral Yamamoto has been very kind to ask of you to be guide the base with your experience. I am well aware of your abilities as a leader as well, and thus, put all my trust in you whilst I engage the committee in their meetings."


"You do realize if I am as great as you say I am, I would have been admiral long before you?" Captain Hata said, his face now a growling look, as though he is very unwilling to be here.


"I have read into your history, and your resume, but what really stands out is not rank, Captain, you are as the legendary leaders of our Yamato and Musashi, the one who steered them out from harm, you too, were here when you saved Sendai from certain death in the oceans. Without you, legends would have been bland to the ears and readers of history." The admiral waltzed out as he finished his sentence. Clearly, the boy at least have a sense of humor, the captain thought as he sat down.


"Well, who is the secretary then? I will need a bit of competence if I am expected to make do with recommission." Captain Hata said in response. Just then, the door clicked, and from behind it, a figure stood with a half salute.


"Hello, Captain, it has been a while..." At the door, a ship with a darkened orange dress with long covered sleeves lined with smallish guns and wearing a dark colored skirt greeted the Captain.


"Sendai." The Captain was delighted, to be expected, thought the admiral as he left for his meeting.


"I suppose we can work things out."



----------


Meeting Room, Naval Base. 3pm.


"That was a short lunch...I guess it is good we have everything ready for a second search and rescue and resupply effort to that island..." The admiral spoke to no one in particular as he walked to the Cafeteria, it has been a long morning. The day is only half done, but already it feels like eternity. Sometimes, he thought to himself, why didn't he take up life as a farmer...at least they could rest as and when they want to.


Mamiya-san emerged from behind the curtains of the Cafeteria just in time to see the admiral walk by, and Zuikaku followed behind her holding some boxes. Both are dressed in a casual plain colored kimono dress, with a long full bodied apron with frilly sides tied to their torso and neckline.


"Greetings, admiral. I see you haven't came for lunch earlier, would you like your usual?" Mamiya-san asked graciously as she noticed the admiral heading into the Cafeteria.


"I would very much like that, thank you, Mamiya-san"


"It would be Zuikaku's pleasure. Wouldn't it?" Mamiya-san looked at Zuikaku, who responded hesitantly while heading back into the kitchen without a word.


"I see...she may still need some time."


"All girls need time to be beautiful again, Admiral." Mamiya-san said with a motherly smile. "Please do enjoy your late lunch, Admiral, I will see you later."


"Where would you be going Mamiya-san?"


"Kaga's and Akagi's supply are low, I am heading there with my crew now."


"Quite a glutton isn't she Akagi..." the admiral rubbed the back of his head.


"Now now...let's not be rude, she is an exemplary ship who needs her best nutrients to perform her very best for you." Mamiya-san smiled once more and departed, her curvaceous figure bouncing off the wooden hallways illuminated by the late day sun, and off she went out to the harbor.


"I would suggest to stop staring so intently, but you won't listen now would you? Admiral." Just then, Zuikaku emerged from behind the curtains again, noticing that the admiral was looking at the back of Mamiya-san as she left the hallways.


"I...wasn't!"


"Then why deny so furtively? Your lunch is ready." Zuikaku has left it at the bar counter, set on a tray together with the regular miso soup and a pair of chopsticks.


She did not say another word and walked back into the kitchen washing area, the plates must have piled up quite a bit from the lunch rush hour.


The admiral made a quick mental note to check on the Captain doing all his work this day after lunch as he sat down.


It took him a taste to realize...he couldn't tell the difference between Zuikaku's cooking and Mamiya's.



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

Naval Office, Same time.



"They have returned?" The captain shouted his response, he ejected himself from the comfort of his large leather seat, and waltzed up to the door.


Sendai handled over the report, and he grasped it tightly as he read the gist of it. The furthest of the harbor gates, the third one in fact, stood some seven friendly ships with what looks to be a Wo-class vessel held captive.


Visual confirmations reveal the enemy captured had no visible weapons, there are also no nearby radar detections and sonar detections of the enemies that may be lurking in the oceans.


"How did they even?" The captain asked to Sendai, who looked back with a questioning face as well and is seeking for answers that neither of them have at this very moment.


"I would highly suggest to contact the admiral and follow us to the site. The ships have agreed with bay patrols they intend not to step into base until they receive the permissions of the admiral to do so." Sendai confirmed, her dutiful tone is like well recorded tapestry to the Captain's ears. The Captain rushed back to the desk, and lifted up the hooking phone.


"Get me the admiral."


"He is not in the meeting rooms, sir." Another secretary ship answered, not one that the captain is familiar to by name.


"Where has he gone to?"


"I suggest the Cafeteria, sir, he did say he was heading for lunch."


"Thanks." The captain slapped down the phone and dialed the number of the Cafeteria.


To his luck, the one who answered straightaway was Zuikaku.


"Cafeteria, Zuikaku speaking."


"Get me the admiral."


"Yes, sir." Zuikaku answered simply and let the phone hung for a while, the silence was killing the captain, the suspense was trickling down his forehead in the form of sweat.


"Admiral here, Captain?"


"Tenryuu, your rogues have returned, they have a prisoner, and survivors."


"Damn..."


"Damn? Aren't you happy to have news?" The Captain asked, bewildered by the admiral's response.


"No, it is just that I submitted a committee decision to have them docked for a long time for mutiny until further notice...I am not exactly ready to see them..." He paused over the line, "Did you say....prisoner?"


"Yes."


"Meet me there. I am assuming it is the far bay?"


"You are correct." The Captain confirmed.


They both hung up and with Sendai, the Captain walked out the office in hurried steps.


This will be an unprecedented incident, if there ever is one example...


No one has ever carried a prisoner home before.


What will they do to question it?


This sure reminds him of the interrogations they did on that one incident...before Sendai returned from near death...


Captain Hata smiled, it was a sinister grin that spread to nearly the opposite sides of his face.


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




Rush chapter, decide to skip through a long narrative descriptive about the admiral's furniture and so on. Which I was writing until I just became bored with it too. Seriously, the game needs you to complete certain missions and stuff to get furniture... how rewarding... not. 


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[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2014, 01:04:48 PM »
At this point, seeing the read count of the thread, I am pretty sure many are mad with me fucking up the story here and there, but trust me, the minor details are just me not generally being an active researcher and player, I just love my ship girls and their artwork, I love the merchandise and the nendos and so on...but writing a story for my favorite ship Shoukaku as Wo-class? That is just a passion, and I hope you forgive and also help point out the mistakes if you read the story.

Here are a few new chapters.

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Part 14

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The hydrothermal vents at home are less hot than the ones at the faraway outpost that takes hours to get to, it was somewhat...underwhelming.


The stares gotten by the princess was intense, like a strong urge to question the baggage at her back, and of course, the lack of her retainer, the single Wo-class that has a tendency to talk back.


A single Yi-class approached and offered to take her luggage of her, by luggage, it was of course the still slumbering Isonami, the sunken ship.


The princess walked past the large rocks that act as a gateway to the Abyssal inner sanctum, where a series of labyrinthian caves and undersea dwellings with small patches of dried rocky surfaces act as a home base. Veiny constructs pulsed and pumped oxygen through them, and they have bluish energy channeling through them like blood would inside the blood vessel. It is of course, no different, the base unlike the above world of mechanical and metal constructs - are real bases grown from parts of organic matter and part metal, the veins help the base dwellers to breathe and of course coordinate further the network of the Abyssals.


Symbiology exists in every dimension and every facade or phase the Abyssals live in. They are constantly surrounded by it, and everything the symbiotes do, they do it for a reason - to keep on surviving. It will be inevitable the one day they move beyond the hosts, that they will become the ultimate winners in the game of survival.


In the realm of the Abyssals nothing is a hidden secret, maybe a secret but hardly so, the network exposes all flaws, collectively the Abyssals will analyze each and every one of the problems and they can be settle just the same manner, any problem will reach a general consensus of agreement, The time it takes to process any one flaw will not take any much time at all. As it is, the Abyssals have long been tapping into her most private of thoughts, and though the conversations of telepathy remains a secret, it was a single channel that is without a good snooping ear. 'Passing thoughts' they call them, but it was more than ever - deeply guarded thoughts.


Already, the entire area has been notified of the movements that were made, the damage suffered if any, casualties, prisoners etc. Teams of Abyssals engineering units have moved in, surrounded the princess like drones would to their queen. They polished her body with a kind of secretion - clear oily liquid that promotes the renewal of cellular structure and musculature. In fact, calling it promoting healing would have been an understatement. It heals, in an accelerated state, period.


Others rushed to repair the symbiote at the back of the princess, others still take care of the bombers and fighters. In less than twenty minutes, her body was good for war again. In the interim of the repairs, her head has been filled with reports of the ocean, whether it is temperature, energy levels of the base, new recruits or casualties, she has been informed of it in totality.


The Battleship Princess, also known to her as the Oni-hime, walked up to her, her movements a kind of lightness, like airily floating about the sea floor, her lumbering symbiote, the largest of them all, quietly followed behind a few steps away with dull thuds of its gorilla like hands.


"Welcome back, I see you let her go." The Battleship Princess stated, the usual mocking tone in her voice is clear and evident. She took a seat at one of the hands of the symbiote who just paused behind her as she came to a stop before the Airfield Princess.


"I merely gave her a choice, but I have no doubt you think I am being soft,." The princess paused, "You have something to say to me?"


"Yes, I am in full agreement with the assault at the base, I think it is high time we put an end to all this fiasco, us sending six of ours, and theirs in these petty war games. I am not in favor of large casualties, but a one swift attack will surely be more worthy."


"I see you read through the network about that, we have no plans, I am sure you are aware, I merely suggested the idea." The Airfield Princess replied.


"I am yes. Most of the others have agreed, the last assault was well over three years ago, and it would be a high time we halt the base advance, especially now that our new comrade has been primed and ready..." The Battleship Princess gestured to her back.


From that place, three Abyssal ship girls of fairly dainty size walked out from the shadows. They each wore some kind of hooded long sleeve jacket, with a zipper in the middle opened up to their navel, fairly revealing. On their breasts were what seem to be bikinis, some a bit more torn than others, but black in color as a united look. They each have long thick tails connected to a menacing looking heavily armored Symbiote, cannons and all, attached to the tail of about two feet in circumference and about six feet long to the tip of the symbiote's peak. They each have the signature white hair of Abyssals, and their eyes a distinct three colors signifying their ranks - two Elites, and one of a Hime-class.


 A new Hime-class? Thought the Airfield Princess, surely, such a thing would been announced over the network ages ago, she would have known her long before she left the inner sanctum to be readied for war. "These are...?" The princess tried to sound not too shocked, although the data about these are now already flowing in, she figured she would ask anyway.


"Re-classes, I know what you are thinking, but they are not us, they are not Hime-class level yet, fairly too young to be that, but at least a few of them have the signature red eyes, they have potential to gain experience and eventually reach us, but for now...they are puppets. Puppets, I will put one or two in your care for tomorrow's assault." The Battleship Princess said.


"Re-class..." Just then, one of them snapped to attention, like a soldier offering a salute. "Stand down." The princess commanded, and it immediately became restive.


"They are quite a surprising addition, no doubt, even I was unsure of the progress at first, but it looks like the network has been shut on the information regarding their production. Of course, I welcome it all the same, the more the better. I would suggest to test their mettle, but only if you are willing, princess..." The Battleship Princess was in a sense, taunting the Airfield Princess about the battle plans, and every word stings her.


"You will leave with or without my answer, so what does it matter?" The Airfield Princess replied, her tone a kind of relegation that comes with uncaring thoughts, it doesn't matter, does it?


"Indeed, with the Re-class we will form a straight line into the base, long before they realize a new type of enemy is now in the attack force, we will pincer them, from both sides, and the back...with you and myself."


"You say that as if you wanted to supervise me...I sure hope you are not allowing all this to get to your head...Kongou." The Airfield Princess replied, intending to one up the spite with her long antagonistic ally.


"I believe...the last time I told you about my past was when I was overseeing your old hangar, and while I am unwilling, I am more than happy to remind you what happens after you step over the line of our past and current...history..."


"You are like me, we sunk by the same bay, at the same day no less..."


"Because I was trying my damn best to save your sorry arse...you severed the link between me and the Admiral, and then you in your desperation to take revenge for Akagi and Akatsuki, ended up roping us all in your little adventure..." The Battleship Princess turned around, now facing the Nu-class and she gave an order for them to depart back for their hangars, as they slowly departed, they have left the two princesses alone in this room.


"Hard to believe you are so petty, Kongou, did you know they replaced you back in the base? The new Kongou is a hell lot noisier than you...though I cannot for the sake of not lying say she is better at being a bitch than you." The Airfield Princess had her...this was the usual spat and a little more.


"I think I learned in the past few years to be a little more...tactical with your taunts, Kaga. I expect to gain a few extra ships tomorrow, so it is my sole mission to bring in more of the potential hosts as Hime-class candidates...so we are the sneak unit... I guess I say...I will just be the bigger woman this time around... Call me all you want in names, but they but sticks and stones..." The Battleship Princess only looked sordid, as though she has won the argument but not the war of words. She turned around and left, with her Knight carrying her away.


"Kongou..." The Battleship Princess responded to the Airfield Princess's calling, turning around to face her, "For what its worth, I have no longer any grudge that day since years ago, I am sorry to the words I say...but I don't feel we are ready for another assault."


"You are worrying for your little pet Shoukaku...I can understand..."


"You knew all along?"


"Isn't hard to guess, I saw her when she was getting assimilated."


"Then you know she could also walk the fine line between them and us, the Navy and the Abyssals...we may establish communication...there may be a better way... Maybe we can...unite, combine resources, we will have peace..."


"Are you listening to yourself talking?" The Battleship Princess chided loudly, pissed by the nonsense she is hearing out the mouth of another battle-hardened Hime-class.


"I am suggesting the idea." The Airfield Princess paused, "Our language, once you get the hang of it, is not that hard, symbiology has done nothing but a host of good to the sunken ships like us, we have a choice...we can change the future..."


"We, the Abyssals desire no peace with the land-dwellers and the sea-invaders, we have no need for them to understand us...much less attempt to decipher us. The network has already spoken as well, I have no doubt you heard..." The Battleship pointed one finger to her temple as she said this.


"I would gladly be the experimental white rat..."


"No you won't." The Battleship Princess shouted in reply, her voice shook the cave and sent some rubble floating.


"But..." She protested.


"We depart at 2am. Get yourself ready and banish all that nonsense from your head... Can you imagine what the other Hime-classes would think of you?"


"I..." The Airfield Princess' vision dropped downwards, facing the sea floor as some deep dwelling fish swam by quickly, as though avoiding her gaze.



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


Elsewhere, same time.


The admiral walked quickly into the thickest of the last gates, this here leads to a canal, which needs to be filled with water in order for supply vessels to come in, it is also the last line of defense between the Abyssals and the Navy, and all that ends here, will be slaughtered by every gun in every direction firing millions of bullets and shells into the enemy. They are designed to be this way, so that should someone try their best to form a human shield, the shields would be picked out one by one, layer by layer, by a deliberate hail of certain fired death.


