Tetsuo Noriaki was but a normal salaryman. He went to work at around eight o' clock in the...
Between Sorties (Kantai Collection one-shots)
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Sortie 1: Demon
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Tetsuo Noriaki was but a normal salaryman. He went to work at around eight o' clock in the morning, ate his breakfast at the crowded train from the Chiyoda Ward to Shinjuku just in time for his first appointment. The meetings weren't tedious but his presentations were interesting enough to impress his superiors. Many of his workmates envied him for this but this was one of the few little things he took great delight in his life. Still, there were few things he would find himself worried about.
Recent attacks near coastal areas from an unknown force simply denoted as the "Abyssal Fleet" had begun to disrupt the world's routine flow. Nations were in a panic as hundreds of people die and they all scramble out to deal with the threat. The mainland has yet to fully digested the situation but it was a given that one more gentle nudge would be enough to send even the capital cities to mass hysteria. For now, the masses were looking at the attacked cities as if they were looking at another world.
It was amazing how the general apathy of humanity was so strong. Tetsuo found it wrong and couldn't help but be disturbed by it on how people could continue living like this. But then again he was no better; he did his best to ignore it as well. Otherwise he would fall into a panic too. So until Tokyo was attacked by this mysterious alien fleet from the Deep, his world would continue on and on until this threat was buried deep as another odd incident that world shall forget.
Tetsuo would end his day at around seven o' clock while his co-workers would invite him to drink with them down at Shibuya. He would politely decline given that he had much to work on for his next presentations before taking the routine five minute bus ride to his train.
The evening news would play within the bus's TV set and he would usually get his update of the nation's affairs from there on. These days, the exploits of humanity's counter to the Abyssals, known as Kanmusume, were all there was on the headlines.
The combined efforts of each nation across the globe to make use of these girls' powers had given humanity a substantial advantage whenever the Abyssals sought to terrorize a city. It was baffling at first but the girls had been known to be adored by many for their continued efforts to protect vital port cities across the world. With the arrival of more and more Kanmusu, humanity may be able to stand on equal terms against the Abyssal and perhaps go on the offensive for once.
Still, until that day came the earth would continue spinning.
The salaryman's day would end with him returning home, making a humble meal to himself before eating in front of the television to watch some late night comedies.
……
Today was another day for Tetsuo Noriaki but he decided that it would be different. He was alone in his office and was just about to leave, filing away his last few reports before exiting the room. Instead of heading straight for his bus ride, Tetsuo opted to take a long walk through downtown where the busy streets were most alive. Advertisements blared on the screen while shops shined brightly to entice prospective customers.
Families, friends and co-workers wandered about, taking in the refreshing Autumn evening with smiles on their faces.
The salaryman however had other plans as he cut through the crowd at an even pace. If he hurried, he may be able to make it in time for this event. The man was ecstatic given how long he had been waiting for this moment, a once in a lifetime chance if he were to describe it. Soon the streets he walked through began to grow more desolate. From the waves of people he had to go through, the sidewalks became sparser.
Soon enough he was walking down a rather remote area of the city with just five or seven people wandering about.
And then he came upon a construction site close to the Bay. It was over an hour walk but he finally made it and sure enough he spotted whom seemed to be his fellow visitors quickly walking into the construction site.
Making sure he wasn't be followed he went after them and caught up. He steadied his breath and reached within his pocket and pulled out his keys. Jingling them brought the attention of his fellows as they turned around and jingled their own.
A code.
Good, now that they've identified one another as brothers he wordlessly followed them deeper into the site. They were greeted by two men looking out the door of an old building. These men had them pull up their sleeves and display their 'marks' for them to be granted passage. With their looming stature and barely concealed firearms, it was easy to be intimidated by these men but Tetsuo had already met these two before and was let in once he showed them his mark.
The interior of the building was filled with numerous visitors similar to himself all dressed in their dark robes as they gathered before candle lit circle where a lone man stood. He wore an odd horned golden crown with his own white robes decorated with lavish purple trims. Outlandish symbols were patched unto his sleeves while he gazed upon the gathered congregation with a rather satisfied look. At his feet was a tray of deep crimson, its contents used to draw upon the circle and glyphs which were scattered upon the makeshift altar.
The members of the congregations were kneeling and praising, muttering in odd feverish tones while giggling all the way. Tetsuo felt his heart warm up at this scene and he quickly acquired a robe from the man by the door and joined in with his fellows. As he knelt upon the floor and began to murmur his prayers, the man known as the Pardoner raised his arms as a signal to call upon the congregations attention. No more than a hundred people were within the warehouse yet all fell silent.
With delighted expressions, the cultists listened close and listened well. Tetsuo himself held his breath as the Pardoner spoke.
"Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come! For the city and the nation to realize its place! Finally, we've been successful to snatch a fragment of our Lords! With this blood sacrifice we offer, we shall call upon the presence of a Princess that will carry us to a new age! An age where the Deep will all there will be! An unending age where we shall continuously flow for eternity and leave the rusted metalwork of the age of technology! Come hither brothers and sisters in arms and embrace the Abyss with me!"
The warehouse was filled with renewed vigor and the congregation began to murmur their mantras with increased glee and delight.
Tetsuo was no different, he whispered fervently and placed his forehead upon the cold floor. The candlelight surrounding the bloody circle flickered as the wind outside began to howl. He desired a new world where he would be free from the monotony. He recalled his first few days in the Church and while he had his doubts, he foresaw the powers that the Abyss may bring. It was folly to resist, the world must see this. Becoming one with the Abyss was the next step for humanity.
He received his vision and he couldn't help but grin in anticipation.
"Now… Let us begin… Gentlemen!" the Pardoner barked and he stood aside as the iron shutters behind him began to rise. The back of a truck then began to back into the warehouse, the rumbling of the engine seemed to be warped in the congregation's hearing given it sounded like the growl of a mad beast. High in their delight, they watched as the backdoors were spread apart to reveal the broken shell of what was clearly an Abyssal.
One of the lower classed ones that resembled twisted a twisted creature born from a madman's nightmare.
"Brothers and Sisters of the Church of the Abyss!" howled the Pardoner as the pieces of the Abyssal's corpse was carried over by sixteen men into the bloodied circle, ""Finally, after all these times we have been searching for ways to call upon the pathway to our new world, we have finally found it. Look at this, brothers and sisters! The sharpnel from the dead princess that lies in the dark sea! We shall call her into this world, with the ritual of blood!"
"ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!" chanted the congregation.
"One blood of the Pale Imitations, from the weakest to the strongest, one pint each. We have worked to the end of days to make our dreams come true. So we shall see, that we will embrace the abyss! Those who oppose the Abyss shall see that they have done something so wrong! They will soon bow down to us when they see the Princess rise from our ritual!" the Pardoner lifted the tray of blood and dipped his hand upon it. Clenching his hand into a fist, he spread it upon the Abyssal fragments and drew upon the surface of the Abyssal's shell.
"ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!" Tetsuo felt his throat hurt as he chanted along his brethren. This was the peak of it, even someone as low as he, a bottom feeder of society could feel the rushing energy which drifted in the air. He can even taste it, on how the dormant static prickled his skin and the world seem to become muffled…
And then the ritual circle began to shine. The deep color of the Abyss permeated from the Abyssal fragments and Tetsuo was struck with sickening sensation at the pit of his stomach. He fought to maintain his consciousness and many of his fellows did so as well just to witness the coming of their liege.
"And now, we shall witness the beginning of our dream. For abyss, we pray at thee. Flush the land with your grace, sink the unworthy with your blood, raise the worthy with your blood. This dark sea is your blood. We call forth, the abyss. Princess of the undersea, Central. Come forth, Come forth. COME FORTH! COME FORTH, THE ONE WHO SHALL BEGIN OUR NEW TOMORROWS!" the Pardoner splashed the Abyssal's shell with the rest of the blood and knelt before it, a long high pitched whining filled the air.
Finally as one the congregation chanted for the last time, "ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!"
The high pitched whining then screeched to deafening levels as if reality itself was being strangled while the vile oozing corruption spread from the circle, slithering across the floor as if to reach out that the members of the Church. The Pardoner whom knelt at forefront didn't shirk from it as it spread out and many attempted to follow his actions… Tetsuo being one of them as he was enraptured by the sight before him.
This was it… Their Princess had arrived. They could feel it in their very cores that their Princess had come. Their one and only Goddess.
The screeching finally reached its peak and-
.....
....
...
BANG
Smoke burst forth from the ritual circle and all were sent crawling away, even the Pardoner himself as they felt power escape from the area the circle was upon. Whispered murmurs began to break out between the congregation and Tetsuo found himself standing back up to get a better view of what was within the smoke. They felt it though, that inhuman power that could only be associated with the supernatural.
They leaned in and saw…
A girl coughing and hacking, batting away the cloud of smoke as her long side-ponytail danced around. In her hand was a miniaturized main gun with two short barrels protruding from the box-like thing, Tetsuo wasn't able to clearly identify. She wore a simple sailor uniform and had a huge machinery attached to her back with two leather straps while a pair of torpedo tubes were attached to both sides of her legs.
She coughed and coughed before finally stopping while rubbing her eyes. Opening them, the congregation noticed they shined blood red for a moment before taking a more grayish color as she stared at the gathered people before in confusion.
She blinked while parting her lips and spoke for the first time, "I… Uh… Hello?"
The Pardoner pushed aside a few of the Church members and gazed upon the girl that had appeared, "You… Are you the Abyssal Princess we summoned?"
Surprised, the girl seemed to be taken aback by this, "Abyssal? Princess? No, I… I'm Ayanami. Are you the Admiral? Why are you dressed like that and… Is this blood?!"
"Ship Girl…" breathed one of the Church members.
"It's a pale imitation!" cried another.
"The ritual was a failure!" yelled a third.
"Huh? No, wait, what are you… What did you do?" asked the girl yet the church members simply advanced at her with angered expressions. What did she do?! One moment she had been underwater and now she was here, in a body of a human being no less. The surge of information was too much to take that she was rooted to the spot letting the outraged mob advanced towards her unopposed. Just why were they angry, she didn't do anything wrong!
It was here she heard a voice from the back of the congregation, "YOU THERE! STAY DOWN!"
At the order, Ayanami didn't even think twice before lying flat in the middle of the ritual circle before closing her eyes. There was the sound of glass breaking and the sound of metal being busted open. Strangled screams erupted before being silenced by an object hitting against flesh.
Men cursed while women shrieked, there was even gunfire echoing into the air yet Ayanami simply kept herself down as she was told. It may have been minutes or even hours… But she only opened her eyes when everything became quiet.
She was greeted by the sight of men in dark fatigues walking about subduing many others beside the walls. They held thick black beating sticks as they cuffed the cultists one by one. Three of them approached a very confused Destroyer sitting in the middle of a bloody ritual circle as she raised her arms in surrender.
"Um, parley?" she chuckled dryly.
The Demon Goddess of Solomon could only smile weakly as the blood on her shirt began to dry.
.....
....
...
Present Time
"So you're telling me that a pagan cult dedicated to the Abyssals managed to conduct a summoning ritual, kuma?" questioned the lead ship of the Kuma class Lightcruisers with a skeptical look, "They were trying to summon an Abyssal Princess but ended up summoning a Destroyer instead?"
"Funny how things like that happen, huh?" said the Admiral, "Well, if you looked at it, it does make some sense."
Kuma scoffed and crossed her arms, "Oh yeah? How so, kuma?"
"They were a Cult who did blood rituals and the likes. So wouldn't it make sense for them to summon a Demon Goddess into this world?" chuckled the Admiral while waving the documents.
".... That's not funny at all, kuma," said Kuma with a flat look on her face...
.....
....
...
Ayanami stood before the armed men before her with her arms still raised. It was only when they lowered their weapons did she lower her hands as well. Confusion filled her mind as she looked down at her hands, clenching her fists as she got a good feel on what it was like to move her fingers. A human body...
But why...
She tensed as the men turned away from her and began to assist their comrades in taking away the rest of the cultists. From her side, a woman in smart looking clothes and tightly bun hair approached Ayanami with a kind smile.
"You are Ayanami are you not? It's okay now. We'd simply like it if you can come with us. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and we're more than happy enough to give you the answers you wan? Over tea perhaps," began the woman and the Kanmusu found herself unable to answer.
Ayanami then inhaled a deep breath and nodded. She would have to know... There's something strange is going on.
The world as it was now was completely different from the one she left behind.
==============================================================
I'm AnonymousRabbit. I mostly write quests these days so writing stories like these is jarring for me. It'll take adjustments but I'll try and get better by returning to my roots. I don't know how much I'll be able to update this but it's better than a constant stream of quest updates everyday.
I have @Nottheunmaker for helping me out pick the title and kicking my ass into just doing this. I owe him a lot and he's a cool guy.
I also have @AWACS Sky Eye for coming up with that chant. Pretty neat. You guys should talk to him.
So yeah, that's about it. I'll get the other one up... Soonish. yeah.
......
Toothpaste tastes good.
===============================================================
Recent attacks near coastal areas from an unknown force simply denoted as the "Abyssal Fleet" had begun to disrupt the world's routine flow. Nations were in a panic as hundreds of people die and they all scramble out to deal with the threat. The mainland has yet to fully digested the situation but it was a given that one more gentle nudge would be enough to send even the capital cities to mass hysteria. For now, the masses were looking at the attacked cities as if they were looking at another world.
It was amazing how the general apathy of humanity was so strong. Tetsuo found it wrong and couldn't help but be disturbed by it on how people could continue living like this. But then again he was no better; he did his best to ignore it as well. Otherwise he would fall into a panic too. So until Tokyo was attacked by this mysterious alien fleet from the Deep, his world would continue on and on until this threat was buried deep as another odd incident that world shall forget.
Tetsuo would end his day at around seven o' clock while his co-workers would invite him to drink with them down at Shibuya. He would politely decline given that he had much to work on for his next presentations before taking the routine five minute bus ride to his train.
The evening news would play within the bus's TV set and he would usually get his update of the nation's affairs from there on. These days, the exploits of humanity's counter to the Abyssals, known as Kanmusume, were all there was on the headlines.
The combined efforts of each nation across the globe to make use of these girls' powers had given humanity a substantial advantage whenever the Abyssals sought to terrorize a city. It was baffling at first but the girls had been known to be adored by many for their continued efforts to protect vital port cities across the world. With the arrival of more and more Kanmusu, humanity may be able to stand on equal terms against the Abyssal and perhaps go on the offensive for once.
Still, until that day came the earth would continue spinning.
The salaryman's day would end with him returning home, making a humble meal to himself before eating in front of the television to watch some late night comedies.
……
Today was another day for Tetsuo Noriaki but he decided that it would be different. He was alone in his office and was just about to leave, filing away his last few reports before exiting the room. Instead of heading straight for his bus ride, Tetsuo opted to take a long walk through downtown where the busy streets were most alive. Advertisements blared on the screen while shops shined brightly to entice prospective customers.
Families, friends and co-workers wandered about, taking in the refreshing Autumn evening with smiles on their faces.
The salaryman however had other plans as he cut through the crowd at an even pace. If he hurried, he may be able to make it in time for this event. The man was ecstatic given how long he had been waiting for this moment, a once in a lifetime chance if he were to describe it. Soon the streets he walked through began to grow more desolate. From the waves of people he had to go through, the sidewalks became sparser.
Soon enough he was walking down a rather remote area of the city with just five or seven people wandering about.
And then he came upon a construction site close to the Bay. It was over an hour walk but he finally made it and sure enough he spotted whom seemed to be his fellow visitors quickly walking into the construction site.
Making sure he wasn't be followed he went after them and caught up. He steadied his breath and reached within his pocket and pulled out his keys. Jingling them brought the attention of his fellows as they turned around and jingled their own.
A code.
Good, now that they've identified one another as brothers he wordlessly followed them deeper into the site. They were greeted by two men looking out the door of an old building. These men had them pull up their sleeves and display their 'marks' for them to be granted passage. With their looming stature and barely concealed firearms, it was easy to be intimidated by these men but Tetsuo had already met these two before and was let in once he showed them his mark.
The interior of the building was filled with numerous visitors similar to himself all dressed in their dark robes as they gathered before candle lit circle where a lone man stood. He wore an odd horned golden crown with his own white robes decorated with lavish purple trims. Outlandish symbols were patched unto his sleeves while he gazed upon the gathered congregation with a rather satisfied look. At his feet was a tray of deep crimson, its contents used to draw upon the circle and glyphs which were scattered upon the makeshift altar.
The members of the congregations were kneeling and praising, muttering in odd feverish tones while giggling all the way. Tetsuo felt his heart warm up at this scene and he quickly acquired a robe from the man by the door and joined in with his fellows. As he knelt upon the floor and began to murmur his prayers, the man known as the Pardoner raised his arms as a signal to call upon the congregations attention. No more than a hundred people were within the warehouse yet all fell silent.
With delighted expressions, the cultists listened close and listened well. Tetsuo himself held his breath as the Pardoner spoke.
"Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come! For the city and the nation to realize its place! Finally, we've been successful to snatch a fragment of our Lords! With this blood sacrifice we offer, we shall call upon the presence of a Princess that will carry us to a new age! An age where the Deep will all there will be! An unending age where we shall continuously flow for eternity and leave the rusted metalwork of the age of technology! Come hither brothers and sisters in arms and embrace the Abyss with me!"
The warehouse was filled with renewed vigor and the congregation began to murmur their mantras with increased glee and delight.
Tetsuo was no different, he whispered fervently and placed his forehead upon the cold floor. The candlelight surrounding the bloody circle flickered as the wind outside began to howl. He desired a new world where he would be free from the monotony. He recalled his first few days in the Church and while he had his doubts, he foresaw the powers that the Abyss may bring. It was folly to resist, the world must see this. Becoming one with the Abyss was the next step for humanity.
He received his vision and he couldn't help but grin in anticipation.
"Now… Let us begin… Gentlemen!" the Pardoner barked and he stood aside as the iron shutters behind him began to rise. The back of a truck then began to back into the warehouse, the rumbling of the engine seemed to be warped in the congregation's hearing given it sounded like the growl of a mad beast. High in their delight, they watched as the backdoors were spread apart to reveal the broken shell of what was clearly an Abyssal.
One of the lower classed ones that resembled twisted a twisted creature born from a madman's nightmare.
"Brothers and Sisters of the Church of the Abyss!" howled the Pardoner as the pieces of the Abyssal's corpse was carried over by sixteen men into the bloodied circle, ""Finally, after all these times we have been searching for ways to call upon the pathway to our new world, we have finally found it. Look at this, brothers and sisters! The sharpnel from the dead princess that lies in the dark sea! We shall call her into this world, with the ritual of blood!"
"ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!" chanted the congregation.
"One blood of the Pale Imitations, from the weakest to the strongest, one pint each. We have worked to the end of days to make our dreams come true. So we shall see, that we will embrace the abyss! Those who oppose the Abyss shall see that they have done something so wrong! They will soon bow down to us when they see the Princess rise from our ritual!" the Pardoner lifted the tray of blood and dipped his hand upon it. Clenching his hand into a fist, he spread it upon the Abyssal fragments and drew upon the surface of the Abyssal's shell.
"ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!" Tetsuo felt his throat hurt as he chanted along his brethren. This was the peak of it, even someone as low as he, a bottom feeder of society could feel the rushing energy which drifted in the air. He can even taste it, on how the dormant static prickled his skin and the world seem to become muffled…
And then the ritual circle began to shine. The deep color of the Abyss permeated from the Abyssal fragments and Tetsuo was struck with sickening sensation at the pit of his stomach. He fought to maintain his consciousness and many of his fellows did so as well just to witness the coming of their liege.
"And now, we shall witness the beginning of our dream. For abyss, we pray at thee. Flush the land with your grace, sink the unworthy with your blood, raise the worthy with your blood. This dark sea is your blood. We call forth, the abyss. Princess of the undersea, Central. Come forth, Come forth. COME FORTH! COME FORTH, THE ONE WHO SHALL BEGIN OUR NEW TOMORROWS!" the Pardoner splashed the Abyssal's shell with the rest of the blood and knelt before it, a long high pitched whining filled the air.
Finally as one the congregation chanted for the last time, "ABYSS BE PRAISED, SINK THE UNHOLY, RAISE THE WORTHY!"
The high pitched whining then screeched to deafening levels as if reality itself was being strangled while the vile oozing corruption spread from the circle, slithering across the floor as if to reach out that the members of the Church. The Pardoner whom knelt at forefront didn't shirk from it as it spread out and many attempted to follow his actions… Tetsuo being one of them as he was enraptured by the sight before him.
This was it… Their Princess had arrived. They could feel it in their very cores that their Princess had come. Their one and only Goddess.
The screeching finally reached its peak and-
.....
....
...
BANG
Smoke burst forth from the ritual circle and all were sent crawling away, even the Pardoner himself as they felt power escape from the area the circle was upon. Whispered murmurs began to break out between the congregation and Tetsuo found himself standing back up to get a better view of what was within the smoke. They felt it though, that inhuman power that could only be associated with the supernatural.
They leaned in and saw…
A girl coughing and hacking, batting away the cloud of smoke as her long side-ponytail danced around. In her hand was a miniaturized main gun with two short barrels protruding from the box-like thing, Tetsuo wasn't able to clearly identify. She wore a simple sailor uniform and had a huge machinery attached to her back with two leather straps while a pair of torpedo tubes were attached to both sides of her legs.
She coughed and coughed before finally stopping while rubbing her eyes. Opening them, the congregation noticed they shined blood red for a moment before taking a more grayish color as she stared at the gathered people before in confusion.
She blinked while parting her lips and spoke for the first time, "I… Uh… Hello?"
The Pardoner pushed aside a few of the Church members and gazed upon the girl that had appeared, "You… Are you the Abyssal Princess we summoned?"
Surprised, the girl seemed to be taken aback by this, "Abyssal? Princess? No, I… I'm Ayanami. Are you the Admiral? Why are you dressed like that and… Is this blood?!"
"Ship Girl…" breathed one of the Church members.
"It's a pale imitation!" cried another.
"The ritual was a failure!" yelled a third.
"Huh? No, wait, what are you… What did you do?" asked the girl yet the church members simply advanced at her with angered expressions. What did she do?! One moment she had been underwater and now she was here, in a body of a human being no less. The surge of information was too much to take that she was rooted to the spot letting the outraged mob advanced towards her unopposed. Just why were they angry, she didn't do anything wrong!
It was here she heard a voice from the back of the congregation, "YOU THERE! STAY DOWN!"
At the order, Ayanami didn't even think twice before lying flat in the middle of the ritual circle before closing her eyes. There was the sound of glass breaking and the sound of metal being busted open. Strangled screams erupted before being silenced by an object hitting against flesh.
Men cursed while women shrieked, there was even gunfire echoing into the air yet Ayanami simply kept herself down as she was told. It may have been minutes or even hours… But she only opened her eyes when everything became quiet.
She was greeted by the sight of men in dark fatigues walking about subduing many others beside the walls. They held thick black beating sticks as they cuffed the cultists one by one. Three of them approached a very confused Destroyer sitting in the middle of a bloody ritual circle as she raised her arms in surrender.
"Um, parley?" she chuckled dryly.
The Demon Goddess of Solomon could only smile weakly as the blood on her shirt began to dry.
.....
....
...
Present Time
"So you're telling me that a pagan cult dedicated to the Abyssals managed to conduct a summoning ritual, kuma?" questioned the lead ship of the Kuma class Lightcruisers with a skeptical look, "They were trying to summon an Abyssal Princess but ended up summoning a Destroyer instead?"
"Funny how things like that happen, huh?" said the Admiral, "Well, if you looked at it, it does make some sense."
Kuma scoffed and crossed her arms, "Oh yeah? How so, kuma?"
"They were a Cult who did blood rituals and the likes. So wouldn't it make sense for them to summon a Demon Goddess into this world?" chuckled the Admiral while waving the documents.
".... That's not funny at all, kuma," said Kuma with a flat look on her face...
.....
....
...
Ayanami stood before the armed men before her with her arms still raised. It was only when they lowered their weapons did she lower her hands as well. Confusion filled her mind as she looked down at her hands, clenching her fists as she got a good feel on what it was like to move her fingers. A human body...
But why...
She tensed as the men turned away from her and began to assist their comrades in taking away the rest of the cultists. From her side, a woman in smart looking clothes and tightly bun hair approached Ayanami with a kind smile.
"You are Ayanami are you not? It's okay now. We'd simply like it if you can come with us. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and we're more than happy enough to give you the answers you wan? Over tea perhaps," began the woman and the Kanmusu found herself unable to answer.
Ayanami then inhaled a deep breath and nodded. She would have to know... There's something strange is going on.
The world as it was now was completely different from the one she left behind.
==============================================================
I'm AnonymousRabbit. I mostly write quests these days so writing stories like these is jarring for me. It'll take adjustments but I'll try and get better by returning to my roots. I don't know how much I'll be able to update this but it's better than a constant stream of quest updates everyday.
I have @Nottheunmaker for helping me out pick the title and kicking my ass into just doing this. I owe him a lot and he's a cool guy.
I also have @AWACS Sky Eye for coming up with that chant. Pretty neat. You guys should talk to him.
So yeah, that's about it. I'll get the other one up... Soonish. yeah.
......
Toothpaste tastes good.
===============================================================
More to Come...
Sortie 2: Consultation
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Consultation
"I would like to have a consultation," was what Shiranui uttered as she entered the Admiral's office, "It is a matter of the heart."
The Admiral stared at her with glassy eyes as he dropped his pen. Likewise his Secretary for the day, Akagi, froze mid-slurp of her fifty yen priced cup noodles she had painstakingly made after ten failed attempts. Now this was something interesting considering the Ship Girl asking for the consultation.
If this was just a normal discussion, the Admiral would have simply went along with it yet it was the second part of Shiranui's request which baffled his mind. Turning to his side, he exchange looks with Akagi as they engaged in a silent conversation.
"Who is this and what did she do to Shiranui?" asked the Admiral.
"I don't know! But you better talk to her now!" said Akagi with wide eyes as they turned their attention back at the stone faced Destroyer.
Clearing his throat, the Admiral decided to entertain his charge by asking for clarification, "W-What's this about, Shiranui? What do you mean matter of the heart?"
"I am in love with Kaga-san," the Destroyer put bluntl-
"PFFFFFTTTT, WHAT," squawked Akagi as she spat her noodles into her Admiral's face, "YOU'RE WHAT."
Meanwhile, the Admiral deliberately ignored the scalding hot cup noodles that has been sprayed upon his visage, "She's got some guts saying that with Akagi here."
At the first member of the 1stCarDiv's words, Shiranui couldn't help but flush deep scarlet as she brought her thumbs together while averting her gaze, "I... I am not familiar with this feeling, Admiral. Therefore I could only turn to you for counsel. Kagerou is simply clueless and I Kuroshio would simply pry... S-So... Nui..."
"Oh god she's serious," thought the Admiral as his thoughts struck him like lightning.
"Oh god she's serious!" Akagi internally screamed. She turned her gaze towards her Admiral whom was observing the bashful Shiranui whom was shuffling her feet like a school girl before him.
This was quite the situation for the Admiral! Being in charge of over a hundred Ship Girls was a big responsibility and managing each of their unique personalities was enough to drive a normal human insane. However the Admiral had endured for eight months on the job with an unbendable will of steel be it in battle or fleet organizations, raking in awards and medals not only for himself but for his girls as well!
Akagi, as a veteran of his Fleet, knew exactly how talented the Admiral was despite his age but even then he would have to think about this carefully. That's right! Unlike battles, this was a girl's heart he was faced with! As far as she knew, the Admiral was unfamiliar with a girl's heart and he knew that himself after the infamous incident in his childhood he was forced to confess while drinking with Jun'you!
His skills had no place here! Yet even then he gazed at Shiranui's blushing face with a sharp look.
Akagi most certainly marveled at how cool-headed he was in this situation!
He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
It seemed that he made up his mind!
"Y-You can count on me *wink*," said the Admiral as his sweat began to slide down his cheeks as he displayed a shaky grin.
"THAT'S NOT REASSURING AT ALL," thought a mortified Akagi.
"Is that so? I'm relieved," sighed Shiranui as she held her chest with a hand.
"AND YOU TRUST HIM SO EASILY?!" Akagi echoed internally while looking at Shiranui in horror.
"A-And it's a good thing Akagi's here too. Perhaps she could give you some information about Kaga that you might want to know," coughed the Admiral as he pointed at the Carrier with two finger guns.
"YOU TRAITOR, HOW COULD YOU?!" thought Akagi with a pained look before her eyes darted towards Shiranui whom had come dangerousl close with eyes wide with expectations, "Oh god."
"I am most grateful for your help, Akagi-san," said Shiranui as she looked at the Carrier with her normally stoic and cold eyes now filled with wonderment and the excited light of a child who knew she was being supported.
To Akagi, she would have glared at her Admiral for putting her between a rock and a hard place but she wouldn't be able to say no to a Shiranui like this. It would simply be too cruel.
"I... Yes, I would be most certainly be happy to help you, Shiranui-chan," Akagi replied with a nervous smile. When Shiranui wasn't looking she sent a glare at her Admiral that could have killed an Abyssal Destroyer, "Bastard."
"Bite me," was the message the Admiral's arrogant look was saying.
"Well, if that's the case... Then may I explain?" offered Shiranui as she stepped away with her usual stoic expression back in place.
"By all means," urged Akagi.
"Sure, go ahead," replied the Admiral.
Clearing her throat, the pink haired Destroyer then said, "It all started during that grueling battle of the Northern Sea."
"Wait, hold on... I was in the Fleet too, wasn't I?" thought Akagi as she listened to Shiranui's story.
"It was during that battle that I sustained massive injuries but I was saved by Kaga-san just as I was about to be sunk," continued the Destroyer with a resolute expression, "I would have accepted my fate back then however it was through Kaga-san's courageous display of will and determination that I held on just in time for Yukikaze to dump a Repair Crew charm on my face. Ever since then, I looked up to Kaga-san when she still had her striking long hair and fearless expression."
"Wait... Kaga-san? Long hair?" thought Akagi as a creeping feeling began to crawl behind her back.
"This heavy feeling in my heart would simply not lighten. I've made my research and written down five page essays in regards to my feelings yet even with all the techniques and advice I have scrounged up from the Internet, this feeling would no go away. I have decided to do something about it yet my own inexperience is preventing me from taking action," continued Shiranui with a regretful tone.
Clenching her fist, the Destroyer then said, "Admiral! What is love?!"
"It's burning, yo," came the Admiral's cool reply.
"B-Burning, you say?" said Shiranui as she was taken aback by this.
"Yeah. Burning Love. Do it like Kongou does," said the Admiral with a nod.
"I... I'm afraid I don't understand. What does Kongou-san do?" asked the Destroyer with a confused look on her face. Right. Kongou had only been assigned to the base a few days ago so it was obvious that someone as serious and recluse as Shiranui wouldn't see much of the Battleship as unlikely it was to miss her.
"Do you hear that, Shiranui? Listen carefully," said the Admiral as he cupped his right ear.
Shiranui frowned and closed her eyes to open her senses.
......
Far into the distance....
It could be heard...
Somewhere....
At the pier... She could be heard...
....
"BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!!!!"
....
"!" with her eyes widening, Shiranui stepped back, "I hear it! I hear it Admiral!"
"Good, good," said the Admiral with a sagely nod, "Now do as she does."
"Shout 'Burning Love', Admiral?" asked the Destroyer.
"If it needs be, so be it," replied the Admiral with another nod.
"What in god's blue sea is this idiot babbling abou- Wait... Hold on, it actually makes sense," thought Akagi.
That's right!
"If you wish for yourself to be freed of that weight in your heart, why not let it out, Shiranui?" suggested the Admiral with a kind smile, "Be honest with yourself, relax and release all your inhibitions, stop worrying and move forward. Advance through the chaotic waves inside of you and sail full steam ahead to what you really desire. If only to grant yourself a peace of mind..."
Blinking, it seemed that Shiranui understood what the Admiral was trying to say. Akagi could almost say she was impressed by this.
"Besides," the Admiral then cracked a grin as he gave Akagi a sidelong glance, "You never know. The object of your affection may just hear you."
Finally, it was the Admiral whom broke the silence, "You know... That day Akashi told me that Shiranui became partially color blind."
"Mhmm," mumbled Akagi.
"And perhaps... In the heat of the battle... She may have mixed up two people with each other. So misunderstandings could easily happen at that rate," coughed the Admiral, "Kaga never did sortie that day, yeah?"
"Why didn't you tell her?" asked Akagi with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you honestly think I'm cruel enough to break the girl's heart then and there?" scoffed the Admiral, "She'll find out about it herself. And when she does... You better get ready."
"That's just as bad you know, misleading her," huffed the Carrier.
"Kaga's going to be in for a shock. Don't you think that will be funny?" the Admiral sighed, "Yep. It's funny."
.....
"You know, you actually said something very nice to her there," giggled the Carrier before she glared at the Admiral, "You're a bastard though."
"Bite me," growled the Admiral before going back to finishing his paperwork.
.....
While the day passed over the Naval Base... At the distance... A call could be heard...
"B-B-BUR...BURNING LOVE!"
==================================
Original post could be found here Kantai Collection-Fanfic and Idea thread.
At least I can put it here now.
==================================
"I would like to have a consultation," was what Shiranui uttered as she entered the Admiral's office, "It is a matter of the heart."
The Admiral stared at her with glassy eyes as he dropped his pen. Likewise his Secretary for the day, Akagi, froze mid-slurp of her fifty yen priced cup noodles she had painstakingly made after ten failed attempts. Now this was something interesting considering the Ship Girl asking for the consultation.
If this was just a normal discussion, the Admiral would have simply went along with it yet it was the second part of Shiranui's request which baffled his mind. Turning to his side, he exchange looks with Akagi as they engaged in a silent conversation.
"Who is this and what did she do to Shiranui?" asked the Admiral.
"I don't know! But you better talk to her now!" said Akagi with wide eyes as they turned their attention back at the stone faced Destroyer.
Clearing his throat, the Admiral decided to entertain his charge by asking for clarification, "W-What's this about, Shiranui? What do you mean matter of the heart?"
"I am in love with Kaga-san," the Destroyer put bluntl-
"PFFFFFTTTT, WHAT," squawked Akagi as she spat her noodles into her Admiral's face, "YOU'RE WHAT."
Meanwhile, the Admiral deliberately ignored the scalding hot cup noodles that has been sprayed upon his visage, "She's got some guts saying that with Akagi here."
At the first member of the 1stCarDiv's words, Shiranui couldn't help but flush deep scarlet as she brought her thumbs together while averting her gaze, "I... I am not familiar with this feeling, Admiral. Therefore I could only turn to you for counsel. Kagerou is simply clueless and I Kuroshio would simply pry... S-So... Nui..."
"Oh god she's serious," thought the Admiral as his thoughts struck him like lightning.
"Oh god she's serious!" Akagi internally screamed. She turned her gaze towards her Admiral whom was observing the bashful Shiranui whom was shuffling her feet like a school girl before him.
This was quite the situation for the Admiral! Being in charge of over a hundred Ship Girls was a big responsibility and managing each of their unique personalities was enough to drive a normal human insane. However the Admiral had endured for eight months on the job with an unbendable will of steel be it in battle or fleet organizations, raking in awards and medals not only for himself but for his girls as well!
Akagi, as a veteran of his Fleet, knew exactly how talented the Admiral was despite his age but even then he would have to think about this carefully. That's right! Unlike battles, this was a girl's heart he was faced with! As far as she knew, the Admiral was unfamiliar with a girl's heart and he knew that himself after the infamous incident in his childhood he was forced to confess while drinking with Jun'you!
His skills had no place here! Yet even then he gazed at Shiranui's blushing face with a sharp look.
Akagi most certainly marveled at how cool-headed he was in this situation!
He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
It seemed that he made up his mind!
"Y-You can count on me *wink*," said the Admiral as his sweat began to slide down his cheeks as he displayed a shaky grin.
"THAT'S NOT REASSURING AT ALL," thought a mortified Akagi.
"Is that so? I'm relieved," sighed Shiranui as she held her chest with a hand.
"AND YOU TRUST HIM SO EASILY?!" Akagi echoed internally while looking at Shiranui in horror.
"A-And it's a good thing Akagi's here too. Perhaps she could give you some information about Kaga that you might want to know," coughed the Admiral as he pointed at the Carrier with two finger guns.
"YOU TRAITOR, HOW COULD YOU?!" thought Akagi with a pained look before her eyes darted towards Shiranui whom had come dangerousl close with eyes wide with expectations, "Oh god."
"I am most grateful for your help, Akagi-san," said Shiranui as she looked at the Carrier with her normally stoic and cold eyes now filled with wonderment and the excited light of a child who knew she was being supported.
To Akagi, she would have glared at her Admiral for putting her between a rock and a hard place but she wouldn't be able to say no to a Shiranui like this. It would simply be too cruel.
"I... Yes, I would be most certainly be happy to help you, Shiranui-chan," Akagi replied with a nervous smile. When Shiranui wasn't looking she sent a glare at her Admiral that could have killed an Abyssal Destroyer, "Bastard."
"Bite me," was the message the Admiral's arrogant look was saying.
"Well, if that's the case... Then may I explain?" offered Shiranui as she stepped away with her usual stoic expression back in place.
"By all means," urged Akagi.
"Sure, go ahead," replied the Admiral.
Clearing her throat, the pink haired Destroyer then said, "It all started during that grueling battle of the Northern Sea."
"Wait, hold on... I was in the Fleet too, wasn't I?" thought Akagi as she listened to Shiranui's story.
"It was during that battle that I sustained massive injuries but I was saved by Kaga-san just as I was about to be sunk," continued the Destroyer with a resolute expression, "I would have accepted my fate back then however it was through Kaga-san's courageous display of will and determination that I held on just in time for Yukikaze to dump a Repair Crew charm on my face. Ever since then, I looked up to Kaga-san when she still had her striking long hair and fearless expression."
"Wait... Kaga-san? Long hair?" thought Akagi as a creeping feeling began to crawl behind her back.
"This heavy feeling in my heart would simply not lighten. I've made my research and written down five page essays in regards to my feelings yet even with all the techniques and advice I have scrounged up from the Internet, this feeling would no go away. I have decided to do something about it yet my own inexperience is preventing me from taking action," continued Shiranui with a regretful tone.
Clenching her fist, the Destroyer then said, "Admiral! What is love?!"
"It's burning, yo," came the Admiral's cool reply.
"B-Burning, you say?" said Shiranui as she was taken aback by this.
"Yeah. Burning Love. Do it like Kongou does," said the Admiral with a nod.
"I... I'm afraid I don't understand. What does Kongou-san do?" asked the Destroyer with a confused look on her face. Right. Kongou had only been assigned to the base a few days ago so it was obvious that someone as serious and recluse as Shiranui wouldn't see much of the Battleship as unlikely it was to miss her.
"Do you hear that, Shiranui? Listen carefully," said the Admiral as he cupped his right ear.
Shiranui frowned and closed her eyes to open her senses.
......
Far into the distance....
It could be heard...
Somewhere....
At the pier... She could be heard...
....
"BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!!!!"
....
"!" with her eyes widening, Shiranui stepped back, "I hear it! I hear it Admiral!"
"Good, good," said the Admiral with a sagely nod, "Now do as she does."
"Shout 'Burning Love', Admiral?" asked the Destroyer.
"If it needs be, so be it," replied the Admiral with another nod.
"What in god's blue sea is this idiot babbling abou- Wait... Hold on, it actually makes sense," thought Akagi.
That's right!
"If you wish for yourself to be freed of that weight in your heart, why not let it out, Shiranui?" suggested the Admiral with a kind smile, "Be honest with yourself, relax and release all your inhibitions, stop worrying and move forward. Advance through the chaotic waves inside of you and sail full steam ahead to what you really desire. If only to grant yourself a peace of mind..."
Blinking, it seemed that Shiranui understood what the Admiral was trying to say. Akagi could almost say she was impressed by this.
"Besides," the Admiral then cracked a grin as he gave Akagi a sidelong glance, "You never know. The object of your affection may just hear you."
=====================
Shiranui bade Akagi and the Admiral goodbye, shutting the office door behind her as she left. This left the Carrier and Admiral alone in the office as they stared after her departing form.
Finally, it was the Admiral whom broke the silence, "You know... That day Akashi told me that Shiranui became partially color blind."
"Mhmm," mumbled Akagi.
"And perhaps... In the heat of the battle... She may have mixed up two people with each other. So misunderstandings could easily happen at that rate," coughed the Admiral, "Kaga never did sortie that day, yeah?"
"Why didn't you tell her?" asked Akagi with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you honestly think I'm cruel enough to break the girl's heart then and there?" scoffed the Admiral, "She'll find out about it herself. And when she does... You better get ready."
"That's just as bad you know, misleading her," huffed the Carrier.
"Kaga's going to be in for a shock. Don't you think that will be funny?" the Admiral sighed, "Yep. It's funny."
.....
"You know, you actually said something very nice to her there," giggled the Carrier before she glared at the Admiral, "You're a bastard though."
"Bite me," growled the Admiral before going back to finishing his paperwork.
.....
While the day passed over the Naval Base... At the distance... A call could be heard...
"B-B-BUR...BURNING LOVE!"
==================================
Original post could be found here Kantai Collection-Fanfic and Idea thread.
At least I can put it here now.
==================================
More Nuinui to come
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Watched and waiting with interest.
...
Because why yes, we need some more burning love in our lives.
...
No. I have not laughed at that. Huh uh. At all.
...
Because why yes, we need some more burning love in our lives.
...
No. I have not laughed at that. Huh uh. At all.
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Bully the Nui
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
No, Rabbit. No Nuis will be bullied. You can't make us!
Sortie 3: Bono Salt
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
"So you're just playing this all day whenever you want?" questioned Akebono as she turned around, her long purple hair swaying through the air as the bell on her head clinked. She held up a thin white box with some rather upbeat fanfare playing within it.
The caption "Victorious" shined upon the screen while virtual confetti rained upon its background before the Destroyer took one look at it again in uncertainty before grimacing.
It was quite an odd device that she'd usually find the Admiral fiddling about with but recently it was all in a rage among the Ship Girls once Murakumo gave up and let them have a few.
Floating peacefully upon the Naval District's private pool, Imuya smirked and said, "It helps with killing time. You know how boring expeditions could be so I thought I'd give you a few pointers considering your role on the base. You'll like it, I promise. Just don't let that stupid traditionalist thing of your get the better of you and embrace the modern age."
"Right… The modern age brought us Naka's ceaseless singing tripe to deal with. Fat lot that benefited us," griped the Destroyer as she hesitantly pressed buttons on the smartphone, "So aside from this game what else can this thing do?"
"Well it can play a whole lot of other games," hummed Imuya, twirling a red lock of her hair with a thoughtful look.
Akebono blinked and frowned, "Wait, you can play more than one?"
"Have you been living under a rock?" drawled Imuya with a look of disbelief.
"Hey, I just got summoned last week, don't get smarmy with me!" scoffed Akebono with a slight blush on her face as she looked away. She glanced down on the phone and pressed buttons… Soon she found herself staring at the screen's alarm settings. Tensing, she glanced back at the red haired submarine staring at her with an amused look. She finally had enough when she turned around stomped her foot, "Okay fine, just tell me how to get games here!"
Imuya's smile turned into a full-fledged gleeful grin before she spoke, "You sure though? It's a veritable time sink if anything."
"Isn't that the point though? For the time sink?" clarified the Destroyer with a suspicious glare.
"Yes well, but be careful. It might just take your soul and everything you love," warned Imuya before she lazily sunk into the pool, splashing a bit water into the air.
Akebono stepped away to keep herself dry as she stared after the submerged Ship Girl whom resurfaced after a moment.
She then gritted her teeth and repeated her demand, "Just tell me how to work this stupid thing, damn it. I'm a Ship Girl and a proud Destroyer and I'm telling you right now it's not sucking no soul from me. I bet the games are stupid anyway!"
Imuya simply clicked her tongue while shaking her head, "Oh Miss Bono…Here, let me teach you. This is how you deal with Fairies."
And so the Bono was taught.
…..
….
…
One Week later
Kagerou walked down the Destroyer Dormitory's hallway when she spotted a familiar figure slumped forward up ahead. She recognized that long purple hair anywhere and put on her best smile and readied her brightest tone.
With a skip in her step and an aura that would blind even Yamashiro, Kagerou patted her fellow Destroyer on the shoulder and greeted her, "Yo, Bono! How was your wee-"
"Fairies," Akebono sharply replied.
Confused, Kagerou could only smile, "Eh?"
"These fucking fairies. These fucking fairies filling up my Unit slots, I hate them all!" snarled the shorter Destroyer as she clenched her free hand while her left held her smart phone all while trembling hard. Akebono jerked her head to look at Kagerou in the eye while raising the screen, "35 Fairies. 35 fairies, damn it, I can become a God with these many fairies but they never stop coming!"
Taken aback by the mad look in her friend's eyes, the vibrant Kagerou, name ship of her class decided that it would be better to calm Akebono first, "Now let's not get hasty, what did the fairies do and why are you so ma—"
"Every. Single. Fight I get fairies! Every node, every Daily Reward, it's fairies!" Akebono all but screeched as she pinned the taller Destroyer against the wall. Realizing this, Kagerou's apparent confusion was replaced by a slight blush on her cheeks as she had herself cornered by the shorter girl.
"H-H-Hey Bo-Bono?" she began as Akebono didn't seem to be in the mood to listen, "He-hey maybe you can explain what the fairies d-do?"
"They make your units stronger…" breathed Akebono, ignoring Kagerou's ears going red as she continued, "One fairy is good. Two is great. With three you can advance to Tier 4 Fairies. If you get three Tier 4 Fairies you can reach Tier 5 which can make your units level up exponentially."
"Wait, so it's something from a game-" Kagerou began.
"IT'S NOT ABOUT THE GAME ANYMORE, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FAIRIES NOW, KAGEROU!" Akebono shrieked, making the other girl's heart skip a beat, "They won't leave me alone. Just when I thought I'd be free of them, I log into the game and get my bonus… And then you know what I get?"
"W-What?" breathed Kagerou as she tried to glance to her sides to see for anyone to help her.
"Link Points. You can use those Points to buy fairies. To buy upgrade materials. Materials that are the Fairies themselves…" whispered Akebono as her entire frame began to tremble, "And the fairies cost 500 Link Points…"
"O-Okay?"
"And you know how much the game gave me?"
"H-How many?" Kagerou swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She was finding it hard to breathe as she slowly slid down into the floor with Akebono towering over her.
"50,000 Link Points…" hissed the purple haired Destroyer. Akebono stared right into Kagerou's eyes with the most soulless stare she could muster, "You know what that means?"
"Eh?"
"Fairies."
"F-Fairies?"
"All the Fairies," Akebono pushed herself away from the wall and Kagerou and stumbled backward, hitting the window and falling flat on her rear as her energy left her. She set aside her smart phone still pinging notifications of her successful gacha rolls and reached for the ceiling, "All the fairies. All of them."
Kagerou blinked as she tried to regain her composure. Slowly rising back up to her feet while using the wall behind her as support, the taller Destroyer knelt down and lifted Akebono's fringes, "Have you been sleeping?"
"I only sleep when all the fairies are gone and all of my units are Gods or Tier 6 or… Shit… I need to grind for Evolve Materials… I must save the Princess…. I'm gonna save the world but those fucking fairies though, oooh, I hate them so much," hissed the purple haired and obviously sleep deprived Destroyer as she weakly pounded the ground. Sighing, she looked up and said, "Hey Kagerou…"
"What is it, you dumbass?" Kagerou replied with an amused look.
"I hate everything," murmured Akebono before finally passing out. Kagerou raised an eyebrow at this, her attention being caught by Akebono's phone losing its power at last and shutting down.
"Right, let's get you back to bed," sighed Kagerou with a small smile as she lifted her friend up from the floor back into the latter's room.
=======================
So I got into this game called Grand Sphere. It's a really cool game and really fun. It's on the android phone so you can get it for free on Google Play. Anyway, while it's fun, you beat areas and kill bosses and get these fairies as rewards. Somehow these fairies boosts your unit's level by a high rate. So eventually I started winning all the things and getting a lot of fairies.
And by a lot, I mean a fucking lot goddammit I'm still mad that I have so much fairies.
My hate and salt has been channeled to Akebono.
I hate those fucking fairies... Anyway, this is all for now, ciao.
========================
The caption "Victorious" shined upon the screen while virtual confetti rained upon its background before the Destroyer took one look at it again in uncertainty before grimacing.
It was quite an odd device that she'd usually find the Admiral fiddling about with but recently it was all in a rage among the Ship Girls once Murakumo gave up and let them have a few.
Floating peacefully upon the Naval District's private pool, Imuya smirked and said, "It helps with killing time. You know how boring expeditions could be so I thought I'd give you a few pointers considering your role on the base. You'll like it, I promise. Just don't let that stupid traditionalist thing of your get the better of you and embrace the modern age."
"Right… The modern age brought us Naka's ceaseless singing tripe to deal with. Fat lot that benefited us," griped the Destroyer as she hesitantly pressed buttons on the smartphone, "So aside from this game what else can this thing do?"
"Well it can play a whole lot of other games," hummed Imuya, twirling a red lock of her hair with a thoughtful look.
Akebono blinked and frowned, "Wait, you can play more than one?"
"Have you been living under a rock?" drawled Imuya with a look of disbelief.
"Hey, I just got summoned last week, don't get smarmy with me!" scoffed Akebono with a slight blush on her face as she looked away. She glanced down on the phone and pressed buttons… Soon she found herself staring at the screen's alarm settings. Tensing, she glanced back at the red haired submarine staring at her with an amused look. She finally had enough when she turned around stomped her foot, "Okay fine, just tell me how to get games here!"
Imuya's smile turned into a full-fledged gleeful grin before she spoke, "You sure though? It's a veritable time sink if anything."
"Isn't that the point though? For the time sink?" clarified the Destroyer with a suspicious glare.
"Yes well, but be careful. It might just take your soul and everything you love," warned Imuya before she lazily sunk into the pool, splashing a bit water into the air.
Akebono stepped away to keep herself dry as she stared after the submerged Ship Girl whom resurfaced after a moment.
She then gritted her teeth and repeated her demand, "Just tell me how to work this stupid thing, damn it. I'm a Ship Girl and a proud Destroyer and I'm telling you right now it's not sucking no soul from me. I bet the games are stupid anyway!"
Imuya simply clicked her tongue while shaking her head, "Oh Miss Bono…Here, let me teach you. This is how you deal with Fairies."
And so the Bono was taught.
…..
….
…
One Week later
Kagerou walked down the Destroyer Dormitory's hallway when she spotted a familiar figure slumped forward up ahead. She recognized that long purple hair anywhere and put on her best smile and readied her brightest tone.
With a skip in her step and an aura that would blind even Yamashiro, Kagerou patted her fellow Destroyer on the shoulder and greeted her, "Yo, Bono! How was your wee-"
"Fairies," Akebono sharply replied.
Confused, Kagerou could only smile, "Eh?"
"These fucking fairies. These fucking fairies filling up my Unit slots, I hate them all!" snarled the shorter Destroyer as she clenched her free hand while her left held her smart phone all while trembling hard. Akebono jerked her head to look at Kagerou in the eye while raising the screen, "35 Fairies. 35 fairies, damn it, I can become a God with these many fairies but they never stop coming!"
Taken aback by the mad look in her friend's eyes, the vibrant Kagerou, name ship of her class decided that it would be better to calm Akebono first, "Now let's not get hasty, what did the fairies do and why are you so ma—"
"Every. Single. Fight I get fairies! Every node, every Daily Reward, it's fairies!" Akebono all but screeched as she pinned the taller Destroyer against the wall. Realizing this, Kagerou's apparent confusion was replaced by a slight blush on her cheeks as she had herself cornered by the shorter girl.
"H-H-Hey Bo-Bono?" she began as Akebono didn't seem to be in the mood to listen, "He-hey maybe you can explain what the fairies d-do?"
"They make your units stronger…" breathed Akebono, ignoring Kagerou's ears going red as she continued, "One fairy is good. Two is great. With three you can advance to Tier 4 Fairies. If you get three Tier 4 Fairies you can reach Tier 5 which can make your units level up exponentially."
"Wait, so it's something from a game-" Kagerou began.
"IT'S NOT ABOUT THE GAME ANYMORE, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FAIRIES NOW, KAGEROU!" Akebono shrieked, making the other girl's heart skip a beat, "They won't leave me alone. Just when I thought I'd be free of them, I log into the game and get my bonus… And then you know what I get?"
"W-What?" breathed Kagerou as she tried to glance to her sides to see for anyone to help her.
"Link Points. You can use those Points to buy fairies. To buy upgrade materials. Materials that are the Fairies themselves…" whispered Akebono as her entire frame began to tremble, "And the fairies cost 500 Link Points…"
"O-Okay?"
"And you know how much the game gave me?"
"H-How many?" Kagerou swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She was finding it hard to breathe as she slowly slid down into the floor with Akebono towering over her.
"50,000 Link Points…" hissed the purple haired Destroyer. Akebono stared right into Kagerou's eyes with the most soulless stare she could muster, "You know what that means?"
"Eh?"
"Fairies."
"F-Fairies?"
"All the Fairies," Akebono pushed herself away from the wall and Kagerou and stumbled backward, hitting the window and falling flat on her rear as her energy left her. She set aside her smart phone still pinging notifications of her successful gacha rolls and reached for the ceiling, "All the fairies. All of them."
Kagerou blinked as she tried to regain her composure. Slowly rising back up to her feet while using the wall behind her as support, the taller Destroyer knelt down and lifted Akebono's fringes, "Have you been sleeping?"
"I only sleep when all the fairies are gone and all of my units are Gods or Tier 6 or… Shit… I need to grind for Evolve Materials… I must save the Princess…. I'm gonna save the world but those fucking fairies though, oooh, I hate them so much," hissed the purple haired and obviously sleep deprived Destroyer as she weakly pounded the ground. Sighing, she looked up and said, "Hey Kagerou…"
"What is it, you dumbass?" Kagerou replied with an amused look.
"I hate everything," murmured Akebono before finally passing out. Kagerou raised an eyebrow at this, her attention being caught by Akebono's phone losing its power at last and shutting down.
"Right, let's get you back to bed," sighed Kagerou with a small smile as she lifted her friend up from the floor back into the latter's room.
=======================
So I got into this game called Grand Sphere. It's a really cool game and really fun. It's on the android phone so you can get it for free on Google Play. Anyway, while it's fun, you beat areas and kill bosses and get these fairies as rewards. Somehow these fairies boosts your unit's level by a high rate. So eventually I started winning all the things and getting a lot of fairies.
And by a lot, I mean a fucking lot goddammit I'm still mad that I have so much fairies.
My hate and salt has been channeled to Akebono.
I hate those fucking fairies... Anyway, this is all for now, ciao.
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More to come...
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That was horrifyingly funny. Nice work!
I almost feel sorry for Akebono.
I almost feel sorry for Akebono.
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
You know you're in a Rabbit thread when you hang that tag up on the wall. But I'll write Shigure stories soon.
Sortie 4: Soul Collection
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Walking through the damp marshlands, the lone girl breathed out a sigh as she strained her eyes to see what awaited her in the horizon. She had been walking for a good six hours now and she has yet to encounter single foe during her travel.
She began to wonder if the information she received from that Inn was correct otherwise she'd be stuck here with damp feet and a twitchy trigger finger. The gray sun hung above the sky almost mocking her with the dim light it was casting overhead.
Clouds gathered all around, giving off the illusion that it would pour heavily at any given moment when the number of rainfall that occurred could be counted with two hands. She stomped across the vast marsh, crushing thick growth beneath her feet while she cursed under her breath. This was clearly tedious work but it was work all the same. She needed this job otherwise she'll be stuck wandering this land for god knows how many more years.
If only she didn't need to fight to get out of this place.
Exhaling deeply, she then sucked in a lungful of damp air and almost gagged. She absolutely hated the place and she briefly wondered how the hell she got here in the first place.
Feeling the heat get to her, she took off her hat and fanned herself with it, allowing her deep green hair to cascade out and contrast greatly with her dark cloak. Her crescent moon hairpin glistened in the gray sunlight as she turned her sharp green eyes towards the heavens.
Nagatsuki silently cursed whoever dropped her here.
Sure she got mulched during the last sortie and sunk but it was either her or Yayoi and she wasn't about to let her sister die in front of her eyes. Better her than anyone else, is what she thought. Knowing that Choukai shot that Battleship Princess dead as she sunk was the only thing providing relief in her heart. At least they got away…
What was strange was that she was here, alive and breathing when she clearly felt her body be dragged down by the Abyss. She felt water fill her up to the point she couldn't even hope to swim back up. Placing her hat back on her head, she trudged on.
The weather hasn't changed since she woke up on that beach still damaged with all of her equipment broken. Back then, she had no chance of fixing her rigging on her own without a dock so she was pretty vulnerable then…
Now though…
Nagatsuki tensed and spotted a cluster of dark whirlpools manifest all around her. Her RADAR pinged multiple hostiles ready for engagement, prompting her to draw her 12.7cm guns and loading them as the Beasts of the Abyssals twisted and twitched their pale bodies while baring their thick silver teeth.
Their lone eyes all glowed blue before turning deep crimson as they hissed and screeched across the marshlands. The girl simply stood there as she braced herself for the attack.
She was ready.
Nagatsuki planted her feet against the marsh before dashing across it with the Beasts of Rohs charged to meet her.
…..
….
…
In this world, the Abyssals spread their influence on land. Foes a Ship Girl would meet at sea in the Real World/The World of the Living/etc would be different. In this world, the Abyssals would latch upon mankind and feed upon them, twisting their bodies to something one couldn't even begin to describe. The Abyss blighted the land, reaching deep into its heart from the blackened seas…
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki danced through the wild swings and stabs of her adversaries while retaliating with precise gunfire right into her enemy's heads. It was no use to target anything else considering that the Abyssals stuck to these men's heads would simply keep them going. She clicked her tongue as she caused one of the Beasts of Roh to stagger down to his knee. She dashed close and punched through the crimson eye of the Ro-Class Destroyer stuck to his head.
Grabbing tight on the sphere shaped object within, she violently yanked her fist out as the Beast of Roh was blown away. She turned and punched another in the gut before placing the barrel of her gun beneath its chin.
BANG
BANG
…..
….
…
Lands were consumed and mankind faced imminent destruction had it not been for the brave Souls whom have fallen to this world's shores. Souls of Warships from Ages long past returned as defenders against the Abyssal threat. They slew the Abyssals with each of one of them being strong enough to combat an entire horde of these creatures. Wielding weapons from an ancient age long since past, they fought with great ferocity and efficiency that mankind was allowed to hold on.
…...
….
…
She rolled away from another Beast of Roh's swing as its compatriot fell. Crushing the Roh's core within her hand, she took a step forward and urged the last three Beasts to attack her. The trio charged with surprising speed while Nagatsuki rushed to meet them. She anticipated the first Beast's swing and holstered her gun, trading it for a small, flat buckler and batted away her assailant's descending arm. Drawing a short machete from her leg, she stabbed the vulnerable Abyssal square on its sternum before raking her blade upwards.
Spinning in place, she stopped just in time to jam the barrel of her gun into the next Abyssal's gaping jaw and blow its head off.
…..
….
…
And yet many of these brave Souls fell. One by one to the very Abyss they fought. For the longer they fought, the greater burden is placed upon and them and humanity's grasp upon that last string of hope began to slip away. They went mad as they fought, losing their own purpose through blood and battle, these defenders, these… Huntresses were not vulnerable to the blight which was corroding the lands. It was here that the world realized that they were running out of time.
…..
….
…
She had to dash away as the third swung at her hard yet she didn't expect the follow up to be a stab. She felt its rusted blade stab her right shoulder faster than she could defend herself. As the broken blade dug into her flesh, she could only watch as it bite down on her left shoulder with its strong jaws.
"D-Damn you!" she snarled before pulling her gun's trigger at last and blowing the Abyssal's arm off. That distracted it enough from chewing her shoulder to bits before she dashed towards it and jammed her machete into its obsidian head. Yanking it out, she lifted her gun once more and fired, killing the final Beast of Roh and watching its body dissipate. Stumbling backwards, Nagatsuki hissed as she fell down on her knees. Her arms felt like horribly maimed from that clumsy stab and vicious bite.
She reached for the back of her belt and pulled out a glowing green flask and downed it in one go. Guzzling it with unquenchable thirst, she slowly began to feel warm inside as her wounds began to close. Nagatsuki looked down at the green flask she was gifted upon her arrival and sighed. Who knew Instant Repairs were still a thing in this godforsaken world… Mutsuki and Satsuki wouldn't believe her once she returned home…
If she ever returned home for that matter…
Tch.
Nagatsuki looked up at the gray sun and briefly wondered if there was truly a way out…
…..
….
…
Time was short… And the Purifying Water which acts as the World's Lifeblood was inching tantalizing close to the approaching blight spread by the Abyss.
And soon the Waters shall fade.
…..
….
…
It was night and Nagatsuki had her back against an anchor embedded in the middle of the marshland. She believed that she earned a good rest after that sloppy fight from before. She had to firmly stick it into her head that she wasn't fighting at sea anymore but on land. A strange concept for a Ship Girl but not something she's unfamiliar with. She now understood the purpose why her damned Admiral had her take that stupid training program/boot camp.
And now it was saving her life… Well, afterlife or whatever, she just didn't want to get her face eaten by some random Abyssal. She had been giving it some thought but the way the people referred to her guns and rigging as 'ancient' gave her the wrong feeling. Was this how the world going to be if the Ship Girls came in late? Was this how it was all going to be if they didn't win against the Abyssals?
Humans with Abyssal Destroyers for heads roaming the gray lands and the entire world falling apart.
They say that it's been over a couple of thousand years since this all began. It was amazing how the world still held itself together for those two millennia. Now humanity was on its last limbs and going by how tired everyone was, they were ready to give up. Nagatsuki didn't understand at all, just why was she here and why her? Did she get sent forward into time once she sunk? Was that how it worked or was the world just playing a cruel joke at her.
…. She just wanted to go home.
And if she'll need to fight for that right, she'll cut and shoot down anything in her path. She placed her hand against the anchor behind her and felt its oddly comforting presence. She was told that Anchors were used to restore the Souls of ship girls to their prime state should they fall in a fight. A Ship Girl's final hold on this world and if this Anchor didn't prove strong enough to weigh her down when she 'died', she'll eventually lose herself.
Now that was an odd concept she couldn't believe until she experienced it herself.
Dying was painful. Getting stabbed, mauled and shot hurt and she didn't care for death when she sunk but now it hurt her all over. It was an overall horrible experience… But using the Anchors was one of the first few things she was taught. How to use Anchors as places to rest and how to use your Repair Flask. Had she thrown herself into the wilderness without all of this knowledge, she would have gone insane long ago.
Now it's just a nice, slow descent to madness until a miracle happened.
…. This really sucked. There was no wifi and expeditions to do. Just endless fighting.
Perhaps she'll be able to carve herself a way back home…
She'll resume her mission tomorrow. It's not like the target would move and she was pretty sure that lower tier Abyssals didn't have the ability to approach Anchors. She could use this time to rest in the mean time. Nagatsuki slowly let her consciousness go as she allowed the arms of sleep to take her.
…..
….
….
The next morning, the lone girl set off once more to find her quarry. Having her flask resupplied and her weapon maintenance handled, she felt quite good about the upcoming battle. She still needed to keep her wits about her and not get over confident. Dying was easy as breathing in this world and every resurrection took a toll on her sanity. It was like a part of her was being shaved away with each death so she couldn't afford to get careless about this.
She kept her 12.7cm turret at the ready in the place of her machete. She felt the slowly temperature drop since she left the Anchor she rested on the previous night and she was grateful for what warmth her cloak was giving to her. Closing her eyes, she allowed her RADAR to function in the event there would be enemies around but so far she had been on her own. The vast marshland only stretched further and further with no end in sight.
Nagatsuki sighed and held her hand on her stomach. No need to eat just yet… Maybe she shouldn't have left her camp without some food first.
She strained her eyes to see for the landmark she was told of in the event she got near the target's location.
Well, there's no point in trying. She knew she was in the area so she'd better get this over with. Nagatsuki held her gun tightly on her offhand while she took out an old bell from strapped to her belt. Raising it into the air, she took a deep breath and rang it.
RING RING
RING RING
The bell's echoing ring spread throughout the wet marshlands and continued till it faded away.
Nagatsuki lowered it and placed back on her belt when she heard the growling.
With her jaw set, she slowly turned around and immediately saw the swirling ooze of corruption manifesting a hundred feet away. A twisting visage of the vile blight of the Abyss where the insistent growling could be heard echoing from it.