There was of course no reason to be afraid, now that the enemy has been captured, they have a chesspiece that was never on the table before and there is every reason for the rest of the team to cheer, and they can never again find a similar chance to understand the Abyssals again. Nowhere has any base come so close to have a new beginning.


"Tenryuu."


"Admiral." Tenryuu responded, she did not salute, but kept her pose resolute.


"You do realize you have disobeyed a direct order and you have the galls to return to base?"


"It is not like I have anywhere else to go anyway, I belong on the battlefield."


"Then obey your superiors without question."


"You can wish for that when you have all of my respect as your father had."


Captain Hata stepped in with a howling shout, "Tenryuu, how dare you speak like that to your admiral!" Sendai held him back.


"I merely say it as is, the Admiral was ready to abandon all hopes on that assaulted outpost, but I wasn't. His father would have approved of our rescue mission with or without his blessing, I merely followed my heart."


"My father is long dead, Tenryuu, surely you have swore allegiance to uphold the orders and hierarchy of the admiral you serve, which happens to be
 me." The admiral boy responded angrily, his fist were tightened, but he let them loose as he took his breath deeply. Of all the people present he was the one who understood the most of showing internal divide before the enemy. There was visible veins in his eyes, Tenryuu noticed, his anger was reaching a boiling point.


"I might, if you show me what path we can take next...the enemy has spoken." Tenryuu paused, allowing the rest of the present to swallow their saliva as they waited for further explanation. "The enemy speaks our language, and it is...something that we have never had before. More so than ever...I believe we are at a new stage of understanding."


"Understanding? What the fuck are you going on about?" Captain Hata sparked, again, Sendai held one of his arms to prevent him from moving forward. "The only goddamn thing we have to do is to finish its miserable existence! Come! If you won't do it, I will... Sendai! My gun!" Sendai handed the captain his gun, careful to make sure the safety is on if only to delay his response.


"The enemy I have here claims itself to be formerly one of us, I need to ascertain whether that is true or not, from all that I gathered since last night, post capture wise...I have reasons to believe she is the real thing as she claims to be...Shoukaku, one of the carriers, or more precisely, the carrier your father has been...deeply involved with." At this moment, as Tenryuu let those words loose, she could see the admiral boy eyes widen, his pupils dilated, both of them, the admiral boy and Captain Hata, has turned their attention to the creature behind Tenryuu, now floating gently above water as if hovering like a helicopter.


"Bullshit!" Captain Hata shouted, he raised his rifle at the Wo-class, and instinctively, the Wo-class raised one of its tentacles in defense.


"Do you hear yourself, Tenryuu? You may be one of father's most respected and loved ships but if he could see you and the actions you take now he'd roll in his own grave!" The admiral said, he too, now raised a handgun at the Wo-class, trigger at the ready.


"You know what he respected me for? What he loved us for?" It was the voice of Atago, who had had enough of all this Mexican standoff of words and threats. Enemies should not be allowed to see the internal shattering of their relations, and yet, here they are fighting at the harbor, before one such enemy.


"Not you too, Atago!" Captain Hata responded, eyes widened as if surprised there were more of this nonsense to come forth from the rescue party.


"Since the years of your father, we were respected and loved for one thing, and one thing only - we spoke the truth, and all of us, no matter which ship, new or old...have come from a long line of warriors, who value that truce between soldiers. We value the valor, courage, and bravery of all who has been willing to serve and continued serving. We have nothing to hide...we have conversed with the enemy, for the very first time...there may be a chance for peace and if you shoot at 'her' we will lose that chance!" Takao followed, finishing what Tenryuu and Atago wanted to say. It was hard to believe a few hours ago, they were still hesitating whether to let Tenryuu carry on.


Slowly, but surely, in utter silence, the admiral boy let down his weapon, he continued looking at the defensive Wo-class, still not offering a fight. "You will not enter base..."


"Wh-" Tenryuu startled, it was a surprise to hear that from the boy.


"You heard me, as Admiral of this base, I hereby order this place on lockdown, the rest of you will be supplied here, and you will be on standby, THAT is your baggage, you will take care of the enemy until I work this out with Captain...and of course the committee."


"Admiral, with all due respect, I..." Captain Hata tried to say something, his finger dangerously leaning on the trigger now.


"Captain Hata, I respect your opinions, but as of now, I will not have my tired ships, who just returned from a long expedition and heroines in their own right for rescuing Hatsuyuki from certain death to be in further turmoil. If they say that creature can talk, I merely have to take their words for it till I proven them wrong or otherwise..." The admiral paused, and looked at the base where the rest of the ships, mostly on another task has stopped to see what the commotion is all about. "Come on, girls, the base isn't going to run on its own, get back to your positions!"


Slowly, he turned back to Tenryuu, "Consider this a one off, and I await your report."


"You know I am not good with secretarial duties, Admiral!" Tenryuu protested, clearly she could use some rest after the long journey home.


"I will not take no for an answer, not this time. I have tolerated you enough."


Tenryuu did not answer, but merely nodded as she gave a 'tsk' over her the clicking of her tongue. She turned back, and converged with the rest of the group. For a while, the Wo-class looked intently at the Captain, who now lowered his weapon as Sendai slowly took it away from him. She slung the rifle to her shoulder, and then escorted the Captain away in slow steps. Then, she rotated her view, and landed her eyes on the Admiral, who will now wait patiently at this place, waiting for the summary of the report from one of the group that returned.


"If you can hear me, Wo-class, talk. Maybe this might shave some hours off all this farce..." The admiral said, halfheartedly and loudly at the same time with intention for the captive Wo-class to hear.


"I...can...Admiral...you...are ....son of... Admiral Kitamura......thank...you..."


The Captain turned around, hearing the words as clear as day, his face was once more of shock, it was true that the group has said...this one...could talk. He had seen many battles, the ones of the Master class could talk, but usually they have to be of threats, and sometimes it is blurry or in a kind of coded speech... But this one... It spoke the language of humans! The Admiral also stood up, looked at the creature with eyes befitting that of a boy who had met a curious wonder, and now is interacting with it as though the boy has only learned how.


The group looked at the two, and for a while, there was silence.



---------


Man, 14 chapters just to let the admiral have a name...

what a bothersome thing to do to the readers. I am so sorry orz....

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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #15 on: April 09, 2014, 01:10:16 PM »
)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 15

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The machines clanged, the Airfield Princess sat motionless as she closed her eyes, both resting and working at the same time. A host of the network herself, she is 'plugged in' to a port of sorts, a symbiote connection where her own brain is synchronized with a pulsating network of hive-minded interconnected super-brain that exist at the core of every 'nest'. Some other nests clearly have their own minds, but theirs, the Airfield Princess, is connected to perhaps the largest one, covering the whole of the South China Sea.


A million or hundreds of millions of brains from all the Abyssals in that large area is now talking through her, her mouth moved, but no words came out, they merely mimicked the conversations she is having telepathically with literally a few thousand at once. She was relaying orders, as the other 'Princesses' near her also did the same, including the Battleship Princess, who now is solely responsible for battle preparations. Each Princess that sat at the port, in this catacomb like undersea cavern had a specific filter purpose.


Some like the Oni-Twins, were responsible for weaponry, they are the center of all arsenal preparations, each missile, metal jacket, is theirs to control and command and quality check, though the actual work is done by symbiote attached ships of any and all classes. Some like the Battleship Princess, three of them in fact, hailing from different crafts that fell in different times are central to supply and war preparations. The Airfield Princess, currently the only one of its kind, had to sort out energy issues and supply of fuel to the workers, menial but necessary.


They have been chosen as the Hosts for one sole reason, without a Queen, a central figure, they act as leaders. They are the dispensers of all condensed information, they are the harvesters of that information, the decipherers, the hierarchy, the heralds, the relay as well as the port of all that comes and go. Without the need for sleep, their work schedules stretch twenty four hours, when not at battle, each Princess fulfills that role without question. Hosting, is essentially the central roles of the many Princes-class. Around the Airfield Princess, are at least another thirty of different types of Princesses, most of them she do not know by name or with much familiarity.


The Airfield Princess opened her eyes, her two tentacles still jacked in to a hollow and glowing pillar-like column in the center of the hive, and her eyes were blank save for the rush of information her retina could only see. She is distracted, and the supply lines are running smoothly without her directions.


As they always have been, she thought, consider they were on the job long before she came aboard the Abyssals, anyone who had the Princess-class title would have been able to do what she is doing now with ease.


She was slowly unhooking herself from the column, and the data that flowed before her eyes came to a halt and cleared her field of vision as she stood up gently, careful not to trip over the others who sat quiet close to her, still connected to the column. The Battleship Princess was nearest, her knight fidgeted out of the way as it noticed her standing up to leave the column area. This in turn, alerted the Battleship Princess and she too, began unhooking herself.


"Going somewhere?" The Battleship Princess asked threateningly. Truly, she has been an unpleasant Abyssal to deal with, worse than even the Twins, who have a tendency to finish one another's sentences, making it quite annoying to the Airfield Princess's ears.


"It is not of your concern."


"Oh...no need to get all offensive."


"I don't...I merely think you should continue with the hosting. I must refuel." The Airfield Princess tried to hide her displeased tone.


"Then we shall do so together, we are sisters, are we not?" The Battleship Princess caught on, she was intending to savor every moment she can gain the displeasure of the Airfield Princess.


Relenting, the Airfield Princess turned about, heading the chamber, a kind of mess hall to the west, where all supplies come and go. She has made no further protest, but allowed the Battleship Princess to tag along to her meal.


"Speaking of sisters, it seems...our scout who has followed your precious Wo-class to home base has reported something interesting. I was wondering if you noticed when you hosted earlier."


The Airfield Princess paused, turned around to face the Battleship Princess as she smiled a sinister looking smile.


"It seems...she lives."


"What a waste of words. I have no doubt she is. She is my protege after all, I expect her to do the least that until we lay waste to the base." The Airfield Princess let loose her fiery displeasure as she lost control of her emotions.


"Oh, I thought it was yesterday you refuse to claim to your thought of invasion...why this sudden enthusiasm now?"


"You coerced me to agree did you not?" The Airfield Princess replied angrily, "Don't tell me it is your turn to hesitate."


"No, of course not, it is just that...now that I have affirmed your convictions, we leave in half and hour..." The Battleship Princess let loose a howl of laughter, like an undersea sonar blast, her howling laughter is further amplified throughout the base, it nearly broke her eardrums as the Airfield Princess wavered. There is something weird about this particular Battleship Princess - the Airfield Princess thought, it is easy enough to discern she was once Kongou, but truly she had some unique attributes that the other two of her same class did not...including but not limited to that howling laughter that can somehow shake her foundations.


"Have we made all the preparations? This quick?"


"DO not underestimate me, Kaga...It is not my first day on the job, I have been at this longer than the other two, and longer than you and that Wo-class of yours combined." The Battleship Princess stated, but her smile never left her over-confident features, and she took the lead now as they went for the refueling.



"Are you dispatching that new...class?"



"Yes. They will lead three teams each. Approaching from three sides, while you lead the Northern attack. I have no doubt you will concur with this plan? The rest will join in the battle in succession, we will give them no time to rest and restock, eventually they will be left with nothing but young inexperienced defenders, with their expedition crew far away this time of the day...their guns will not hold us back after the initial three waves. Then...your team and my new Battleship class will move in from all sides... Our victory awaits after that." The Battleship Princess stated as she stood on the shoulders of her Knight symbiote.


"You sound overconfident, have you forgotten since you sank that many ages ago, the base have been changing and now fortified more than when you left it?"


"Like I said, three waves, if not four, with our endless supply of ships, we will have that base at a chokehold long before they can swap out for resupply. I am of course, aware that due to the age and number of zealous Admirals after mine had died... The numbers of Locked Hearts have increased dramatically...including but not limited to those two..." The Battleship Princess was of course, referring to the National Flagships, Musashi and Yamato.


They will prove to be a handful, the Airfield Princess thought, "What about the oldsters? The one who just won't sink?"


"No matter how many repair goddesses they have...we will lay waste to them with support fire from our submarines... I already have them poised at the base, they will never see us coming...unlike the battles outside at sea, the base has no near-based sonar facilities, an oversight that will cost them dearly. By the time they sent out resupplies, our submarines would have bombed them sky-high."  The Battleship Princess stated, outlining a near-flawless strategy for base-stomping. It is hard to think, but the Airfield Princess had to agree...this is the best base-raid they will ever do, the preparations of seven whole years...they will succeed, there is a higher better chance this round than any other attempt by their predecessors before.


"The other Princess-class of my class will lead a short but shockwave stealth support from your side, prior and middle of your incursion, you must spread out while they lay curtain fire over their assets." The Battleship Princess stated, as though she already knew where the base will set up defenses and re-supply that is critical to the base operations in full on base defense.


"You seem to know awful lot about where everything seems to be placed...how...are you so sure? Kongou?" The Airfield Princes asked, out of curiosity if nothing else.


"Oh, that is easy...remember your Isonami? Have you checked where she has been since?"


It was then the shock has traveled up the Airfield Princess's spine. The chill drove her to catch on to the shoulder of the Battleship Princess.


"What did you do to that Yi-class?" The Airfield Princess shouted loudly in question.


"Oh, she is still not yet fully transformed, I slowed down her symbiote enough by implanting my own with yours...overlapping your slow growth to prevent her memories from being consumed by the symbiote...and sent her out, transformed just enough, but not fully...this way...there is a fifty percent chance she can spy from within the base..." The Battleship Princess laughed. "I also removed any external parts that were visible...this will no doubt shorten her life span...but she will live long enough to see the ending of that base...ah yes...she is fully awake thanks to my symbiote."


"You! She was under my care!" The Airfield Princess grabbed the right wrist of the Battleship Princess and shook it violently as she let loose her anger. Both Princess's eyes glowed red with anger, and it was searing through the water around them, seemingly to boil as their aura caused friction against one another.


"She is part of the hive, nothing more nothing less...you of all people should know, there is no ME in this hive, only US. I can use her as much as another Princess-class can command her to die by suffocating herself...and that means you too..."


"I promised my Wo-class to raise her with her memories intact, it was my pet project and you have no right to pry it from my hands this way!" 


"I don't see how you cannot start as many pet projects as you want once we lay waste to their stronghold... How about this...if we succeed...of course we will... I will start one of these pet projects along with the rest of the Princess-class, I have confidence that all of us will be able to raise our own successors...just as a show of goodwill and understanding, that we all appreciate this new method of breeding stronger Abyssals." The Battleship responded calmly, despite the early shaking and friction of angry emotions.


"That is..."


"Oh, there is no doubt we are all aware of your conversations in that crater, you may think you escaped us by going far enough that you cannot hear the hive...but THE HIVE hears you. There is no escape unless you go to the Antarctic wastelands far far away...the only place we cannot thrive as we need tropical or at least seasonal waters to live with our symbiotes. The hive has observed the growth of both you and your pet-project, and has in tandem, agreed with the method, that it gives a potential Princess-class meaning, it was why we did not stop you." The Battleship Princess continued.