Nagatsuki then saw the figure of a person stumble out of it, dragging a vicious looking gun on her offhand as she walked. Her dirty blonde hair was caked in drying blood while the bandages which covered her legs, hands and half of her face seemed to be peeling off from age.
Her tattered clothes seemed to have adopted characteristics of the Abyss scourge making them almost seem life like. The person's bloody red eyes shined in the dim gray landscape and Nagatsuki couldn't help but take a step back once she saw that smile. That smile that bore rows and rows of sharp teeth as she spread her clawed right hand as it shined with fierce red power.
"POOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!"
Nagatsuki barely recovered from the fierce howl when the other girl took to the air, jumping a dozen of feet into the air before descending around twenty meters away from her. The force of the impact was strong enough to blow Nagatsuki off her feet and send her tumbling along the marshes. Gritting her teeth, Nagatsuki got up once more to see the corrupted Soul twirl that brutal looking gun and strap it on her back.
The vicious girl, twisted by the Abyss then got on to all fours and howled,"POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!"
The Dog drew the gun on her back so quickly that the bullet that flew nearly tore off Nagatsuki's shoulder as she rolled to the side. Nagatsuki retaliated with her own gunfire yet the Dog only used this as a chance to close in the distance and swipe at her with that terrible clawed hand.
The girl dodged by rolling into the Dog's opposite direction before getting up and shooting once more, the repeated barks of her gun cracking across the wet landscape.
She landed two clean hits on the Dog's exposed backside before her opponent whirled around and fired back with her gun once more. Nagatsuki ducked low to avoid the first bullet before dashing hard to her right to avoid the second while firing back.
She watched the Dog kicked off the ground and jump high once more, falling downwards with the force of an artillery strike and blowing her off her feet a second time. The Dog then closed in the distance between her and Nagatsuki and drove her clawed hand forward.
The girl felt the burning sensation of steel biting through her flesh as she noticed the short blade attached to the Dog's clawed hand. And then in an almost perfect imitation of a critical attack, the Dog raked its hand through Nagatsuki's body and sending her flying. The girl crashed into a bloody heap unto the ground where she gasped for precious air as she tried kneeling.
She reached for her Repair Flask and was about to bring it to her lips when the Dog blew her head off-
………..
Nagatsuki woke up with a start with her hand resting upon the Anchor she slept on the night before. At the edge of her vision, she could see a girl, sitting before the Anchor with graying green hair and tattered clothes… An empty look was visible on the stranger's face from where Nagatsuki was lying down as the girl simply stared at the anchor as if she were mindless.
And then Nagatsuki realized that it was her.
She got up with a jolt and the ghost disappeared.
That again. Of course, it's something she should be used to by now. A vision of her own future if she kept on dying. There's nothing to it, she'll just have to try again and hopefully beat that Dog. She looked to the side and found her weapons leaning against the rock she used as a work bench the night before. Taking them from their respective places, Nagatsuki inspected them to see if they needed some repairs. She hasn't used them all that much so they were still in top shape.
She'll have to try again.
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki walked through the dense wall of fog and happened upon the Mad Dog glaring at her from the center of the field. The Dog then grabbed the gun strapped to its back and fire a shot at the green haired girl before leaping upwards in quick succession. Nagatsuki dashed forward and ducked beneath the bullet as the Dog crashed behind her. Turning around she rolled to the side as the Dog spun in the air before her and smashed its clawed hand where she was standing.
Sliding across the mud, Nagatsuki took aim and punched three bullets to the Dog's side before she got up to recover. The Dog howled and pounced at her in blind rage so she rolled away to safety as the enemy went on a frenzied rampage. The former Destroyer swallowed hard and placed a Poisoned Brew of Reku on her shells and aimed.
BANG
BANG
Chunks of the Dog's flesh were shot off as it was hit by Nagatsuki's bullets. However she didn't expect her wounds to refuse to heal as they began to sizzle from the poison laced bullets, driving her into a rage filled scream that nearly blew Nagatsuki's eardrums out.
"She sure didn't like that," she breathed as black smoke rose from the Dog's wounds.
The Dog then dropped her cannon and knelt down on the ground as if she were in great pain. Her crimson eyes began to glow with increased intensity as her left arm just began to bulge and rip apart to reveal a pulsating crimson cannon. It was oozing with the corruption of the Abyss yet that was not all as the Dog slammed its clawed hand into the ground where it suddenly grew in size becoming a thick, leathery hand with long crimson blades for claws.
"Sis... party..... poi.... sis.... party..... blood..... let's..... party..." she heard the Mad Dog whisper from the distance before fixing her crimson gaze at Nagatsuki. She then raised the a 15.5cm gun protruding from her left limb and fired a devastating shot which split apart the waters and grass it pass over. Nagatsuki dodged and planted er feet the moment she evaded the bullet before rolling wildly once more to avoid getting slashed apart by the Dog's claws.
It seemed that her speed had grown exponentially, Nagatsuki could barely keep up but there was something different. Clearing her mind and tightening her grip upon her gun, Nagatsuki waited till the Dog raised her claw.
She fired and managed to get a stagger from that opening. The Dog bled out as Nagatsuki's bullet punched through body and left her vulnerable as she felt to her knees. She looked up to see the green haired girl jump in and stab her through the chest with a machete and ripping through her torso in a bloody spatter. Yet the Dog refused to fall and caught herself at the last second. With furious red eyes, she snarled at Nagatsuki's face and drove her clawed hand through the other girl's body.
Nagatsuki coughed out oil and blood before she had herself get smashed all around by the berserk Dog, finally hitting the floor as she had a view of the gray sky.
The Dog mounted her stomach and dive in to bite off her thr-
………..
Nagatsuki woke up once more, her hand immediately grasping for her throat. That was bad.
That was definitely not fun. She felt the phantom pain from the injuries she accumulated while being smashed along the floor. Her bones whined silently as she tried rising once more. Her chest felt lighter for some reason. Satsuki would have a better time with this, she's the combat oriented one alongside Kikuzuki. Damn it, she felt like she was close too. Her head was throbbing something fierce and she could feel some strange haze drape over her memories.
This was bad…
But she refused to just sit down here.
She had work to do.
Standing up, she turned around and raised her hand towards the Anchor. Water began to seep out of the embedded Anchor and climb all over Nagatsuki's arm. She felt a surge of power enter her as the Anchor let out a pulse. Sighing, she had her knees buckle and have her kneel. Looking down at her hands, she reached within her pockets and laid out a few pieces of ammo and Bauxite before the Anchor and watched them disappear into wisps of white light.
These wisps then swooped down and washed over her.
….. There.
"That should give me enough. I should last longer," she murmured before rising back to her feet.
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki walked back to where the Mad Dog's fog door was located and with a heavy heart, glared at the swirling mass of white matter barring her a good look at her foe before the battle started. She decided to forego the use of her gun too much. She'll have to get in close and deal as much damage as she could before she got mauled to death again. Holstering her 12.7cm main turret, she drew her machete and rubbed some Poisoned Brew of Reku. The Dog hated it so this was her best chance at this…
Resigning herself to another damnable experience, the lone girl walked towards the fog door a third time…
But something caught her eye a few meters from the fog door. Frowning, Nagatsuki walked over it and looked down to see a name scrawled over the wet grass and mud, words written in odd glyphs that she somehow understood.
"What…The hell?" breathed Nagatsuki as she reached out to touch the Glyph. She watched the odd letters shine one by one before disappearing, followed by the ground twisting into a bright white swirl.
A moment later another girl rose from the ground bathed in this oddly warm white light. She held in her hand a long, gold and silver spear and had a pair of 12.7 HA cannon strapped behind her back. Her golden eyes contrasted with her light blue hair, her face akin to a noble's with the charisma her simple stare was able to emit.
Wearing white leather armor with dark silver greaves, the girl resembled a veritable warrior compared to Nagatsuki's mismatched pieces of clothing and armor.
"Ah…" taken aback, Nagatsuki was about to raise her blade when the Phantom raised a hand.
The Phantom then shook her head and turned her gaze towards the Fog door. Jerking her head towards the fog, the Phantom then waited till Nagatsuki regained her bearings.
Now Nagatsuki wasn't really sure what to do here but she figured that this girl… this Phantom was an ally. She wasn't taught about this during her first few days in this world so this came as a surprise. Right, she'll take what she had and be grateful. Nagatsuki made sure that the poison effect on her blade was still on before walking up to the door.
Pressing her hand against it, she soon walked through and turned her gaze towards the Mad Dog of Solomon at the center of the field. It had reverted to its previous form but Nagatsuki knew what to do now. The Dog unleashed a savage howl before jumping upwards, kicking through the air and raising its bladed hand on its descent.
Nagatsuki rolled forward to avoid getting hit yet when she looked back she saw that the Phantom she summoned had just entered the field…
Right into the Dog's massive crash landin-
CLANG
For the first time the Dog bore a surprised expression as the Phantom single-handedly endured her devastating crash attack with a spear. The Phantom looked up and smirked, electricity running through her weapon and wrapping around the Mad Dog. With the enemy stuck to her spear, she aimed her twin 12.7 HA cannons and fired, blowing the Dog across the field. It rolled thrice before recovering, drawing its own cannon and firing several shots at Nagatsuki and her Phantom.
The green haired girl and her partner dashed through the salvos where she reached the Dog first and slashed. The crimson eyed girl snarled and swiped with her clawed hand to which Nagatsuki sidestepped and countered. The Dog blocked the slash with her cannon and shoved Nagatsuki away as the Phantom descended and kept her at bay with that electrified spear. Nagatsuki rolled and tumbled only to look up to see that Dog and the Phantom locked in furious melee.
She hissed and rose up to her feet as the Dog and Phantom exchanged blows and pushed each other away. The Dog then snarled and unleashed several consecutive cannon fire which forced the spear wielding Phantom to dash away yet was caught by a shell to her shoulder. The Dog was about to press forward when Nagatsuki caught its attention by shooting it from the side and making it howl while it moved away.
"Are you okay?!" she called over to her Phantom kneeling at the distance.
The Phantom gave her one look and nodded.
They both looked over at the Mad Dog as it fell to its knees and had its arms twist and pulse grotesquely once more. Turning her crimson gaze at Nagatsuki once more, the Dog let out an ear piercing roar while the blight of the Abyss seeped from her body.
"POIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!"
"This is it, I won't let you kill me again, damn it!" cried Nagatsuki as she sprinted towards the Dog alongside her Phantom.
The silent Phantom simply imbued her spear with lightning once more as the Dog leaped. They split as their opponent crashed at the spot where they were standing, a cloud of noxious fumes obscuring the Dog before it burst through it to lunge at Nagatsuki. Planting her feet on the ground, she rolled to the side as it missed her, taking the moment slash its arm-turned gun. Her attack bounced right off and she had to lean back to avoid getting killed the same way as last time.
The Phantom got behind the Dog and backstabbed her with extreme prejudice, channeling power through her spear and blowing the red eyed girl away. Nagatsuki followed as the Dog was about to recover and swung her machete across her enemy's chest, ducking low to avoid getting swiped by that brutal cannon and dashing underneath it to land a blow. The Dog found herself on her knees just as the Phantom rushed past and blowing a piece of her shoulder off.
Howling, the Dog whirled around and raised its 15.5cm main cannon arm and fired. Nagatsuki and the Phantom dodged out of the way while the Dog tried rushing towards Nagatsuki.
The girl then raised her own gun as the Dog's claw descended mid-swing.
BANG
The Mad Dog of Solomon staggered and fell to her knees, Nagatsuki ceased he retreat and dashed forward with her blade singing.
STAB
"Come on, just die already!" she growled before tearing through the Dog's torso in another brilliant shower of blood yet just as the last time, her opponent seemed to refuse to back down.
The Dog growled through bloody teeth as she tried grabbing Nagatsuki once more but this time the girl anticipated this and spun her machete in her hand and stabbed it at the center of the Dog's palm. She then used the few seconds the Dog was stunned with pain to draw out her gun and fire five consecutive point blank shots with her main turret, forcing the enemy to stumble backwards right into the electrified spear of the Phantom.
The Dog howled as it was subjected to several thousands of volts.
"HGRYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The Phantom planted one foot on the Dog's back and kicked her down into the mud.
The Mad Dog of Solomon whimpered and mewled as she tried rising once more yet that final backstab had robbed her of the last of her power. Hate blazed through her eyes as she watched Nagatsuki walk up towards her with a gun. Coming to a halt before her fallen enemy, Nagatsuki sighed and aimed her gun at the Mad Dog's head.
"P-Poi… Poi… Sis… Sis… I… I can't see, anymore…" rasped the Dog through its many teeth, "Sis… I want… To have a party. Let's… have a party… Poi…"
Nagatsuki turned her eyes towards the Phantom whom simply stood at the side and watched her nod her head. She then looked back down at the downed Dog and swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry."
BANG
The gathered power which built up the Mad Dog's ferocious strength then began to dive straight for Nagatsuki's body before a dim clump of warm white energy filled her hand. She glanced at the white Phantom who helped her through the fight but only managed to see her fade away into nothing, leaving Nagatsuki all alone in the middle of the marshland.
"Huh, weird," she murmured before looking down at the white object upon her palm, "The Mad Dog of Solomon's Soul… I wouldn't have been able to get this on my own."
She clenched her fist and took out one of the pouches hanging from her belt and placed the Soul in there. She would have to stay alive until she returned to where civilization would be and progress…
Nagatsuki looked up the gray sun and sighed.
…..
….
…
It's said that when a Ship Spirit gathered enough Souls of the fallen, they would be deemed worthy to traverse through the Shrine which has the Purifying Waters sealed away. It's said that when they gathered enough Souls, they would be freed from the shackles of this gray world. It's said that when they collect the most powerful Souls from the darkest cores of the Abyss, they would be given the chance to allow the waters to purify the blight.
Until then, Nagatsuki resigned herself to this fate.
She would perform Soul Collections till the day she too would fall prey to the Abyss.
But that day has yet to come and she fights on.
====================================================
Personal opinion time.
I just wanted to write something cool. And you know what's cool? The Souls series. You know what else is cool? Blending them all together with a bit of Salt and Sanctuary thrown into the mix.
I suggested this idea back then a few weeks ago on Discord. @AWACS Sky Eye came up most of the lore even if I did kickstart the wagon so tell him he's a nice guy for coming up with all the wacky lorestuff. There's a pastebin of it the stuff he made up. Heckle him to giving it.
Now SoulColle was supposed to be a quest but then life happened and I didn't really feel invested in it anymore. But I like how this turned out and I might just write more of Nagatsuki's adventure in this gray world. While I may have taken cues from the Souls games it's stands well on its own.
i'll admit I was a bit sloppy but whatever, I'll clean it up as i go. Oh and my Nier hype has been sated. Thank god for that. Now I've got schoolwork tomorrow and Shigures to hug. Leave a like or response below, I'd appreciate your thoughts.
.......
It's very hard for me not to write ten dozen different fics featuring nothing but Shigure.
======================================================
She began to wonder if the information she received from that Inn was correct otherwise she'd be stuck here with damp feet and a twitchy trigger finger. The gray sun hung above the sky almost mocking her with the dim light it was casting overhead.
Clouds gathered all around, giving off the illusion that it would pour heavily at any given moment when the number of rainfall that occurred could be counted with two hands. She stomped across the vast marsh, crushing thick growth beneath her feet while she cursed under her breath. This was clearly tedious work but it was work all the same. She needed this job otherwise she'll be stuck wandering this land for god knows how many more years.
If only she didn't need to fight to get out of this place.
Exhaling deeply, she then sucked in a lungful of damp air and almost gagged. She absolutely hated the place and she briefly wondered how the hell she got here in the first place.
Feeling the heat get to her, she took off her hat and fanned herself with it, allowing her deep green hair to cascade out and contrast greatly with her dark cloak. Her crescent moon hairpin glistened in the gray sunlight as she turned her sharp green eyes towards the heavens.
Nagatsuki silently cursed whoever dropped her here.
Sure she got mulched during the last sortie and sunk but it was either her or Yayoi and she wasn't about to let her sister die in front of her eyes. Better her than anyone else, is what she thought. Knowing that Choukai shot that Battleship Princess dead as she sunk was the only thing providing relief in her heart. At least they got away…
What was strange was that she was here, alive and breathing when she clearly felt her body be dragged down by the Abyss. She felt water fill her up to the point she couldn't even hope to swim back up. Placing her hat back on her head, she trudged on.
The weather hasn't changed since she woke up on that beach still damaged with all of her equipment broken. Back then, she had no chance of fixing her rigging on her own without a dock so she was pretty vulnerable then…
Now though…
Nagatsuki tensed and spotted a cluster of dark whirlpools manifest all around her. Her RADAR pinged multiple hostiles ready for engagement, prompting her to draw her 12.7cm guns and loading them as the Beasts of the Abyssals twisted and twitched their pale bodies while baring their thick silver teeth.
Their lone eyes all glowed blue before turning deep crimson as they hissed and screeched across the marshlands. The girl simply stood there as she braced herself for the attack.
She was ready.
Nagatsuki planted her feet against the marsh before dashing across it with the Beasts of Rohs charged to meet her.
…..
….
…
In this world, the Abyssals spread their influence on land. Foes a Ship Girl would meet at sea in the Real World/The World of the Living/etc would be different. In this world, the Abyssals would latch upon mankind and feed upon them, twisting their bodies to something one couldn't even begin to describe. The Abyss blighted the land, reaching deep into its heart from the blackened seas…
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki danced through the wild swings and stabs of her adversaries while retaliating with precise gunfire right into her enemy's heads. It was no use to target anything else considering that the Abyssals stuck to these men's heads would simply keep them going. She clicked her tongue as she caused one of the Beasts of Roh to stagger down to his knee. She dashed close and punched through the crimson eye of the Ro-Class Destroyer stuck to his head.
Grabbing tight on the sphere shaped object within, she violently yanked her fist out as the Beast of Roh was blown away. She turned and punched another in the gut before placing the barrel of her gun beneath its chin.
BANG
BANG
…..
….
…
Lands were consumed and mankind faced imminent destruction had it not been for the brave Souls whom have fallen to this world's shores. Souls of Warships from Ages long past returned as defenders against the Abyssal threat. They slew the Abyssals with each of one of them being strong enough to combat an entire horde of these creatures. Wielding weapons from an ancient age long since past, they fought with great ferocity and efficiency that mankind was allowed to hold on.
…...
….
…
She rolled away from another Beast of Roh's swing as its compatriot fell. Crushing the Roh's core within her hand, she took a step forward and urged the last three Beasts to attack her. The trio charged with surprising speed while Nagatsuki rushed to meet them. She anticipated the first Beast's swing and holstered her gun, trading it for a small, flat buckler and batted away her assailant's descending arm. Drawing a short machete from her leg, she stabbed the vulnerable Abyssal square on its sternum before raking her blade upwards.
Spinning in place, she stopped just in time to jam the barrel of her gun into the next Abyssal's gaping jaw and blow its head off.
…..
….
…
And yet many of these brave Souls fell. One by one to the very Abyss they fought. For the longer they fought, the greater burden is placed upon and them and humanity's grasp upon that last string of hope began to slip away. They went mad as they fought, losing their own purpose through blood and battle, these defenders, these… Huntresses were not vulnerable to the blight which was corroding the lands. It was here that the world realized that they were running out of time.
…..
….
…
She had to dash away as the third swung at her hard yet she didn't expect the follow up to be a stab. She felt its rusted blade stab her right shoulder faster than she could defend herself. As the broken blade dug into her flesh, she could only watch as it bite down on her left shoulder with its strong jaws.
"D-Damn you!" she snarled before pulling her gun's trigger at last and blowing the Abyssal's arm off. That distracted it enough from chewing her shoulder to bits before she dashed towards it and jammed her machete into its obsidian head. Yanking it out, she lifted her gun once more and fired, killing the final Beast of Roh and watching its body dissipate. Stumbling backwards, Nagatsuki hissed as she fell down on her knees. Her arms felt like horribly maimed from that clumsy stab and vicious bite.
She reached for the back of her belt and pulled out a glowing green flask and downed it in one go. Guzzling it with unquenchable thirst, she slowly began to feel warm inside as her wounds began to close. Nagatsuki looked down at the green flask she was gifted upon her arrival and sighed. Who knew Instant Repairs were still a thing in this godforsaken world… Mutsuki and Satsuki wouldn't believe her once she returned home…
If she ever returned home for that matter…
Tch.
Nagatsuki looked up at the gray sun and briefly wondered if there was truly a way out…
…..
….
…
Time was short… And the Purifying Water which acts as the World's Lifeblood was inching tantalizing close to the approaching blight spread by the Abyss.
And soon the Waters shall fade.
…..
….
…
It was night and Nagatsuki had her back against an anchor embedded in the middle of the marshland. She believed that she earned a good rest after that sloppy fight from before. She had to firmly stick it into her head that she wasn't fighting at sea anymore but on land. A strange concept for a Ship Girl but not something she's unfamiliar with. She now understood the purpose why her damned Admiral had her take that stupid training program/boot camp.
And now it was saving her life… Well, afterlife or whatever, she just didn't want to get her face eaten by some random Abyssal. She had been giving it some thought but the way the people referred to her guns and rigging as 'ancient' gave her the wrong feeling. Was this how the world going to be if the Ship Girls came in late? Was this how it was all going to be if they didn't win against the Abyssals?
Humans with Abyssal Destroyers for heads roaming the gray lands and the entire world falling apart.
They say that it's been over a couple of thousand years since this all began. It was amazing how the world still held itself together for those two millennia. Now humanity was on its last limbs and going by how tired everyone was, they were ready to give up. Nagatsuki didn't understand at all, just why was she here and why her? Did she get sent forward into time once she sunk? Was that how it worked or was the world just playing a cruel joke at her.
…. She just wanted to go home.
And if she'll need to fight for that right, she'll cut and shoot down anything in her path. She placed her hand against the anchor behind her and felt its oddly comforting presence. She was told that Anchors were used to restore the Souls of ship girls to their prime state should they fall in a fight. A Ship Girl's final hold on this world and if this Anchor didn't prove strong enough to weigh her down when she 'died', she'll eventually lose herself.
Now that was an odd concept she couldn't believe until she experienced it herself.
Dying was painful. Getting stabbed, mauled and shot hurt and she didn't care for death when she sunk but now it hurt her all over. It was an overall horrible experience… But using the Anchors was one of the first few things she was taught. How to use Anchors as places to rest and how to use your Repair Flask. Had she thrown herself into the wilderness without all of this knowledge, she would have gone insane long ago.
Now it's just a nice, slow descent to madness until a miracle happened.
…. This really sucked. There was no wifi and expeditions to do. Just endless fighting.
Perhaps she'll be able to carve herself a way back home…
She'll resume her mission tomorrow. It's not like the target would move and she was pretty sure that lower tier Abyssals didn't have the ability to approach Anchors. She could use this time to rest in the mean time. Nagatsuki slowly let her consciousness go as she allowed the arms of sleep to take her.
…..
….
….
The next morning, the lone girl set off once more to find her quarry. Having her flask resupplied and her weapon maintenance handled, she felt quite good about the upcoming battle. She still needed to keep her wits about her and not get over confident. Dying was easy as breathing in this world and every resurrection took a toll on her sanity. It was like a part of her was being shaved away with each death so she couldn't afford to get careless about this.
She kept her 12.7cm turret at the ready in the place of her machete. She felt the slowly temperature drop since she left the Anchor she rested on the previous night and she was grateful for what warmth her cloak was giving to her. Closing her eyes, she allowed her RADAR to function in the event there would be enemies around but so far she had been on her own. The vast marshland only stretched further and further with no end in sight.
Nagatsuki sighed and held her hand on her stomach. No need to eat just yet… Maybe she shouldn't have left her camp without some food first.
She strained her eyes to see for the landmark she was told of in the event she got near the target's location.
Well, there's no point in trying. She knew she was in the area so she'd better get this over with. Nagatsuki held her gun tightly on her offhand while she took out an old bell from strapped to her belt. Raising it into the air, she took a deep breath and rang it.
RING RING
RING RING
The bell's echoing ring spread throughout the wet marshlands and continued till it faded away.
Nagatsuki lowered it and placed back on her belt when she heard the growling.
With her jaw set, she slowly turned around and immediately saw the swirling ooze of corruption manifesting a hundred feet away. A twisting visage of the vile blight of the Abyss where the insistent growling could be heard echoing from it.
Nagatsuki then saw the figure of a person stumble out of it, dragging a vicious looking gun on her offhand as she walked. Her dirty blonde hair was caked in drying blood while the bandages which covered her legs, hands and half of her face seemed to be peeling off from age.
Her tattered clothes seemed to have adopted characteristics of the Abyss scourge making them almost seem life like. The person's bloody red eyes shined in the dim gray landscape and Nagatsuki couldn't help but take a step back once she saw that smile. That smile that bore rows and rows of sharp teeth as she spread her clawed right hand as it shined with fierce red power.
"POOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!"
Nagatsuki barely recovered from the fierce howl when the other girl took to the air, jumping a dozen of feet into the air before descending around twenty meters away from her. The force of the impact was strong enough to blow Nagatsuki off her feet and send her tumbling along the marshes. Gritting her teeth, Nagatsuki got up once more to see the corrupted Soul twirl that brutal looking gun and strap it on her back.
The vicious girl, twisted by the Abyss then got on to all fours and howled,"POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!"
THE MAD DOG OF SOLOMON
The Dog drew the gun on her back so quickly that the bullet that flew nearly tore off Nagatsuki's shoulder as she rolled to the side. Nagatsuki retaliated with her own gunfire yet the Dog only used this as a chance to close in the distance and swipe at her with that terrible clawed hand.
The girl dodged by rolling into the Dog's opposite direction before getting up and shooting once more, the repeated barks of her gun cracking across the wet landscape.
She landed two clean hits on the Dog's exposed backside before her opponent whirled around and fired back with her gun once more. Nagatsuki ducked low to avoid the first bullet before dashing hard to her right to avoid the second while firing back.
She watched the Dog kicked off the ground and jump high once more, falling downwards with the force of an artillery strike and blowing her off her feet a second time. The Dog then closed in the distance between her and Nagatsuki and drove her clawed hand forward.
The girl felt the burning sensation of steel biting through her flesh as she noticed the short blade attached to the Dog's clawed hand. And then in an almost perfect imitation of a critical attack, the Dog raked its hand through Nagatsuki's body and sending her flying. The girl crashed into a bloody heap unto the ground where she gasped for precious air as she tried kneeling.
She reached for her Repair Flask and was about to bring it to her lips when the Dog blew her head off-
………..
Nagatsuki woke up with a start with her hand resting upon the Anchor she slept on the night before. At the edge of her vision, she could see a girl, sitting before the Anchor with graying green hair and tattered clothes… An empty look was visible on the stranger's face from where Nagatsuki was lying down as the girl simply stared at the anchor as if she were mindless.
And then Nagatsuki realized that it was her.
She got up with a jolt and the ghost disappeared.
That again. Of course, it's something she should be used to by now. A vision of her own future if she kept on dying. There's nothing to it, she'll just have to try again and hopefully beat that Dog. She looked to the side and found her weapons leaning against the rock she used as a work bench the night before. Taking them from their respective places, Nagatsuki inspected them to see if they needed some repairs. She hasn't used them all that much so they were still in top shape.
She'll have to try again.
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki walked through the dense wall of fog and happened upon the Mad Dog glaring at her from the center of the field. The Dog then grabbed the gun strapped to its back and fire a shot at the green haired girl before leaping upwards in quick succession. Nagatsuki dashed forward and ducked beneath the bullet as the Dog crashed behind her. Turning around she rolled to the side as the Dog spun in the air before her and smashed its clawed hand where she was standing.
Sliding across the mud, Nagatsuki took aim and punched three bullets to the Dog's side before she got up to recover. The Dog howled and pounced at her in blind rage so she rolled away to safety as the enemy went on a frenzied rampage. The former Destroyer swallowed hard and placed a Poisoned Brew of Reku on her shells and aimed.
BANG
BANG
Chunks of the Dog's flesh were shot off as it was hit by Nagatsuki's bullets. However she didn't expect her wounds to refuse to heal as they began to sizzle from the poison laced bullets, driving her into a rage filled scream that nearly blew Nagatsuki's eardrums out.
"She sure didn't like that," she breathed as black smoke rose from the Dog's wounds.
The Dog then dropped her cannon and knelt down on the ground as if she were in great pain. Her crimson eyes began to glow with increased intensity as her left arm just began to bulge and rip apart to reveal a pulsating crimson cannon. It was oozing with the corruption of the Abyss yet that was not all as the Dog slammed its clawed hand into the ground where it suddenly grew in size becoming a thick, leathery hand with long crimson blades for claws.
"Sis... party..... poi.... sis.... party..... blood..... let's..... party..." she heard the Mad Dog whisper from the distance before fixing her crimson gaze at Nagatsuki. She then raised the a 15.5cm gun protruding from her left limb and fired a devastating shot which split apart the waters and grass it pass over. Nagatsuki dodged and planted er feet the moment she evaded the bullet before rolling wildly once more to avoid getting slashed apart by the Dog's claws.
It seemed that her speed had grown exponentially, Nagatsuki could barely keep up but there was something different. Clearing her mind and tightening her grip upon her gun, Nagatsuki waited till the Dog raised her claw.
She fired and managed to get a stagger from that opening. The Dog bled out as Nagatsuki's bullet punched through body and left her vulnerable as she felt to her knees. She looked up to see the green haired girl jump in and stab her through the chest with a machete and ripping through her torso in a bloody spatter. Yet the Dog refused to fall and caught herself at the last second. With furious red eyes, she snarled at Nagatsuki's face and drove her clawed hand through the other girl's body.
Nagatsuki coughed out oil and blood before she had herself get smashed all around by the berserk Dog, finally hitting the floor as she had a view of the gray sky.
The Dog mounted her stomach and dive in to bite off her thr-
………..
Nagatsuki woke up once more, her hand immediately grasping for her throat. That was bad.
That was definitely not fun. She felt the phantom pain from the injuries she accumulated while being smashed along the floor. Her bones whined silently as she tried rising once more. Her chest felt lighter for some reason. Satsuki would have a better time with this, she's the combat oriented one alongside Kikuzuki. Damn it, she felt like she was close too. Her head was throbbing something fierce and she could feel some strange haze drape over her memories.
This was bad…
But she refused to just sit down here.
She had work to do.
Standing up, she turned around and raised her hand towards the Anchor. Water began to seep out of the embedded Anchor and climb all over Nagatsuki's arm. She felt a surge of power enter her as the Anchor let out a pulse. Sighing, she had her knees buckle and have her kneel. Looking down at her hands, she reached within her pockets and laid out a few pieces of ammo and Bauxite before the Anchor and watched them disappear into wisps of white light.
These wisps then swooped down and washed over her.
….. There.
"That should give me enough. I should last longer," she murmured before rising back to her feet.
…..
….
…
Nagatsuki walked back to where the Mad Dog's fog door was located and with a heavy heart, glared at the swirling mass of white matter barring her a good look at her foe before the battle started. She decided to forego the use of her gun too much. She'll have to get in close and deal as much damage as she could before she got mauled to death again. Holstering her 12.7cm main turret, she drew her machete and rubbed some Poisoned Brew of Reku. The Dog hated it so this was her best chance at this…
Resigning herself to another damnable experience, the lone girl walked towards the fog door a third time…
But something caught her eye a few meters from the fog door. Frowning, Nagatsuki walked over it and looked down to see a name scrawled over the wet grass and mud, words written in odd glyphs that she somehow understood.
Murakumo, Traitor of the Cloudy Plains
Summon?
Summon?
"What…The hell?" breathed Nagatsuki as she reached out to touch the Glyph. She watched the odd letters shine one by one before disappearing, followed by the ground twisting into a bright white swirl.
A moment later another girl rose from the ground bathed in this oddly warm white light. She held in her hand a long, gold and silver spear and had a pair of 12.7 HA cannon strapped behind her back. Her golden eyes contrasted with her light blue hair, her face akin to a noble's with the charisma her simple stare was able to emit.
Wearing white leather armor with dark silver greaves, the girl resembled a veritable warrior compared to Nagatsuki's mismatched pieces of clothing and armor.
"Ah…" taken aback, Nagatsuki was about to raise her blade when the Phantom raised a hand.
The Phantom then shook her head and turned her gaze towards the Fog door. Jerking her head towards the fog, the Phantom then waited till Nagatsuki regained her bearings.
Now Nagatsuki wasn't really sure what to do here but she figured that this girl… this Phantom was an ally. She wasn't taught about this during her first few days in this world so this came as a surprise. Right, she'll take what she had and be grateful. Nagatsuki made sure that the poison effect on her blade was still on before walking up to the door.
Pressing her hand against it, she soon walked through and turned her gaze towards the Mad Dog of Solomon at the center of the field. It had reverted to its previous form but Nagatsuki knew what to do now. The Dog unleashed a savage howl before jumping upwards, kicking through the air and raising its bladed hand on its descent.
Nagatsuki rolled forward to avoid getting hit yet when she looked back she saw that the Phantom she summoned had just entered the field…
Right into the Dog's massive crash landin-
CLANG
For the first time the Dog bore a surprised expression as the Phantom single-handedly endured her devastating crash attack with a spear. The Phantom looked up and smirked, electricity running through her weapon and wrapping around the Mad Dog. With the enemy stuck to her spear, she aimed her twin 12.7 HA cannons and fired, blowing the Dog across the field. It rolled thrice before recovering, drawing its own cannon and firing several shots at Nagatsuki and her Phantom.
The green haired girl and her partner dashed through the salvos where she reached the Dog first and slashed. The crimson eyed girl snarled and swiped with her clawed hand to which Nagatsuki sidestepped and countered. The Dog blocked the slash with her cannon and shoved Nagatsuki away as the Phantom descended and kept her at bay with that electrified spear. Nagatsuki rolled and tumbled only to look up to see that Dog and the Phantom locked in furious melee.
She hissed and rose up to her feet as the Dog and Phantom exchanged blows and pushed each other away. The Dog then snarled and unleashed several consecutive cannon fire which forced the spear wielding Phantom to dash away yet was caught by a shell to her shoulder. The Dog was about to press forward when Nagatsuki caught its attention by shooting it from the side and making it howl while it moved away.
"Are you okay?!" she called over to her Phantom kneeling at the distance.
The Phantom gave her one look and nodded.
They both looked over at the Mad Dog as it fell to its knees and had its arms twist and pulse grotesquely once more. Turning her crimson gaze at Nagatsuki once more, the Dog let out an ear piercing roar while the blight of the Abyss seeped from her body.
"POIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!"
"This is it, I won't let you kill me again, damn it!" cried Nagatsuki as she sprinted towards the Dog alongside her Phantom.
The silent Phantom simply imbued her spear with lightning once more as the Dog leaped. They split as their opponent crashed at the spot where they were standing, a cloud of noxious fumes obscuring the Dog before it burst through it to lunge at Nagatsuki. Planting her feet on the ground, she rolled to the side as it missed her, taking the moment slash its arm-turned gun. Her attack bounced right off and she had to lean back to avoid getting killed the same way as last time.
The Phantom got behind the Dog and backstabbed her with extreme prejudice, channeling power through her spear and blowing the red eyed girl away. Nagatsuki followed as the Dog was about to recover and swung her machete across her enemy's chest, ducking low to avoid getting swiped by that brutal cannon and dashing underneath it to land a blow. The Dog found herself on her knees just as the Phantom rushed past and blowing a piece of her shoulder off.
Howling, the Dog whirled around and raised its 15.5cm main cannon arm and fired. Nagatsuki and the Phantom dodged out of the way while the Dog tried rushing towards Nagatsuki.
The girl then raised her own gun as the Dog's claw descended mid-swing.
BANG
The Mad Dog of Solomon staggered and fell to her knees, Nagatsuki ceased he retreat and dashed forward with her blade singing.
STAB
"Come on, just die already!" she growled before tearing through the Dog's torso in another brilliant shower of blood yet just as the last time, her opponent seemed to refuse to back down.
The Dog growled through bloody teeth as she tried grabbing Nagatsuki once more but this time the girl anticipated this and spun her machete in her hand and stabbed it at the center of the Dog's palm. She then used the few seconds the Dog was stunned with pain to draw out her gun and fire five consecutive point blank shots with her main turret, forcing the enemy to stumble backwards right into the electrified spear of the Phantom.
The Dog howled as it was subjected to several thousands of volts.
"HGRYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The Phantom planted one foot on the Dog's back and kicked her down into the mud.
The Mad Dog of Solomon whimpered and mewled as she tried rising once more yet that final backstab had robbed her of the last of her power. Hate blazed through her eyes as she watched Nagatsuki walk up towards her with a gun. Coming to a halt before her fallen enemy, Nagatsuki sighed and aimed her gun at the Mad Dog's head.
"P-Poi… Poi… Sis… Sis… I… I can't see, anymore…" rasped the Dog through its many teeth, "Sis… I want… To have a party. Let's… have a party… Poi…"
Nagatsuki turned her eyes towards the Phantom whom simply stood at the side and watched her nod her head. She then looked back down at the downed Dog and swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry."
BANG
"ABYSSAL SUNK"
The gathered power which built up the Mad Dog's ferocious strength then began to dive straight for Nagatsuki's body before a dim clump of warm white energy filled her hand. She glanced at the white Phantom who helped her through the fight but only managed to see her fade away into nothing, leaving Nagatsuki all alone in the middle of the marshland.
"Huh, weird," she murmured before looking down at the white object upon her palm, "The Mad Dog of Solomon's Soul… I wouldn't have been able to get this on my own."
She clenched her fist and took out one of the pouches hanging from her belt and placed the Soul in there. She would have to stay alive until she returned to where civilization would be and progress…
Nagatsuki looked up the gray sun and sighed.
…..
….
…
It's said that when a Ship Spirit gathered enough Souls of the fallen, they would be deemed worthy to traverse through the Shrine which has the Purifying Waters sealed away. It's said that when they gathered enough Souls, they would be freed from the shackles of this gray world. It's said that when they collect the most powerful Souls from the darkest cores of the Abyss, they would be given the chance to allow the waters to purify the blight.
Until then, Nagatsuki resigned herself to this fate.
She would perform Soul Collections till the day she too would fall prey to the Abyss.
But that day has yet to come and she fights on.
====================================================
Personal opinion time.
I just wanted to write something cool. And you know what's cool? The Souls series. You know what else is cool? Blending them all together with a bit of Salt and Sanctuary thrown into the mix.
I suggested this idea back then a few weeks ago on Discord. @AWACS Sky Eye came up most of the lore even if I did kickstart the wagon so tell him he's a nice guy for coming up with all the wacky lorestuff. There's a pastebin of it the stuff he made up. Heckle him to giving it.
Now SoulColle was supposed to be a quest but then life happened and I didn't really feel invested in it anymore. But I like how this turned out and I might just write more of Nagatsuki's adventure in this gray world. While I may have taken cues from the Souls games it's stands well on its own.
i'll admit I was a bit sloppy but whatever, I'll clean it up as i go. Oh and my Nier hype has been sated. Thank god for that. Now I've got schoolwork tomorrow and Shigures to hug. Leave a like or response below, I'd appreciate your thoughts.
.......
It's very hard for me not to write ten dozen different fics featuring nothing but Shigure.
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YOU DIED
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AWACS Sky Eye
....
- Location
- Everywhere
Something about Kancolle and Souls series. - Pastebin.com
I don't want to be heckle'd, so here's the pastebin. Keep the link, it will be always updated.
I don't want to be heckle'd, so here's the pastebin. Keep the link, it will be always updated.
Sortie 5: Faithful Love Songs (Former part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
When she opened her eyes, she realized that it was snowing. The park was empty and she found herself all on her own. Her clear blue eyes surveyed the surrounding area, reaching out with her senses to see if she was indeed by herself. The trees rustled and from it flew a couple of birds towards the gray clouds above. She could see her own breath smoke while following the birds with her eyes, it was starting to get colder and colder. She got off the park bench and decided to do what she came to this city for.
Zipping her thick fur jacket and fixing her snow white hair, Verniy pulled out the list of items she needed to buy for her sister back at the Naval District. She briefly wondered what this was all about given that her sister wouldn't usually get her to follow up a mail order for a new oven. That was the Heavy Cruisers' job but given that she was the only one available during this point of time, she might as well do it. It shouldn't be that hard.
Verniy unconsciously reached for her hip yet she clicked her tongue once she noticed she didn't have her flask with her. Right, that's because the humans weren't used to seeing a 'little girl' like her ingest alcohol from a personal flask and would question her for days on end. She disliked getting her Admiral involved with this when she was just out here for a minor errand.
Hm… Didn't Akatsuki say something about this..?
…..
….
…
Several Hours earlier
"Hibiki, I need you to get out," the dark haired Akatsuki put plainly as she looked down on her hung over sister, "Please, I need you to get out and leave."
Verniy groaned from as she kicked her futon off her legs while giving her elder sister a bleary look, "You're… kicking me out..?"
"Yes, you need to stop rolling around my bed while drunk. My futon is starting to smell. At least clean your room before coming to mine, it's a rather improper way to conduct yourself! You're a Lady, Hibiki so you need to act like one," reprimanded Akatsuki as she tried to drag her sister from the room. Verniy simply narrowed her gaze and clung to the floor as her sister struggled to drag her away. In the end, Akatsuki found herself sweating and despite the cold weather, her yukata only made the heat worse.
"Let me sleep. I'll leave… Later. Gonna have to savor Akatsuki's smell before it gets drowned out by the vodka…" grumbled the white haired girl as she embraced a big clump of the futon. The elder sister blushed bright red at this and tried prying her sister off her futon.
"No Hibiki, you musn't do that! That's bad! Bad Hibiki! Now I have to clean my futon too! Nooo, don't get your alcohol on it!" cried the elder sister as she sat on her sister's back and tried pulling her away. Verniy remained unmoving where she was lying as her sister didn't have the strength to move her.
"Heh," she chuckled at her sister's struggles given how futile they were and once Akatsuki realized this, she stopped pulling on the back of Verniy's shirt.
"You're stubborn," huffed Akatsuki as she fell down Verniy's side with a look of exhaustion, Come on, Hibiki…."
"What is this about?" asked Verniy as she finally faced her sister, "Is… there something wrong..?"
"Eh? Uh, well… You see I need you to go buy things for me," replied the elder sister with a weak chuckle.
Being given a rather flat look by the other girl, Akatsuki nervously tried explaining, "W-W-Well you see, I think you needed some fresh air and holing up in my room is fine and all and I like you being here but it's starting to smell really weird so I was thinking of getting you out first so I can clean the place. Please don't get mad!"
Verniy relaxed her expression as she closed her eyes and sighing.
"Not only that," added Akatsuki as she cleared her throat, "But you seem to have some things on your mind. Why don't you take this opportunity to unwind?"
"Is it that obvious?" questioned the white haired girl as she glanced at her sister.
"If the increasing number of bottles within ten feet of your room was any indication, yes," Akatsuki then stood up and dusted her deep purple yukata and offered a hand to her little sister, "Come on, let's not be stubborn."
Verniy stared at Akatsuki with her piercing blue eyes before cracking a light smile, "This sort of Akatsuki is fine too."
Grabbing hold of her confused elder sister's hand, she got up.
…..
….
…
The Present
Verniy found herself standing before a crosswalk while the pedestrian lighting glowed a heavy shade of red. A crowd began to mill about her and she noted that a few of them were giving her strange yet curious looks. She pretended not to notice and simply tucked her hands within her jacket as the lighting went green. She took the first step across the street as she met with the other crowd on the other side of the road. She was quite far off from home having taken the train to get to this city.
She didn't have much choice, it was either Akatsuki used the internet for mail ordering or she had Verniy go get the things she needed for her. Now Akatsuki and the internet never mixed and Verniy made sure to keep the World Wide Web out of her sister's reach. Not after that incident with Akebono got around two years ago, she was a bit wary introducing much of modern society's better blessings. Akatsuki may have matured over the few years but she was still a fool, who knew what she would do with information just being a click away.
Nonetheless, it seemed that Christmas was just around the corner. The decorations were gradually being put up throughout town it seems. Unfortunately the familiar echoes of Christmas songs have yet to resound from within the town at this time. She caught sight of some youths going about their business, wandering inside café's or heading for the mall. If she wasn't mistaken, it should be Winter Break around this time, she wondered if the malls would be packed due to the increase of customers.
She quickly entered one of the malls and brought up her list again.
First up was that oven. Verniy looked for the closest appliance store with her list in hand and found one immediately right beside the entrance she just went in. The cold weather was immediately moderated to a tolerable level the farther she went inside the mall, passing by other people as she went. Unfortunately just as she was about to walk inside the appliance store, she was stopped by a person getting in her way.
Coming to a halt and looking up, she was greeted by the sight of a woman in a business suit smiling down at her.
Taken aback, she immediately grew suspicious as she narrowed her gaze, "May I help you?"
"Excuse me, Miss but can I take a moment of your time?" asked the woman with a bright smile.
Verniy knew these sorts of people. She wasn't like how she was a couple years back anymore so there was only one way out of this situation. And that was to run away!
"I apologize, but I have places to be," thinking quickly, she crossed her hands before her and tried to make a quick getaway past the woman.
"Not so fast! My Talent Eye knows a potential when it sees one and you're about to get away that easily!" snapped the woman as she mirrored Verniy's sidestep and got in her way again. The white haired girl scowled and clicked her tongue as she exchange glares with the woman before her. Cracking a smile, the woman then said, "Now, why don't have a chat instead of playing this game? It'll only take a minute."
"Clingy, aren't you?" murmured the Ship Girl.
"I wouldn't last long in this job if I wasn't aggressive, young miss," replied the woman with a smirk, "Now stay still."
"I'm not buying what you're selling nor am I interested in joining cults," Verniy put plainly.
"And I assure you that I'm not an agent of any of those organizations," the woman coughed at the Ship Girl's words yet maintained her composure, "Now please would you just listen for a minute. I'll even buy you something if you'd stay put."
That made Verniy stop and think. The woman was about to go in and seal the deal when the girl spoke once more, "Will you buy me vodka?"
Wait, what? Okay, this kid may be a delinquent. Heh, people like that too, thought the woman in surprise. It was in her job description to be decisive but she also had her responsibility as an adult, "Maybe we can settle for something else?"
"Rejected," answered Verniy as she tried breaking through—
"Miss Producer, are you harassing people again?!"
Verniy stopped at the last second and turned to see a blur of light brown hair dance by.
…..
"Ah, it's just you. Well I wasn't harassing but recruiting—" the woman tried explaining yet the newcomer shut her down.
"If it's going to bother people, I'd say you should just give up no matter how much potential they have! You and your 'Talent Eye' are going to cause more trouble than it's worth, please consider the rest of us in our unit," huffed the newcomer as she reprimanded the older woman.
"Gah, what are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be preparing yourself at the backstage?!" squawked the Producer woman.
"I was thinking of helping out and making sure you got someone competent," was the new girl's reply. She then turned to face Verniy whom had been standing still, looking stupefied during the entire exchange, "Um excuse me? Are you okay?"
Are you okay, nanodesu?
The Ship Girl's brain seemed to have paused for a split second before she found her voice again, "I'm… I'm fine…"
"Ah, I'm sorry for whatever the Producer did. She's aggressive like that but please don't call the police on her just yet! I do hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive her!" pleaded the new girl as she bowed apologetically before Verniy.
Verniy for her part was taken aback by this and said, "No, no it's fine. I was just surprised but… What's this all about? And… Who are you?"
"My name is Saya, nice to meet you," greeted the girl with a kind smile as she held a piece of paper towards Verniy, "In the place of my dumb Producer, we were wondering if you're interested in becoming an Idol?"
Wait…. Wait what?!
(To be continued....)
Zipping her thick fur jacket and fixing her snow white hair, Verniy pulled out the list of items she needed to buy for her sister back at the Naval District. She briefly wondered what this was all about given that her sister wouldn't usually get her to follow up a mail order for a new oven. That was the Heavy Cruisers' job but given that she was the only one available during this point of time, she might as well do it. It shouldn't be that hard.
Verniy unconsciously reached for her hip yet she clicked her tongue once she noticed she didn't have her flask with her. Right, that's because the humans weren't used to seeing a 'little girl' like her ingest alcohol from a personal flask and would question her for days on end. She disliked getting her Admiral involved with this when she was just out here for a minor errand.
Hm… Didn't Akatsuki say something about this..?
…..
….
…
Several Hours earlier
"Hibiki, I need you to get out," the dark haired Akatsuki put plainly as she looked down on her hung over sister, "Please, I need you to get out and leave."
Verniy groaned from as she kicked her futon off her legs while giving her elder sister a bleary look, "You're… kicking me out..?"
"Yes, you need to stop rolling around my bed while drunk. My futon is starting to smell. At least clean your room before coming to mine, it's a rather improper way to conduct yourself! You're a Lady, Hibiki so you need to act like one," reprimanded Akatsuki as she tried to drag her sister from the room. Verniy simply narrowed her gaze and clung to the floor as her sister struggled to drag her away. In the end, Akatsuki found herself sweating and despite the cold weather, her yukata only made the heat worse.
"Let me sleep. I'll leave… Later. Gonna have to savor Akatsuki's smell before it gets drowned out by the vodka…" grumbled the white haired girl as she embraced a big clump of the futon. The elder sister blushed bright red at this and tried prying her sister off her futon.
"No Hibiki, you musn't do that! That's bad! Bad Hibiki! Now I have to clean my futon too! Nooo, don't get your alcohol on it!" cried the elder sister as she sat on her sister's back and tried pulling her away. Verniy remained unmoving where she was lying as her sister didn't have the strength to move her.
"Heh," she chuckled at her sister's struggles given how futile they were and once Akatsuki realized this, she stopped pulling on the back of Verniy's shirt.
"You're stubborn," huffed Akatsuki as she fell down Verniy's side with a look of exhaustion, Come on, Hibiki…."
"What is this about?" asked Verniy as she finally faced her sister, "Is… there something wrong..?"
"Eh? Uh, well… You see I need you to go buy things for me," replied the elder sister with a weak chuckle.
Being given a rather flat look by the other girl, Akatsuki nervously tried explaining, "W-W-Well you see, I think you needed some fresh air and holing up in my room is fine and all and I like you being here but it's starting to smell really weird so I was thinking of getting you out first so I can clean the place. Please don't get mad!"
Verniy relaxed her expression as she closed her eyes and sighing.
"Not only that," added Akatsuki as she cleared her throat, "But you seem to have some things on your mind. Why don't you take this opportunity to unwind?"
"Is it that obvious?" questioned the white haired girl as she glanced at her sister.
"If the increasing number of bottles within ten feet of your room was any indication, yes," Akatsuki then stood up and dusted her deep purple yukata and offered a hand to her little sister, "Come on, let's not be stubborn."
Verniy stared at Akatsuki with her piercing blue eyes before cracking a light smile, "This sort of Akatsuki is fine too."
Grabbing hold of her confused elder sister's hand, she got up.
…..
….
…
The Present
Verniy found herself standing before a crosswalk while the pedestrian lighting glowed a heavy shade of red. A crowd began to mill about her and she noted that a few of them were giving her strange yet curious looks. She pretended not to notice and simply tucked her hands within her jacket as the lighting went green. She took the first step across the street as she met with the other crowd on the other side of the road. She was quite far off from home having taken the train to get to this city.
She didn't have much choice, it was either Akatsuki used the internet for mail ordering or she had Verniy go get the things she needed for her. Now Akatsuki and the internet never mixed and Verniy made sure to keep the World Wide Web out of her sister's reach. Not after that incident with Akebono got around two years ago, she was a bit wary introducing much of modern society's better blessings. Akatsuki may have matured over the few years but she was still a fool, who knew what she would do with information just being a click away.
Nonetheless, it seemed that Christmas was just around the corner. The decorations were gradually being put up throughout town it seems. Unfortunately the familiar echoes of Christmas songs have yet to resound from within the town at this time. She caught sight of some youths going about their business, wandering inside café's or heading for the mall. If she wasn't mistaken, it should be Winter Break around this time, she wondered if the malls would be packed due to the increase of customers.
She quickly entered one of the malls and brought up her list again.
First up was that oven. Verniy looked for the closest appliance store with her list in hand and found one immediately right beside the entrance she just went in. The cold weather was immediately moderated to a tolerable level the farther she went inside the mall, passing by other people as she went. Unfortunately just as she was about to walk inside the appliance store, she was stopped by a person getting in her way.
Coming to a halt and looking up, she was greeted by the sight of a woman in a business suit smiling down at her.
Taken aback, she immediately grew suspicious as she narrowed her gaze, "May I help you?"
"Excuse me, Miss but can I take a moment of your time?" asked the woman with a bright smile.
Verniy knew these sorts of people. She wasn't like how she was a couple years back anymore so there was only one way out of this situation. And that was to run away!
"I apologize, but I have places to be," thinking quickly, she crossed her hands before her and tried to make a quick getaway past the woman.
"Not so fast! My Talent Eye knows a potential when it sees one and you're about to get away that easily!" snapped the woman as she mirrored Verniy's sidestep and got in her way again. The white haired girl scowled and clicked her tongue as she exchange glares with the woman before her. Cracking a smile, the woman then said, "Now, why don't have a chat instead of playing this game? It'll only take a minute."
"Clingy, aren't you?" murmured the Ship Girl.
"I wouldn't last long in this job if I wasn't aggressive, young miss," replied the woman with a smirk, "Now stay still."
"I'm not buying what you're selling nor am I interested in joining cults," Verniy put plainly.
"And I assure you that I'm not an agent of any of those organizations," the woman coughed at the Ship Girl's words yet maintained her composure, "Now please would you just listen for a minute. I'll even buy you something if you'd stay put."
That made Verniy stop and think. The woman was about to go in and seal the deal when the girl spoke once more, "Will you buy me vodka?"
Wait, what? Okay, this kid may be a delinquent. Heh, people like that too, thought the woman in surprise. It was in her job description to be decisive but she also had her responsibility as an adult, "Maybe we can settle for something else?"
"Rejected," answered Verniy as she tried breaking through—
"Miss Producer, are you harassing people again?!"
Verniy stopped at the last second and turned to see a blur of light brown hair dance by.
…..
"Ah, it's just you. Well I wasn't harassing but recruiting—" the woman tried explaining yet the newcomer shut her down.
"If it's going to bother people, I'd say you should just give up no matter how much potential they have! You and your 'Talent Eye' are going to cause more trouble than it's worth, please consider the rest of us in our unit," huffed the newcomer as she reprimanded the older woman.
"Gah, what are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be preparing yourself at the backstage?!" squawked the Producer woman.
"I was thinking of helping out and making sure you got someone competent," was the new girl's reply. She then turned to face Verniy whom had been standing still, looking stupefied during the entire exchange, "Um excuse me? Are you okay?"
Are you okay, nanodesu?
The Ship Girl's brain seemed to have paused for a split second before she found her voice again, "I'm… I'm fine…"
"Ah, I'm sorry for whatever the Producer did. She's aggressive like that but please don't call the police on her just yet! I do hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive her!" pleaded the new girl as she bowed apologetically before Verniy.
Verniy for her part was taken aback by this and said, "No, no it's fine. I was just surprised but… What's this all about? And… Who are you?"
"My name is Saya, nice to meet you," greeted the girl with a kind smile as she held a piece of paper towards Verniy, "In the place of my dumb Producer, we were wondering if you're interested in becoming an Idol?"
Wait…. Wait what?!
(To be continued....)
Sortie 6: Faithful Love Songs (Latter Part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
She wasn't really sure what prompted her to say yes but she could think about that later. What she wasn't happy about was that she was currently wearing a snow themed white and blue dress. She wasn't used to wearing high-heels so she guessed that her impromptu dance performance was less than satisfactory considering the people who got her literally dragged her out of the street and prettied her up for a role she wasn't fit to take.
But when she walked down the metal stairs after a rather difficult five minutes of being a background dancer, she was greeted by a very impressed Producer. That smug look on the woman's face was very grating as she walked over to Verniy and showed her the phone recorded video.
"I know I'm always right! You had the grace and the moves, you'll be successful just yet but while I preferred your first exposure to be something else, I'd say this is a single step done! We'll make star out of you just yet!" she cried out excitedly while Veniy looked down at herself on the video.
From this perspective, she could say she didn't do a bad job keeping up with fifteen minutes of practiced dance steps. Considering she knew almost nothing other than fighting Abyssals, it was a miracle she registered all of that information in one go.
Well, Maikaze would be to blame for this one way or another.
She still wasn't happy.
"I told you, I'm not interested," she repeated stubbornly.
"Despite your performance?" asked the Producer with a raised eyebrow.
"Especially then," sighed the Ship Girl, "I have other obligations and I did my part here."
"Miss Vern! You were amazing!" called the last person Verniy wanted to deal with right now. She turned to see a girl running down the metal stairs in a flowing pink dress much like hers. Saya's lush brown hair danced behind her as she came close and the Ship Girl briefly wondered how she can run in such ridiculous high heels. The Idol then came to a halt and took Verniy's hand, shaking it, "You were amazing back then, everyone really enjoyed themselves!"
Huh? Did she now? Verniy couldn't believe that she did an outstanding job even when she watched her video. She supposed that she'll have to play along, "I see. It's a good thing then. I already told you people, I wasn't good at dancing."
"Oh it wasn't the dancing the audience was focused on! It was you yourself! You really got everyone's attention the moment you got up on stage!" praised Saya as she shook the white haired girl's hand, "Thanks to that, I was able to go on. It would've been bad if the spotlight was just solely on me. You really helped out!"
Verniy's mind swam being in front of this girl, causing her to struggle to find the right words to say. This girl, Saya, really looked Inazuma's twin albeit aged up by a couple of years. Ship Girls didn't age or at least the reincarnated ones lose the ability to age once they've awakened.
Summoned girls like Verniy didn't require a human host to fully awaken and came back solely on their own volition. The Inazuma she knew was also the same which brought to wonder if this girl was once a candidate to hold Inazuma's reincarnation.
This was quite the meeting and her interest has been piqued. Akatsuki would appreciate the information but the longer she stayed among these people, the more she was in danger of being dragged into something she'd rather not deal with.
But at the same time…
"Khorosho, it's nice that you think that way," she finally replied before she glanced over at the stage, "Still, was that really okay?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Saya wore a confused look as she turned to see where the white haired girl was looking.
"There weren't that much people. I'd expect and Idol concert to have more people crowding around especially during Winter Breaks," Verniy pointed out, jabbing her thumb over at the stage.
"Normally it would. However we're still a minor unit and we're still in the middle of gathering popularity after starting off," explained the Producer as she tapped at her tablet device, "Still! Little Saya here's going to skyrocket us into the Overworld! We'll smash through the industry with a fiery entrance! We will, won't we Saya!"
"Yes but that would be hard considering you're scaring off whatever recruits you manage to get," sighed the Idol in question with a shake of her head. Frowning, she crossed her arms and said, "At this rate we're going to have our group disbanded if we don't get more girls. So you better work harder next time. Anyway, Miss Vern, thank you again for helping."
"Yeah, just look at the videos over at Nico Nico, the show has become a real hit thanks to you," smirking the Producer then said, "Anyway, we're done here for today. I'll handle the clean up and direct the personnel. Miss Verniy, your clothes are over at the changing room."
Nodding, Verniy was glad that this little episode was coming to an end. Changing out of her dress was done quickly but imagine her surprise to see Saya waiting for her just outside.
"Hello," she greeted with a wave.
"Don't you have places to be?" asked Verniy with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, I'm done with Idol duties today and the Producer has given me the free pass. I was thinking of treating you to something nice for helping us out," Saya smiled brightly as she replied.
Suppressing a smile, Verniy spoke without hesitation, "Give me alcohol."
…..
…..
…
"Give me the most expensive one please~," hummed Saya over the counter as the clerk handed her an entire bottle.
Verniy simply stood at the door of the shop with a stupefied look on her face. Feeling a strange lump in her throat form, she then swallowed hard as her mind began to run wild. Was this actually okay? This girl couldn't have been more than sixteen years old and yet she was already buying alcohol whereas even as a Ship Girl, Verniy still needed to pull some strings from the shadows to acquire her stock. This was quite the discovery she's made and the effort made from simply walking up the counter and buying the stuff was so different from bribing multiple fairies.
Anyway, was this even legal? Shouldn't the security cameras be blaring wildly right now with given a minor just purchased Vodka and not just any vodka, the expensive one too costing over ten thousand yen.
Idols sure were fierce beasts.
"I got the vodka. Here you go," said Saya as she handed it to Verniy.
The Ship Girl took a step back and raised a finger at her, "J-Just how old are you and how did you buy it so easily?"
Saya simply cocked her head for a moment before smiling, "I overpaid."
"Ah," Verniy then took the bottle as it was handed to her. Giving it a skeptic look, she briefly wondered what this country has come to. Well, it wouldn't do for her to be caught carrying a bottle like this in public.
"Here, they gave us a bag to carry it. We've got five to choose from for free," said the Idol as she went through the colored bags in her hands. Verniy wondered if those were paid by the excess cash Saya spent but she wasn't in the place to complain. Besides, she got vodka amongst other things and for free too. She was only wrenched out of her thoughts when Saya spoke once more, "Which color would you like?"
"The blue one," she answered.
The Idol nodded and handed the Ship Girl the blue bag with the latter placing the bottle there. The girl then said, "So where are we going next?"
"You don't have to come with me, you know?" huffed Verniy, "Shouldn't you be with your Producer?"
"Uh… Well," the Idol paused for a moment as she thought up of a reply, "Well… I don't have much to do anyway. I was thinking of accompanying you through the town… Uh… Unless you'd find that troublesome? Well, I can leave if I'm too much of a bother so…"
"Ugh…" Why was this so difficult? Verniy shook her head and said, "Fine. Accompany me. But you'll be carrying my stuff."
"Huh? Uh, well, okay?" replied Saya with a confused look, "Do you know where to go next?"
"Well, I need a few errands done. Mostly follow ups on some orders my home made," now that Verniy thought about it there wasn't much stuff she'd have to buy to warrant a pack mule, "Let's go. We're losing daylight."
"But it's only one o' clock!" cried Saya as she followed the Ship Girl through the mall.
…..
….
…
The errands were easily taken care off within an hour and the two girls found themselves resting at a café. Verniy was pretending not to look at the girl across the table, staring intently at her while the same girl sucked on her iced coffee shake. The Ship Girl sighed and took a sip of her coffee before turning her gaze towards Saya; which turned out to be her first mistake…
"Are you sure you don't want to be an idol?"
"I'm not interested."
"But the way you carry yourself is amazing and you're really pretty too."
"I'm still not interested."
"There's really few ways I can convince you, huh? Even after all you did on stage today?"
"You're… Just repeating what your Producer said. I am not cut out for the job and I have other obligations. You'll have to try harder than that… And the Vodka doesn't count."
Leaning back on her chair, the Idol released a sigh, "Okay… But my plans aside, you're odd."
"Odd?" repeated Verniy as she sipped her coffee.
Nodding, Saya replied, "You're older than you look. Travelling around trying to be famous, I've met my fair share of girls who are starting out like me and I've met many more veteran idols during y trips. I've never seen anyone like you."
"How can you tell?" mused Verniy with a small smile.
"Your eyes look tired," said Saya, "You have the sort of eyes that an older person would have. It isn't the sort of eyes a girl like you would normally have."
…..
Verniy's amusement immediately faded away as she lowered her coffee.
Saya wondered if she struck a nerve and immediately leaned forward to apologize yet Verniy managed to speak ahead of her, "So that's why she's worried."
Freezing in place, the Idol then asked, "I… Is there something wrong?"
"Nyet," shaking her head, Verniy replied, "What about you, Saya? What got you into that business in the first place? If your group is this small, I'd say you only started recently?"
"Eh? Uhm… Yes. Just three months ago I was recruited by the Producer. I've always liked Idols since I was young and being given the chance to become one made me really happy," Saya set down her shake and crossed her arms, "Daddy approved of it after much convincing. P-san didn't appreciate the thorough investigation Dad made but I was eventually allowed to take my first few steps as an Idol."
"I see. It seems like your Father cares about you a lot. What are your parents like?" asked Verniy.
Hey Hibiki, why don't we have Moms and Dads?
"Ah, well… Dad owns an Electric company and mom stays at home. Sometimes she even designs my costumes at the office so she's sometimes around me," Saya happily answered, "They're just… normal parents I guess. Hey, what about you though?"
"I… I have normal parents too, I guess," the Ship Girl replied with a nod.
"Eh? Are they foreigners too?" questioned Saya.
"Well, no," Verniy lied as naturally as she could, "Maybe…"
"Oh…" Saya then sat back down with an uncomfortable look, "Sorry, this doesn't look like something I could talk about."