"But...this would still be meaningless, as it is we do not even know who is the hive's one and only leader, we are latching on straws of leadership, and each of us have an equal power..."


"NOT all of us." The Battleship Princess remarked, "I am sure you were curious for a while now...why we exist...why the Princess-class exist? Who is responsible for the off-chance of our 'evolution'?" The Battleship Princess asked, it was as theoretical a question as it could get, there might as well be no right answer to it. 



"I...don't know..." Many question flowed, but one stood out...how did she know such a question existed? How was she also aware of the hive's internal-most workings? For the longest time she did not question these things, but when she did, there was no answer.


For that longest time, she thought it was all hard work and focus that lead to the evolution of symbiotes that in turn yielded Princess-class Abyssals. Oni-classes too must generally come from the same method, but there was no certain formula. What is certain is that at some point after a slightly longer lifespan, the symbiotes attain some kind of sentience, and will fuse completely with host until at last they even share emotions and memories, pain reception for some, but most of all...it was the neural pathway to a single purpose change - evolution.


Once that stage of focus has been reached, when the host allows a last door to be opened, much like she did herself, the symbiote will begin work to fuse itself with its main purpose. In her own aspect, the Airfield Princess was once a Wo-class, a carrier type Abyssal that focuses on strong defense and relies entirely on its fighters and bombers to carry out assault on enemies. Therefore, it is natural that the Abyssal Symbiote will fuse itself with that form and function, forming a full force that focus on utilizing fighters and bombers as weaponry, and strengthened the defense of the host to nearly insurmountable armored fortress-like spheres of evolution Then, when finished, a Princess-class base unit will be formed, but as the first of her kind, the hive will then explore the new class until they name it.


In this case, the Airfield Princess herself has become so due to how she works, like an airfield. A mobile carrier fortress of endlessly available fighters and bombers that leave her body in entire battalions. If there was a 'direction' there was no known indicators 'someone' or 'something' central to the hive's network tree was directing which one of the Abyssals become Princess-classes or Oni-classes, which stays as a drone or otherwise.


"That is right...your suspicions now are correct, the assumptions even more so...Kaga"


She paused, as the Airfield Princess let loose her grip and let her hands fall to her side, in wait for the answer she feared to hear.


"We always think we the hosts...are in control, in fact, it is always the symbiote...who are in control. Don't you ever wonder where we would be if we not here as Abyssals? We would have been wrecks under the sea, doomed to see our bodies rot under watery graves...but along came them, the enemies we fought so hard to drive away...we do not know how they work or where they came from...we only know they exist...we are connected to this network as the Abyssals do, and yet, central to all this, we know not where the one mind is...we know it exists, but we never knew its identity..."


"Isn't it strange how such a biologically advanced race of symbiote can somehow manage without a leader? A forefather-like existence that brought them to this planet? The one who molded them to become what they are, how they live and how each and every hive on this planet now functions? The one who gave them language, that is then passed to us when we are assimilated? Where is the ORIGIN?" The Battleship posed even more questions, and all this, shook the Airfield Princess to the very core of her existence. Suddenly, she isn't so sure whose 'pet project' she is...as if she was even one to begin with...the scale of things has turned her world upside down.


"What I am about to tell you...is in total secret."


"Then you will not say it to me here..." The Airfield Princess said in reply, as if by instinct she was checking to see if anyone else was visible within sight and sound...who might be listening to them as they converse such a taboo subject.


"It is exactly the reason why I would say it in words..." That she is ready to take such a risk represents something bigger than even the Abyssals will to live...


"You..."


"I FOUND THE ORIGIN...and now I am telling you..." The Battleship Princess revealed.


All was silent, as if the oceans and all time have stopped flowing. Everything has paused in a state of non-animation.



-----------


Harbor, 7pm


The supply has come and gone, and for whatever time it was worth, seeing some familiar faces like Sendai has brought back some memories. Memories that I didn't know I had. I am a Wo-class now, and for the memories of Shoukaku the Aircraft Carrier, there was few fragments that needed reenactment, but most disappointing of all was the lack of the real Zuikaku - my sister ship.


There was talk about my return, and I can hear it near and far, from the echoes of whisper amplified to my hearing by my symbiote, to the talk by the immediate group now my wardens of my voluntary imprisonment. I have been here by the water for hours now, and I can sense some submarines near to the base. I can only reason their being here was part of the princess to observe what the Navy will do to me.


It was surprising that I found no sonar array blinking within the base, there were only patrols, perhaps they think that any enemy dumb enough to walk into the mines would be a suicidal mission on their part and there is no reason to waste resources in construction sonar arrays when they have ships capable of sonar detection once they hit water...that is...if they are in the water to begin with.


Perhaps they have taken the Abyssals too lightly, I thought...this should be my first concern when I return to the fleet, order some highly specialized methods organized against the Abyssals...something that I only know, and no one else in this base does.


I saw many new faces, a new Akatsuki class was together with the rest of its Akatsuki class ships, all youngsters, cute and bright, smiling always. They seem to observe me like witnessing an animal in a cage, but they know all too well I am not sedated, I have the ability to react but I would of course, risk death.


I wondered where my sister ship is at, I have been wondering for quite a bit in fact, it seemed there was a pulse from her far away, in the direction of the supply area, has she already received news of my return? Is she skeptical and is that the reason why she would not come see me? Even if I was a fake, she would make an effort...would she not? Tenryuu has spared some of her time explaining what had happened in the immediate aftermath of my sinking that fateful day...how she came back distraught, and eventually led to her base-bound, unable to serve militarily she has resorted to the supply area - under Mamiya-san's care, she was to be her helper for a long time coming until her emotional scars of causing supposedly my death.


I wished there and then to escape my watch group, and go find her, if only to hold her again in my arms and embrace her, to let her know it was never her fault, that it was my overconfidence, my being who I am at the time, my naivette that caused my downfall.


I wished to change the past if I could but I know more than anyone else, time can only move forward, it won't stall to change the past, it won't change what is now and every ticking second will only go by. My insecurity was also my weakness at the time, but now that I have received a second lease of life, I intend to utilize my time carefully and purposefully. Now more so than ever, I am here to change what can be changed, and I will succeed in living again.


The Admiral I saw earlier was no more than a boy, other Admirals I know are highly experienced men, at least from history's standpoint, there was never one I knew to be as young as he. I can imagine his age was hardly barely sixteen, too young to lead they say...


But there is a shortage of geniuses, with so many admirals dying left and right, and Yamamoto-sama having to take care of the generally all the bases across Japan, some fifty or more of them, it was hard electing people who are mentally strong, stable and able to take the pressure of the position.


I was not surprised by the lack of talent, after all, it is harder still not to invest all your emotions and your entire existence to manage a base as wide and as regularly invaded like this one, primarily because it is the only one that is nearest, most volatile against the hive, which is so near at times I can hear the whispers of the hive here in my mind's ears.


There is always an element of danger, and that danger was represented in every facet of the life of the Navy, now the last line of the defense between human and us. Every one of the ships walked the base not with smiles, but with the intention of readiness in their movements, there is always an element of preparation. They are expecting another base raid, and it will always be at the dawn, when the day may still be dark.


I have no idea what the princess had planned, if indeed she planned at all for her threat when I left her in the ocean, to come here, I put my head on a guillotine, and this faith I invested in my former partners, I dare not even trust fully. Yet, something compels me, perhaps because I longed so long for a warm touch, and to finally have it, even the littlest of hope, faint as it may be, is a poison I cannot bear to give up.


From the corner of my eye, I saw a distant figure that I really missed, and it was...who I thought it was...I recall her image so clearly, it brings tears to my eyes...


Zuikaku...



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


Zuikaku approached the group with uneasiness in her steps, as though she hesitated every step of the way, her hands trembled beside her, she was uncertain as all the heavens could witness. She was unwilling to take another step, even if to ascertain the truth behind the rumors that now spread like wildfire among those who have witnessed the captured zoo-animal like exhibition of an enemy.


They say her white hair, although every one of the Wo-class and most of Abyssal elite are the same...are the same as the fallen Shoukaku. They say even her style of that hair felt that way, the way she would finish her sentences...everything was...her big sister's image. How can it be true? She doubted it and continued her work in the cafeteria as the patrons came and went. However, down inside, something nagging at her won't stop there, it was every present in her mind as she toppled dishes and broke cups...Mamiya never blamed her for any of the breakages, but she could tell, Zuikaku was distracted, and here she is now, at the source of her distraction.


Yet, every step felt like lead, heavy, full of burden of the past perhaps, or is it the now that burdens her? To finally somehow be able to let go of her sister's death oh so many months after the tragedy, now to have that curtain drawn, and to reveal something entirely different?


Her sister has been absorbed...no, assimilated by the enemy they say, and they some even crueler would consider her a traitor...it is not like she did it because she wanted to, she even sacrificed herself so that Zuikaku herself may return to the base...


There is no greater sacrifice that a sister could have made and here she is, wearing a face she knew all too well to be an enemy...yet...a sense of familiarity, even if falsely so, draped over her like a wet cloak of emotions, drenching her in questions and emotional turmoil as a thousand questions sprung like mushrooms after spring rain...so many, so many questions she needed answers to...and yet none can come to her tongue, for she was silent as she witnessed the face of the Wo-class Abyssal before her.


It spoke.


"Zuikaku..."


"I..." Zuikaku tried to respond, but there were no words...tears did come to her eyes... What if, this was all a ruse by the enemy? What could she have done then? What could she do now?


"My sister...it is...I... Shoukaku... I... I have returned... I...am so...so...sorry I ever ....left..." It said, it has a broken radio like speech, as if the words come in chunks rather than whole sentences, but it carried a familiar kind of feel to it.


Then, from the side of the captured enemy, Atago came up to Zuikaku, and passed into her hand something gold in color. Atago was also forced, together with the rest of the group who left for that rescue mission that was not blessed by the admiral to stay here, to guard the creature they captured, lest it escape or attack anything else. That something golden that rested now in the palm of Zuikaku as she grasped at it...was a Locked Hearts locket, something given by admirals when they admire a ship so much they promote them to a status that equates to a lifelong partner in arms, a friend if you will, albeit there can be many at any one time among any admiral. It was a status granted to only the best ships, and ships that have earned their stripes as the best.


That locket had a rusted color, as though it was a long time ago, from a time far away...but it has only been a while, because as Zuikaku laid eyes on the back of the locket, there was a scratch that only she and her sister would recognize. It was a little heart, with the words carved into it, it said 'love and honor'. It was carved there with a pen knife, by the admiral...on the day she received it from her beloved admiral, whom is the father of the current one....


It was the fateful day that Shoukaku, her sister was also proposed to...the admiral promised that after all this...after this last mission, together...they will offer their resignation, and although the admiral had another woman in his life, a human woman who bore him a child...he said...he will marry her... What of the current admiral's mother's thoughts? Zuikaku didn't know, she wasn't about to know then, she would not care to know now, she was never close with the father and the now son, but there is something in those two her sister saw...special


It was a taboo, but it was a real promise as far as Shoukaku is concerned, and there was no turning back on the happiness on her face. She was rushing back to her hangar and she wanted to let Zuikaku herself have the best news first.

There was nothing but colorful thoughts of happiness, in her mind, it was her greatest gift. She wore the locket straightaway, and the number that was on that locket that many moons ago...was One Six Two Seven Three, the number for every locket had a serial number.


That one, was her lucky number, it was chosen with much deliberation. It represented the hours she has served the base, it represents how long the admiral knew her to the exact day when she was given that locket. It represented all the effort that went into tracking the exact number of hours, down to the very day. It represented something more than appreciation of service, it represented some kind of love.


"Shoukaku-neesan..."


She paused.


"Is it really you?"



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



Another full chapter as I go on and on about something much like explaining the working systems of the Abyssal warriors.
They say a hive cannot function without a queen, one wonders how the Abyssals actually function without an admiral of their own?

Stay tuned to find out...

or not...

frankly, the lack of comments do scare me at times.


Some minor recap:
_____________________


1. Navy operatives - Admiral Yamamoto - an oldster who has stayed for many decades, a strong old man who earns the respect of everyone and has control of the voice of the Committee of Admirals. Looks like the Rock. Currently in service at Miyasaki Base - a hotspot for Abyssal attacks from the South.

2. Admiral Kitamura Sr.  - father of the boy admiral, Kitamura Jr. currently the admiral of Tokyo base. Died in battle with Shoukaku, has some special relationship. Kitamura Sr. is 40-ish when he died, has a well trained swimmer body. Trained in Toba base.

3. Osaka base admiral - Isoroku - one of the famous historic admirals of Japan, currently stationed at Osaka base - Awaji Island area, a serious man with an unserious hairdo, flamboyant attitude for the most part, has a mohawk. Average build, likes red wine compared with Japanese sake.

4. Captain Hata - could have been another admiral, made one too many mistakes and is generally trigger happy, has a special place for Sendai at Tokyo base, but himself is placed in Shikoku West base - Uwajima, a hardly attacked base to keep him out of trouble. carries his favorite rifle everywhere. Has been serving since the days of Kitamura Sr.

5. Admiral Hosou - leader of the committee, no mention of him so far, but he has been the person who died with Kaga (now Airfield Princess/Hime) and Kaga already forgot his name. Hosou was also a Tokyo base captain and Osaka base admiral later, he moved back to Tokyo base to take the position of Admiral after the previous one died in battle too.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2014, 04:22:30 PM by ♛ Apher-Forte »
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #16 on: April 09, 2014, 06:29:52 PM »
Oooh, this is pretty cool. It's rare to see this type of story in Kancolle's setting.

Will be watching warmly.

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2014, 02:35:32 AM »
new chapter up, this chapter brings about some roundabout sadness.

I am hoping there are no Isonami fans around.


----

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 16

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


Deep undersea, the Hive.


A hundred thousand machine parts clanged in unison, as the hall itself filled with the presence of every class available. Each lined in their own peer group, they mass in number and breathed even in unison. They gathered in groups that were in no particular order, other than united in thought, they were there with purpose.


They clanged their metal parts with intention to rouse the rest, like a war cry of sorts. Each one had a menacing presence, those that lead were in the very front, their eyes either red or yellow, those with green and tinted blue were at the back, and of course, the ones fully consumed by the symbiote like the destroyer class were at the very back.


The Airfield Princess marched to her position, together with some of the other princesses she did not know all too well, to her left stood the two Anchorage Demons and a Anchorage Princess, while to her right is the Armored Carrier Princess, her predecessor class of a thicker armored type, though her stature is smaller. They stood near to her as she came to a stop. The Battleship Princess - Kongou, the oldest one of its class came to very center.


"Comrades...symbiotes... Thank you for gathering... As you well know...we are at war...and that will soon end, it ends today, and we will claim the land for our own..."


The Airfield Princess listened as those lines came from Kongou the Battleship Princess, and couldn't help but ponder about their conversation just before refueling yesterday. Her recharge cycle has not been completed fully, and she was left somewhat tired, although it was only a term to her for her symbiote is the one who feels that. It has not complained however, this 'Akagi' of hers, as named by her protege, the Wo-class that is the source of all this preparation for an invasion.