"Heh, it's fine. I do have an older sister though. She's the one who sent me out on this fetch quest," staring into her mug, the Ship Girl then said, "She can pass off as a normal sibling. She can be very immature though but she does have her moments."
"Oh, well, I asked mom and dad if I could have siblings before. It didn't turn out so well for any of us," Saya giggled as she recounted her particular ordeal, "Well, I was kid then but it must be nice to have some siblings."
"Trust me, it isn't," chuckling Verniy took another sip of her mug and sat up straight, "It's like I'm the older sister whenever we're in the same room. But she tries though and I admire her for that. She's still someone I look up to despite of her… flaws."
"Hmm," the Idol girl smiled at Verniy as the latter gave her a strange look in return, "Hey! You know what, maybe we should—"
"Excuse me!"
Being cut off by a new voice, Saya turned to the side to see a group of people closing in with their phones in their hands. Verniy raised an eyebrow and edged slightly away from the table at the group's approach.
"Um, yes? Is there something wrong?" asked Saya in confusion.
The lead girl at the front of the group then spoke, "Uh, hi. Were you two the Idols that performed a few hours ago? Well we were wondering if we could… take a picture together?"
"A-All of you? And why all of a sudden?" squawked the real Idol in surprise.
"Oh? Haven't you two been checking your twitter? It seems that you two were trending right now!" explained the girl excitedly.
"Oh, look over there is that the white haired girl from before?"
"Oh yeah, she's really pretty up close."
"Hey, you think she speaks Japanese? She might be one of those foreign Idols."
"Gosh, she's so cool looking even though she's that young."
Saya was looking at the number of retweets steadily increasing by the second and back outside the café. Apparently the volume of people had increased since they got here and it seemed like these people were looking for someone while holding up their phones. Stunned by this sudden predicament, she didn't know what to do.
"Sorry, but we're not interested," murmured Verniy as she stood from her seat and grabbed Saya by the hand.
"Wha—Miss Vern what are you—?! Kyaah!" Saya didn't understand what was going on given that one moment she was running alongside Verniy and in the next moment she was being carried away bridal style by the same girl.
"Hold on," was all the white haired girl said and Saya didn't think twice embracing the former as they tore through the mall with their bags. Verniy readjusted her hold on the vodka bottle's bag and sighed in relief. Some people took notice of their mad dash and gave chase, asking for pictures and even interviews but they were no match against a Ship Girl's abilities.
Rushing out the snowy city streets, Verniy turned into a random direction and ran that way with the Idol still in her arms.
…..
….
…
Sometime later, Verniy set down a shaky Saya once she was sure they weren't being chased anymore. She didn't know the situation would burst to that extent and just beneath her nose too. She guessed that she was caught up with the ongoing conversation that she didn't notice. Dusting her coat and making sure her vodka bottle was okay, she then turned to Saya whom still looked like she was reeling from what just happened. Concerned, Verniy reached out to tap her on the shoulder when the girl suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Thirty Thousand re-tweets and counting! This is amazing! Do you know what this means, Miss Vern?!" she squealed happily as she bounced.
Being more confused than anything, Verniy shook her head, "No, not really. Is there something wrong?"
"No! With this amount of information about the group spreading around, we might be able to gather enough fans and possible new recruits for the unit!" Saya's eyes looked like they were glittering as she beamed, "The next live concert's going to be bigger than the one at the mall if this goes on!"
"Oh," Verniy didn't really understand but hearing the girl's excited voice made her smile as well, "Congratulations."
"Oh no, you helped too!" argued Saya, "You're also responsible for this… Thank you!"
"I see… Still, then would our escape actually be a bad thing? You looked really uncomfortable back then so I thought you'd like a change of scenery," said the Ship Girl as she gestured around. No one seemed to recognize them despite the number of people whom passed by at the street.
"No, I'm really grateful for that… I didn't really know how to handle situations like that. It was… my first time," giggled Saya.
"You need bodyguards," sighed Verniy with a shake of her head, "Khorosho. This should serve as a lesson."
"That running from fans is a good idea?" teased the Idol with a coy look. Verniy didn't even bother to respond as she looked around to make sure she didn't just get the two of them lost. Well when push came to shove, she could use her cellphone to call for help but she figured Yuudachi would be rather frustrated having to drive all the way to some unknown part of town to pick her up.
And Akatsuki wouldn't let her hear the end of it.
Her thoughts were then interrupted by Saya grabbed hold of her arm and pulling her along. Surprised, she turned and extracted her arm yet the Idol simply grabbed at her sleeve and pointed up a certain establishment.
Looking up, Verniy blinked in surprise at the welcoming signage of a huge Arcade. She then turned to Saya's sparkling eyes and then back at the arcade before she was dragged towards it once more. This was getting real troublesome….
…..
….
…
Verniy had to remind herself that this girl wasn't her sister. Far from it… it was like someone stuck Ikazuchi's personality inside Inazuma's body and the resulting paradox has turned Verniy's brain into a veritable mush. She didn't know how long she'd last but… She appreciated the girl's company in any case. She made no mistake about it, she enjoyed being with this girl for some strange reason and she felt lighter than she did in months as she spent time with this girl.
She had fun.
She even found it in herself to smile about it.
Perhaps Akatsuki was right in sending her into this trip. Chance encounters like this rarely happened, especially one where she'd be having fun. That and she even got a bottle of vodka out of it. She should've been home a couple hours back had she not met this girl but it seemed that the trip was proving to be worth it. The Arcade ordeal was settled after a few rounds of games and contests with Verniy being the obvious winner.
Saya was about to suggest the DDR Machines when Verniy felt a bad premonition about it and dragged the Idol away. For some reason she felt as if she just saved someone from a terrible fate as she dragged her companion away from the dreaded machine.
So here they were out the streets once more, walking side by side after a great session of games. The sun was slowly making its way through the gray heavens as the snow continued to fall. Saya talked animatedly about school and her friends throughout the walk and Verniy simply listened with a light smile on her face.
It was a shame that Akatsuki couldn't be here.
She would have loved talking to this girl.
"Ah, excuse me," Saya said as she took out her phone and turned away. Verniy nodded and looked elsewhere as the two of them stood just before the city's square where a huge intersection reminiscent was located. High rising buildings surrounded them while crowds of people wandered about through the streets. Up above on the building's faces were huge television monitors which played various advertisements for human products.
The streams of ads were cut-short by sudden breaking news.
Verniy's eyes then sharpened as she clenched her fist.
"Oh no, another Abyssal attack?"
"What the hell is the JMDSF doing? More and more people are dying."
"Wow, look at that, looks like the girls over at Sasebo had it hard. Damn, food prices are going to get shaky again."
"This is what happens when you leave the fate of an entire nation to a bunch of girls."
"Hey don't say that, they're trying their best too."
She tried ignoring these people given they knew nothing. But she couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated at their words. It was only when someone held her hand did her thoughts dissipated and she looked back into Inazu—No, Saya's concerned eyes.
"Are you okay?" she asked before looking past Verniy and up at the screen, "Abyssals?"
"Yes. They're slowly inching their way to the mainland and it's taking all of the JMDSF effort to push them back," replied Verniy as she tried to calm her nerves. No, this much wouldn't drive her to take a sip out of her flask had she had it but still, "There's little we could do. The world is still reeling from the battle two years ago and it doesn't seem every nation who participated in it had recovered just yet."
"Oh… That's bad right? I mean the Abyssals would then try going for us, right?" Saya said in worry.
"Well, this situation has become the norm in the past two years. Until the Ship Girls of this era grow strong, we won't be able to launch offensive attacks against the Abyssals. For now we can only bide our time and hinder their progress," the white haired girl then began to walk away from the street then.
Saya blinked and followed her while saying, "You sure know a lot."
"Well, I'm… An enthusiast," Verniy lied once more. Right, smooth.
"Of Ship Girls?" asked the Idol as she leaned forward to get a good look at Verniy's face from the side.
"Hmph, what do you think about them anyway?" Verniy threw back another question in response.
This made Saya ponder for a moment as she bore a thoughtful look, "Well, I admire them. They're strong and even after the battle two years ago the remnants of that fight didn't give up. They continued to fight for us while we're all hiding in our houses."
Verniy simply remained silent as the two of them passed through brightly lit shops and through busy streets. The snow fall began to thicken the more they walked.
"One of the reasons I was scouted as an Idol was apparently because I looked like a Ship Girl," continued Saya as she kicked snow off the ground while walking, "I guess I owe to them that I'm here too."
"Is that so," murmured the white haired girl.
"You know, one of these days I'd like to sing a song for them. I mean, if songs could lift people's hearts when they're down maybe it'll give those girls a bit more strength to keep on fighting," said Saya as she turned and smiled at Verniy.
The latter girl chuckled lightly, "Songs are nice. I'm sure they'd like that. Maybe battle song to pump them up?"
"Well, I was thinking of a song to thank them. Something that'll express our gratitude and our love. Something that'll remind them that we still care and that we have faith in them," Saya crossed her arms and nodded at her own words, seeming to agree with herself. Verniy simply found this amusing and walked past her.
"So what kind of song would it be? It should be something worth listening too while fighting the endless number of the Abyss," she said.
Then all of a sudden Saya caught up with her and grinned, "A Faithful Love Song then?"
Verniy stopped on her tracks as she was greeted by the sight of the Producer woman from before standing before a black car. Saya went ahead and turned back and said, "Well, I guess I couldn't convince you to be an Idol in the end but I did have fun."
"You were just there for the ride. You did no convincing as far as I know," mused the Ship Girl.
"Well, I had a great time. Sorry if I took a whole lot of your time than planned," apologized Saya with a polite bow.
Shaking her head, Verniy said, "I didn't dislike it. Besides, instead of convincing someone to be an idol, I think you just made a new fan."
"That works too. Please keep in touch! I hope we can see each other again," Saya then walked to the black car as she said her farewells and sat inside. The Producer woman then cleared her throat as she approached Verniy with a smirk.
The Ship Girl simply put her guard up while narrowing her gaze at the Producer.
"Here. You can contact her through this number," the Producer then handed Verniy a piece of paper with Saya's number and email address written on the back, "That girl will appreciate whatever you have to say."
"Huh, are you sure? I might misplace it or forget it," Verniy murmured softly while inspecting the number.
"I highly doubt that considering how much fun you had," said the Producer as she walked away, "Besides, the Admiral will remind you if you forget."
At this the Ship Girl raised an eyebrow as the Producer got into the car. This woman knew the Admiral? Her thoughts were easily distracted as Saya waved at her goodbye for the last time while the car started. Soon the car drove off, leaving Verniy all on her own.
…..
"It's time to go home…"
…..
….
…
"I'm back," sighed Verniy as she dusted snow off her jacket and hanging it over the rack to her right. Shutting the sliding door behind her, she took off her shoes and walked through the hallway. Passing by the dorm's kitchen, she noticed Furutaka making dinner over the stove. After a pause, she wandered in and called out to the Heavy Cruiser, "Yo."
"Hm? Oh, Hibiki, you're back. Dinner will be up in a moment," said the brown haired Heavy Cruiser with a smile.
"Where's my sister?" asked Veniy as she set down her bottle of vodka and other items she bought home.
"She's upstairs. Possibly resting. You should go thank her, she spent the entire day cleaning your rooms like mad," said Furutaka as she sampled her soup.
"I see. Well I have the thank you gift just for he-"
"No alcohols please. She might just smash it on your head and stab you," warned the older girl as she waved her hand, "Apparently she's grown a hate for the sight and smell for it so I suggest laying low on your consumption for the next two days."
Smirking, Verniy stored her vodka bottle in the fridge and said, "Right, right. I understand."
Exiting the kitchen, Verniy wandered off to find her favorite sister. Climbing up the second floor of the dorm, she eventually found her sister leaning out the balcony overlooking the gray ocean and the Naval Base at the distance. Akatsuki tensed and whirled around while hiding something behind her back.
Raising an eyebrow at her sister's sudden reaction, Verniy then greeted her, "I'm back. I've done your errands."
"O-Oh! That's good. Thank you," Akatsuki nervously replied. Coughing, she then said, "W-Well, I cleaned our rooms. So you should be grateful! Still, I'm glad you managed without me helping you out, hmph hmph!"
"Yes, it was a long day," sighed Verniy as she approached her sister.
Akatsuki felt a bead of sweat slide down her cheeks before Verniy suddenly charged at her. Taken aback, all she could manage was a strangled, "Pyaaaaa!!!" as her sister passed her. It took her a moment to keep herself from tripping over her own yukata and found Verniy standing by her side with a smartphone in her hands.
"Hmph, you've been watching things, Akatsuki," murmured Verniy as she looked down at the video playing. Narrowing her gaze, she glanced at her elder sister and asked, "Does everyone know?"
"W-W-Well… Yes… You were amazing, Hibiki! You looked really pretty too! I… Uh," Akatsuki seemed to be at a loss for words as she twiddled her thumbs beneath her sister's cold gaze.
Verniy then dropped her hard look and reached out to touch her elder sister's head, "Did you like it?"
Brightening up, Akatsuki nodded.
Smirking, the white haired girl then said, "That's good. I'm glad you liked my dumb dancing."
"It wasn't dumb at all!" argued Akatsuki.
Turning away and closing the phone, Verniy looked out into the sea and nodded, "Right. You know, maybe you should have come with me. Maybe we could have danced together."
"Hibiki…" grumbled Akatsuki with a pout. Shaking her head, the elder sister then crossed her arms and asked, "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah. I think I needed this, sister. Something to help me escape from the constant fighting was nice…" replied the white haired girl with a small smile, "That and I met a very interesting person today."
"I saw," Akatsuki took her place beside her sister and leaned on the railings of the balcony, "Was she nice?"
"Mhmm… Her name was Saya. She was a girl aspiring to be an Idol with the hopes to sing a song for us one of these days," Verniy spoke with fondness in her tone for that odd girl, "She sort of reminded me of you."
"….. Hibiki," Akatsuki sniffled as she embraced her sister without warning. Verniy didn't resist yet she couldn't help but feel confused as her elder sister began to tremble while hugging her.
"Akatsuki? What's the matter?" she asked with a frown. She slowly raised her arms and returned her sister's embrace to keep the latter from trembling so much.
"I'm sorry for being a bad sister. I'm sorry for leaving you all alone out there. If I didn't turn my back on the fighting then you wouldn't be so alone! I shouldn't have done it, not after Ikazuchi and Inazuma left us. I just repeated what happened to us a long time ago!" sobbed Akatsuki as she buried her face into the white haired girl's shoulder, "I was dumb! I was so scared! I shouldn't have given up my rigging!"
"Akatsuki…"Verniy murmured softly.
"You shouldn't be taking all the weight. I should be out there with you and seeing you like this, so lost and despondent, it hurts! And I know you're hurting inside too because if you weren't you wouldn't be drinking those stupid alcohols!" cried the elder sister as she hit Verniy with her arms.
Smiling lightly, she tried consoling her sobbing sister, "Hey, I like vodka. This doesn't have anything to do with my feelings."
"But it does! I don't like it Hibiki! And I think you should stop drinking, it's bad for your health!" sobbed Akatsuki before she hugged her little sister once more, "I'm sorry for leaving you all alone. I'm sorry. I should have been stronger. I should have been a better older sister. I'm so sorry, Hibiki!"
"Spasiba," chuckled Verniy as she stroked her sister's hair, "Okay. Okay, I understand, sister. But I'm fine. I'm not alone this time… Not like the last war, I have you with me. And even when they're not here, Ikazuchi and Inazuma… They're both watching over us and I know it. And I don't blame you for giving up fighting. I understand why you did it and I would have too. But I then realized that if I stopped fighting, who would be there to protect you?"
"I'm the older sister, dummy. I –I s-should be the one doing the protecting…" sniffled Akatsuki as she pulled away, wiping away her tears with her yukata, "it's not fair to Hibiki!"
Verniy then grabbed hold of her sister's shoulders and looked right into her eyes. She then declared in an unwavering tone, "I will protect you. Even if you grow taller than me, I will protect you. Even if you gave up fighting, I will protect you. Even if you go to college and get a job, I will protect you! If you move away and start a family, have kids and grow old, I'll still protect you and your family! Until the day I sink, I will protect you with all my life, Akatsuki! Make no mistake… You weren't at fault. And unlike back when I was first alone, this time I'd gladly fight on my own given I have something to protect."
Blinking, Akatsuki stared at her sister for a few moments before asking, "Really?"
"Heh," smiling, Verniy then said, "Have some faith in me, will you?"
"….." Akatsuki's eyes began to well up once more in tears before she embraced her sister once more, "HIBIKI!"
Verniy couldn't help but sigh at her immature elder sister.
Yes indeed, she didn't feel that lonely anymore.
…..
….
…
The Producer stared down at the brilliant evening cityscape laid bare before her as she let out a sigh. Taking out a packet of cigarettes, she lit one stick with a lighter and began unwinding while feeling the cool evening breeze roll overhead. Behind her was a traditional Japanese styled hot spring resort where her sole Idol was currently resting in preparation for another big trip across the country. Today's adventure had net the girl quite the popularity thanks to the aid of a certain white haired girl.
She then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket so she lowered her cigarette and answered, "Producer, speaking."
"Heya. It's me."
"Admiral. Good evening."
"Huh, your voice is different. Did you somehow lose weight?"
"Oh don't go complimenting me now, you old bat. Not after all the trouble you gave me before."
"Sorry, sorry, I was just calling to tell you how much I'm thankful for going along with my whims."
"Of course. Anything to help with the morale of the girls. That particular one was quite interesting. Verniy was it?"
"The girl needed a break. She deserved it."
"I've noticed. So are you still recovering?"
"Everyone still is."
"My apologies.
"Don't. You had your choice and it looks like you're doing well. I'm glad. That's all I could ask for. How's the company?"
"With Verniy's recent stunt, I'd say business is booming. We've received multiple requests from various shows. We'll be on the charts in no time."
"Neat. I'd like to hear what songs that girl of yours could sing."
"I'll train her, don't worry."
"Well that's really all I have to say. I'll catch you later then. Tell me of your adventures on your new job."
"For a moment."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Tell that girl Verniy… If she ever changes her mind, my doors are open. And Saya could use her as a partner. Even if it's not Verniy, perhaps someone else?"
"You trying to poach my girls?"
"Maybe I am?"
"…. Right. See you around Naka."
"Good bye, Admiral," smiling, the Producer lowered her phone and looked at her cigarette. Shaking her head, she didn't even try finishing the rest of it before throwing it away.
============================================
Personal Opinion time
.... I don't really have much to say. This was fun. Tell me what you think.
I'm also going to start a proper fic soonish.
But when she walked down the metal stairs after a rather difficult five minutes of being a background dancer, she was greeted by a very impressed Producer. That smug look on the woman's face was very grating as she walked over to Verniy and showed her the phone recorded video.
"I know I'm always right! You had the grace and the moves, you'll be successful just yet but while I preferred your first exposure to be something else, I'd say this is a single step done! We'll make star out of you just yet!" she cried out excitedly while Veniy looked down at herself on the video.
From this perspective, she could say she didn't do a bad job keeping up with fifteen minutes of practiced dance steps. Considering she knew almost nothing other than fighting Abyssals, it was a miracle she registered all of that information in one go.
Well, Maikaze would be to blame for this one way or another.
She still wasn't happy.
"I told you, I'm not interested," she repeated stubbornly.
"Despite your performance?" asked the Producer with a raised eyebrow.
"Especially then," sighed the Ship Girl, "I have other obligations and I did my part here."
"Miss Vern! You were amazing!" called the last person Verniy wanted to deal with right now. She turned to see a girl running down the metal stairs in a flowing pink dress much like hers. Saya's lush brown hair danced behind her as she came close and the Ship Girl briefly wondered how she can run in such ridiculous high heels. The Idol then came to a halt and took Verniy's hand, shaking it, "You were amazing back then, everyone really enjoyed themselves!"
Huh? Did she now? Verniy couldn't believe that she did an outstanding job even when she watched her video. She supposed that she'll have to play along, "I see. It's a good thing then. I already told you people, I wasn't good at dancing."
"Oh it wasn't the dancing the audience was focused on! It was you yourself! You really got everyone's attention the moment you got up on stage!" praised Saya as she shook the white haired girl's hand, "Thanks to that, I was able to go on. It would've been bad if the spotlight was just solely on me. You really helped out!"
Verniy's mind swam being in front of this girl, causing her to struggle to find the right words to say. This girl, Saya, really looked Inazuma's twin albeit aged up by a couple of years. Ship Girls didn't age or at least the reincarnated ones lose the ability to age once they've awakened.
Summoned girls like Verniy didn't require a human host to fully awaken and came back solely on their own volition. The Inazuma she knew was also the same which brought to wonder if this girl was once a candidate to hold Inazuma's reincarnation.
This was quite the meeting and her interest has been piqued. Akatsuki would appreciate the information but the longer she stayed among these people, the more she was in danger of being dragged into something she'd rather not deal with.
But at the same time…
"Khorosho, it's nice that you think that way," she finally replied before she glanced over at the stage, "Still, was that really okay?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Saya wore a confused look as she turned to see where the white haired girl was looking.
"There weren't that much people. I'd expect and Idol concert to have more people crowding around especially during Winter Breaks," Verniy pointed out, jabbing her thumb over at the stage.
"Normally it would. However we're still a minor unit and we're still in the middle of gathering popularity after starting off," explained the Producer as she tapped at her tablet device, "Still! Little Saya here's going to skyrocket us into the Overworld! We'll smash through the industry with a fiery entrance! We will, won't we Saya!"
"Yes but that would be hard considering you're scaring off whatever recruits you manage to get," sighed the Idol in question with a shake of her head. Frowning, she crossed her arms and said, "At this rate we're going to have our group disbanded if we don't get more girls. So you better work harder next time. Anyway, Miss Vern, thank you again for helping."
"Yeah, just look at the videos over at Nico Nico, the show has become a real hit thanks to you," smirking the Producer then said, "Anyway, we're done here for today. I'll handle the clean up and direct the personnel. Miss Verniy, your clothes are over at the changing room."
Nodding, Verniy was glad that this little episode was coming to an end. Changing out of her dress was done quickly but imagine her surprise to see Saya waiting for her just outside.
"Hello," she greeted with a wave.
"Don't you have places to be?" asked Verniy with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, I'm done with Idol duties today and the Producer has given me the free pass. I was thinking of treating you to something nice for helping us out," Saya smiled brightly as she replied.
Suppressing a smile, Verniy spoke without hesitation, "Give me alcohol."
…..
…..
…
"Give me the most expensive one please~," hummed Saya over the counter as the clerk handed her an entire bottle.
Verniy simply stood at the door of the shop with a stupefied look on her face. Feeling a strange lump in her throat form, she then swallowed hard as her mind began to run wild. Was this actually okay? This girl couldn't have been more than sixteen years old and yet she was already buying alcohol whereas even as a Ship Girl, Verniy still needed to pull some strings from the shadows to acquire her stock. This was quite the discovery she's made and the effort made from simply walking up the counter and buying the stuff was so different from bribing multiple fairies.
Anyway, was this even legal? Shouldn't the security cameras be blaring wildly right now with given a minor just purchased Vodka and not just any vodka, the expensive one too costing over ten thousand yen.
Idols sure were fierce beasts.
"I got the vodka. Here you go," said Saya as she handed it to Verniy.
The Ship Girl took a step back and raised a finger at her, "J-Just how old are you and how did you buy it so easily?"
Saya simply cocked her head for a moment before smiling, "I overpaid."
"Ah," Verniy then took the bottle as it was handed to her. Giving it a skeptic look, she briefly wondered what this country has come to. Well, it wouldn't do for her to be caught carrying a bottle like this in public.
"Here, they gave us a bag to carry it. We've got five to choose from for free," said the Idol as she went through the colored bags in her hands. Verniy wondered if those were paid by the excess cash Saya spent but she wasn't in the place to complain. Besides, she got vodka amongst other things and for free too. She was only wrenched out of her thoughts when Saya spoke once more, "Which color would you like?"
"The blue one," she answered.
The Idol nodded and handed the Ship Girl the blue bag with the latter placing the bottle there. The girl then said, "So where are we going next?"
"You don't have to come with me, you know?" huffed Verniy, "Shouldn't you be with your Producer?"
"Uh… Well," the Idol paused for a moment as she thought up of a reply, "Well… I don't have much to do anyway. I was thinking of accompanying you through the town… Uh… Unless you'd find that troublesome? Well, I can leave if I'm too much of a bother so…"
"Ugh…" Why was this so difficult? Verniy shook her head and said, "Fine. Accompany me. But you'll be carrying my stuff."
"Huh? Uh, well, okay?" replied Saya with a confused look, "Do you know where to go next?"
"Well, I need a few errands done. Mostly follow ups on some orders my home made," now that Verniy thought about it there wasn't much stuff she'd have to buy to warrant a pack mule, "Let's go. We're losing daylight."
"But it's only one o' clock!" cried Saya as she followed the Ship Girl through the mall.
…..
….
…
The errands were easily taken care off within an hour and the two girls found themselves resting at a café. Verniy was pretending not to look at the girl across the table, staring intently at her while the same girl sucked on her iced coffee shake. The Ship Girl sighed and took a sip of her coffee before turning her gaze towards Saya; which turned out to be her first mistake…
"Are you sure you don't want to be an idol?"
"I'm not interested."
"But the way you carry yourself is amazing and you're really pretty too."
"I'm still not interested."
"There's really few ways I can convince you, huh? Even after all you did on stage today?"
"You're… Just repeating what your Producer said. I am not cut out for the job and I have other obligations. You'll have to try harder than that… And the Vodka doesn't count."
Leaning back on her chair, the Idol released a sigh, "Okay… But my plans aside, you're odd."
"Odd?" repeated Verniy as she sipped her coffee.
Nodding, Saya replied, "You're older than you look. Travelling around trying to be famous, I've met my fair share of girls who are starting out like me and I've met many more veteran idols during y trips. I've never seen anyone like you."
"How can you tell?" mused Verniy with a small smile.
"Your eyes look tired," said Saya, "You have the sort of eyes that an older person would have. It isn't the sort of eyes a girl like you would normally have."
…..
Verniy's amusement immediately faded away as she lowered her coffee.
Saya wondered if she struck a nerve and immediately leaned forward to apologize yet Verniy managed to speak ahead of her, "So that's why she's worried."
Freezing in place, the Idol then asked, "I… Is there something wrong?"
"Nyet," shaking her head, Verniy replied, "What about you, Saya? What got you into that business in the first place? If your group is this small, I'd say you only started recently?"
"Eh? Uhm… Yes. Just three months ago I was recruited by the Producer. I've always liked Idols since I was young and being given the chance to become one made me really happy," Saya set down her shake and crossed her arms, "Daddy approved of it after much convincing. P-san didn't appreciate the thorough investigation Dad made but I was eventually allowed to take my first few steps as an Idol."
"I see. It seems like your Father cares about you a lot. What are your parents like?" asked Verniy.
Hey Hibiki, why don't we have Moms and Dads?
"Ah, well… Dad owns an Electric company and mom stays at home. Sometimes she even designs my costumes at the office so she's sometimes around me," Saya happily answered, "They're just… normal parents I guess. Hey, what about you though?"
"I… I have normal parents too, I guess," the Ship Girl replied with a nod.
"Eh? Are they foreigners too?" questioned Saya.
"Well, no," Verniy lied as naturally as she could, "Maybe…"
"Oh…" Saya then sat back down with an uncomfortable look, "Sorry, this doesn't look like something I could talk about."
"Heh, it's fine. I do have an older sister though. She's the one who sent me out on this fetch quest," staring into her mug, the Ship Girl then said, "She can pass off as a normal sibling. She can be very immature though but she does have her moments."
"Oh, well, I asked mom and dad if I could have siblings before. It didn't turn out so well for any of us," Saya giggled as she recounted her particular ordeal, "Well, I was kid then but it must be nice to have some siblings."
"Trust me, it isn't," chuckling Verniy took another sip of her mug and sat up straight, "It's like I'm the older sister whenever we're in the same room. But she tries though and I admire her for that. She's still someone I look up to despite of her… flaws."
"Hmm," the Idol girl smiled at Verniy as the latter gave her a strange look in return, "Hey! You know what, maybe we should—"
"Excuse me!"
Being cut off by a new voice, Saya turned to the side to see a group of people closing in with their phones in their hands. Verniy raised an eyebrow and edged slightly away from the table at the group's approach.
"Um, yes? Is there something wrong?" asked Saya in confusion.
The lead girl at the front of the group then spoke, "Uh, hi. Were you two the Idols that performed a few hours ago? Well we were wondering if we could… take a picture together?"
"A-All of you? And why all of a sudden?" squawked the real Idol in surprise.
"Oh? Haven't you two been checking your twitter? It seems that you two were trending right now!" explained the girl excitedly.
"Oh, look over there is that the white haired girl from before?"
"Oh yeah, she's really pretty up close."
"Hey, you think she speaks Japanese? She might be one of those foreign Idols."
"Gosh, she's so cool looking even though she's that young."
Saya was looking at the number of retweets steadily increasing by the second and back outside the café. Apparently the volume of people had increased since they got here and it seemed like these people were looking for someone while holding up their phones. Stunned by this sudden predicament, she didn't know what to do.
"Sorry, but we're not interested," murmured Verniy as she stood from her seat and grabbed Saya by the hand.
"Wha—Miss Vern what are you—?! Kyaah!" Saya didn't understand what was going on given that one moment she was running alongside Verniy and in the next moment she was being carried away bridal style by the same girl.
"Hold on," was all the white haired girl said and Saya didn't think twice embracing the former as they tore through the mall with their bags. Verniy readjusted her hold on the vodka bottle's bag and sighed in relief. Some people took notice of their mad dash and gave chase, asking for pictures and even interviews but they were no match against a Ship Girl's abilities.
Rushing out the snowy city streets, Verniy turned into a random direction and ran that way with the Idol still in her arms.
…..
….
…
Sometime later, Verniy set down a shaky Saya once she was sure they weren't being chased anymore. She didn't know the situation would burst to that extent and just beneath her nose too. She guessed that she was caught up with the ongoing conversation that she didn't notice. Dusting her coat and making sure her vodka bottle was okay, she then turned to Saya whom still looked like she was reeling from what just happened. Concerned, Verniy reached out to tap her on the shoulder when the girl suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Thirty Thousand re-tweets and counting! This is amazing! Do you know what this means, Miss Vern?!" she squealed happily as she bounced.
Being more confused than anything, Verniy shook her head, "No, not really. Is there something wrong?"
"No! With this amount of information about the group spreading around, we might be able to gather enough fans and possible new recruits for the unit!" Saya's eyes looked like they were glittering as she beamed, "The next live concert's going to be bigger than the one at the mall if this goes on!"
"Oh," Verniy didn't really understand but hearing the girl's excited voice made her smile as well, "Congratulations."
"Oh no, you helped too!" argued Saya, "You're also responsible for this… Thank you!"
"I see… Still, then would our escape actually be a bad thing? You looked really uncomfortable back then so I thought you'd like a change of scenery," said the Ship Girl as she gestured around. No one seemed to recognize them despite the number of people whom passed by at the street.
"No, I'm really grateful for that… I didn't really know how to handle situations like that. It was… my first time," giggled Saya.
"You need bodyguards," sighed Verniy with a shake of her head, "Khorosho. This should serve as a lesson."
"That running from fans is a good idea?" teased the Idol with a coy look. Verniy didn't even bother to respond as she looked around to make sure she didn't just get the two of them lost. Well when push came to shove, she could use her cellphone to call for help but she figured Yuudachi would be rather frustrated having to drive all the way to some unknown part of town to pick her up.
And Akatsuki wouldn't let her hear the end of it.
Her thoughts were then interrupted by Saya grabbed hold of her arm and pulling her along. Surprised, she turned and extracted her arm yet the Idol simply grabbed at her sleeve and pointed up a certain establishment.
Looking up, Verniy blinked in surprise at the welcoming signage of a huge Arcade. She then turned to Saya's sparkling eyes and then back at the arcade before she was dragged towards it once more. This was getting real troublesome….
…..
….
…
Verniy had to remind herself that this girl wasn't her sister. Far from it… it was like someone stuck Ikazuchi's personality inside Inazuma's body and the resulting paradox has turned Verniy's brain into a veritable mush. She didn't know how long she'd last but… She appreciated the girl's company in any case. She made no mistake about it, she enjoyed being with this girl for some strange reason and she felt lighter than she did in months as she spent time with this girl.