"Our sisters near to the base reports it is almost time, and if we make the journey now, we would surround them long before they are ready to sortie during those certain hours. We will have them corner from every direction."


Again, the Airfield Princess's thoughts drifted elsewhere, and there was nowhere she rather be than be at that base, if only to ascertain the life or death of her protege,. Surely, Tenryuu, prone to her instincts cannot be so foolish as the kill the only Wo-class they have ever captured. Surely, she would still be alive...


"Kaga...?" The Battleship Princess has at some point after her last sentence, came up to her from afront. There her face was in front of her and the glowing red eyes seem to glow ever brighter, as though from yesterday after that conversation...there was something revealed only to her...and that change has a sinister implication to it all.


"The origin..." The Airfield Princess blurted out, her mind reeled as she stopped her words.


[That is not for everyone's ears here...I am sure you know...] The telepathic reply came from the Battleship Princess. Somehow, she has stopped all telepathic commands from her to everyone else to only themselves... There is a silence that draped the entire colony that now waited for a next sentence...


"I am sure you have much to say..." The Battleship Princess provoked as she pushed the Airfield Princess to the middle of the row, standing before some thirty or forty other Princess-class and the new Battleship-class - The Nu Class. They each blinked at different times, and the thousands of eyes that lay now on the Airfield Princess made her feel naked...not that it matters, it only shows they are interested, but the feeling of vulnerability, for the first time in years since she has became an Abyssal...is very real - it made her heart pound.


She took a deep breath of sorts, and proceeded to speak in Abyssal tongue, "They have captured one of our own...and that is not allowed...we cannot allow the humans to manage to decipher us...we are at risk of a new threat... WE MUST take back our captured comrade, and to do will be to hit two birds with one stone... We shall stomp out the resistance to the will of The Hive..."


A large wail of undersea echoing shouts and yells erupted from the colony, as they all agreed with the will to wage war at the base of the enemy. They already have the details to each of their positions, what is now important is that a unique leader has given the blessing. The objective is now clear...kill everything but the captured Wo-class. It was something the colony of Abyssals excelled at. This was not a war cry, but rather a cheer of happiness, of elation... The promise of destruction is what brings joy to the colony, and no more than now, does that seemed prevalent.


The Airfield Princess let the crowd die down before she continued her words, "We will show the land dwellers that their fortifications are mere sand castles, we are the wave that will wash them back to their rightful place...their death will fortify our ranks, and soon...we will converge... WE SHALL CONVERGE with The Hive...DO YOU WANT THAT? MY COMRADES?!" She asked loudly, and then again, the loud cheering cries came from every direction as some raised their arms even in elation.


To converge with The Hive, the center of the network, it was an access to all information regarding every single aspect of the colony, it would mean...a promotion of sorts, it was the same as an offer of the Locked Heart status in the Navy, however, this means much more...every Abyssal that successfully make the journey back after this raid will become one with The Hive, further strengthening its lines of expansion...any and all who have the will stronger than an individual like the Battleship Princess or the Airfield Princess...will become the leader of a new hive.


It will be a rank that is coveted by any and all Abyssals, it will be...a next step in their evolution. No promise comes closer to every Abyssal present here as a promise akin to apotheosis. This was their chance to become gods, gods of their own world. It was predicted, promised, but always held back by the resistance of the Navy, and if they consume this base, it will lead to a new evolution - to dwell on land.


It won't be soon but eventually...they will reach to the rest of the shore, they will expand into cities, and learn to breath air, they will control this very planet. Every Abyssal that ever lived...will now finally be one, truly converge into the new evolution of the species...and they will open a new path to a new beginning - planetary domination.



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


Navy Base - Brig - 5.30pm



I opened my mouth to take a full gulp of seawater, I feel my body expand, and then the seawater was filtered through my veins by my symbiote. I reserve some to pour over Zuikaku symbiote, obviously now flustering in the heat of dryland. We have been fed, minimal quantities of fuel and bauxite, that keeps us going, but as it is we need more seawater to live.


There, not far away to my right, within arms length if I reach out fully, was the real Zuikaku, my sister ship of the Shoukaku Class aircraft carriers, sat silent, she eyed me, and I eyed her back. Together we seem to have a telepathic conversation, but the only words that formed was still an enigma between me and her. We seem to have lose a true connection we shared back in the days, and yet, somehow, we can't reconnect it after such a short time, barely seven months or less.


I suppose it was a given, considering that all has passed so shortly, and we are here now, again meeting when fate would deem us unable to meet until she too sank somewhere some day. I sometimes wondered what would happen if we sank at the same place, would it mean we would return as enemies but will be happier?


As I pondered on these questions I can't help but notice a signal from the princess, it was a blimp on my network, which is maintained obviously by my symbiote, it was to my north-easterly direction. Not far away from the wall that separates the harbor and the oceans, with guns that are few and far between, as it was towards the edge of land, and therefore deserves no extra defense since it was so deep. However, I know nearby that there is a river that we used to wander to, Zuikaku and I would throw rocks on its calm surface and watch it bounce for a short distance before it sinks. Every ship that does this, knows its meaning - victory comes a few times, and then eventually, even heroes fall.


A grim and sad reminder of what we are created for, and what we strive towards to - a good death. It is only unfitting to say - that none of us wanted to die, no one wants a good death, we just want to be alive, and spend every waking moment treasuring our peace and our life. Every fabric of human society, who are our creators and armorers, only share our passion in battles, but fail to see beyond that we are not some sentient war machines but as human as they for we are invested into the feelings of they who made us.


I have heard of so many admirals before Kitamura who have sometimes died with their ships, some of them who didn't would mourn for them for years, and some decades. Some just eventually quit because they know they are but the cogwheel in the massive machines of war. They just cannot suffer another loss that will shatter their will to fight. So many have proposed to adopt the ships, turn them into their family members. To the few that succeeded like Yamamoto, their price was that they must serve the Navy till the day they die. So old, yet, eager for their one daughter or many daughters they took in, they must work their best to keep everyone alive...


I wondered...if the Princess has actually succeeded, conquering this base and all, would the others, like the Osaka base, Kawajima and so on fall as well? Will Japan be eventually blanketed by the Abyssals, and then eventually the Eastern Seas? What will become of us? Will the promised Convergence come? What will it be then? Will I still be me? Will I become part of a greater symbiote existence that fuses to the hive, forever enslaved by it?


Just as I pondered far away, I noticed the river blimp slowly getting closer, and it was so close my network seemed to buzz a little out of ordinary speeds, it was already beyond the wall! A single Abyssal has slipped into the base by a backdoor that only I and Zuikaku know?! How...?


I tried to say something, but I was also panicking...what if, it was the Princess's messenger for me? What if she has something important to tell me? We are not within telepathic range yet but it was close enough for me to use my spread out network mapping to determine she is here on this very base. It was... No... It can't be...


Isonami?


She is already awake? She should still only be semi-assimilated, it would take at least another two days before she would regain her consciousness, and wake up either as one of us, with conscience and sentience or a drone to the hive...Yet, right now I can sense her getting closer, she seemed to have met no resistance!


I looked at Zuikaku, my sister ship, who must have registered my panic.


"What is wrong? Wo...I mean... Shoukaku-nee-san...?" Her words were reluctant as she addressed me but that was the least of my concerns now.


"Ship....Abyssal...here...inside...base...north east...riverside...you...and...I... The place...we used...to play in...it...is...sunken...by...me, here...now... YOU must ...warn the base..." I tried to say, my words still fairly limited, as I am still restructuring my language controls to get the Japanese language to work with my multiple vocal chords that formed. Indeed, my gills under the flaps on my shoulders are fairly troublesome to use on dryland/


"Gasp...is it...the... You said there was only one survivor... Hatsuyuki is here in this base, in the repair bay... What are you talking about?"


"Isonami...she...assimilated by us...returns..." I said in reply, pointing to the general direction.


Zuikaku has heard enough, and with a nod, she abandoned me in this hangar, where I am chained to, and walked out as fast as she could. She was still in her kimono, dressed up by Mamiya-san the cafeteria supplier and operator, her workclothes of course; a small stain on her knees where she kneeled beside for the past hour made me feel guilty as I watch her left.


Two more ships, present all this time, Akatsuki class ships Verniy and Ikazuchi came closer, their cannons drawn and pointed at me. They remained silent, but Ikazuchi had a sour face as she looked at me.


"Verniy-chan, tell me again why do we need to do this? If this is really Shoukaku-senpai we should not be pointing guns at her!" Ikazuchi questioned.


Verniy simply shook her head, "Orders are orders, I am sorry I have to do this, but for now, until further orders, we are to watch the prisoners...besides...it looks like Isonami-san has returned to base...as according to her...we are in a kind of limbo..."


"You...must...be wary...I understand...please...no...worries...me..." I answered as I struggled a smile to them. Even as I do however, my heart was in a knot, somewhere I know danger lurks, I can feel it, although I cannot put it in exact words.


They refilled my seawater plastic bottle, and for a while, I just listened as intently as I could to the base, and tracing the footsteps of my sister to where the north gates are.


Surely...the attack cannot be now?



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



[Where am I...]

 [Why am I here...?]

[Are these...the Navy Base!?]

[I am home...]

 [No...this is not home...]

[Why...] [Who...]

[Isonami? That is my name?]

 [Yes...I am here...at home...]

[Comrades...I have returned...]

[I...why is my arm...]

[Must be the seawater...]

[Why do I hear myself when I talk...??]


A thousand questions flew inside her head as Isonami stumbled to shore, for a long while she seemed to have swam, followed a canal upstream and somehow, appearing at the edge of the Navy base where it is not defended off Tokyo bay, there are a few anti-air guns lining the fortified walls, but beyond that, where she stretched her limbs to climb ashore with her wet uniform clinging to her uncomfortably...she saw no defense.


A single outpost was in sight, only a single guard, human, rifle in hand stood in attention as he checked her out of her lumbering figure...she waltzed slowly, like a zombie with uncertain baby steps that sometimes dragged the soil beneath her to the outpost.


[Help...me...]


Isonami tried to wave, but her arms could not be moved, for whatever reason, they are now heavy with black machine parts somehow fusing itself to her skin. Her hair has turned black and loose, falling like seaweeds covering the front of her face and her vision has been blurred, as if she could actually see better under the murky waters.


She didn't use to feel this, she was always a lot happier when she isn't at all near water, yet somehow, the earth beneath her now brings her the utmost unpleasantness, as though she would rather go back for a long swim and never have to climb up again.


The guard has clearly saw her, he rushed forward, but help the rifle in his hand.


Then, without warning, he collapsed. Rifle in hand, it was unfired.


[Why is my hand up....? Why...am I...gasp... Did I...why did I kill him?]


The smoking barrel off my hand has been fired, just now, a loud noise but I could not hear it, as if all this growth forming on my ear has eaten into my ear canals and I am now deaf.


The guard lay there bleeding, he gurgled blood as Isonami watched her victim struggle to breath in the event of the holes already pierced through his bloodied lungs. Her arms now dragged heavily behind her, they seemed to grow bigger than ever before...


It wasn't even her holding it anymore. The growths of the metal parts has weighed her on her bones, it was fused to her from her tendons...they grew with each passing second, the metal grew thicker as a kind of veiny substance of liquefied metal glazed over each individual piece, forming guns, and cannons, and more metal parts.


[What is happening to me???]


[Someone please help...]


Her panicked heart slowly raced, and then she moved still, the guard post now empty.


The gate is just beyond it, the small side door, a metal gate help close only by a small lock.


Then, once more Isonami felt something pull her arm up, and firing was done. The blast sent the debris flying everywhere, and then the gate flung open.


Smoke billowed from the burning debris left by her eight-inch cannon. 


Just then, a team of six or seven ships appeared.


Isonami recognized all of them...


[Shouhou-senpai... Zuikaku-senpai... Akitsumaru-san... Taihou-san...Zuihou-senpai...and... Kaga-san... Are they here to take me home? I guess I shouldn't have blasted that door open....]


[What?]


[Yes, spread the damage...I shall...]


"Isonami! Don't!!" She heard as Zuikaku shouted her name... Strange, don't what? What did she don't want me to do? I am just doing my job right? This is the admiral order....


[I have to...]


Destroy this gate completely... Break the walls...


[Yes...]


Isonami fell down to her knees as she laid there, and a glow came from the center of her chest, it was as bright as the sun above and behind her... A large thump can be heard as her body slumped forward, the heavy metal arms of hers fully plunging with force into the ground below, forming a large hole on each side as she came down.


Zuikaku knew what was coming next, by instinct, she turned the other way and shouted as loudly as she could.


"EVERYONE, DUCK!"


Then, a great explosion happened as Isonami felt her insides flared to a crazy heat, so strong was the wave that she closed her eyes. Then...there was no more of her.



----------


Zuikaku surveyed the damage done, two of the ships beyond her has damaged their legs, they were scratches, nothing more, but the walls are completely gone, burned to the ground by a great surge of the Abyssla self-sacrifice... Isonami, that ship that was at the outpost, the one the Abyssals sank... It came back from a backdoor, in these places where the defense was lightest... Was she aiming to get repaired?


Was she..an enemy? Did she explode in some kind of purpose or was she destined to destroy herself when she realize all her cause was lost...


Her arm...was at that very last moment, consumed by that metal thing that looked alot like Shoukaku's symbiote on her head...it was a chilling sight... Do all ships become like this when they sank?


How...?


A thousand more questions sprung in her head, and yet, as she ordered for the other ships who are fine, including Taihou and Akitsumaru to take care of the injured, she made her way as fast as her legs could carry her into the direction of the admiral's office.


Something bad is coming, she has a gut feeling. Her gut feelings have never failed her before, and that is no difference now.


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

So Isonami destroys the gate, the weak link of Tokyo navy base, and it is up to the rest of the navy to keep things from going astray. 
Has anything happening to the ship Zuikaku? Perhaps more will sink?


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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2014, 02:39:00 AM »
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Part 17

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Undersea, midway between the base entry of Tokyo Harbor.


The march has been short, the Airfield Princess wondered at times did the enemy - the Navy knew they were situated so closely. Did they know the Hive expands each time a fallen comrade is taken out near the base?


Did they understand how they worked? That when especially the non-sentient ships get taken out, whether the Wa-class transport or the Light torpedo cruisers Chi-classes, they form a kind of homing signal that sends nearby unattached symbiote to form a shell? That shell forms a kind of vein that will connect itself to a nearby hive, and in turn it becomes a tunnel, or a delivery line to the base, it is why they can attack continuously in these areas...


The tunnels sometimes turn into shortcut gateways that preserve fuel and ammo, has a large stockpile of Abyssal bombers and fighters that are unassigned for carriers and tons of torpedoes and missiles, and it is just here, waiting for the next round of attacks. It wasn't of course always this elaborate, it just grew and grew, and now more than ever the state of these tunnels and their immediate expansion has grown so significant it is at the enemy's doorstep, and still they have no idea whatsoever that they are now here.