She had fun.
She even found it in herself to smile about it.
Perhaps Akatsuki was right in sending her into this trip. Chance encounters like this rarely happened, especially one where she'd be having fun. That and she even got a bottle of vodka out of it. She should've been home a couple hours back had she not met this girl but it seemed that the trip was proving to be worth it. The Arcade ordeal was settled after a few rounds of games and contests with Verniy being the obvious winner.
Saya was about to suggest the DDR Machines when Verniy felt a bad premonition about it and dragged the Idol away. For some reason she felt as if she just saved someone from a terrible fate as she dragged her companion away from the dreaded machine.
So here they were out the streets once more, walking side by side after a great session of games. The sun was slowly making its way through the gray heavens as the snow continued to fall. Saya talked animatedly about school and her friends throughout the walk and Verniy simply listened with a light smile on her face.
It was a shame that Akatsuki couldn't be here.
She would have loved talking to this girl.
"Ah, excuse me," Saya said as she took out her phone and turned away. Verniy nodded and looked elsewhere as the two of them stood just before the city's square where a huge intersection reminiscent was located. High rising buildings surrounded them while crowds of people wandered about through the streets. Up above on the building's faces were huge television monitors which played various advertisements for human products.
The streams of ads were cut-short by sudden breaking news.
Verniy's eyes then sharpened as she clenched her fist.
"Oh no, another Abyssal attack?"
"What the hell is the JMDSF doing? More and more people are dying."
"Wow, look at that, looks like the girls over at Sasebo had it hard. Damn, food prices are going to get shaky again."
"This is what happens when you leave the fate of an entire nation to a bunch of girls."
"Hey don't say that, they're trying their best too."
She tried ignoring these people given they knew nothing. But she couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated at their words. It was only when someone held her hand did her thoughts dissipated and she looked back into Inazu—No, Saya's concerned eyes.
"Are you okay?" she asked before looking past Verniy and up at the screen, "Abyssals?"
"Yes. They're slowly inching their way to the mainland and it's taking all of the JMDSF effort to push them back," replied Verniy as she tried to calm her nerves. No, this much wouldn't drive her to take a sip out of her flask had she had it but still, "There's little we could do. The world is still reeling from the battle two years ago and it doesn't seem every nation who participated in it had recovered just yet."
"Oh… That's bad right? I mean the Abyssals would then try going for us, right?" Saya said in worry.
"Well, this situation has become the norm in the past two years. Until the Ship Girls of this era grow strong, we won't be able to launch offensive attacks against the Abyssals. For now we can only bide our time and hinder their progress," the white haired girl then began to walk away from the street then.
Saya blinked and followed her while saying, "You sure know a lot."
"Well, I'm… An enthusiast," Verniy lied once more. Right, smooth.
"Of Ship Girls?" asked the Idol as she leaned forward to get a good look at Verniy's face from the side.
"Hmph, what do you think about them anyway?" Verniy threw back another question in response.
This made Saya ponder for a moment as she bore a thoughtful look, "Well, I admire them. They're strong and even after the battle two years ago the remnants of that fight didn't give up. They continued to fight for us while we're all hiding in our houses."
Verniy simply remained silent as the two of them passed through brightly lit shops and through busy streets. The snow fall began to thicken the more they walked.
"One of the reasons I was scouted as an Idol was apparently because I looked like a Ship Girl," continued Saya as she kicked snow off the ground while walking, "I guess I owe to them that I'm here too."
"Is that so," murmured the white haired girl.
"You know, one of these days I'd like to sing a song for them. I mean, if songs could lift people's hearts when they're down maybe it'll give those girls a bit more strength to keep on fighting," said Saya as she turned and smiled at Verniy.
The latter girl chuckled lightly, "Songs are nice. I'm sure they'd like that. Maybe battle song to pump them up?"
"Well, I was thinking of a song to thank them. Something that'll express our gratitude and our love. Something that'll remind them that we still care and that we have faith in them," Saya crossed her arms and nodded at her own words, seeming to agree with herself. Verniy simply found this amusing and walked past her.
"So what kind of song would it be? It should be something worth listening too while fighting the endless number of the Abyss," she said.
Then all of a sudden Saya caught up with her and grinned, "A Faithful Love Song then?"
Verniy stopped on her tracks as she was greeted by the sight of the Producer woman from before standing before a black car. Saya went ahead and turned back and said, "Well, I guess I couldn't convince you to be an Idol in the end but I did have fun."
"You were just there for the ride. You did no convincing as far as I know," mused the Ship Girl.
"Well, I had a great time. Sorry if I took a whole lot of your time than planned," apologized Saya with a polite bow.
Shaking her head, Verniy said, "I didn't dislike it. Besides, instead of convincing someone to be an idol, I think you just made a new fan."
"That works too. Please keep in touch! I hope we can see each other again," Saya then walked to the black car as she said her farewells and sat inside. The Producer woman then cleared her throat as she approached Verniy with a smirk.
The Ship Girl simply put her guard up while narrowing her gaze at the Producer.
"Here. You can contact her through this number," the Producer then handed Verniy a piece of paper with Saya's number and email address written on the back, "That girl will appreciate whatever you have to say."
"Huh, are you sure? I might misplace it or forget it," Verniy murmured softly while inspecting the number.
"I highly doubt that considering how much fun you had," said the Producer as she walked away, "Besides, the Admiral will remind you if you forget."
At this the Ship Girl raised an eyebrow as the Producer got into the car. This woman knew the Admiral? Her thoughts were easily distracted as Saya waved at her goodbye for the last time while the car started. Soon the car drove off, leaving Verniy all on her own.
…..
"It's time to go home…"
…..
….
…
"I'm back," sighed Verniy as she dusted snow off her jacket and hanging it over the rack to her right. Shutting the sliding door behind her, she took off her shoes and walked through the hallway. Passing by the dorm's kitchen, she noticed Furutaka making dinner over the stove. After a pause, she wandered in and called out to the Heavy Cruiser, "Yo."
"Hm? Oh, Hibiki, you're back. Dinner will be up in a moment," said the brown haired Heavy Cruiser with a smile.
"Where's my sister?" asked Veniy as she set down her bottle of vodka and other items she bought home.
"She's upstairs. Possibly resting. You should go thank her, she spent the entire day cleaning your rooms like mad," said Furutaka as she sampled her soup.
"I see. Well I have the thank you gift just for he-"
"No alcohols please. She might just smash it on your head and stab you," warned the older girl as she waved her hand, "Apparently she's grown a hate for the sight and smell for it so I suggest laying low on your consumption for the next two days."
Smirking, Verniy stored her vodka bottle in the fridge and said, "Right, right. I understand."
Exiting the kitchen, Verniy wandered off to find her favorite sister. Climbing up the second floor of the dorm, she eventually found her sister leaning out the balcony overlooking the gray ocean and the Naval Base at the distance. Akatsuki tensed and whirled around while hiding something behind her back.
Raising an eyebrow at her sister's sudden reaction, Verniy then greeted her, "I'm back. I've done your errands."
"O-Oh! That's good. Thank you," Akatsuki nervously replied. Coughing, she then said, "W-Well, I cleaned our rooms. So you should be grateful! Still, I'm glad you managed without me helping you out, hmph hmph!"
"Yes, it was a long day," sighed Verniy as she approached her sister.
Akatsuki felt a bead of sweat slide down her cheeks before Verniy suddenly charged at her. Taken aback, all she could manage was a strangled, "Pyaaaaa!!!" as her sister passed her. It took her a moment to keep herself from tripping over her own yukata and found Verniy standing by her side with a smartphone in her hands.
"Hmph, you've been watching things, Akatsuki," murmured Verniy as she looked down at the video playing. Narrowing her gaze, she glanced at her elder sister and asked, "Does everyone know?"
"W-W-Well… Yes… You were amazing, Hibiki! You looked really pretty too! I… Uh," Akatsuki seemed to be at a loss for words as she twiddled her thumbs beneath her sister's cold gaze.
Verniy then dropped her hard look and reached out to touch her elder sister's head, "Did you like it?"
Brightening up, Akatsuki nodded.
Smirking, the white haired girl then said, "That's good. I'm glad you liked my dumb dancing."
"It wasn't dumb at all!" argued Akatsuki.
Turning away and closing the phone, Verniy looked out into the sea and nodded, "Right. You know, maybe you should have come with me. Maybe we could have danced together."
"Hibiki…" grumbled Akatsuki with a pout. Shaking her head, the elder sister then crossed her arms and asked, "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah. I think I needed this, sister. Something to help me escape from the constant fighting was nice…" replied the white haired girl with a small smile, "That and I met a very interesting person today."
"I saw," Akatsuki took her place beside her sister and leaned on the railings of the balcony, "Was she nice?"
"Mhmm… Her name was Saya. She was a girl aspiring to be an Idol with the hopes to sing a song for us one of these days," Verniy spoke with fondness in her tone for that odd girl, "She sort of reminded me of you."
"….. Hibiki," Akatsuki sniffled as she embraced her sister without warning. Verniy didn't resist yet she couldn't help but feel confused as her elder sister began to tremble while hugging her.
"Akatsuki? What's the matter?" she asked with a frown. She slowly raised her arms and returned her sister's embrace to keep the latter from trembling so much.
"I'm sorry for being a bad sister. I'm sorry for leaving you all alone out there. If I didn't turn my back on the fighting then you wouldn't be so alone! I shouldn't have done it, not after Ikazuchi and Inazuma left us. I just repeated what happened to us a long time ago!" sobbed Akatsuki as she buried her face into the white haired girl's shoulder, "I was dumb! I was so scared! I shouldn't have given up my rigging!"
"Akatsuki…"Verniy murmured softly.
"You shouldn't be taking all the weight. I should be out there with you and seeing you like this, so lost and despondent, it hurts! And I know you're hurting inside too because if you weren't you wouldn't be drinking those stupid alcohols!" cried the elder sister as she hit Verniy with her arms.
Smiling lightly, she tried consoling her sobbing sister, "Hey, I like vodka. This doesn't have anything to do with my feelings."
"But it does! I don't like it Hibiki! And I think you should stop drinking, it's bad for your health!" sobbed Akatsuki before she hugged her little sister once more, "I'm sorry for leaving you all alone. I'm sorry. I should have been stronger. I should have been a better older sister. I'm so sorry, Hibiki!"
"Spasiba," chuckled Verniy as she stroked her sister's hair, "Okay. Okay, I understand, sister. But I'm fine. I'm not alone this time… Not like the last war, I have you with me. And even when they're not here, Ikazuchi and Inazuma… They're both watching over us and I know it. And I don't blame you for giving up fighting. I understand why you did it and I would have too. But I then realized that if I stopped fighting, who would be there to protect you?"
"I'm the older sister, dummy. I –I s-should be the one doing the protecting…" sniffled Akatsuki as she pulled away, wiping away her tears with her yukata, "it's not fair to Hibiki!"
Verniy then grabbed hold of her sister's shoulders and looked right into her eyes. She then declared in an unwavering tone, "I will protect you. Even if you grow taller than me, I will protect you. Even if you gave up fighting, I will protect you. Even if you go to college and get a job, I will protect you! If you move away and start a family, have kids and grow old, I'll still protect you and your family! Until the day I sink, I will protect you with all my life, Akatsuki! Make no mistake… You weren't at fault. And unlike back when I was first alone, this time I'd gladly fight on my own given I have something to protect."
Blinking, Akatsuki stared at her sister for a few moments before asking, "Really?"
"Heh," smiling, Verniy then said, "Have some faith in me, will you?"
"….." Akatsuki's eyes began to well up once more in tears before she embraced her sister once more, "HIBIKI!"
Verniy couldn't help but sigh at her immature elder sister.
Yes indeed, she didn't feel that lonely anymore.
…..
….
…
The Producer stared down at the brilliant evening cityscape laid bare before her as she let out a sigh. Taking out a packet of cigarettes, she lit one stick with a lighter and began unwinding while feeling the cool evening breeze roll overhead. Behind her was a traditional Japanese styled hot spring resort where her sole Idol was currently resting in preparation for another big trip across the country. Today's adventure had net the girl quite the popularity thanks to the aid of a certain white haired girl.
She then felt her phone vibrate in her pocket so she lowered her cigarette and answered, "Producer, speaking."
"Heya. It's me."
"Admiral. Good evening."
"Huh, your voice is different. Did you somehow lose weight?"
"Oh don't go complimenting me now, you old bat. Not after all the trouble you gave me before."
"Sorry, sorry, I was just calling to tell you how much I'm thankful for going along with my whims."
"Of course. Anything to help with the morale of the girls. That particular one was quite interesting. Verniy was it?"
"The girl needed a break. She deserved it."
"I've noticed. So are you still recovering?"
"Everyone still is."
"My apologies.
"Don't. You had your choice and it looks like you're doing well. I'm glad. That's all I could ask for. How's the company?"
"With Verniy's recent stunt, I'd say business is booming. We've received multiple requests from various shows. We'll be on the charts in no time."
"Neat. I'd like to hear what songs that girl of yours could sing."
"I'll train her, don't worry."
"Well that's really all I have to say. I'll catch you later then. Tell me of your adventures on your new job."
"For a moment."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Tell that girl Verniy… If she ever changes her mind, my doors are open. And Saya could use her as a partner. Even if it's not Verniy, perhaps someone else?"
"You trying to poach my girls?"
"Maybe I am?"
"…. Right. See you around Naka."
"Good bye, Admiral," smiling, the Producer lowered her phone and looked at her cigarette. Shaking her head, she didn't even try finishing the rest of it before throwing it away.
============================================
Personal Opinion time
.... I don't really have much to say. This was fun. Tell me what you think.
I'm also going to start a proper fic soonish.
AWACS Sky Eye
....
- Location
- Everywhere
I am honestly did not foresee that the Producer is a former shipgirl all along. And cute interaction with the DD6 too.
Sortie 7: Bear Simulator (Former Part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Abukuma steadied her breath as she leaned forward. She made sure to mask any movement she made using the heavy rain pouring just outside the Light Cruiser dorms while closing in on her target. She approached with a determined look as she held a towel soaked in cold water in her hand. She could feel the blood within her palms receding from the cold yet she endured it all for this moment.
Walking through the halls with maximum stealth, she looked around to make sure no one was following her before coming to a halt before a door. Thanks to the rain, she was able to enter the empty Admiral's office undetected while her prey slept soundly on one of the sofa's just before the Admiral's desk. The Admiral herself was absent so Abukuma didn't have to worry about explaining the situation.
Finally after all these months of abuse she'll finally get her revenge.
The Light Cruiser fixed her fringe while her golden twin-tails twitched in delight. With an evil expression, she grinned down at the vulnerable girl dressed in a light green sailor suit dozing the rainy afternoon away. Kitakami seemed completely unaware of the fate awaiting her at the hands of her former victim whom was about to receive her sweet retribution.
Abukuma was going to slap the cold towel on Kitakami's face while quick drawing her smartphone to capture the Torpedo Cruiser's flabbergasted expression. Payback for all those months of torment at the bootcamp!
"Heh... Hehe... Ooichi, stobbit..." mumbled Kitakami as she turned in her sleep.
Freezing in place, Abukuma held her breath. She felt her heart skip a beat while the towel in her hand dripped silently as the droplets fell down the carpeted floor. Rain continued to fall outside as a bead of sweat slid down the Light Cruiser's cheeks.
Her blue eyes were fixed downwards to catch the slightest hint of Kitakami's awakening. She unconsciously poked awake her crew members and soon fairies began appearing on her shoulders and above her head. She ran calculations as the seconds ticked by on the best way to execute this single stroke....
This single stroke which will decide everything.
She couldn't feel her hand anymore either because it was numb to the cold or she had whited out before she could even do the deed. All she had to do was swing.... One swing... Even her Captain was whispering into her ears on what she needed to do.
One swing.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled one deep calming breath before opening her yes and tensing her muscles. She swu-
"Hm."
She froze hard. Abukuma was about to swing when she heard someone behind her, the towel's sudden movement launching a single cold droplet into the air. Abukuma watched with strung nerves as it sailed through the air and landed upon Kitakami's hand.
Drip
She didn't breathe. She didn't move an inch.
It was only till the only things that could be heard within the room were Kitakami's relaxed breathing and the rainfall outside.
Slowly turning around, Abukuma's eyes constricted as she was greeted by the sight of three girls.
One was a girl with long brown hair reaching down her back, wearing the same light green sailor suit and exposed mid-riff as Kitakami. The other pair were identical in choices of clothing except that the one further at the back wore a thick black cape and a cool looking eye patch.
"Hmmm," hummed Ooi with an observant look as she held her hand beneath her chin.
"Nyaaa..." mewled Tama as she watched the proceedings with an interested expression.
"....." Kiso simply wore an ill expression as she hung back behind her older sisters.
Abukuma didn't know what to say. She made sure to check if anyone was following earlier, she made sure to open her senses and she was damned sure that her crew would have told her if anyone would be sneaking behind her. So how in Davy Jone's locker were these three able to successfully sneak up behind her?!
"What do you think you're doing?" Ooi questioned in a flat tone and raised eyebrow, breaking the tension which strangled the atmosphere.
Abukuma felt her blood drain as she realized that these three weren't simply a figment of her imagination conjured by her nervousness. She gritted her teeth and swallowed hard.
"W-W-Well," she began softly, her grip on the towel tightening and soaking the carpet below.
"Nyaaa... If you want revenge, I suggest doing it quickly," recommended Tama with a lax expression, "The girl behind you may not appreciate your plans."
"Eh?" squeaked Abukuma.
"Good morning, nee-san," greeted Kiso from the back.
"Hello Kitakami-san," Ooi waved with a pitying smile.
Abukuma twisted and swung her towel with blinding speed yet she found her wrist caught by a cold hand. A hand that seemed to belong to a dead person held her wrist in a death grip as she watched darkness rise from beneath her before she found herself looking at Kitakami right in the eye.
"Ah..." she breathed.
Kitakami stared right into Abukuma's soul for one second...
One second that felt like an eternity as Abukuma stared up at Divinity... the Goddess of the Naval Base... rearing back her head for some reason. And the reason became apparent a split second later as Kitakami delivered a vicious headbutt upon the Light Cruiser's cranium.
"GYAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!"
Abukuma slammed into the ground before her towel hit her face with a sharp smack. Kitakami looked down at her opponent with cold, expressionless eyes before uttering an audible, "Hmph."
The Divine Goddess of Ultimate Clutch then smoothly exited the Admiral's office without so much a word.
Walking over to the fallen Abukuma, Ooi crouched down and peeled off the towel sticking to the girl's face, "Well... That makes how many now?"
"Uwaaa....." was all Abukuma could manage with her unfocused expression.
"I'd say this is the fiftieth time, nyaaa," replied Tama as she moved aside for the youngest to approach the fallen Light Cruiser.
Kiso slung one of Abukuma's arms over her head and supported her while saying, "Let's get her some food. Nee-san's bound to have taken a lot out of her with that attack."
"I'll give her an A for effort," said Ooi with a nod.
"It's aaaaaall yooooooour faaaaault," groaned Abukuma as the rest of the Kuma-class dragged her away.
.....
....
...
"So what was your plan, ma'am and were you expecting to actually go anywhere with it?" admonished Ooi once she had stuck a band aid upon Abukuma's forehead as they sat face to face in Houshou's cafe. Kiso and Tama walked by and took their seats next to their sister while bringing in their orders.
Abukuma sniffled and wiped her tears with the handkerchief she was given a she said, "I just wanted revenge."
"Oh we've heard that story before didn't we, nya?" chuckled Tama as she took a bite out of her ice cream.
"We understand that you only want that but recently there's something off about you, Abukuma," observed Kiso as she began eating her share of ice cream, "You remember, right, Ooi-nee?"
"You've come up with plans to embarrass Kitakami-san better than the one earlier and you've come dangerously close during your first few attempts," huffed Ooi as she crossed her arms and leaned back, "It's starting to irritate me because you're slowly making me root for you given your efforts this past few months but now... Now you're messing up."
"Something must have happened, nya," piped up Tama.
"I-I-It's because you three messed it up! I had it there! It was g-going to go perfectly but you three! I swear you three are conspiring with her! It's because you're sisters isn't it!?" squeaked Abukuma, standing up and pointing at the three Kuma-Class girls before her.
"Correction, Kitakami-san isn't the type to leave herself unguarded like that. She knew you were in the room as soon as you let your killing intent slip," Ooi pointed out with a narrowed gaze.
"As expected of the Goddess," murmured Kiso.
"And besides, Kitakami doesn't need our help. We'd only cramp her style, nyaaaa. And besides, you know how Kitakami loves her style," said Tama as she set down her ice cream. Pointing her spoon at the Nagara-class girl before her she then said, "So what's bothering you, hm?"
"B-Bother? Nothing! Why would something bother me!?" squawked Abukuma.
"Oh shut up, it's obvious enough," growled Ooi as she leaned on the table, forcing the Light Cruiser on the opposite side to sit down and lean back, "What's up with your face?"
"What?!" Abukuma cried out.
"She means whenever you're looking at Kitakami, mreow," clarified Tama.
"You've been making quite the looks at nee-san these past few months. Of course Ooi would notice," continued Kiso with a nod.
This time it was Ooi's turn to raise her hand and jab her finger towards Abukuma, "YOU'RE IN LOVE."
......
"I think I'll be taking my leave," said Kiso.
"I'll be skiddaddling too, nya," added Tama.
"You two, stay," ordered Ooi and the two girls froze where they were. Turning her gaze back at Abukuma she then crossed her arms and said, "Well, are you?"
"I don't know Ooi-san, I think you've had too much anim-" Abukuma's words were cut off when she found herself grabbed by her shirt.
"Listen to me, dammit! This is the only explanation and if you let this distract you worse than it would now, then it could get you killed!" barked Ooi in urgency as she shook the poor girl in her hands without mercy.
"A-A-Are you saying this out o-of concern or is it something else?!" groaned Abukuma before she was shoved back into her seat.
Biting her nail, Ooi could only look away in worry, "If we lose you, then Kitakami-san may start attacking people. My love can only do so much."
"Screw you, you just want me to be her chew toy!" snapped Abukuma.
"Shut it, this is a good idea!" hissed Ooi. Huffing, Ooi sat back down with her sisters and said, "it's decided, you're not backing out from this until we deal with your problem."
"Just let me get my payback and I'll shut up!" squeaked Nagara-Class Light Cruiser.
"Ahhh.... It doesn't seem like we'll get to back out of this either," sighed Tama with a shake of her head.
Kiso simply let out a nervous chuckle as she stared at her elder sisters.
Abukuma glanced at the other two Kuma-Class ships and realized there was no use asking for their help. With Ooi having taken the reins, there's little to nothing she could do at this point but try and not to think about what's going to happen in the next few days. Clutching her chest, she tried to calm her pounding heart.
No.
No!
This can't be right...
It can't be... Right?!
(To be continued...)
Walking through the halls with maximum stealth, she looked around to make sure no one was following her before coming to a halt before a door. Thanks to the rain, she was able to enter the empty Admiral's office undetected while her prey slept soundly on one of the sofa's just before the Admiral's desk. The Admiral herself was absent so Abukuma didn't have to worry about explaining the situation.
Finally after all these months of abuse she'll finally get her revenge.
The Light Cruiser fixed her fringe while her golden twin-tails twitched in delight. With an evil expression, she grinned down at the vulnerable girl dressed in a light green sailor suit dozing the rainy afternoon away. Kitakami seemed completely unaware of the fate awaiting her at the hands of her former victim whom was about to receive her sweet retribution.
Abukuma was going to slap the cold towel on Kitakami's face while quick drawing her smartphone to capture the Torpedo Cruiser's flabbergasted expression. Payback for all those months of torment at the bootcamp!
"Heh... Hehe... Ooichi, stobbit..." mumbled Kitakami as she turned in her sleep.
Freezing in place, Abukuma held her breath. She felt her heart skip a beat while the towel in her hand dripped silently as the droplets fell down the carpeted floor. Rain continued to fall outside as a bead of sweat slid down the Light Cruiser's cheeks.
Her blue eyes were fixed downwards to catch the slightest hint of Kitakami's awakening. She unconsciously poked awake her crew members and soon fairies began appearing on her shoulders and above her head. She ran calculations as the seconds ticked by on the best way to execute this single stroke....
This single stroke which will decide everything.
She couldn't feel her hand anymore either because it was numb to the cold or she had whited out before she could even do the deed. All she had to do was swing.... One swing... Even her Captain was whispering into her ears on what she needed to do.
One swing.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled one deep calming breath before opening her yes and tensing her muscles. She swu-
"Hm."
She froze hard. Abukuma was about to swing when she heard someone behind her, the towel's sudden movement launching a single cold droplet into the air. Abukuma watched with strung nerves as it sailed through the air and landed upon Kitakami's hand.
Drip
She didn't breathe. She didn't move an inch.
It was only till the only things that could be heard within the room were Kitakami's relaxed breathing and the rainfall outside.
Slowly turning around, Abukuma's eyes constricted as she was greeted by the sight of three girls.
One was a girl with long brown hair reaching down her back, wearing the same light green sailor suit and exposed mid-riff as Kitakami. The other pair were identical in choices of clothing except that the one further at the back wore a thick black cape and a cool looking eye patch.
"Hmmm," hummed Ooi with an observant look as she held her hand beneath her chin.
"Nyaaa..." mewled Tama as she watched the proceedings with an interested expression.
"....." Kiso simply wore an ill expression as she hung back behind her older sisters.
Abukuma didn't know what to say. She made sure to check if anyone was following earlier, she made sure to open her senses and she was damned sure that her crew would have told her if anyone would be sneaking behind her. So how in Davy Jone's locker were these three able to successfully sneak up behind her?!
"What do you think you're doing?" Ooi questioned in a flat tone and raised eyebrow, breaking the tension which strangled the atmosphere.
Abukuma felt her blood drain as she realized that these three weren't simply a figment of her imagination conjured by her nervousness. She gritted her teeth and swallowed hard.
"W-W-Well," she began softly, her grip on the towel tightening and soaking the carpet below.
"Nyaaa... If you want revenge, I suggest doing it quickly," recommended Tama with a lax expression, "The girl behind you may not appreciate your plans."
"Eh?" squeaked Abukuma.
"Good morning, nee-san," greeted Kiso from the back.
"Hello Kitakami-san," Ooi waved with a pitying smile.
Abukuma twisted and swung her towel with blinding speed yet she found her wrist caught by a cold hand. A hand that seemed to belong to a dead person held her wrist in a death grip as she watched darkness rise from beneath her before she found herself looking at Kitakami right in the eye.
"Ah..." she breathed.
Kitakami stared right into Abukuma's soul for one second...
One second that felt like an eternity as Abukuma stared up at Divinity... the Goddess of the Naval Base... rearing back her head for some reason. And the reason became apparent a split second later as Kitakami delivered a vicious headbutt upon the Light Cruiser's cranium.
"GYAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!"
Abukuma slammed into the ground before her towel hit her face with a sharp smack. Kitakami looked down at her opponent with cold, expressionless eyes before uttering an audible, "Hmph."
The Divine Goddess of Ultimate Clutch then smoothly exited the Admiral's office without so much a word.
Walking over to the fallen Abukuma, Ooi crouched down and peeled off the towel sticking to the girl's face, "Well... That makes how many now?"
"Uwaaa....." was all Abukuma could manage with her unfocused expression.
"I'd say this is the fiftieth time, nyaaa," replied Tama as she moved aside for the youngest to approach the fallen Light Cruiser.
Kiso slung one of Abukuma's arms over her head and supported her while saying, "Let's get her some food. Nee-san's bound to have taken a lot out of her with that attack."
"I'll give her an A for effort," said Ooi with a nod.
"It's aaaaaall yooooooour faaaaault," groaned Abukuma as the rest of the Kuma-class dragged her away.
.....
....
...
"So what was your plan, ma'am and were you expecting to actually go anywhere with it?" admonished Ooi once she had stuck a band aid upon Abukuma's forehead as they sat face to face in Houshou's cafe. Kiso and Tama walked by and took their seats next to their sister while bringing in their orders.
Abukuma sniffled and wiped her tears with the handkerchief she was given a she said, "I just wanted revenge."
"Oh we've heard that story before didn't we, nya?" chuckled Tama as she took a bite out of her ice cream.
"We understand that you only want that but recently there's something off about you, Abukuma," observed Kiso as she began eating her share of ice cream, "You remember, right, Ooi-nee?"
"You've come up with plans to embarrass Kitakami-san better than the one earlier and you've come dangerously close during your first few attempts," huffed Ooi as she crossed her arms and leaned back, "It's starting to irritate me because you're slowly making me root for you given your efforts this past few months but now... Now you're messing up."
"Something must have happened, nya," piped up Tama.
"I-I-It's because you three messed it up! I had it there! It was g-going to go perfectly but you three! I swear you three are conspiring with her! It's because you're sisters isn't it!?" squeaked Abukuma, standing up and pointing at the three Kuma-Class girls before her.
"Correction, Kitakami-san isn't the type to leave herself unguarded like that. She knew you were in the room as soon as you let your killing intent slip," Ooi pointed out with a narrowed gaze.
"As expected of the Goddess," murmured Kiso.
"And besides, Kitakami doesn't need our help. We'd only cramp her style, nyaaaa. And besides, you know how Kitakami loves her style," said Tama as she set down her ice cream. Pointing her spoon at the Nagara-class girl before her she then said, "So what's bothering you, hm?"
"B-Bother? Nothing! Why would something bother me!?" squawked Abukuma.
"Oh shut up, it's obvious enough," growled Ooi as she leaned on the table, forcing the Light Cruiser on the opposite side to sit down and lean back, "What's up with your face?"
"What?!" Abukuma cried out.
"She means whenever you're looking at Kitakami, mreow," clarified Tama.
"You've been making quite the looks at nee-san these past few months. Of course Ooi would notice," continued Kiso with a nod.
This time it was Ooi's turn to raise her hand and jab her finger towards Abukuma, "YOU'RE IN LOVE."
......
"I think I'll be taking my leave," said Kiso.
"I'll be skiddaddling too, nya," added Tama.
"You two, stay," ordered Ooi and the two girls froze where they were. Turning her gaze back at Abukuma she then crossed her arms and said, "Well, are you?"
"I don't know Ooi-san, I think you've had too much anim-" Abukuma's words were cut off when she found herself grabbed by her shirt.
"Listen to me, dammit! This is the only explanation and if you let this distract you worse than it would now, then it could get you killed!" barked Ooi in urgency as she shook the poor girl in her hands without mercy.
"A-A-Are you saying this out o-of concern or is it something else?!" groaned Abukuma before she was shoved back into her seat.
Biting her nail, Ooi could only look away in worry, "If we lose you, then Kitakami-san may start attacking people. My love can only do so much."
"Screw you, you just want me to be her chew toy!" snapped Abukuma.
"Shut it, this is a good idea!" hissed Ooi. Huffing, Ooi sat back down with her sisters and said, "it's decided, you're not backing out from this until we deal with your problem."
"Just let me get my payback and I'll shut up!" squeaked Nagara-Class Light Cruiser.
"Ahhh.... It doesn't seem like we'll get to back out of this either," sighed Tama with a shake of her head.
Kiso simply let out a nervous chuckle as she stared at her elder sisters.
Abukuma glanced at the other two Kuma-Class ships and realized there was no use asking for their help. With Ooi having taken the reins, there's little to nothing she could do at this point but try and not to think about what's going to happen in the next few days. Clutching her chest, she tried to calm her pounding heart.
No.
No!
This can't be right...
It can't be... Right?!
(To be continued...)
Sortie 8: Bear Simulator (Middle Part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
The Fleet Secretary let out a heavy sigh as she slumped on her desk. This was getting tedious, she was starting to lose her poise. If someone were to see her like this, the others may lose heart and it'll be a stab at morale.
Murakumo growled under her breath and opened her amber eyes as she looked down on the documents before her. Resource and expedition reports were scattered about and she struggled to compile them together to one single image so that it would be easier to understand. But with the combined erratic submarine sorties and failed expeditions, she was starting to bear witness to a rather annoying image.
If nothing were to be done, the base would be dipping deep into the red.
She traced the cause of it, past the failed expeditions and the numerous Orel retreats to the accidental Battleship Constructions. No, something worse happened... right under her very nose. Her mahogany desk uttered a sharp crack under her grip.