The Airfield Princess looked up, pass the pink and blue veined membrane that forms the tunnel's walls that keep water out from flooding too much the channel and looked beyond, above, she can see some moving ships. They are probably sortieing.


A signal has been received just now, Isonami, her new pet project just self-destructed, it pained her. The Airfield Princess has allowed one of her new comrades to die, a sentient comrade that has the chance to become a Hime-class if they work hard, and one that will ultimately, perhaps salvage her relationship with the Navy. Maybe she too can be like the Wo-class Shoukaku, and move back up...maybe she doesn't have to die like this, as a Hime-class, an enemy of mankind.


Alas, it was all but a dream, perhaps she didn't deserve such a dream to begin with. What is she, if not a monster, and why do monsters need dreams? They need to consume, and kill and maim...they deserve no dreams, they deserve only the worst nightmares. That only when those they have killed come back, with their vivid images of their faces forming angered faces that drift above them in utter scarring shouts and screams...


She snapped out of her dazed trance like walk as The Anchorage Princess, another Hime-class she did not know too well...came closer.


The Anchorage Princess looked serious, her face was unflinching, not scowling, but has a look of a person on a mission. Given that they are in fact, on a mission, it would not be surprising of course. She looked back, noticing the staring vision of the Airfield Princess. They are basically the same class anyway, although the Airfield Princess is much more resilient than her and slightly bigger symbiote attached.


"Is there something on my face?" The Anchorage Princess asked, to the Airfield Princess's surprise, her voice resembled something she knew all too well, a familiar voice of someone...someone she held dear for the time she was in the Navy.


"No... I don't... It is just...you sound familiar...I don't think we formally met."


"Oh we definitely did...you are aware that we are all aware who you are..." The Anchorage Princess smiled as she said this.


"Aware?"


"Of your little projects, your little away trips...your past recently as yesterday...I must say, I am somewhat surprised I did not notice before..." The Anchorage Princess said in reply, she looked away, and checked to see if her other two 'sisters' the Demon class, one class below her are in formation. They are almost at the broken base doors, the side which they are due to launch a torpedoes strike.


"I see...I guess it would be easier if you refer to me as my former self seeing as that is revealed."


"I would love to...Kaga...but do you...know mine?"


"I am afraid at this point, the network has not provided me with the details."


"That is a shame...Kaga...surely at least my speech has roused your suspicion? I guess some of us are too focused on something to notice those around them..." The Anchorage Princess laughed, she has never talked like this before, no matter what time it was The Airfield Princess has always noted the Anchorage Princess was silent, though she had quite an leadership like attitude, she was a leader who was...


Leadership... NO...it can't be...


"Are you perhaps..." The Airfield Princess paused, her steps stopped, and the troops behind her also came to a complete stop. She noticed, and resumed her march, despite her shock. "Akatsuki...?"


"That is kind of amazing...but you are wrong..." The Anchorage Princess laughed.


"I am afraid I don't really know..." The Airfield Princess bowed in apology slightly.


"I will let you keep guessing... I am sure you will..." The Anchorage Princess smiled again, this time brighter as though something has suddenly brought her up since she mentioned of the past. "It does...bring back memories don't they, when after the first phase, to realize you are now here and you cannot leave...and that you are doomed to become one of those you have been fighting...perhaps, this is the way of the world."


"Perhaps...but at times, I do feel the urge to go back. Though, I must say, I cannot fathom how life will be once I am up there...a prisoner perhaps?"


"Then why would you? Our time is long gone, we are beyond the reach of human help, or the help of our admirals, who are long dead..." The Anchorage Princess said, she is certainly in a talkative mood today, the Airfield Princess thought, was she ever this talkative? Is this because the network, thanks to the Battleship Princess - Kongou, has revealed her past to every one of the Hime-class?


"I somehow feel, we belong there, that somewhere, there is a reason why we have kept our pasts so clear, so vivid that we can relive the moments as though they were yesterday..."


"You always are one to believe...even when you say so clearly you don't...not to everyone...but you always do to me..." The Anchorage Princess whispered, but that whisper might as well have been a wake up call...it was so obvious.


"Akagi..."


"Bingo." The Anchorage Princess laughed as she gave the Airfield Princess a pat on her shoulder. "Took you long enough...we have been at the same base for well over a year or more and I have never asked you...it was my fault I guess, but I always thought I was the only one aware..."


"Why didn't you appear when I was a Wo-class...? Surely, you having sunken earlier than me..."


"I wasn't aware...I think...I first knew I regained my memories about a year ago, maybe a little more, but the first two years, I was living with submarines, for some weird reason I was assigned to the further hives, some as far as Hokkaido area. I was being experimented upon, and for that duration, I think they were trying to make me into something...new. Then, I was here, I slowly became aware I am an 'Anchorage Demon' or something...or rather, I was on my way to becoming one...though I was a Ta-class before this for some odd reason..."


"But you are a Hime-class now which means..." Kaga began to question, the excitement in her voice was carrying even as the tense mood of invasion floats the waters around them.


"I hate to say it but...it seems almost all Hime-classes have a memory they carry from their pasts...some blurry, some not so, like ours...I recall the day I sunk as clear as the day itself. Sometimes at night I tremble in a corner as I struggle to put the pain away...but...alas...I guess I wasn't very good at it. The two other Demons of the my same types, they are on their way, at this point although I am their superior...I have no idea who they are originally...I have a feeling it could be someone we know..." Akagi now said, The Airfield Princess has already mentally replaced her assigned class to one in her memory.


Somehow, this has become the most pleasant thing to surprise her since the loss of her Wo-class. Perhaps...it didn't need her interjection after all, it never required a Hime-class to allow symbiotes to semi-assimilate a host, those that will regain sentience will eventually do, through their own challenge or somehow need to. They will eventually realize who they are again...some just take a longer time...


"I just can't believe I guess...how you are so close, and yet so far...all this whole year, you were right here..." The Airfield Princess said, looking at Akagi, who looked back.


"When I was sunk, the admiral...Isegahara... Did he....feel sad, Kaga?" Akagi asked... She used the Airfield Hime's name this time, and it almost brought tears to her eyes.


"He...he...did...but I think...it was I...now that I looked back...on it...who did the most sad things after you sunk... I guess...I felt pretty upset, and I did things..."


"What kind of things?" Now it was more clear than ever, that familiar shine of curiosity in Akagi's eyes, present in the Anchorage Princess's once ago serious look. That seriousness seem to have evaporated as they confirmed each other's identity.


"I took your framed picture, and then I carried it around the base...people bowed as I put on a black kimono, and walked in my getas... I mourned for you in that way, and the admiral felt I was...taking it too hard...he tried to stop me I guess. I went to the harbor, you know that single spot where we looked at the sunset a few times?" Kaga reminisced as she let loose a sad smile. It looked especially dazzling on that oval face of hers, Akagi thought to herself. Truly however, her stature has seem to have shrunk, the body at least seemed to be now covered in her white flowing hair, like a huge blanket, making Kaga look dainty by comparison.


"What did you do there?"


"I...don't laugh but...I poured a libation to the pillar, I pretended in my mind...you were there, and you drank from the cup of sake I gave you. I think I cried...it was the first of many..."


Akagi couldn't help but let loose a snicker...


"Hey...I said no laughing...I was genuinely sad...I was lonely because you were my only connection to those in the base, without you I was lost...did you know how lost I was...I..."


"You went out on your own and you sortied without any permission. You had a one way war with the admiral so many times...that you pissed him off..."


"How did you know?" Kaga asked, her head turned to look at Akagi.


"It wasn't hard to guess, you always had this one-person-affair with you, perhaps that is why I am your sister...I knew you inside out, and it was up to me to help you when no one else would...the same as that day...you know, the day when you refused help from the admiral? I had to come save your hide at the open seas..." Akagi was of course, referring to one of the several battles where Kaga was trapped in the open sea by surrounding enemies, it was quite a severe run that one time, and she was stranded. Akagi rescued her when her six team passed by and ended all the enemies in one full strike of aerial to sea bombardment of fighters.


"Just like...you know...my away trips I guess." Kaga said, her looks of embarrassment showing clearly under the pale skin.


"You always ate alone in the cafeteria, I alone knew you were always calculating there at that lonely corner, the reason you do so is because you thought orderless chatter was not suitable for a soldier...and you still do that after you have become part of the colony...I had a few guess where you came up as the first name...I guess my gut feeling was right all along..."


"And yet, you waited to this day as we march to our home, to raze it to the ground to tell me?" Kaga asked.


"I just want to live without regrets, or die without them...to be fair, this thing as an Abyssal did not really appeal to me, no food...no need to feed, or sleep...it bores me...but I keep living because I want to confirm with my own eyes, there is something beyond this state of existence...I just keep trudging on you know...hoping the one day will come when like regaining my memories, will bring a kind of new enlightenment, and it will open up a new path...perhaps, unknowingly, you and I have been waiting for The Convergence?" Akagi said, and that last bit shocked Kaga to her core, for she did not knew it was what she wanted...


"Y...You...mean..."


"No surprise there wasn't it? I envied the colony at times, but more so, I am bored of it all...I think...somewhere down there I wish I had remained sunken, but when they picked me up, and I was then one of them...I felt a constant empty feeling, I don't want to feel that way anymore...surely you understand how I feel all these years?" Akagi confessed.


"The Convergence will demolish our entire fabric of existence, we will become the foundations of a new hive...and we will...no longer be individuals..."


"But...of it all, it will finally remove this emptiness you and I felt, this sense of constant need to belong to something...we don't belong with them - the Navy anymore...so our strive to become Hime-classes will finally...be over, our goal will finally be reached. Nowhere is it closer now to the means of our ends...surely...you understand..." Akagi asked, her eyes now looked very serious as the questions sharply pierced into Kaga...


Was that it? Was this somehow the inevitable result of what she has striven for? Was this the sum of all things? The ultimate goal, consciously or not to find belonging and reason for her becoming an Abyssal...the choice was only one to begin with, and it leads to The Convergence?


"We can't be sure if that is the thing we wanted."


"You don't have the calculations you so heavily relied on to make that decision for yourself...you always believed, and the numbers...the numbers matter to you..."


"They still do, Akagi." Kaga looked at her, returning a fiery gaze.


"Then you should agree...the numbers...whether we die or not, on this day...will become what we are here for...It is the sum of our...fate." Akagi said, she paused, causing again, the troops marching behind to come to a complete stop.


"We should move..."


"No."


"Why?" Kaga asked, aware of the stares of those behind her, her underlings or comrades or Abyssal sisters looked at her intensely.


"Because you must realize...what we are about to do...there is no turning back, there is no turning point...we are going to destroy the base we once belong to...we are challenging the very beginnings of us... We are erasing the past..." Akagi warned, her eyes now looked at the opening of a tunnel hatch, which leads to the above world. Once it is opened, the tunnel will expand, and when they open, the Abyssals would all emerge fully to the open seas, and they will form formations, and attack the base as an organized force. There will be no salvation, the base is already confirmed caught unawares.., Isonami was the proof.


"You know I agree with the goal, but you should also know why I agreed to it..."


"You wanted to rescue Shoukaku, your Wo-class, but if she is unable to be rescued...will you join us...?"


"I don't know if I want to be part of The Convergence anymore...I am as confused as I have ever been...and I don't understand why you seek it with fervor...especially now that we can finally catch up with the past...with our memories...with our relationship as sisters..."


"We lost all that when we sunk. There is nothing to look forward to in the past, we can only proceed into the future...surely...you know that...you once sought death after mine sinking, and in the end when you have gotten it, you become a part of something greater...and now you hesitate? Kaga...this is so unlike you!" Akagi chided.


"And this is so unlike you as well, Akagi, you once lead the Navy, you were a proposed National Flagship..."


"Were, never was, never will be."


"The past matters, Akagi, we can..."


"Can what? Go back? No...you understood that the most, it is the reason why you are here now...you want to stop them from dismantling the Wo-class Shoukaku, to see what makes her tick...she is the beginning, they will soon learn to abduct the rest of the non-sentient ones...they will be like the cruel beings they claim us to be...and experiment on them, they will break them open like coconuts, and dissect them like animals..." Akagi said, her voice now a deep rumble, as though something within her changed.


"There is something more than The Convergence...what if there is more to this than we know..."


"Then I don't want to know, Kaga, I am tired..." Akagi paused, looked away for a while as she ordered telepathically for those being held back to walk past them, and proceed to form their formations around the base. A layered attack was agreed the night before, they will punch holes in the defenses by sacrificing many ships, and then layer on heavy Hime-class led attacks and shelling of all the anti-ship guns, by dawn, the base will be history. "I am really tired...I want to end this...all of it...if I die in battle, all the better I guess...but the problem is...I am so good at what I do...I can't. At times I curse my being, but yet...I know I had to wait for you, to confirm your feelings..."


"You waited for me to reveal myself to you? That I am Kaga?" Kaga asked, the rumbling footsteps of the rest of the marching Abyssals walking past them both made hearing difficult.


[Because I cared...about you, Kaga...and there is nothing happier than for me to become one in The Convergence with you...it will all...become worthwhile...] Akagi telepathically answered Kaga now, her lips did not move as she looked dead into Kaga's eyes.


There was no answer.


Then, without warning the Battleship Princess's platoon has stepped up, with her are the three new Re-classes, a Battleship type with large white tails and fully armored symbiotes attached to them. They walked behind her as she came to a full stop.


"I thought you all have proceeded ahead...and I felt a long pause only to come here and see you argue with Anchorage Princ....aaaahhh...I do mean Akagi..." The Battleship Princess mockingly said, herself was being carried by her knight symbiote.


"This has nothing to do with you, you should march on ahead..." Kaga said in response.


"It is not a colony unless we march together...You both can continue your quarrels later, we are not expecting the Re-class to attack so fast...they will lead a full battalion each and you both in turn will lead them with two full files each. So...I will let you decide if that is a good plan, Kaga..." The Battleship Princess smiled as she said this.


"It will do" Akagi answered unhesitatingly, she knew she didn't want to delay any longer, and with her, sixteen other Abyssals swam with her upwards, a Re-class Battleship following closely.


Kaga however, remained rooted there.


"Well...?"


"Kaga, sortieing!" She mockingly replied, hailing the same way as she would towards the Battleship Princess, as she too swam up with sixteen others.


The Re-class, the only one with red colored eyes, smiled sinisterly as she followed shortly behind Kaga.



===============




shorter conversation chapter.
I guess I should feel bad for suddenly inserting Akagi into the Abyssal picture, I feel it is a matter of the best ships who become aware of their Abyssal states that become Hime-class.

So I am more than happy to know who is going to be showing up next.
NAKA-chan (gets punched in the face)

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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #19 on: April 18, 2014, 02:59:22 AM »


here are some images in MSPaint. basically this is how the base looked like, and where everyone is basically.



closer look to an up to date image of the base being overrun at the gates by Yo-classes.