The Fleet Secretary Murakumo was a lot of things. She was charismatic, smart, a great leader and had bountiful experience when it came to running this Naval Base. Everyone admired her from Destroyers on support to the Battleships of the front line. She carried herself with a refined air and elegance that could be on par with the older Ship Girls of the base while wielding a brutal and ferocious personality during battle.
She was also the second most powerful girl on base...
But if there's one thing she was known for, it was her unspeakable wrath when it came to her resources. Resources she painstakingly managed and gathered with utmost care and delicacy in preparation for the coming battles. Sure a trip to kill a Seaport Princess would gut her resources but not by that much... But seeing ten thousand resources shaved clean off her stores with a hundred screws missing struck a nerve.
The Destroyer looked ready to kill as the vein on her forehead was about to burst.
And all of this was because the Patron Goddess of the Naval District decided to get more torpedoes.
"Ki...ta...KAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shrieked the Secretary with the promise of murder laced in her voice. The sheer volume of her scream shook her very office and even lowered the temperature. Hissing with the fury of an angered War God, the Secretary found herself already in her rigging and all she had to do was raise her hand and had her spear flying to her hand.
Growling, she vaulted over her document filled desk and stormed her way towards the door.
This was it. She'd tolerate anything else but THIS crosses the goddamned line. Hyper Torpedo Goddess of Ultimate Clutch or no, that air-headed Torpedo Cruiser was going get punished.
Grabbing the doorknob with such overwhelming force, she almost crushed it beneath her fingers before she pulled it open.
Abukuma nearly had the pleasure of being stabbed through her face as Murakumo jabbed her spear on reflex. A tiny shockwave escaped the point of the spear and punched a hole through the opposite wall, the sight of it causing the poor Light Cruiser to stumble back into Ooi's arms.
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," squeaked Abukuma as Murakumo hissed her contained fury and stared down at the fallen Cruiser.
At the back, Tama peeked behind Kiso, "Seems like Mura's on Asura mode."
The Secretary's murderous gaze then traveled upwards and fixed themselves upon Ooi's face with enough force to make Abukuma go several shades paler than she already was. For her part, Ooi simply stared cooly back at the ticking time bomb that was the Naval Base's resource manager.
"Where. Is. Kitakami," Murakumo all but snarled and slamming the butt of her spear unto the ground.
"It seems like we were too late. No matter. Still, why don't we all calm down before we break someone's legs."
Narrowing her gaze, the Secretary tried reining her anger as she hissed, "The only girl who's having her legs broken is your goddamned sister."
"I know, but we have a solution," said Ooi with a firm tone in the face of the danger boiling before her.
Murakumo held the Torpedo Cruiser in her condemning glare for three full seconds before taking a step back and dismissing her rigging. Abukuma swallowed hard as she watched the Destroyer rub her weapon's spearhead and waited.
"Strange," observed the Secretary while giving the taller Kuma-class girl a frigid look, "Are you sure you're not just being a creepy psycho lesbian? Fine, cough up your solution."
"Kitakami-san is to be punished. But your methods would prove to be too brutal and I can't have that. I need to protect her after all and keep her intact," said Ooi before dropping Abukuma to the ground.
Murakumo crossed her arms and spoke over Abukuma's groans, "Oh come off it. I'm just going to break her legs."
"But there's another way for her to be punished while at the same time working on someone's issue in one fell swoop," continued Ooi with a devious smile, "And that's all without injuring Kitakami-san and making sure she doesn't touch your resources. Not only that but your help would be a great boon as well."
"Tch, right. So what's your plan?" growled Murakumo.
Ooi smirked and nudged Abukuma with her feet, eliciting a loud yelp from the girl.
"This," she said as Abukuma stood up.
"What was that for?! And don't push me towards Miss Mura when she's in Asura mode!" squeaked the Light Cruiser. She then felt something sharp poke her rear and she quickly jumped and hid behind Ooi.
Murakumo wasn't amused, "What."
"This girl will be the key to stopping Kitakami-san for good," explained Ooi.
"....." Murakumo looked at Abukuma then back at Ooi before she glanced at the two other girls behind her and then back to Ooi. Finally, the Destroyer shook her head and said, "What's in it for you? You're cheerfully offering another girl up to your beloved Kitakami. I didn't know you were into that sort of stuff, Ooi."
"Oh don't get me wrong. The suffering Abukuma's going to get is more than enough to sate me. Not only that but I do believe that Kitakami-san needs some disciplining... I'm just doing what's right while helping a maiden realize Kitakami-san's beauty," hummed Ooi with a passionate tone.
"Right..." nodded the Secretary before glancing at Abukuma, "And you need my help because?"
"Because we all know you're the person everyone goes to when they're having love troubles, nyaaa," piped up Tama.
"You stupid cat..."growled Murakumo.
"Besides," coughed Kiso as she waved from the side, "If nee-san gets sufficient distraction, wouldn't that keep her away from the armory? With two people keeping her away, the chances of her splurging on torpedoes would be drastically lessened."
"And all you have to do is help this in denial maiden realize her true feelings," finished Ooi as she nudged Abukuma to the Destroyer.
Abukuma stumbled forward and turned pleadingly at the Base's Secretary, "Please help me, they're all insane."
Murakumo stared at the girl for five full seconds before deciding with a nod, "Your sacrifice won't be in vain."
"DEMON!" screeched the Light Cruiser, making a break for it past the Secretary yet found herself slammed into the ground before she could realize what was happening. The next thing she knew was that she was being dragged away by her feet.
And so the Kuma-class sisters acquired a rather formidable ally while Abukuma was left to suffer.
…..
….
…
Kitakami sat by the seashore.
The winds were cool and the sight of the rolling waves eased her tired nerves.
A sigh escaped the Patron Goddess of the Naval District. She needed more Quints.
.....
…..
…
"The first step to release is being honest with yourself," said Murakumo as she led her captured Light Cruiser through the Naval Base. The sounds of Destroyers returning from expeditions echoed somewhere near the harbor while the busy fairies of the factories streamed in and out of its doors as they worked hard on upgrading everyone's equipment. Abukuma made a low grumbling noise in her throat as she followed the Secretary with a grudging expression.
Glancing behind her, Murakumo sighed, "I even got rid of the Kumas for you. So work with me here."
"But I don't want to. I just let one thing slip and there's this mess on my head," Abukuma grumbled as she rubbed her arm, "Feelings aren't something you force out like this, you know? It's not nice."
"…. Kitakami is one of those ships, you know?" began the Secretary as the two of them passed by Mamiya's shop, "The ones who lived on."
"Eh? Oh. Right, she did. So what?" narrowing her gaze, the Light Cruiser briefly wondered where the Destroyer was going with this.
"Memories of the past battles still linger and memories of loss leave very opaque imprints upon their minds," said Murakumo as she crossed her arms, "I've worked with Kitakami numerous times in the earlier days and this is apparent given her behavior."
"Where are you going with this?" questioned Abukuma.
"Have you ever wondered why she never responds to Ooi's advances despite everything?" countered Murakumo with another question.
Annoyed, Abukuma replied, "Well they're sisters—"
"She refuses to let anyone in her heart. Not even her sisters. And even if those three idiots are making progress on that point, what does this mean for you, Abukuma?" continued the Destroyer before turning around sharply and jabbing a finger on the Light Cruiser's chest, "I'm telling you right now with Kitakami's heart under lock and key combined with your own indecisiveness, you're going to find it hard to get her to look your way or even consider your feelings."
Taken aback, Abukuma tried arguing, "I-I don't even like her that much! She's mean to Destroyers and even to me! She's careless, irresponsible, and she even wasted your precious resources to the point you were oozing out bloodlust! She's a horrible person and how can anyone like her?! I don't understand!"
Shaking her head, the Secretary Ship then said, "Really?"
"I don't understand why she looks so sad all the time. We're all here again. We have our second chance. So why isn't she happy?" questioned Abukuma with an irritated tone, "She never says anything. I've never seen her smile. And yet everyone around her tries their best to make her happy. Kiso, Ooi, Tama… They all try and yet she… I don't even know if what I'm feeling is love or pity but I just wish she'd stop being so insensitive!"
"Do you hate her then?" asked Murakumo with a raised eyebrow.
Slumping her shoulders, the Light Cruiser looked even more lost than before, "I do."
She flinched when she felt a hand tap her on her shoulder and she glanced to the side and noticed that Murakumo had come to halt to her right. Looking up, the Secretary then said, "That's good and it can work well enough. We'll just have to make do."
"Eh?"
"At least you feel something," Murakumo continued with a satisfied look, "Had you been half hearted in your feelings, then there's little I could do then."
"Then fine. What do you propose we do?" grumped Abukuma unhappily.
The Secretary then gave her a thumbs up, "We throw you at her till you stick."
(To be continued...)
Murakumo growled under her breath and opened her amber eyes as she looked down on the documents before her. Resource and expedition reports were scattered about and she struggled to compile them together to one single image so that it would be easier to understand. But with the combined erratic submarine sorties and failed expeditions, she was starting to bear witness to a rather annoying image.
If nothing were to be done, the base would be dipping deep into the red.
She traced the cause of it, past the failed expeditions and the numerous Orel retreats to the accidental Battleship Constructions. No, something worse happened... right under her very nose. Her mahogany desk uttered a sharp crack under her grip.
The Fleet Secretary Murakumo was a lot of things. She was charismatic, smart, a great leader and had bountiful experience when it came to running this Naval Base. Everyone admired her from Destroyers on support to the Battleships of the front line. She carried herself with a refined air and elegance that could be on par with the older Ship Girls of the base while wielding a brutal and ferocious personality during battle.
She was also the second most powerful girl on base...
But if there's one thing she was known for, it was her unspeakable wrath when it came to her resources. Resources she painstakingly managed and gathered with utmost care and delicacy in preparation for the coming battles. Sure a trip to kill a Seaport Princess would gut her resources but not by that much... But seeing ten thousand resources shaved clean off her stores with a hundred screws missing struck a nerve.
The Destroyer looked ready to kill as the vein on her forehead was about to burst.
And all of this was because the Patron Goddess of the Naval District decided to get more torpedoes.
"Ki...ta...KAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shrieked the Secretary with the promise of murder laced in her voice. The sheer volume of her scream shook her very office and even lowered the temperature. Hissing with the fury of an angered War God, the Secretary found herself already in her rigging and all she had to do was raise her hand and had her spear flying to her hand.
Growling, she vaulted over her document filled desk and stormed her way towards the door.
This was it. She'd tolerate anything else but THIS crosses the goddamned line. Hyper Torpedo Goddess of Ultimate Clutch or no, that air-headed Torpedo Cruiser was going get punished.
Grabbing the doorknob with such overwhelming force, she almost crushed it beneath her fingers before she pulled it open.
Abukuma nearly had the pleasure of being stabbed through her face as Murakumo jabbed her spear on reflex. A tiny shockwave escaped the point of the spear and punched a hole through the opposite wall, the sight of it causing the poor Light Cruiser to stumble back into Ooi's arms.
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," squeaked Abukuma as Murakumo hissed her contained fury and stared down at the fallen Cruiser.
At the back, Tama peeked behind Kiso, "Seems like Mura's on Asura mode."
The Secretary's murderous gaze then traveled upwards and fixed themselves upon Ooi's face with enough force to make Abukuma go several shades paler than she already was. For her part, Ooi simply stared cooly back at the ticking time bomb that was the Naval Base's resource manager.
"Where. Is. Kitakami," Murakumo all but snarled and slamming the butt of her spear unto the ground.
"It seems like we were too late. No matter. Still, why don't we all calm down before we break someone's legs."
Narrowing her gaze, the Secretary tried reining her anger as she hissed, "The only girl who's having her legs broken is your goddamned sister."
"I know, but we have a solution," said Ooi with a firm tone in the face of the danger boiling before her.
Murakumo held the Torpedo Cruiser in her condemning glare for three full seconds before taking a step back and dismissing her rigging. Abukuma swallowed hard as she watched the Destroyer rub her weapon's spearhead and waited.
"Strange," observed the Secretary while giving the taller Kuma-class girl a frigid look, "Are you sure you're not just being a creepy psycho lesbian? Fine, cough up your solution."
"Kitakami-san is to be punished. But your methods would prove to be too brutal and I can't have that. I need to protect her after all and keep her intact," said Ooi before dropping Abukuma to the ground.
Murakumo crossed her arms and spoke over Abukuma's groans, "Oh come off it. I'm just going to break her legs."
"But there's another way for her to be punished while at the same time working on someone's issue in one fell swoop," continued Ooi with a devious smile, "And that's all without injuring Kitakami-san and making sure she doesn't touch your resources. Not only that but your help would be a great boon as well."
"Tch, right. So what's your plan?" growled Murakumo.
Ooi smirked and nudged Abukuma with her feet, eliciting a loud yelp from the girl.
"This," she said as Abukuma stood up.
"What was that for?! And don't push me towards Miss Mura when she's in Asura mode!" squeaked the Light Cruiser. She then felt something sharp poke her rear and she quickly jumped and hid behind Ooi.
Murakumo wasn't amused, "What."
"This girl will be the key to stopping Kitakami-san for good," explained Ooi.
"....." Murakumo looked at Abukuma then back at Ooi before she glanced at the two other girls behind her and then back to Ooi. Finally, the Destroyer shook her head and said, "What's in it for you? You're cheerfully offering another girl up to your beloved Kitakami. I didn't know you were into that sort of stuff, Ooi."
"Oh don't get me wrong. The suffering Abukuma's going to get is more than enough to sate me. Not only that but I do believe that Kitakami-san needs some disciplining... I'm just doing what's right while helping a maiden realize Kitakami-san's beauty," hummed Ooi with a passionate tone.
"Right..." nodded the Secretary before glancing at Abukuma, "And you need my help because?"
"Because we all know you're the person everyone goes to when they're having love troubles, nyaaa," piped up Tama.
"You stupid cat..."growled Murakumo.
"Besides," coughed Kiso as she waved from the side, "If nee-san gets sufficient distraction, wouldn't that keep her away from the armory? With two people keeping her away, the chances of her splurging on torpedoes would be drastically lessened."
"And all you have to do is help this in denial maiden realize her true feelings," finished Ooi as she nudged Abukuma to the Destroyer.
Abukuma stumbled forward and turned pleadingly at the Base's Secretary, "Please help me, they're all insane."
Murakumo stared at the girl for five full seconds before deciding with a nod, "Your sacrifice won't be in vain."
"DEMON!" screeched the Light Cruiser, making a break for it past the Secretary yet found herself slammed into the ground before she could realize what was happening. The next thing she knew was that she was being dragged away by her feet.
And so the Kuma-class sisters acquired a rather formidable ally while Abukuma was left to suffer.
…..
….
…
Kitakami sat by the seashore.
The winds were cool and the sight of the rolling waves eased her tired nerves.
A sigh escaped the Patron Goddess of the Naval District. She needed more Quints.
.....
…..
…
"The first step to release is being honest with yourself," said Murakumo as she led her captured Light Cruiser through the Naval Base. The sounds of Destroyers returning from expeditions echoed somewhere near the harbor while the busy fairies of the factories streamed in and out of its doors as they worked hard on upgrading everyone's equipment. Abukuma made a low grumbling noise in her throat as she followed the Secretary with a grudging expression.
Glancing behind her, Murakumo sighed, "I even got rid of the Kumas for you. So work with me here."
"But I don't want to. I just let one thing slip and there's this mess on my head," Abukuma grumbled as she rubbed her arm, "Feelings aren't something you force out like this, you know? It's not nice."
"…. Kitakami is one of those ships, you know?" began the Secretary as the two of them passed by Mamiya's shop, "The ones who lived on."
"Eh? Oh. Right, she did. So what?" narrowing her gaze, the Light Cruiser briefly wondered where the Destroyer was going with this.
"Memories of the past battles still linger and memories of loss leave very opaque imprints upon their minds," said Murakumo as she crossed her arms, "I've worked with Kitakami numerous times in the earlier days and this is apparent given her behavior."
"Where are you going with this?" questioned Abukuma.
"Have you ever wondered why she never responds to Ooi's advances despite everything?" countered Murakumo with another question.
Annoyed, Abukuma replied, "Well they're sisters—"
"She refuses to let anyone in her heart. Not even her sisters. And even if those three idiots are making progress on that point, what does this mean for you, Abukuma?" continued the Destroyer before turning around sharply and jabbing a finger on the Light Cruiser's chest, "I'm telling you right now with Kitakami's heart under lock and key combined with your own indecisiveness, you're going to find it hard to get her to look your way or even consider your feelings."
Taken aback, Abukuma tried arguing, "I-I don't even like her that much! She's mean to Destroyers and even to me! She's careless, irresponsible, and she even wasted your precious resources to the point you were oozing out bloodlust! She's a horrible person and how can anyone like her?! I don't understand!"
Shaking her head, the Secretary Ship then said, "Really?"
"I don't understand why she looks so sad all the time. We're all here again. We have our second chance. So why isn't she happy?" questioned Abukuma with an irritated tone, "She never says anything. I've never seen her smile. And yet everyone around her tries their best to make her happy. Kiso, Ooi, Tama… They all try and yet she… I don't even know if what I'm feeling is love or pity but I just wish she'd stop being so insensitive!"
"Do you hate her then?" asked Murakumo with a raised eyebrow.
Slumping her shoulders, the Light Cruiser looked even more lost than before, "I do."
She flinched when she felt a hand tap her on her shoulder and she glanced to the side and noticed that Murakumo had come to halt to her right. Looking up, the Secretary then said, "That's good and it can work well enough. We'll just have to make do."
"Eh?"
"At least you feel something," Murakumo continued with a satisfied look, "Had you been half hearted in your feelings, then there's little I could do then."
"Then fine. What do you propose we do?" grumped Abukuma unhappily.
The Secretary then gave her a thumbs up, "We throw you at her till you stick."
(To be continued...)
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Moral of the story: don't mess with Murakumo.
- Location
- ⇙
@AnonymousRabbit thanks for reminding me that this thread exists. I wanted to check it out, got distracted and then promptly forgot all about it.
Sortie 9: KantaiVania (First Part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Nagatsuki shivered beneath her traveling cloak as she made her way through the dark woods. Fog filled her vision as she kept her ears strained for any abnormal noises. So far the only heart the sound of her own heartbeat, footsteps and the distant cawing of crows could be heard.
There wasn't even wind for her to hear and even if there was, the slight rustling of the naked branches above her was enough to make her tense. Nevertheless, she kept a cool head and trudged on. The sun was obscured by gray clouds once more, not that it was possible to see blue skies and feel the warm touch of the sun on one's skin.
In this dead world, there was only the gray horizon and the blinding fog. The fog was the more concerning problem considering that she could barely see five feet in front of her due to its thickness. She huffed and pulled on the strap of her pack while her machete hung by her waist. Her 12.7cm gun was strapped to her side and gleamed in the little light that the sky had to offer. Nagatsuki kept a steady pace and continued on her journey, wondering if she was going to spend all eternity walking aimlessly in this fog.
It's been a few weeks since she last saw a village and she was wondering if another would be just around the corner. Well, it had only been ten days since she entered this god forsaken fog and she was worried that her supplies would dry up. Food she could endure not having but if she ran out of fuel, then she may not be able to move.
Now that wouldn't be that bad if she wasn't traversing a hellscape filled with monstrous pseudo Abyssal headed people that tried to kill her by ripping her throat. Wincing she held a gloved hand to her slender neck and sighed.
Dying… She died getting into this world. She died a few more times trying to traverse it. Now death didn't seem all too scary having been acquainted with it for so long. Time had no place in this world. She had already forgotten how long she had stayed here. Maybe several months? A couple of years? And entire decade? She didn't care anymore, but it would be nice though to find a way out of this suffocating gray world. She didn't have much hope but she held on that chance… Otherwise she too would lose her marbles and attack people.
Sighing, she shook her head and continued.
Somehow…She could feel something change. The air became cooler and there was this familiar smell.
A salty smell that seemed to revitalize her aching body. It almost made her want to jump and shout, running to the source with a smile that hadn't appeared on her lips since months long past. This was the smell of the sea and she could hear the gentle waves rushing to the shores at a relaxed pace. She resisted the urge to run though…
But the change was welcomed… She didn't take her chances that something wasn't lurking beyond the fog to jump her. She wasn't foolish but her heart ached that something so beautiful was so close yet so far.
"Goddammit," she cursed while she followed the sea's presence.
A few minutes later, the Ship Girl raised an eyebrow as she felt someone standing just up ahead. Drawing her blade, she raised it towards the stranger as the fog cleared up by just a bit to reveal a fork on the road. There was a woman wrapped in a thick traveling cloak the same as the Destroyer's, standing still by a lamppost as if she was asleep on her feet.
Nagatsuki warily stared at the woman and tensed once this person opened her eyes and turned her gaze towards the Destroyer.
"Oh? I wasn't expecting someone to arrive. Where might you be heading for, little Miss?" asked the woman as she placed her hand on her hip.
"Looking for civilization," Nagatsuki didn't lower her guard just yet and kept her gaze fixed on the stranger, "You might not be acquainted to some bandits are you? Because I don't really have time for that."
"In a hurry then? To where exactly? Hm, nevertheless it's the most I could do… I'll give you directions. Head to the left of this fork and you'll come across a humble little village. They should be able to cater to your needs and refill your supplies," said the woman with an amused smile, "It's not safe for travelers to wander about unprepared. Perhaps a night's rest would ease your nerves."
"You didn't answer the question," the green haired girl pointed out in a nearly hoarse tone. Damn, she hadn't talked for a few days so now her voice was all messed up. Her throat hurt enough that she instinctively placed a hand on her throat… This was rather annoying, she hadn't noticed at all…
The woman let out a chuckle before shaking her head, "Well now… I'm certainly not a part of any bandit group. That much I could tell you. Still, there are other things lurking beyond the fork that's worse than bandits."
"I'm well aware of that…" sighed Nagatsuki as she shook her head, "You sure about this? You look like you've been standing there for ages."
"Waiting for a carriage. It should be arriving soon. Been here for ten days, I did but this is a better spot than the village," said the woman with a small smile.
"And you're planning to send me to a possibly dangerous village. You're yanking my chain here," said Nagatsuki as she lowered her machete and sheathed it back to her side.
"I'm well prepared compared to you. Hence why I could bear standing here for long periods of time. I have a camp nearby but again, I spend most of my time here. It's been months since a traveler passed by so your appearance surprised me. Are you perhaps a Huntress?" asked the stranger as she cocked her head.
Nagatsuki resisted the urge to talk smack and simply nodded, "You could say that."
"I see. Then the Village would do well to acquire your skills. Perhaps you'll even get to strike a bargain with them if you do them a favor," said the woman as she raised her hands to shrug, "Gold may not have its worth in the world anymore but it would certainly save you from paying unnecessarily."
"I have a few Souls with me. But I guess you're right. That's a pretty sound advice," replied the Destroyer as she eyed the stranger suspiciously, "Are you some sort of Guard here or something?"
"Hm… No, not a guard. Just a traveler just like you. I did say I was waiting for a carriage… Still, it appears to be something is keeping it from arriving. This may turn troublesome for me in the long run. Still, I have confidence you'll do good in your ventures," said the stranger with a nod.
"Right…" grumbled the Destroyer before turning towards the left fork where the village was supposed to be. Just as she was about to head deeper in, she came to a halt and turned, "Who are you anyway?"
"Ah… Well, you can call me Crane. Should you need anything else the village may not be able to offer, come by my camp for a chat or two," offered Crane as she bowed politely.
Nagatsuki nodded and turned towards to the village's direction. Leaving behind the odd stranger who seemed content waiting by the forked road.
…..
….
…
It was a Nameless Village with not much to see. There were few houses and buildings but most of the shops were closed down and boarded up. Apparently, the only candlelight Nagatsuki managed to see was the one from a relatively modest sized building. She could only assume it was the Inn. It had been a long walk so she was looking forward for some shut eye that didn't have to happen on the side of the road. Still, she noticed that some eyes were on her, peering from the windowsills and holes in the wall. If she had sharper senses, she would've heard the whispers too.
Nevertheless, the girl walked towards the Inn's door and gently opened it, the smell of alcohol and metal immediately making her face crinkle. The warm interior of the Inn was something she welcomed though. Sure enough a familiar sight of drunkards and depressed men filled her view yet she opted to ignore them. Nothing good will come if she decided to poke them. Having learned that the hard way, the Destroyer went over to the counter and knocked on it, calling the attention of an aged man wiping a few wooden cups.
"A room please…" she told him as the bar man grunted and took out some keys.
"Traveler, eh? Haven't seen one in months," said the bar man as he slid the keys to the girl, "Room's upstairs. Would you like to look at my wares for that matter? Your pack's looking awfully light there missy."
Nagatsuki nodded as she exchanged some Souls with him as she browsed the man's merchandise, "Not bad selection. I'll take some Curry and Ramune."
"Standard items for a Huntress," huffed the man as he brought Nagatsuki her purchase, "You're not thinking of doing the same, are you?"
Raising an eyebrow, Nagatsuki then frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Why else would you be here? I'm talking about the thing by the seaside. Did the White Cranes send you or are you from somewhere else?" asked the bar man in return while examining the girl's small frame.
"I don't really get it but I was thinking of resupplying before continuing on my trip. And what's this about the thing by the seaside?" continued the Destroyer as she stowed away her purchases and stared back at the bar man.
Crossing his arms, the man then said, "Well, I suppose I could tell you. A few months back, this strange structure appeared some ways down the coastline. The area's already overrun by the Beasts of the Abyss but things just got worse once that castle thing appeared."
"A strange structure? Right, what happened then?" urged Nagatsuki as she listened.
"We sent some Warriors to investigate alongside some Huntresses but they never came back. We thought of leaving the place alone to avoid further losses but soon enough people from the village started disappearing. We reckon it's the work of that place but nevertheless we can do nothing about it. We've warned travelers to stay clear of it so a not to provoke its ire."
"A warning for me, then? That's nice. I'll hold on to that, don't worry," the Destroyer girl replied before leaving the bar man alone.
She went for her room to catch some shut eye when someone blocked her path.
It was another man dressed in rags, a bandage wrapped around half his face. His hands and arms also seemed to be wrapped in soiled linen once he grabbed Nagatsuki by the shoulders and making her step back. He looked at her face with his bloodshot eye and asked in a quivering voice, "You… You… Y-You're a Huntress, a-are you?"
Caught in an strange situation, Nagatsuki immediately wrenched away from the man's touch and stepped back, "Maybe… What's your problem? Can't a girl get some sleep?"
"Please… Please you must help us. Please I beg of you, you must help us! The Abyss crawls through the gods' soil and it desires to consume us all. It comes from the wretched castle where our children and wives were spirited away! Please you mu help us, Huntress! Collector of Souls!" pleaded the man as he fell on his knees and wept before the green haired girl's feet.
Taken aback, she shot a glance at the bar man behind her yet he simply ignored her gaze and went back to cleaning his cups. The bandaged man's sobs soon filled the Inn and the other patrons were now looking at Nagatsuki with dark looks. Clicking her tongue, Nagatsuki circled by the bandaged man and passed him, opting to get to her room before anyone else tried to stop her.
Climbing up the stairs and looking for her door, she opened the one with the same number as her keys and shut it behind her, collapsing on the musty smelling bed and sighing. She needed to leave ASAP. She wasn't liking this place as much as the others.
…..
….
…
What woke her up were the screams.
Nagatsuki bolted up from her bed and stepped away from it, realizing she didn't even remove her bags and pouches as she slept. Her weapons were all still strapped to her and once she realized that, she knew that she was good to go. She went through her door and walked down the stairs she came up from, going past the cowering bar man behind the counter and walking out into the moonlight.
As the cold air and smell of the distant sea greeted her, she immediately brought her arm up to her right. She managed to see that diminutive body of a PT Imp clamp its jaws down her forearm and crushing her bones. Caught off guard, the Destroyer girl hissed in pain before smashing the Imp into the Inn's wall and making it let go. Once it was off of her, the ground was then splattered with the Imp's entrails as Nagatsuki's 12.7cm twin-mount gun.
Discharging the bullets, Nagatsuki breathed sharply as she tried to endure the pain. Holstering her weapon, she brought out her Repair Flask and took a hefty gulp, feeling its healing effects work on her injured arm and stopping the bleeding.
"What the hell?" she breathed before turning to the sounds of pain at one of the houses. A group of Imps had decided to assault a wooden home while a few scattered about to combat the men that had charged out of their homes to deal with the threat.
Of course they didn't have the proper skills or weapons so it was obvious what their fates were going to be facing against these Imps. Which was why Nagatsuki sprinted towards the fighting men and Abyssals and tried helping. Having reloaded her main guns, she immediately blew apart an Imp that was harassing an old man. Drawing her machete, she then reloaded once more before moving to the next Imp and backstabbing it when it was open.
She shoved the man fighting it away as another Imp pounced at her yet this gave her the chance to dig her main gun's barrel into its gaping maw and pull the trigger.
Nagatsuki didn't stop and pushed forward having gathered the attention of the Imps up ahead.
They all ran towards her as a pack before they started casting projectiles. She tired evading the flying projectiles headed her way while she opted to just run through the piddly peashooters they called guns while she got close. Her blade shined as she cut the Imps apart, her gun barking into the quiet night, Nagatsuki tried to make quick work of the Imps as they retaliated fiercely.
Who would've thought that PT Boats on Land would be just as vicious as their counterparts from the water?
"Annoying!" she cried out as she rolled away from one of the Imps projectiles and dashing forward to gut the offending one. Nevertheless, another got through her guard and bit down her shoulder, making her gasp in pain before she tried throwing it off of her. Grabbing hold of the cold Abyssal chitin it had for a head, the Destroyer slammed the Imp down hard with all of her supernatural strength before driving her blade through its mouth.
Right… That hurt…
"Up above! It's the Witch!" called one of the men.
"Miss Huntress! Look out!" warned another yet Nagatsuki realized too late what he meant and was promptly blown through the village square and into the ground by Abyssal magic. Nagatsuki's vision went white from the pain and her senses became hazy as she tried to rise back to her feet. She winced as she felt a few of her bones scream in protest, having been fractured from the impact.
Breathing hard, she watched as something huge and winged tear open the wooden house's walls like a child going through their present. A moment later there was a scream and the green haired girl watched as the monster… the winged Abyssal extracted a small form from the house and flap its wings once to ascend to heavens with the speed of a bullet.
Winged Abyssals… Huh?
Bullshit. This world… Was stupid.
Grunting through the acid-like pain seeping through her body, she reached for her Repair Flask and downed its entire contents. She'll need to find an Anchor to refill her healing juice. Whatever that thing was, it's big trouble. And those Imps… Just what the hell was going on in this place..?
People started to gather by the wrecked household while a few men helped Nagatsuki back on her feet.
"You took quite the beating there, Miss. Are you okay?" asked one of the men she had helped before.
Swallowing, she rolled her previously injured arm and nodded, "I'll… I'll live. What the hell was that..?"
"A Princess of the sort. A monster. A spawn of the Abyss come to haunt us… all we know it came from that Castle by the seaside," answered one of the villagers before he spat on the ground, "A Devil."
The seaside Castle again… seems like it's a place that's nothing but trouble. How long has that thing been harassing this village? How many people and kids were taken exactly? Nevertheless, an Abyssal that can control lesser ones wasn't foreign to Nagatsuki. It's just… sure, she'd meet the odd Huntress or two that's been corrupted by the Abyss and that they have their own gimmicks… But an Abyssal that can actually fly?
That's just dumb… And crazy.
The people back home wouldn't believe it and even if they did, the Akizuki sisters would have a field day taking down that monster. Looking at her equipment, she didn't exactly have anything to go by with Anti-Air anymore other than her main gun and those weren't exactly built for such purpose.
"It took a kid," she pointed out while she dusted her clothes, "Does it always do that?"
"Always. The attacks have become more frequent these days… It's only a matter of time before the Castle spreads its influence towards this village and severe our connection with the outside indefinitely," said another villager, "You came at a bad time, Huntress. Especially after a group of your kind had just entered the Castle."
"A group, huh? So… Someone came here before me? And I'm not planning on going inside. I'm gonna get killed," sighed Nagatsuki as she sheathed her machete.
Grunting, the man she saved then said, "Smart. And yes, a group did come to help but… they never returned. Ever since, we received few and few visitors. Most unwilling to help, like you but they could come and go as they liked. I reckon you could do the same and I suggest you do. There's nothing for you in this Nameless Village."
"Hmph…" turning her gaze at the weeping woman at the distance surrounded by other people, "I guess you're right…"
That's just… annoying…
"But still… it might be worth looking into," she murmured quietly while shaking her head. She turned to the men she had just saved and asked," Where is this castle anyway?"