I take liberty is the 'new' torpedoes when in fact they are just probably regular torpedoes being used, but they are heavier and shit like that. forgive me for accuracy. I just like my own elements. As for Wo-class becoming a...
Spoiler:
well. I AM SORRY FOR THAT TOO. I JUST LIKE PANTYLESS GIRLS OKAY I ALSO LIKE OPEN ZIPS. dear gawd I am so sorry Wo-class...I love you a lot but Re-class/Re-chan is so much my type...gyaaaaaa




)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 18

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My heart pounded, there was no doubt, one of the blimps, particularly the one belonged to Isonami on my Abyssal network map has disappeared. She did not exist anymore, she has...committed suicide, right at the gates of the river gates, the most vulnerable spot of the base...


Was it my fault? Was it my memories as Shoukaku that has bought them to that spot?


My shock was followed by the surfacing blimps that began to appear across the base. They were emerging en mass around the entire harbor, in a fan like shape. A hundred...no, maybe more of the submarines, hundreds... They are all armed with a long range missile that can be fired from below, a water to above water ships, designed to penetrate armor of carriers and battleships. They are a new weapon, but hardly used due to the weight forced onto the submarines.


The familiar blimp has increased further, somewhere, under the ocean just below the surfacing submarines are the rest of the Abyssals, they seemed to form some kind of fan-like formation, below at least a few thousand have gathered, more than all the ships here in this base... They outnumber the entire base at least fifty to one! The princess has made good on her promise...to think she would not hesitate to raze this base that she had once had a stake in...her place of origin...


"P-please...let me go...I must...go....see...the...damaged...gate!"


It was Verniy who answered my call, and she raised her cannons nearer to between my brows. "How did you know...there was a damaged gate? All we heard was an explosion...is this all part of your plan? To weaken us in will so we will bring you in so you can cause internal damage of some sort?!"


"No...not me... I....my leader...my princess...she...has..come...to take...me...home...!!"


"Home is here, and so is a graveyard if you don't say what your plans are...!" Verniy was prepared to fire, even if she didn't have permission to do so.


Then, from the corner of this hangar, the sliding gates slid open with a loud screeching noise, Tenryuu stood at the doorway, with Tatsuta, both armed. "Lay down your arms, Verniy!"


"Huh?" Verniy and Ikazuchi turned to face Tenryuu, letting their guards falter for a while. I was up and about, with whatever strength I had left, I let my Zuikaku symbiote swing as hard as it can its tentacles, cutting the metal chains apart with its heavy strike and sharp swing. With my two nearly useless legs now without much energy, I was up and running, as though I was born to walk on land all this time and this ability somehow once ago escaped my discovery.


I rushed across Tenryuu, who raised her weapon, but did not fire. I rushed to the scene that I know full well where as the ships Ikazuchi and Verniy, now with Tenryuu and Tatsuta gave chase. They still did not fire a single shot in my direction as my chained hands made my balance off slightly while I ran ahead of them. I had never knew I could run this fast...but the oxygen I had siphoned earlier from the seawater is running low very quickly, if it all needed I at least need river water...it would revive me.


O, how did I wished I was a Hime-class at this very point in time. I felt an intense need to breathe air as they can, so that I too, can walk like this...


I wasn't sure if I am developing some new kind of ability because I am running like this but it sure as hell felt like it. Strangely however, my legs seemed to fortify, my once ago near useless legs meant for me to swim to the surface with gentle motions seemed to move ever quicker. I could feel my entire being somehow becoming stronger as Zuikaku seemed to now drag behind me. I wonder...what am I becoming? Is this because I had been out of water for so long?


I felt as each second passed as I ran, my breathlessness soon become a heave and tug of my chest, but I was slowly regaining the use of my lungs somehow, all of it rendered vestigial when I went under the ocean. My eyes seemed to have cleared its fog, reminiscent of the vision I use to have at sea, used only when I need to visually ascertain a certain something that Zuikaku cannot accurately describe to me telepathically. I felt my legs grow more muscular, as if it were growing some kind of new ligament, thicker, stronger, I was evolving....!


I felt the change go faster still, until my entire being seemed to have some kind of land-dwelling capacity, I was clearly running faster, so fast I felt my Zuikaku seemed to climb itself to my back, and that I was balancing somehow, with some kind of new...tail-like thing coming out of my backbone....somehow, I can feel Zuikaku has shifted its entire symbiote bulk to my back, and now clings desperately to that thing as its gnashing teeth struggled to keep up with the way I run. I had only a few meters left before I reach where I needed to be.


I saw it then, my sister ship...Zuikaku, her actual self, ordering for the rest of the ships to spread out and warn the base...the alarms were going off like crazy as the blaring noise ripped my head like nails on a chalkboard. I was literally pained by it as I shifted my hands...now somehow rougher, stronger to the sides of my head. I dare not imagine if I had changed externally too much, but I had a desperate need to be there, where I needed to be.


As I closed in, I saw Zuikaku took a few steps back, but I lunged at her, and hugged her with my strength. I must have had tears in my eyes as I could taste the salt of those tears that came to my lips. I was very worried for her, worried that Isonami's destruction could have hurt her critically...to see her without harm, a great stone of weight has been dropped off my chest immediately as I held her in my embrace.


"Zuikaku....!Are you alright?!" I found myself yelling out a response as I went to hold my sister ship, and she responded with a kind of alien look, as if she did not recognize me...


"Sh-oukaku....nee-san...is that...you? You...you looked different than jus...just a while ago..." Her words came out in chunks, her confusion was very real. I had no time to give a response as I was dragged back by two powerful gripping hands on each side of my shoulders... I took a few steps back and stumbled the way. It was the hands of Verniy and Tatsuta, who each held a side.


"ZUIKAKU, fall back!" Tenryuu catched up from behind us, and pointed her sword at me.


"W...What?!" Zuikaku was confused by the words. She looked at me and I back at her, our confusion could only be deepened by the fact I know not exactly what is so different in the way I look to her...


I felt something fall to the back of my heels, as if...I had grown an extra limb...


I looked back, wondering what it was that somehow grew in the short few minutes of our run from that hangar to here...was I...even running that fast?


Then as I looked I felt my legs somehow...somehow....they broke at where my knees were. I felt a sharp pain as I crumpled to the ground, the cracking noise was what scared me, as I somehow had no control over all this... I had taken the first long look at my legs now...and for some reason I found my hind legs grew to such absurd size my Achilles tendon and lower calf muscles seemed to have fused itself into a larger unknown musculature extending to my ankles. They formed a kind of...hooves...I was...somehow growing hooves onto both of my legs.


The pain from the cracking of my knees went away as quickly as it came, I was still confused, but Tenryuu and Tatsuta had already placed both their hand held melee weapons, one a samurai sword and the other a naginata on my neck, they are ready to take my head at a moment's notice.


I was too scared and too confused to move... My legs...they have become hooves of some kind of...animal...same pale skin of an Abyssal notwithstanding, the shape of my being has changed...am I still...a Wo-class? What is this new flow of information as I neared the destroyed gates that were caused by the self-destruction of Isonami?


[Wo-class...listen well...you are chosen to become our first...Re-class..elite...I have no doubt you will carry yourself forward well...]


A voice said that in my head. My instinctual response was of course [W-what are you? Who are you? Let me speak to my princess! She must stop this at once...!]


[Stop? It has already begun...]


[Who is this? Where is the Airfield Princess!???] I shouted telepathically.


[You will know soon enough...]


At this point, I took one last side-glance still in a sitting position... Though my body remained mostly the same, I was a Wo-class at the top of my body...but that something that I had been leaning my back to...my Zuikaku symbiote has changed...dramatically...


I had a tail!


It was as large and as bulbous and as wide my entire body. Thick and strong like that of a crocodile by comparison. I felt my entire skin across each part of my body grew harder, thicker, I was....


[Shoukaku!] A familiar voice pierced through my telepathy network, and for a while I was confused no more.


[Princess!]


[I am here, just under the gates, please return Shoukaku, I must see you!]


I had no doubt any slight moves would mean I would be sliced at the neck.


However, at that moment in time, I had a conviction, it was the same conviction as when I was Shoukaku the Aircraft Carrier most loved by the admiral, Admiral Kitamura Sr. He loved me so much he was sacrificing family for me...


At that moment, I felt charged, as though I was meant to challenge these blades at my neck. Somehow, I was expected to gamble my life in order to get away.


With one forceful twist, I catapulted myself into midair, the blades that were placed at my neck, and with Tenryuu and Tatsuta unable to respond to my sudden movement and swing of my newly acquired tail, I managed to get away with two cuts on either side of my major arteries. I did not smile, all I had was an engaged look as I looked deeply into Tenryuu's eyes, I begged her to stop where she is, but as it is, her sword was in a stabbing form, ready to strike my body.


Time seemed to slow as I was in midair, as though I could even see the flicker of my blood drop to the ground below, even that drop of blood seemed to take forever for it to reach its destination... I was looking at everything and understanding every move that Tenryuu and Tatsuta made...my eyes were looking at all who are there...even Ikazuchi and Verniy who remained shocked and were unable to respond to that of Zuikaku, my sister ship who remained flabbergasted as she looked at me jumping to midair.


I slammed my tail into Tenryuu, sending her flying back as her eyes registered extreme shock from the force of the tail swipe. Then without hesitating, I ran as fast I possibly could before cannon fire started landing beside and around me...my each step was chased by fire...from Tatsuta as she tried to cut away my escape. Within the next few seconds, I was in water, and for the first time... I had difficulty swimming...


I knew only one thing...


That I must go to where the Princess is...


Kaga...she will help me...


She was my teacher...


She will listen to me and stop this invasion...


I was so close to getting back my life at the Navy...maybe I still can...


Or did I blew my chance when I escaped?


I don't know anymore...




===========


Kaga felt the ripples throw open the surface of the ocean as she looked up, about some eight hundred feet away on top of me, something big.... A RE-CLASS?


There was the signal of the Wo-class that wanted her freedom, and now...an unfamiliar look...

That was not her, it can't be...


[Well, it looks like we have our first natural evolver...] The Battleship Princess - Kongou looked up and said. She somehow knew this was going to happen.


"What did you do to her after she went away?!" The Airfield Princess asked loudly, her voice shook the oceans below as the rage becomes unconcealed to reveal a very Abyssal look, one that had these blood red glow from the eyes and a scowl that will scare anything...save Kongou, who now looked a kind of disdain at the surprise and anger of her comrade. Kaga's hands grabbed the shoulders of Kongou, causing her knight to instinctively shield the host body, but was stopped just as the giant balled metal fists landed on Kaga's body.


"I did nothing. She willed it. The Abyssal codex for the evolving of Re-classes from our current ranks have been released since yesterday evening when we spoke. You are no doubt aware, that information was useless to you since you are...already a Hime-class. I however, ensured the codex information spread throughout the network, including but not limited to the ones I already have here leading a battalion and those who wish to proceed and embrace a new stage of their evolution."


"You still did something then! Damn you, Kongou, you know well that the Re-class is an untested prototype, to so fast spread its Hime-class level formation codex to the ranks...you will cause them all to evolve unnecessarily!" The Airfield Princess wasn't exactly sure if she was right, but she said it anyway.


"Evolution of the Re-class only happens to any class that already is a carrier class, or at least has the foundation of a carrier vessel, and has sentience...your Wo-class merely embraced her natural instinct...you have no one to blame but her!" Said Kongou as she slapped Kaga's hands away from her.


"Bastard!"


"You are letting your emotions run wild...Kaga, surely you should embrace a new member of the Hime-class family added to our ranks. There are no cons in this, merely...that now, if any of our carrier classes fall in battle, their chances of survival will be higher above land. The Re-class has something we both don't...they can stay for extended times on land, and they are harder than us...albeit slower." Kongou laughed as she looked at the Re-class, finally reaching where they are...


"Princess!" The former Wo-class, who now despite wearing the stripes of the Wo-class on her upper body, her legs seemed to have exploded from its clothing, instead becoming two bare pale white muscular hooved hinds that looked like it belonged on some land dwelling beast...the closest in comparison was that of a hippo's legs. They looked strong, but were unfit for swimming. Her looks were the same, save for the eyes, which now looked as red as blood, glowing as red as her own, and the unmistakable tail that erupted from her spinal cortex.


The spine-tail that came out from the body was formed within the few minutes she made her journey down to these waters, no doubt the enemy must have been chasing her, and that adrenaline that has her determined to see her own comrades again under the ocean has spurred the growth of her new Abyssal parts according to the schematics of the codex information from the Hive network.


She indeed must have willed it to happen..but for her to do so...


"Princess...why aren't you talking to me...? It is me...Wo-ko...Shoukaku...I....I am sorry, but I need you to cancel this invasion...whatever you do, please do not destroy this base..." Her once ago apprentice asked, tears somehow forming where her tear ducts no longer existing.


"I can't...."


"Why???!"


"Because the will of The Hive cannot be denied." The Battleship Princess said with decisiveness in her tone of voice. The voice shook the foundations of both Kaga and Shoukaku, now seeming to stare into Kongou like she was an alien. There was something alien about her all this time, it is just...at that very moment, the both felt threatened.


All of a sudden, the attack has begun, a hundred or more submarines have fired their torpedoes that will attack the harbor walls with destructive force meant to crumble the defenses in unison. There is no stopping anymore, as both Kaga and Shoukaku, now realized.




=============


Tenryuu couldn't catch her, and so was Tatsuta, but their entire focus was shifted as the alarms blared even louder into code red. For all around them, as far as the eyes could see, ship girls of every class, every order, every team that has remained in base emerged from their dwellings, their eyes cast upon the surrounding...the walls of the bay have been shook with what seems to be explosions from under the foundations.


The metal and concrete foundations that formed the walls, where parts of the anti-air guns as well as anti ship cannons stood at the ready were down! They did not even fire at an enemy, it was clearly the work of the submarines. Explosions shook the ground where they stood, and it riveted the entire base with such power that everyone had to hold onto something.


A fleeting thought passed Tenryuu's head - were they always this weak before? They did not even see the enemy...or is the enemy just that much smarter this time around? Starting a crisis here at the base with the weakest submarines combined in a flurry of missile attacks to weaken the outermost walls?!


"MAN ALL STATIONS, AND KILL ANYTHING THAT MOVES!" The shouts of Captain Hata, who is running towards the gun bays where at least twenty or twenty five guns stood fully loaded and ready to fire at each second, as many ship hands all rushed forward as well, humans who serve the Navy as we do, usually in an understated manner as repairmen and other navy officers of every rank. Trainees were present as well, with guns in their hands and rifles slung with extra magazines over their shoulders, heading towards the direction of the outer sea gates - where the first barrage of torpedoes came crashing in like a destructive wave of warheads.


A second wave again shook the foundations, and it was before Tenryuu's eyes the first wall, with all its anti-ship guns of double barrel twenty inch cannons and ammos crumbled...and then, they fell into the ocean as the walls gave way, leaving the base with a few more anti-ship measures.


The quick actions of the deck hands under the guide of Captain Hata as well as Sendai, who directed two of the trainees to take their position at a fortified pillbox of a kind, armed with a gattling gun designed to pierce flesh only and getting them ready to fire. Mortar guns were set up as well as anti-air guns were manned in the base, fully loaded and ready.


Captain Hata took the outermost wall-mounted anti-ship cannons, he sat down and adjusted his sights. That is when he saw it all, the third barrage of torpedoes. He prayed silently hoping they won't crumble this second wall yet, which is three times thicker than the outermost wall, and with at least ten or so guns mounted on it. The shock from a first warhead made his head reel as the whiplash of his seat struck at the back of his head, sending him forward and grazing slightly against the handles of the guns.


He proceeded to fire in a horizontal line of the oncoming torpedoes just surfacing the water, and the intention was clear as the bullets of the cannon fires rained hell on the ocean and the oncoming torpedoes - they must be stopped. They must hold out until the Arpeggio-class shielding system is workable...that would save these walls a full day longer allowing them to rescue this base with massive firepower.


The bullets caught as many warheads as possible, but Captain Hata was relieved, while some did hit the mark, he counted all three barrages, this would mean a reload period of at least ten minutes for the submarines, which had a limited capacity of the top heavy water-to-surface torpedoes that were used, as he had noticed while he fired. This class of torpedo usually are carried by the dozens by the Master-class, but the smaller ships of the submarine class or the fortresses will only have as many as their tanks can take without sinking backwards into the ocean from whence they came.



Sendai was again beside him, this time, as though by magic, Sendai was fully equipped for sortie, but Captain Hata knew it would be a foolish move to send her out with any ship, so he said to Sendai two orders. Sendai only nodded at the orders, only fate will now tell if she will follow them. The first being to not go out to sea until the sonars have captured every single enemy surfacing, no matter the number. The other is to not die...


Around the base, a hundred eighty of the ship girls, belonging to the admiral and have been at service in the base of every class, emerged from their hangars, fully armed. Hyuuga and her sister - Ise of the Hyuuga-class fortified battleships charged forward to where Captain Hata's gun station is, their massive cannons as big as the station which the Captain sat strapped to. Behind them, a full battalion of girls of the Akatsuki-class, all four of them together with the rest of the Sendai-class destroyers poised ready. A watery and fiery aura can be felt from the ground, as though on land even, the ships are perfectly poised for war.


The sonars bounced back and with the array plate now flashing across all the base - a dedicated screening system lit up in the center of the base, where a large tower with reflective surface screens show a massive all base surroundings map network, with little red spots showing the enemies.


Captain Hata was flabbergasted as he looked at the screen....


The massive clumps of red surrounding the base...there must be...at least...a thousand! No! There was more, way more, the red spots extended like a wave to back, the sonar array is either wrong or the Abyssals that they have been at war with has all suddenly on this very day, converged upon them from every ocean in the eastern seaboard!


Captain Hata cursed under his breath, he knew there and then...it was the boy's fault. That admiral...too young to make a decent judgment, he brought to his base that Wo-class...that was the sign of trouble, and now trouble, in full steam and full rigor has come a-knocking to this base where he was trained in. If they fall here, all will be lost.


ALL OF IT.



=============


Naval Office - same time.



The admiral stood with his legs trying their utmost best to stand, spread open side to side as he peered at the window with his gloved palm pressing against the screen of glass.


"Oh god..."


He saw that all the girls were out there, all the girls, some he didn't even knew, and all the deck hands, every sailor, every man with two arms and a two legs, or some with less are armed, to defend this base...


The last bastion before the Abyssals can reach land!


His legs trembled under him, somewhere, courage forced him to stay, but cowardice in his heart shook his very core as he looked back at his secretary - Yuudachi.


"I am always ready, Admiral." Yuudachi answered without even being asked.


"Go then...please... Let Captain Hata guide you, he is more experienced than me..."


"But where will you go, Admiral?" Yuudachi asked this time.


"To the emergency control center...they have come for something...and I want to know what..."


"It is clear wasn't it? You know full well what they are here for... They are here to destroy this base..."


"But...all this time...why today?" The Admiral asked, his voice trembled.


"Why not yesterday?" Yuudachi asked, she certainly had a change of character all of a sudden.


"Please, for your last mission, ensure that Yamato and Musashi are standing at the highest points, make sure they guide the rest of the ships."


"In case you didn't notice, Admiral...they are already there." Yuudachi pointed to the highest point of the base - the base surrounding network map, where all the red blimps are showing the enemy numbers and activities, and there they stood majestically, like symbols upon a mountain top, with their guns heavy behind them yet seemingly to the carriers themselves a weightless thing.


"I am glad."


"Admiral, we all trust you...so please...guide us...TO victory!" Yuudachi smiled as she exited the Naval office, and off she went.


The Admiral touched his desk, and a button just under the writing pad popped out within the woodwork. He touched it, and a cabinet sprung open beside his legs.

There, a black box stood open, a gleaming handgun of the 9mm caliber stood ready. He pocketed the gun, with magazine and ensuring it was on safe mode, the admiral ran out too.


This is war.


War...has finally come to his doors....


He prayed.


============


So ends this chapter, for now, I apologize for the pacing and too many paragraphs that seemed to start with I am, I have... etc. I believe the first person aspect of Shoukaku's experience will bring you all closer to seeing how they react to situations that bring them to qhere they are. The events that have transpired is actually well within the timeframe of 24 hours, did the Battleship Princess - Kongou actually made all this arrangement beforehand? One does not know.

Anyway, if you are still reading this and not dropping it out of sheer rage, please do leave a comment, let me know how I can write better.
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #20 on: May 06, 2014, 12:29:01 PM »
http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/1679210?tags=airfield_hime

I am lacking updates because there is not much time to write for me recently.

so...

have this, this is how I think on normal days Wo-class and Airfield Princess interact. they troll each other and are good friends.
  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2014, 03:58:04 AM »
)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Part 19

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Naval base, near the back door of Tokyo base.



[Breathe...]


The sweet swallowing of air as I licked its particles, but it was not my tongue that sampled the wine like taste of blood and rust that floated in it.


[Breathe...]


The shock as the momentous realization of the one true aspect of all bad things that seemed to happen. My eyes closed, as the sum realization of fear and retaliation of the oncoming storm of slaughter purged the air I breathed from my lungs.


[Breathe...]


Each breath becomes more shallow, until the very stray thought of it was lost, and I was forced once more to rely on my appendage, my 'Zuikaku', the symbiote that is at once part of me and all of me. I was at the lowest point of all I can feel, but yet, invariably, the thought of trying to deny what I hear above the oceans shock me.


I cannot deny reality, for all that happens now is real, is the deafening sound of destruction. Torpedoes used against sheer multi-plated metal and steel and tungsten, blowing them apart to reveal the delicate multi-leveled, multi-layered concrete that acts as its buffering zone.


I can tell the deep penetration bombs attached to the unseen I-classes that are now traveling at the same speed as the missiles hitting the base has successfully delivered the payload, and died doing so.


Whoever's summoned them from their regular duty of backing up the main fleet in so they can work as suicide bombers, have done so with much deliberation. I watch as three of my sisters - Wo-classes, now rushed across me, and charged with such intense force into the main line of the enemy's base defense. Above water, streams of straight cutting ammo fired from the base turrets fractured the water surface like spikes upon a transparent jelly. Dissipating just as quickly as they met no target. In the water, we Abyssals are invincible, untouchable.


"Please..."

"Please do what? Wo-ko?" I can no longer stop this. The Airfield Princess hugged me as she said this, even though I no longer resemble the Wo-ko she knew, in her heart at least, wherever that may lie, I am still the Wo-ko that she knew.


The oncoming wave after waves of Abyssals swim past us, as we stood like clock hands unworking, even the most sluggish of the movements of the heavier Ri-classes seemed faster, eager.


"What do you want me to do? Everything has moved into a new phase now... You moved away from me, and left the hive, eager to join them, and I see you now, changed into that new thing that has just surfaced amongst us..."


"There is much more than this, we can finally change the..." My voice was halted when I felt an intense vision bore through me from behind. It was followed by a boomingly loud voice.


"There is nothing to change, they have polluted the world enough...why should we suffer them any longer? They are inferior than all of us, as ships, we are stronger, harder, better, faster...we have exactly what they don't have, the meat bags of land dwellers don't even come close to us Abyssals, falling down to the oceans depths are best things that have ever happened to us." Kongou - The Battleship Princess interrupted.


"You are wrong!" Kaga rebutted.


"There is a third way!" I followed. My fists at my side were balled so hard the blue color blood of my Abyssal veins flowed from between my nails.


"The way of the Abyssals will unite the planet in one straight move, after Japan, we take the shores of Korea, and then the whole of China's coasts, we will change the planet, away from its selfish momentum, into one of unity! The Abyssal way will ensure our survival, all of us... As one big sisterhood, without the aggression of human males, and all things else that thin the essence of life as one of the Hive!" The words spewing out from the mouth of the Battleship Princess was shocking, but not without reason.


More so than ever, the wars we have fought, the wars we were sent to die in, it was all fought, at the root of it all, with and by human desires. We are just tools, this the Abyssal did not have, desire to survive trumps all else. We have the perfect formula to ensure the planet's survival, but in my mind at this very moment, I have none other than my Admiral's love...it was for Shoukaku...and that love was pure, as pure as the sunlight above the noon sky. It was pure as the air, and it was perfect...I didn't want to argue against that but everything my mind tells me...is that the human race is the flaw that can be corrected with symbiosis.


Once the captured ones get assimilated by the Symbiotes carried by the Re-class the only land-suitable class warship Abyssal...we may see more of them, more logical humans, they can join us in time... We will have a perfect world, a perfect race of survivalists who are supreme to life and beyond... And yet... We will be incapable of love.


What is love...if only to make the world go round... Logic dictates the Abyssal way is the same way, and it will work better because it can be factored entirely, there are no random numbers, or unaccounted results. Once the Hive has assumed its land porting, by which the new Hive will be established away from water, we will reach new heights...


The Convergence, it will happen when that hive has successfully established itself on land, when we all will be elevated to a new stage of existence. When the deep sea cavern Hives and the tunnels will form a link that will connect the land Hive with all of us in the network, we will consume all the resources ashore, and reach a new stage!


Yet...


It is not what I want, it is not what Shoukaku wants, or me, as what I am as the servant of my Princess...my own selfish thoughts plague me as I looked deeply searching for answers upon the face of my Airfield Princess.


"You will not find answers with me, Wo-ko, I too, am forced here, on this day, partly by you. You can make a decision to join us, or die here now...I didn't want you to come back, I wished no matter how dire, that the Admiral can accept you for who you are, that you really make good on the promise of the third way..."


"I know I could have stayed, but I choose to come back, because I know..." I answered.


"Know what? That I will send the destroyer semi-assimilated Isonami to your doorstep?" The Battleship Princess asked.


"I know something else too...that you are not in the picture... The Convergence...it won't happen, not as long as I can breathe!" I looked at her dead in the eyes, at this very moment, I lose sight of a greater goal, I know it.


I didn't know how I could, but I feel myself unchained, my symbiote stopped me from moving forward as it tugged me backwards, on my great tail which I recently acquired...it was stubborn and did not want me to die. I know all too well, that what I am about to do now...will violate all the ranks of the Hive.


"I, Shoukaku, hereby renounce my class of the Abyssal Army."


Then, without a second thought, I dug into my the back of my neck, with the sharp claw like nails I have I tore my own flesh open as the searing pain of my spinal column exposed itself to the salty seawater, I almost felt my knees give up and kneeled, but there like a rooted tree I stood as I dug deeper.


I found it, the one single connection to the Hive...it was established upon the first few moments of assimilation...a node that directly links us to the Abyssal Network. We are never free from the shackles of the Abyssal network until we are free of it. To be free...that was my current desire, that desire propelled my weakening fingers as I felt myself losing control of all the five senses of my body...as I once again...became a sunken ship. I was not breathing, not feeling my nose, my lips, or my eyes that are now slowly becoming blurry and then fully blind.


If there was any reward from this, I know very well at this very moment as I tore out the node attached to my spine, a squarish mush of highly concentrated veins, covered by red blood and blue from my symbiote self...that death will be certain. This moment, death will be a welcome respite as I no longer felt pain, like a sunken ship, I am now...ended.


I felt my hands slide down to my side, had my symbiote not pulled against the other end of my body, anchoring itself to the seabed, I would now be falling forwards, and bury my face against the feet of my beloved Princess. I wish I could at least curse the Battleship Princess one last time before I die.


Did I do the right thing? Can my death mean the resolve necessary to make the Airfield Princess do something? Can my death mean something at all to stop the momentum of the attack? Can it change anything? I don't know. I guess I just never thought that far ahead...figures...I don't think I ever thought far out about anything, Zuikaku, my once again sister ship, that I have recently reunited with...she will be alone again...without me, and I guess she has been doing pretty well...for she was always the one who thought far ahead.


"Foolish..." The Battleship Princess muttered as I lose all consciousness, and my eyes faded to a shade of gray.


"Wo-ko..." I heard also as my Princess looked at me...standing there, in death.


They do at least say...the most heroic of ships tend to sink standing up. Ironic isn't it? Am I a hero?


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


Captain Hata stopped firing the turrets, and so did the order for the rest of the second line of defensive turrets to stop. A moment of reprieve has been given, the submarines of the enemies have been destroyed.

"RELOADDD!" The fairies and the deck hands rushed with boxes, carts and pulleys, ammos by the entire cartons are carted forward. A hundred or so men scuttled forward, with some ships acting as assistants with tool boxes and fuel tanks in haul and supply carts went forward. Those tended to Hyuuga and Ise and the rest of the frontliners. Yamato and Musashi has not made a move, but their radar capacities which are fitted for the time being has been beaming back data on enemy movements. They are just beyond the gates.


They have no plan as far as they are concerned, and the rush is going to work, because simply...like all other times in the past, the base will be subdued by sheer numbers. This time won't be the same though, thought the Captain as he walked to inspect on two of his own ships that up till now have been in the hangars on standby. They are Ageno and a sister ship to Sendai of this base - Jintsuu. They are from different bases, but as soon as Sendai saw her, she felt a sense of familiarity and hugged her.


They exchanged pleasantries before but never quite gotten to the hugging stage, given the professionalism exhibited under the guidance of two admirals. Jintsuu had with her an air of quiet perception, as she is well aware of the gravity of the situation here at the Tokyo base, and certainly does, in the back of head worry about the base back home.


The admiral of this base, a young boy barely the age of twenty she heard, has last been seen walking out from his office, they say his legs were shaking. Figures, she thought, there is so much a boy can handle before his body will have to submit to the fear. All the prior attacks in those many years before her register of service were fought back with much sacrifice, at times, it can be daunting, and the first of those invasions lasted for a full half year. In the interim of changing seasons, that invasion took the lives of five admirals, hastily promoted in place of one another, forced to take the helm of a last resort.


In those days, as the reports say, the base was without much defense, and there were no turrets or sea mines. This port wasn't meant for a full fledged war front, it was a trading channel that happened to see a fair amount of war in its days. It was however, possibly the closest to the capital of Tokyo on land than ever.


There was that report, of the center of Tokyo being the focus of a ley line point. That point, is probably what the first invasion wanted to get to; the same with this one. There is something about it, something there, under the layers and layers of rock and foundation and metal and steel of buildings, under the very land itself there is a much sought after resource of utmost importance.


The councils, the Navy, the Air force, the Army, they have not dared to touch or excavate that place, for their fear it will hasten the incursion of the Abyssals. Some were reported to have said it could help them gain flight, indeed it will be a terrible time for the human race should the Abyssals reach it.


Then, out of the corner of Jintsuu's eyes, she pointed at the center of the ocean, far away from the turrets' line of fire, a certain something was rising out of the ocean. It was sharp, cone-like, but black as the darkest night and filled with ominous aura. From this distance, both Sendai and Jintsuu registers it about fifty feet wide, and near a twenty feet peeking out the water - no telling how many feet under the surface of the ocean yet. It was moving, indicating that it could be a being of some kind, and these things, however big or unsightly, can never be discounted to be alive when it comes to the Abyssals. It could be just a tower, or a weapon, but Captain Hata felt necessary to mount himself to the turret again.


It did not come closer, merely wading in the water, as though it were alive. Its peak was red, glowing, indicative of a tower or a signal bearer of some sort. Whatever underneath it, be it the army itself that is about to surface in mass, must be supporting its fulsome weight. Surely they cannot expect to hold it in water for long...unless it has legs of its own and all this wading about was it staying afloat by swimming.


Is it alive? Captain Hata asked himself inside, his strained through his binoculars to focus on the foreign structure at sea, but yet can make out no heads or tails except that it is black as night, and seemed to be moving closer. Good, he thought...once it gets close enough he will fire at it with all firepower he possess here at the base.


=======


Updated!
Shorter chapter, I really lack time again since I am working on a lot of cosplans and props.
I hope I can make my harbour princess this year.

Summary

Thus far
Spoiler:
1. Wo-class/Re-class commits suicide in order to force Kaga/Airfield Princess to do something about the invasion
2. Battleship Princess leaves for the surface
3. A massive black object approaches
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♛ Apher-Forte

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Re: [Kancolle 艦これ~艦隊これくしょん] - Wo
« Reply #22 on: August 14, 2014, 04:24:47 AM »
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Part 20

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[I am sorry...] I uttered, from whatever left of my now defunct Zuikaku, the communication network of the Abyssals still worked... I was thankful, and yet I could not respond. The Battleship Princess could not even hear me, the only that did, was the one who focused all her attention at me - The Airfield Princess, my rescuer, my teacher...Kaga.


She looked at me with a remorseful look, as though all this time has just stood still around them. She looked deeply into my eyes, slowly with the fizzling yellow eyes I had as my life seeped out of my back. She looked at me with those eyes that seemed to say a long story, but the longest of her stories was one of regret - that she has made me the way I am, that lead to this very moment of suspended goodbyes.


The restoration system that ensures restorative healing of Abyssals have stopped entirely, my heart was no longer beating, and so was Zuikaku also not responding to my commands. My symbiote is dead, ripped by me like one would tear out a bullet from a festering wound. I have cut it off me, ending its life and mine. I was again alone, my thoughts are my own as I am no longer a part of the network, no longer a Hive member, and I heard, under these oceans...only the oncoming sadness as I realized the severity of my own demise. What a legacy for me to leave behind as I pondered with the blood drifted off my back and joining the waters around me.


I was alone in this world of thoughts, and my communication is quickly also fazing out. Very soon, I will be like a statue, forever stationed here to rot with the rocks, and becoming a bay of plenty for the barnacles, the fish to soon caress my rotten flesh, and consume it. I will become a part of the ocean that I fought on, together, perhaps in some part, with the admiral who died for me.


It was an end I could not hope for the best of, as once again, I leave my actual sister behind, on that shore. Perhaps again she will pine for me, but I saw in her the glorious strength she carried, and even as I greeted her as an enemy a night before, I saw in her the strength to continue long after I have gone. I had no chance to really sit down and talk with her, but I know she has found a place of places here at this very base, she has a home now, and war is no longer her business. Though she will once and again encounter losses of her friends at sea, for whatever its worth, she will join the many who eventually will see the end of the war of the Abyssals. She will have a happy life...maybe she will build a home...


Maybe she will have many homes, but one she truly called home she would hang up a picture of me, beside her, as her family...maybe she will have a family, perhaps a human male, one that I will certainly have no chance to meet ever. Maybe she may even take the modernization to turn her into a human female...fully functional, she will have children, or she will adopt some. She will have a graceful life, as she grows old beside her personal admiral, and a husband who will love her with all his heart and soul. Every day, she will live happily, and perhaps...just perhaps, amidst that happiness, she will spare a fleeting thought of her days at the Navy, perhaps under a June day sun, she will think of me. Just a fleeting thought, I think, is enough for me.


I must have pondered long and hard, and through all that, I noticed how even as my vision faded to a distant gray and black, Kaga looked at me with such intent that I have no idea what goes on behind her eyes. I watched still as behind her the Battleship Princess - Kongou left, she has a battle to win and a war to wage. She has started this and she will end this. It should figure right about now as the Abyssals bulk for the oncoming installation of the tower onto the base center, the 'brain' of the Hive connectors under the sea, be her most busy moment. She has left us alone, and now, only the two of us stared at each other as I faded to a kind of oblivion.


I let my blood out, as I left my soul in them, I was without care. It surely did resemble when I lost my admiral on that fateful day so many months ago, I certainly...felt familiar to a sense of loss.


"I am so...so..sorry, everything I did, I urged you when I shouldn't, I let you go when I shouldn't, giving you all these false hopes that I could not keep up with putting onto your shoulders, lending you the grasp of them..." Kaga said, her tone in her voice was one of sadness. She has all the regrets and all the time in the world to hold onto them, but never a time when she could voice them out to me.


"If...it...means...anything... Kaga, I...I...never doubted you...not one moment did I think you were steering...me in the wrong direction...you gave me the life I never...knew...I didn't expect a second...chance and you gave it to me..." I sighed as I let loose a breathe...it must have taken extra long as she looked at me, searching for a sign of life to continue her confession with. "I never knew...you were...so kind...Kaga...has always...been...so distant... I...never knew...I could meet another one...who so cared...for me...even when there was no...me...You are my savior...and I...I owe everything to you..."


"I wish this is not how it can end...Wo-ko...no...Shoukaku...I wished I could...change a past of my own...my own shadows that chased me so many years even after I have become an Abyssal. The shadows that chased me kept me going, I was hiding from the fact that I left the Navy in disgrace, whether I have betrayed my comrades...Nagato and Mutsu, in that very hangar as I left for a sortie on my own...or that I have betrayed the faith of my admiral who placed a Locked Heart in my hands...who probably inevitably came to pass...before I ever got released..." She took a deep breathe as she looked away, and then back at me with her eyes clouded.

"I never let go of that day, when I was released, all the glory I thought I could chase after, after Akagi...after...her...Anchorage Princess there now...delivering the payload to the center of the base...I never could change the past, and it was because I tried, that led us here...now...and you...dying in my arms." She said this as she came closer, and hugged me. Her body felt warmer than ever...it was quite unlike an Abyssal, whom are cold blooded, to have such a warm embrace.


I felt a distant sense of safety, it was the safety as I embraced my admiral that many months ago. It was like...I was at a harbour, and I could at last rest my laurels, for real this time. I could at last step into a new phase of my life perhaps, and finally let go of everything. I needn't forgive, or hurt anymore, I just had to stay awake...but I could slowly feel my consciousness fade away as I lay limply in her embrace.


"Forgive me...I guess...I gotta go first...Kaga......if...it is possible...Kaga...after all this...if my sister...Zuikaku...is still alive...do not convert her...but pass her a message...that I will always...love her...and that...for what's worth...protect her from the shadows..." I felt stupid as I let that last line slip through my lips, an Abyssal, protecting a Navy ship? Surely you jest! However, I could somehow feel, it would be...possible.


The shores above sent rumbles to me, and I could feel the distinct shake of the surrounding waters as the battle begin. Above me, the shifting shadows indicate the Abyssal army surfacing. The supply ships moved in tandem with each battalion safely behind the protection of three or four files of Ri-class and Ta-class types, they are sent out only to resupply the heavy ships but only the main force ahead, so they can be conserved as they inch forward into land. To make things even more complex for the enemy, a double forked attack will be laid towards the exploded gate that where Isonami has sacrificed herself earlier, a place the admiral cannot hope to cover with too many ships since the fore of the force will be bombarding all of the front.


   
"You know...Shoukaku...I always admired you, if only...I could have a chance again..I really...think I would take it. I never knew how difficult it was to take onto the kindness of others, and I never thought I would consider it because I was always alone. I was never the part that needed caring, but to know it was I who was being cared for...I guess...some things just changed..." She looked at me again, deeply again, as she looks back on her past. "If you...no...you must."


"What...must...?" I asked...


"I don't want to let your sister Zuikaku know...that you love her..." She paused, as if making me suspending on disbelief over my dying wish..."I want you to go tell her yourself..."


"What..." Again I asked in my dying breath.


"The difference between you and me...is shortened because you now...are at least some eighty percent Re-class, a considerably higher armored vessel with significant potentials for Hime-class evolution. You are that close...but lack...the consciousness necessary. What I am about to do will go against your every wish...but make no hate on me...Shoukaku...I want you to live, even for no reason at all, and for all the wrong reasons this world has to offer...I want you to live!!" She now holds onto my shoulders, and as if in an attempt to shake me from my dying moments, trying to shake death away from my body.


"I am sorry...but...let me right the wrongs I never gotten to right, let me change what I regretted never changed...Shoukaku...and Re-class...I forbid you to die!" It was at this juncture I thought I must be dreaming, this must be me losing consciousness, to hear the princess spew out such nonsense...what can she do? My node has been pulled raw out of the most vulnerable part of my body, and without it I am not Abyssal nor Navy ship, I am a sunken vessel waiting to die...just when I could finally die...Kaga attempts to bridge me with her hopes to change something...? I must be dreaming.


As I closed my eyes one final time...I felt a jerk on my body, but no pain. From the crevices of my closed eyes, I felt something hoist me up, my heavy tail attached symbiote was dragged upwards as well, as though I am now floating. I could no longer tell what happens beyond my eyelids, my senses have been cut off with oncoming death, and certainly...I could only say...perhaps it was for the best.


"I am sorry..." I heard Kaga let one last apology out.



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


Kaga drilled her hand into the body of the her once ago loyal servant and prodigy, a once ago Wo-class carrier of the Abyssal, and then now...a semi-changed but dying Re-class vessel. She was the first of her few prodigies that sought out the evolution of the ships, most reached there eventually with age and repair, some fall out of the line and become lesser ships. Those that retain a human like existence are most likely to rise into the Abyssal's perfectly closed little circle of Hime-classes. They will become a Hime-class if they seek strongly enough to progress...to change into a powerful vessel that needs no direction from the Hive, to become a leader, one must first think like one. The criteria for becoming an Oni-class or Hime-class lies in the insatiable desire to survive, and that desire, will translate to the best suitable evolution.


Some become Onis because they harbor intense strong hate, for what was once of them, maybe from the disappointment of their admirals who allowed them to sink...some from the anguish of sinking and dying, to become the enemy they despised so much will drive them to become the very thing they hated once they are assimilated by the symbiote. Others, who fall short of the hate, and though lamented, but lacked strong goals or intention become lesser vessels. Some who are broken up into little bits become consumed by the symbiotes so thoroughly they become tools for the stronger vessels. The I-class or Ru-classes...they all have the same basic principle.


Those that become Hime-class, like herself as Airfield Princess, must evolve through sheer identification, a unique aspect of fusing with the deepest recesses and coming into total control of their symbiote, to form a true symbiosis where the lines of a host and its caretaker become one and at the same time, separated. They become unique sentient beings, as one allows the other to take parts of its body functions and channel all the hate and despise of sinking, whether it be from the failed admirals or self loathe and mistakes...into a force that will guide them. The willingness of becoming a host to the network, is when one awakens to a higher existence.


When one questions what lies beyond the shore...when one sees the pathway to Convergence...that is when one's symbiote evolve with the host, and become entirely different beings and yet fused. The strong emotion of guided telepathy, become clearer, and stronger. That feeling will change the very essence of an Abyssal. Then...awakening. A pupa of the caterpillar-like stage that dwells between an Oni and the Hime-class becomes ripe, and from it, sprung forth from its shell like a butterfly - the next stage.


This stimuli...now more than ever, is present when she sees it. Kaga saw in her prodigy, her once ago Wo-class whom she loved as her own, like an admiral would love his own ship - bulges with such strong emotion. The desire to strike free from the bondages of life, to die finally and be laid to rest after a reincarnation as an Abyssal. She who wishes to be free, and to be held in embrace in safety, away from harm...she who wishes to change, and submit her final wishes to all her unfulfilled tasks - whether it is saying goodbye to her sister, or leaving behind a legacy that she never filled in role for...


She will finally have it.


Kaga thought of nothing as she commanded her symbiote and two floating fortresses to come closer, the fortresses did so. As they came closer, Kaga ripped from them their tongues, and this has undoubtedly unsettled her for she isn't used to killing her own ranks. The floating fortresses immediately died, leaving trace residue as their empty shells fell to the ocean floor beside Kaga's feet. Kaga then rolled the tongues together, and she fused them with her own hands, the veins of her skin seemed to become worm-like, as tiny tubes emerged from under her wrists to form a base of a kind of solid coating, a kind of glue-like cement covered the tongues rolled into a ball, still bloody.


She injected herself into the ball, and with her left hand, she grabbed at her own symbiote and commanded it to open its mouth. The tongue of her symbiote glows with ominous power, evident of the Abyssal destroyers that emerge from it as it consumed raw energy and turn them into the strength necessary to charge into battle with the forces. She scraped at the giant long tongue that which gave that energy in the form of blood and what looks to be chunks of skins. All glowed as they landed onto the ball of blood and glue-like substance and coagulated into something else.


The ball soon adopted a different color, becoming black and glowing with power. This is what makes all Abyssals tick...and the lowest in class usually do not have them. The node that Shoukaku has pulled out earlier has that exact function, and while it kills her now, this new node...fused with her Hime-class material, will do all she can and more. It will aid the unfulfilled desire and turn her into something different.


Will she accept it? Will Shoukaku accept her wish for her to not die? Kaga doesn't know, but she has all the right to stop her, and this is why she made her...to have her end now...this war...all this, will change. All the future will be a bleak one, there is no greater hope for all this to be stopped than the one who truly wish to stop the invasion - Shoukaku has legitimate reason not to become the thing she hated most, the starter of battles, but she can become the one thing she has the most power of becoming...


She can become the harbour for everyone, Abyssal or Navy, she can become the figure who will protect everyone.


Even if it means denying her death! Kaga has a reason to change that fate for something else. Kaga did so, as she stretched the now changed ball of flesh and clasped it tightly around the neck of Shoukaku, who now is only a few seconds away from complete death.


For the first of times perhaps, Kaga prayed she would find success.


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


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