The villagers all looked at her as if she had gone mad but they eventually told her.
The Ship Girl listened and felt as if she had just stuck her foot into something she shouldn't have. But then again, this was a part of her new duties… To Collect the Souls of Abyssals to nourish her strength and ensure the peace upon the poor people clinging upon land to escape the Abyss. She missed the simpler times, when she would just sortie, kill Abyssals and return home, get resupplied before heading to the baths.
In this world, things were different.
In this world… She had to instill in her mind that she was Prepared to Die.
.....
....
...
(To be continued)
=================================
Hi. Rabbit here. I'm putting this out first. I'm finishing up Bears soon. Just you wait. Now excuse me, I need to turn Nagatsuki into a Belmont.
There wasn't even wind for her to hear and even if there was, the slight rustling of the naked branches above her was enough to make her tense. Nevertheless, she kept a cool head and trudged on. The sun was obscured by gray clouds once more, not that it was possible to see blue skies and feel the warm touch of the sun on one's skin.
In this dead world, there was only the gray horizon and the blinding fog. The fog was the more concerning problem considering that she could barely see five feet in front of her due to its thickness. She huffed and pulled on the strap of her pack while her machete hung by her waist. Her 12.7cm gun was strapped to her side and gleamed in the little light that the sky had to offer. Nagatsuki kept a steady pace and continued on her journey, wondering if she was going to spend all eternity walking aimlessly in this fog.
It's been a few weeks since she last saw a village and she was wondering if another would be just around the corner. Well, it had only been ten days since she entered this god forsaken fog and she was worried that her supplies would dry up. Food she could endure not having but if she ran out of fuel, then she may not be able to move.
Now that wouldn't be that bad if she wasn't traversing a hellscape filled with monstrous pseudo Abyssal headed people that tried to kill her by ripping her throat. Wincing she held a gloved hand to her slender neck and sighed.
Dying… She died getting into this world. She died a few more times trying to traverse it. Now death didn't seem all too scary having been acquainted with it for so long. Time had no place in this world. She had already forgotten how long she had stayed here. Maybe several months? A couple of years? And entire decade? She didn't care anymore, but it would be nice though to find a way out of this suffocating gray world. She didn't have much hope but she held on that chance… Otherwise she too would lose her marbles and attack people.
Sighing, she shook her head and continued.
Somehow…She could feel something change. The air became cooler and there was this familiar smell.
A salty smell that seemed to revitalize her aching body. It almost made her want to jump and shout, running to the source with a smile that hadn't appeared on her lips since months long past. This was the smell of the sea and she could hear the gentle waves rushing to the shores at a relaxed pace. She resisted the urge to run though…
But the change was welcomed… She didn't take her chances that something wasn't lurking beyond the fog to jump her. She wasn't foolish but her heart ached that something so beautiful was so close yet so far.
"Goddammit," she cursed while she followed the sea's presence.
A few minutes later, the Ship Girl raised an eyebrow as she felt someone standing just up ahead. Drawing her blade, she raised it towards the stranger as the fog cleared up by just a bit to reveal a fork on the road. There was a woman wrapped in a thick traveling cloak the same as the Destroyer's, standing still by a lamppost as if she was asleep on her feet.
Nagatsuki warily stared at the woman and tensed once this person opened her eyes and turned her gaze towards the Destroyer.
"Oh? I wasn't expecting someone to arrive. Where might you be heading for, little Miss?" asked the woman as she placed her hand on her hip.
"Looking for civilization," Nagatsuki didn't lower her guard just yet and kept her gaze fixed on the stranger, "You might not be acquainted to some bandits are you? Because I don't really have time for that."
"In a hurry then? To where exactly? Hm, nevertheless it's the most I could do… I'll give you directions. Head to the left of this fork and you'll come across a humble little village. They should be able to cater to your needs and refill your supplies," said the woman with an amused smile, "It's not safe for travelers to wander about unprepared. Perhaps a night's rest would ease your nerves."
"You didn't answer the question," the green haired girl pointed out in a nearly hoarse tone. Damn, she hadn't talked for a few days so now her voice was all messed up. Her throat hurt enough that she instinctively placed a hand on her throat… This was rather annoying, she hadn't noticed at all…
The woman let out a chuckle before shaking her head, "Well now… I'm certainly not a part of any bandit group. That much I could tell you. Still, there are other things lurking beyond the fork that's worse than bandits."
"I'm well aware of that…" sighed Nagatsuki as she shook her head, "You sure about this? You look like you've been standing there for ages."
"Waiting for a carriage. It should be arriving soon. Been here for ten days, I did but this is a better spot than the village," said the woman with a small smile.
"And you're planning to send me to a possibly dangerous village. You're yanking my chain here," said Nagatsuki as she lowered her machete and sheathed it back to her side.
"I'm well prepared compared to you. Hence why I could bear standing here for long periods of time. I have a camp nearby but again, I spend most of my time here. It's been months since a traveler passed by so your appearance surprised me. Are you perhaps a Huntress?" asked the stranger as she cocked her head.
Nagatsuki resisted the urge to talk smack and simply nodded, "You could say that."
"I see. Then the Village would do well to acquire your skills. Perhaps you'll even get to strike a bargain with them if you do them a favor," said the woman as she raised her hands to shrug, "Gold may not have its worth in the world anymore but it would certainly save you from paying unnecessarily."
"I have a few Souls with me. But I guess you're right. That's a pretty sound advice," replied the Destroyer as she eyed the stranger suspiciously, "Are you some sort of Guard here or something?"
"Hm… No, not a guard. Just a traveler just like you. I did say I was waiting for a carriage… Still, it appears to be something is keeping it from arriving. This may turn troublesome for me in the long run. Still, I have confidence you'll do good in your ventures," said the stranger with a nod.
"Right…" grumbled the Destroyer before turning towards the left fork where the village was supposed to be. Just as she was about to head deeper in, she came to a halt and turned, "Who are you anyway?"
"Ah… Well, you can call me Crane. Should you need anything else the village may not be able to offer, come by my camp for a chat or two," offered Crane as she bowed politely.
Nagatsuki nodded and turned towards to the village's direction. Leaving behind the odd stranger who seemed content waiting by the forked road.
…..
….
…
It was a Nameless Village with not much to see. There were few houses and buildings but most of the shops were closed down and boarded up. Apparently, the only candlelight Nagatsuki managed to see was the one from a relatively modest sized building. She could only assume it was the Inn. It had been a long walk so she was looking forward for some shut eye that didn't have to happen on the side of the road. Still, she noticed that some eyes were on her, peering from the windowsills and holes in the wall. If she had sharper senses, she would've heard the whispers too.
Nevertheless, the girl walked towards the Inn's door and gently opened it, the smell of alcohol and metal immediately making her face crinkle. The warm interior of the Inn was something she welcomed though. Sure enough a familiar sight of drunkards and depressed men filled her view yet she opted to ignore them. Nothing good will come if she decided to poke them. Having learned that the hard way, the Destroyer went over to the counter and knocked on it, calling the attention of an aged man wiping a few wooden cups.
"A room please…" she told him as the bar man grunted and took out some keys.
"Traveler, eh? Haven't seen one in months," said the bar man as he slid the keys to the girl, "Room's upstairs. Would you like to look at my wares for that matter? Your pack's looking awfully light there missy."
Nagatsuki nodded as she exchanged some Souls with him as she browsed the man's merchandise, "Not bad selection. I'll take some Curry and Ramune."
"Standard items for a Huntress," huffed the man as he brought Nagatsuki her purchase, "You're not thinking of doing the same, are you?"
Raising an eyebrow, Nagatsuki then frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Why else would you be here? I'm talking about the thing by the seaside. Did the White Cranes send you or are you from somewhere else?" asked the bar man in return while examining the girl's small frame.
"I don't really get it but I was thinking of resupplying before continuing on my trip. And what's this about the thing by the seaside?" continued the Destroyer as she stowed away her purchases and stared back at the bar man.
Crossing his arms, the man then said, "Well, I suppose I could tell you. A few months back, this strange structure appeared some ways down the coastline. The area's already overrun by the Beasts of the Abyss but things just got worse once that castle thing appeared."
"A strange structure? Right, what happened then?" urged Nagatsuki as she listened.
"We sent some Warriors to investigate alongside some Huntresses but they never came back. We thought of leaving the place alone to avoid further losses but soon enough people from the village started disappearing. We reckon it's the work of that place but nevertheless we can do nothing about it. We've warned travelers to stay clear of it so a not to provoke its ire."
"A warning for me, then? That's nice. I'll hold on to that, don't worry," the Destroyer girl replied before leaving the bar man alone.
She went for her room to catch some shut eye when someone blocked her path.
It was another man dressed in rags, a bandage wrapped around half his face. His hands and arms also seemed to be wrapped in soiled linen once he grabbed Nagatsuki by the shoulders and making her step back. He looked at her face with his bloodshot eye and asked in a quivering voice, "You… You… Y-You're a Huntress, a-are you?"
Caught in an strange situation, Nagatsuki immediately wrenched away from the man's touch and stepped back, "Maybe… What's your problem? Can't a girl get some sleep?"
"Please… Please you must help us. Please I beg of you, you must help us! The Abyss crawls through the gods' soil and it desires to consume us all. It comes from the wretched castle where our children and wives were spirited away! Please you mu help us, Huntress! Collector of Souls!" pleaded the man as he fell on his knees and wept before the green haired girl's feet.
Taken aback, she shot a glance at the bar man behind her yet he simply ignored her gaze and went back to cleaning his cups. The bandaged man's sobs soon filled the Inn and the other patrons were now looking at Nagatsuki with dark looks. Clicking her tongue, Nagatsuki circled by the bandaged man and passed him, opting to get to her room before anyone else tried to stop her.
Climbing up the stairs and looking for her door, she opened the one with the same number as her keys and shut it behind her, collapsing on the musty smelling bed and sighing. She needed to leave ASAP. She wasn't liking this place as much as the others.
…..
….
…
What woke her up were the screams.
Nagatsuki bolted up from her bed and stepped away from it, realizing she didn't even remove her bags and pouches as she slept. Her weapons were all still strapped to her and once she realized that, she knew that she was good to go. She went through her door and walked down the stairs she came up from, going past the cowering bar man behind the counter and walking out into the moonlight.
As the cold air and smell of the distant sea greeted her, she immediately brought her arm up to her right. She managed to see that diminutive body of a PT Imp clamp its jaws down her forearm and crushing her bones. Caught off guard, the Destroyer girl hissed in pain before smashing the Imp into the Inn's wall and making it let go. Once it was off of her, the ground was then splattered with the Imp's entrails as Nagatsuki's 12.7cm twin-mount gun.
Discharging the bullets, Nagatsuki breathed sharply as she tried to endure the pain. Holstering her weapon, she brought out her Repair Flask and took a hefty gulp, feeling its healing effects work on her injured arm and stopping the bleeding.
"What the hell?" she breathed before turning to the sounds of pain at one of the houses. A group of Imps had decided to assault a wooden home while a few scattered about to combat the men that had charged out of their homes to deal with the threat.
Of course they didn't have the proper skills or weapons so it was obvious what their fates were going to be facing against these Imps. Which was why Nagatsuki sprinted towards the fighting men and Abyssals and tried helping. Having reloaded her main guns, she immediately blew apart an Imp that was harassing an old man. Drawing her machete, she then reloaded once more before moving to the next Imp and backstabbing it when it was open.
She shoved the man fighting it away as another Imp pounced at her yet this gave her the chance to dig her main gun's barrel into its gaping maw and pull the trigger.
Nagatsuki didn't stop and pushed forward having gathered the attention of the Imps up ahead.
They all ran towards her as a pack before they started casting projectiles. She tired evading the flying projectiles headed her way while she opted to just run through the piddly peashooters they called guns while she got close. Her blade shined as she cut the Imps apart, her gun barking into the quiet night, Nagatsuki tried to make quick work of the Imps as they retaliated fiercely.
Who would've thought that PT Boats on Land would be just as vicious as their counterparts from the water?
"Annoying!" she cried out as she rolled away from one of the Imps projectiles and dashing forward to gut the offending one. Nevertheless, another got through her guard and bit down her shoulder, making her gasp in pain before she tried throwing it off of her. Grabbing hold of the cold Abyssal chitin it had for a head, the Destroyer slammed the Imp down hard with all of her supernatural strength before driving her blade through its mouth.
Right… That hurt…
"Up above! It's the Witch!" called one of the men.
"Miss Huntress! Look out!" warned another yet Nagatsuki realized too late what he meant and was promptly blown through the village square and into the ground by Abyssal magic. Nagatsuki's vision went white from the pain and her senses became hazy as she tried to rise back to her feet. She winced as she felt a few of her bones scream in protest, having been fractured from the impact.
Breathing hard, she watched as something huge and winged tear open the wooden house's walls like a child going through their present. A moment later there was a scream and the green haired girl watched as the monster… the winged Abyssal extracted a small form from the house and flap its wings once to ascend to heavens with the speed of a bullet.
Winged Abyssals… Huh?
Bullshit. This world… Was stupid.
Grunting through the acid-like pain seeping through her body, she reached for her Repair Flask and downed its entire contents. She'll need to find an Anchor to refill her healing juice. Whatever that thing was, it's big trouble. And those Imps… Just what the hell was going on in this place..?
People started to gather by the wrecked household while a few men helped Nagatsuki back on her feet.
"You took quite the beating there, Miss. Are you okay?" asked one of the men she had helped before.
Swallowing, she rolled her previously injured arm and nodded, "I'll… I'll live. What the hell was that..?"
"A Princess of the sort. A monster. A spawn of the Abyss come to haunt us… all we know it came from that Castle by the seaside," answered one of the villagers before he spat on the ground, "A Devil."
The seaside Castle again… seems like it's a place that's nothing but trouble. How long has that thing been harassing this village? How many people and kids were taken exactly? Nevertheless, an Abyssal that can control lesser ones wasn't foreign to Nagatsuki. It's just… sure, she'd meet the odd Huntress or two that's been corrupted by the Abyss and that they have their own gimmicks… But an Abyssal that can actually fly?
That's just dumb… And crazy.
The people back home wouldn't believe it and even if they did, the Akizuki sisters would have a field day taking down that monster. Looking at her equipment, she didn't exactly have anything to go by with Anti-Air anymore other than her main gun and those weren't exactly built for such purpose.
"It took a kid," she pointed out while she dusted her clothes, "Does it always do that?"
"Always. The attacks have become more frequent these days… It's only a matter of time before the Castle spreads its influence towards this village and severe our connection with the outside indefinitely," said another villager, "You came at a bad time, Huntress. Especially after a group of your kind had just entered the Castle."
"A group, huh? So… Someone came here before me? And I'm not planning on going inside. I'm gonna get killed," sighed Nagatsuki as she sheathed her machete.
Grunting, the man she saved then said, "Smart. And yes, a group did come to help but… they never returned. Ever since, we received few and few visitors. Most unwilling to help, like you but they could come and go as they liked. I reckon you could do the same and I suggest you do. There's nothing for you in this Nameless Village."
"Hmph…" turning her gaze at the weeping woman at the distance surrounded by other people, "I guess you're right…"
That's just… annoying…
"But still… it might be worth looking into," she murmured quietly while shaking her head. She turned to the men she had just saved and asked," Where is this castle anyway?"
The villagers all looked at her as if she had gone mad but they eventually told her.
The Ship Girl listened and felt as if she had just stuck her foot into something she shouldn't have. But then again, this was a part of her new duties… To Collect the Souls of Abyssals to nourish her strength and ensure the peace upon the poor people clinging upon land to escape the Abyss. She missed the simpler times, when she would just sortie, kill Abyssals and return home, get resupplied before heading to the baths.
In this world, things were different.
In this world… She had to instill in her mind that she was Prepared to Die.
.....
....
...
(To be continued)
=================================
Hi. Rabbit here. I'm putting this out first. I'm finishing up Bears soon. Just you wait. Now excuse me, I need to turn Nagatsuki into a Belmont.
- Location
- ⇙
So she gets a whip?
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
LET'S SEE HOW THE ABYSSALS FARE AGAINST THE VAMPIRE KILLER.
Sortie 10: Bear Simulator (Latter Part) (World 1 End)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Having been shooed away by the same person they sought for help, the three Kuma-Class girls were left sitting unhappily back at Mamiya's café. Ooi briefly wondered if this was really okay but she knew that Murakumo was a reliable person, she just had some questionable methods on resolving problems. Not that she was worried about Abukuma in the slightest but she wondered if the Destroyer simply desired to use Abukuma as a make-shift flail to beat Kitakami with.
A sobering thought…
"Nyaaa, this isn't good. They're taking too long," groaned Tama as she impatiently scratched the table, "While getting that angry Clouds on our side is good and all, don't you think we can contribute in this whole shenanigans our own way?"
"I think that we should just sit tight and see what Miss Murakumo has to offer first. We'll only get in the way," Kiso pointed out to calm her irate sister.
"I'd prefer it if we were there ourselves. I mean, I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm more worried about that twin-tailed fool rather than what Kitakami's going to do. Abukuma's spineless and you know how forceful Murakumo could be. This may have been a bad idea, nyaa," continued Tama as she sunk into her chair, "What do you think, Ooi?"
"I think you're right. I wouldn't want that girl's spirit haunting us once Murakumo's done with her. Perhaps there's something we could do to soften up whatever Murakumo has in store for her. I'd shudder to think what Kitakami-san would do," Ooi admitted with a tiny shudder.
Blanching, Kiso then raised her hands, "W-Wait, hold on, you two asked for this! It was your idea to get Murakumo involved!"
"You know it was only a distraction to keep her from murdering Kitakami, right?" Tama pointed out.
"Oh come on!" cried out the youngest Kuma-Class, "Please, let's not be hasty here. We'll just make things worse."
"I wouldn't put Abukuma's blood on our hands because of your indecisiveness, Kiso," said Ooi as she stood up, "We have to make a stand. I'll go get Kitakami-san and keep her down. Tama, if you want to come then let's go."
"Now we're talking, nya!" cheered Tama as she got up and chased after her sister.
Kiso watched her sisters leave with a dumbfounded look before slumping forward, "Useless..."
"Oh my, they left already?" asked Mamiya in concern, holding up her tray of ice cream and placing it down on Kiso's table, "is something wrong, Kiso?"
"Ah, right. Just some family problems," sighed the youngest Torpedo Cruiser, "Geez… Sorry, Mamiya but I'll be leaving too. Need to look after them. Uh, here, coupon for your trouble."
"Well, it would be a waste if I just put this ice cream away," said Mamiya with a small smile, "But will you be okay?"
"I'll be fine. Let's see… Hey, Admiral! You want some ice cream?" Kiso called out to the white haired woman sitting next to her wife. The Admiral gave the thumbs up and Kiso nodded towards Mamiya, "Hand it to her. See you."
Kiso then followed her sisters with a spring in her step, her cape dancing behind her as she ran.
"Does this have anything to do with Murakumo screaming her head off before?" questioned the Admiral as the ice cream was set before her.
"Most likely," giggled the Destroyer beside her, "The Naval District sure is lively, huh?"
"Mhmm… Damned kids," griped the white haired woman as she took a bite out of her ice cream.
…..
….
…
The Naval District was situated nearby a seaside town. It wasn't a bustling city or a bursting metropolis like the Capital but it was a humble little town an hour's drive away from the Ship Girls' residence. It was a place where they were able to relax and catch a glimpse of a normal world. Establishments catering to the Ship Girls were also built here such as cafes, hobby stores and of course fashion shops. The residents of the town were quite warm towards the girls that would decide to visit and likewise the girls enjoyed the town's hospitality.
At the moment, two Ship Girls were in the middle of shopping with one leading and the other suffering silently. Dressed out of their usual clothes, Murakumo and Abukuma wore their civilian attires with the grace and elegance only they could muster. Ship Girls were pretty and it was undeniably so that any one of them would be beautiful enough to make heads turn. The Destroyer carried herself with an air of maturity and confidence that would make people stop in their tracks while the Light Cruiser emitted an awkward yet adorable air about her as she followed her companion.
And Murakumo was aiming to maximize this appeal.
If she was going to get Kitakami to look this fool's way then her problems would be solved. To do that, she had to make Abukuma appealing to that dumb Goddess and one way of doing that is to doll the girl up. Abukuma may be indecisive in regards to her feelings but if she could just make Kitakami raise an eyebrow then the mission would be a success.
Getting the Kuma sisters' help on this would only prove disastrous given that Ooi has no sense of subtlety, Tama was a cat and Kiso only had plants stuck to her head. She had no choice but to do things personally but at the very least those sisters did give her a suitable guinea pig. She really didn't want to go through the trouble of beating Kitakami up.
Her dumb Admiral would advocate her going for the peaceful methods so here she was instead of walking up to the Torpedo Cruiser and punching her. Well, she always wanted to try out the cruel and unusual punishment thing. It should prove good and useful skills for the future.
"A-Are we really going in here?" asked Abukuma as she reflexively swallowed.
"This place caters to ship girls and have decent prices. It's the perfect place rather than taking the train to the capital… Unless you prefer us going to Tokyo for shopping," Murakumo offered while crossing her arms.
For her goal, Abukuma couldn't afford half-hearted decisions. She was trying to get her point across so this was necessary! Resolving herself and adopting a determined expression, she turned to the Destroyer by her side and said, "Okay! Please guide me."
"Ahahaha… Oh boy," chuckled Murakumo as she opened the door, "This will be a treat."
Abukuma was greeted by the cool air of the store and the variety of clothes that were available to her to try out. The clerks greeted her and Murakumo with bright smiles and courteous words, bowing politely to welcome the two Ship Girls. Murakumo greeted them back and Abukuma couldn't help but simply trail behind the Destroyer as they made their inquiries. She didn't know if she'd look good in any of these dresses but this was why Murakumo was here, it was to guide her.
On her own, Abukuma would've probably broken down or even if she did pick some clothes, Kitakami would probably just laugh at her. And that was unacceptable… Love or not love?
She didn't know herself but there certainly something there, swelling inside her heart, strong enough to make her move through this task.
This feeling was draining though, sapping her of her strength as her chest felt like it was going to burst. Hopefully this whole ordeal would be solved in a short while… At this thought, Murakumo turned towards her with a smug smile before speaking.
"Let's make you shine then," she chuckled before grabbing hold of Abukuma. This time, the Light Cruiser didn't even try to resist.
Still, she wondered what that person was thinking now.
…..
….
…
When Kitakami arrived at the dorms, she was surprised to see her room re-decorated by her two elder sisters. Her confusion left her stunned in the doorway as Kuma and Tama dragged her inside forced her down a kotatsu despite it being late spring. She was then treated to some pudding which left her even more confused as her eldest sister began to massage her shoulders while Tama sat at the side with an expectant look on her face.
For Kitakami, she felt like this was some sort of bad omen waiting to happen but she took it in stride. Keeping her usual demeanor as her sisters spoiled her. Not that she minded being spoiled but it was just strange. Maybe she really worried these idiots to the point that they snapped.
"What's the occasion?" she couldn't help but ask though she somehow felt like she was already dreading the answer.
"Well! We decided to go do some fun stuff today, kuma!" chuckled Kuma as she rubbed the Naval Base's Divine Deity's shoulders
"Fun stuff?" Kitakami could feel her stomach buckling at this, "Fun… how?"
"We got the permission from the Admiral, nya! We can take the day out, nyaa!" piped up Tama from the side, an odd glint in her eyes, "We just have to wait for Ooi to get dressed and we'll be all set!"
Ooi? Oh this can't be—
And lo and behold, Kitakami was greeted by the sight of her close sister in full civilian clothes dragging a Kiso behind her who was also out of her uniform. Emitting an aura of pure radiance and love, Kitakami could only stare as her little sister forked out four tickets before her face.
"We're going to town! We're going skydiving!" she declared as Tama and Kuma cheered in the background.
Sending a questioning look towards her littlest sister helpless within Ooi's grip, Kiso could only groan pathetically as she gestured to take it all in stride. Deep inside, Kitakami wondered what she did to deserve this. Yet the moment she asked herself that, something cold pinged back at her and made her shut up. Ooi's cheer seemed to diminish at the sight of Kitakami's expression yet she maintained a gentle smile and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"We'll get ourselves accustomed first, yes? No need to go for it right away," said Ooi in her kind and warm tone.
Kitakami sighed and cracked a small smile of her own, "Yeah, well, that's okay too I guess. Who's driving?"
"Houshou," moaned Kiso at the back.
It seemed that the entire Kuma Class froze at this revelation.
Panicked, Ooi turned to her sister and squawked, "I thought I had you go look for someone who can drive?!"
"Yes, well, how about you say no to Houshou-san when she's pumped up to assist us! I dare you to say no to her! And that's with Kaga and Akagi lurking nearby!" replied Kiso as fear returned to her good eye before fading into resignation, "We're dead. We're so dead."
"Tch, we won't let something like this delay us. Big Sisters! Dress Kitakami now! We're going to have fun if it's the last thing we do!" Ooi stomped her foot as she exhausted a burning declaration to the heavens while the two sisters mentioned were sent scrambling. Kitakami found herself being dragged into the bathroom before she could voice anything.
With the bathroom door slamming shut, the only two girls left in the room were the youngest sisters.
With an uncertain expression, Kiso scratched the side of her cheek as she said, "Um… Sis. You think this'll work?"
"I don't know, really," Ooi freely admitted, "But we have to hit her shotgun style."
"Shot…gun..?" Kiso repeated with a weird look.
"Well, Kitakami has been acting oddly for the past few days. We're doing this to improve her mood but we don't know exactly that will help her out. So I devised a plan that will surely hit the mark and make her enjoy herself," clarified the fourth ship girl of the Kuma Class with a proud expression, "And if that fails… Well…"
Sighing, Kiso patted her big sister's shoulder and said, "Hey, let's not think of things failing now. This is your effort we're talking about, right? Underselling yourself is unlike you, sis."
"Oh… Hehe… Kiso-chan can be cute too it seems," giggled Ooi as she ruffled her little sister's hair.
"Ugh, please. Don't start now…" grumbled the youngest Kuma Class with a displeased look, "We're ship girls. What's the point of skydiving?"
"It's fun and a new experience! Besides, it can't be that bad!"
…..
….
…
For all intents and purposes, this was her first tie being so high up in the air. She may have decided to go with this due to the heat of the moment but… really. Maybe Kiso was right, this was a bad idea. Ooi tore her gaze from the scenery outside as the tiny plane climbed higher and higher… Higher than what she was comfortable with. She could barely see the airstrip beneath her anymore and this fact left you shivering in fear. Okay, this was bad bad bad…
Across Ooi were her two older sisters, seemingly sharing your sentiments given that they looked like they were scared out of their minds as they held one another. Kiso was busy checking her gear, her expression calm and collected as if being over a few thousand feet in the air was nothing for her. What a diligent girl, it made Ooi proud to be her big sister. To her right, Kitakami wore a concerned expression as she looked at the ceiling. She was visibly nervous but not as much as Ooi's elder sisters.
She didn't even seem to mind when Ooi held her hand and responded by glancing at her sister.
"Why," she asked.
"We thought it was a good idea," Ooi nervously chuckled.
Narrowing her gaze, Kitakami then said, "No, I mean… Is it fine if we didn't take those lessons?"
Ooi coughed and recalled…
"Is is really fine? Will you all be okay?" asked Houshou with a worried look as she saw off the Kuma class girls.
Ooi smiled at the motherly Carrier and assured her, "We'll be fine. Besides, it can't be that hard."
"But there are safety policies and regulation—" began Houshou.
"We took half of the lessons, we'll be fine. Tenryuu tried it once, she came back fine," assured the Torpedo Cruiser as she patted Houshou's shoulder, "We'll be back in a jiffy."
Maybe taking Houshou along as their chaperone was a bad idea. Everyone at the base hated it whenever she was upset and if something were to happen to Ooi and her sisters, then Houshou would definitely be sad. The motherly Carrier was too much of an angel. Even if Ooi only cared about her family most of the time, she too would be pained if Houshou was sad. Which was why… No, this was a time to live on the edge. She had to be strong! Seriously, Jun'you would have been a better chaperone but she didn't risk a car accident this early in the day.
"Okay~, we're nearing the right altitude. Is everyone okay back there?" hummed a voice at the pilot seat.
Tama and Kuma simply shivered in fear while Kiso looked up from her equipment check and answered, "We're fine, Miss Kashima. Err, we really do appreciate the help here, flying us and all."
"Oh it's fine! My little tourist attraction hasn't been doing well lately given all the aircrafts the Wo-Classes have been slinging at us, so having you girls around warms my heart! Oh I'm so excited to fly again!" giggled Kashima as she steadied the plane and pressed some buttons here and there.
From the back, Kuma couldn't help but cry out, "Weren't you supposed to be in charge of logistics at base?! And you're a ship, how the hell can you fly a plane, kuma?!"
"Ara ara~ We have our secrets, Miss Kuma. I'd like to keep mine close to my heart," the Training Cruiser teased playfully.
"According to rumors, it's said that Kashima has around a hundred and eight part time jobs—" Tama began as she clung to her elder sister.
"That's a hundred and nine if you count me kicking my way through the stock market," corrected Kashima with a bright tone.
"Wow, how admirable," Kiso whistled in admiration.
Kitakami on the other hand simply sighed, "Sounds like a pain in the ass."
"Oh it is," Kashima replied from the front, "It's hard work but fulfilling. Even if I am a ship girl, I'm not particularly strong enough to be on the field. So I help out in other ways. It's fun, you know? And rather than being rather distracting, it's something I look forward too. Perhaps you girls could fill in one of the places I go to? I can get you on a trial period."
"Do we have to wear dumb frilly clothes, kuma?" said the Eldest of the Kuma Class with a narrowed look.
"I'll make sure to make a customized uniform just for you, Kuma~," mused Kashima before breaking into laughter. Ooi couldn't help but joining while the others did too, Kuma herself allowing a dry, nervous chuckle to escape her throat before she made an audible gulp. Yes, there was no saving her now.
"Miss Kashima, have we reached the proper height yet? We've ascended a considerable amount," said Kiso as she finished checking her equipment and made her way to inspect her elder sisters' gear.
"Indeed. But how about a quick fly around the Frontier, hm? Don't worry, I won't wander past Kaga and Akagi's patrols but you girls should see the view once you've gotten over your fears," answered the Training Cruiser as the plan soared through a bank of clouds.
It seemed that Kitakami had become enraptured by the sight of a different sort of sea beneath her. Instead of a sea of ocean blue, what greeted her was a great expanse of white clouds spreading below the plane or towering through the heavens. For a Ship Girl who has gotten used to looking up the sky in both of her lives… The past and the present… Being in the air was a magical experience. Even Ooi was left breathless as she spotted migratory birds fly in formation beneath them.
"Hmph, this ain't bad after all…" murmured Kitakami from the side.
Blinking in surprise, Ooi then cracked a warm smile at her sister's words.
….
A few minutes later, they prepared to jump.
Kuma and Tama had gone ahead of them before Kiso followed to make sure those two landed safely. Standing by the side of the plane, the remaining girls looked straight down as the wind roared all around them. They went deaf for a moment due the change in pressure before they could hear again.
From the pilot seat, Kashima spoke up, "This is it, ladies! Better go after your siblings now. I'll meet you back on the airstrip, okay? Be careful out there."
Grinning, Ooi got ready and nodded towards her sister, "Ready?"
"Race you to the bottom," was Kitakami's parting words as she jumped off.
"Hey wait for me!" Ooi cried out as she chased her sister and took the leap, diving after Kitakami.
…..
….
…
It was around the early hours of evening that the five sisters found themselves wandering along the streets of the seaside town. The two eldest sisters were being dragged through the streets by the youngest while Kitakami and Ooi lagged behind them. The sisters were left to their own devices by Houshou after their little afternoon adventure. The Motherly Carrier was glad to hear that their combined efforts worked on Kitakami but Ooi was told that they still had a lot to go.
She didn't really know though, seeing her beloved Kitakami smile before jumping off an hour ago, she felt she was blessed to see her sister smile that way. It was not that Kitakami didn't smile often; the real problem was her hidden feelings. What she really felt, her real thoughts, her true desires aside from staring at that blue sea.
As Warships, they didn't lead happy endings.
Ooi could vaguely remember her own death and having read it from the Frontier Base's library only gave her second hand accounts. She couldn't recall. None of her sisters did except maybe for Kitakami. If that was the case then Kitakami's lethargic attitude these past few months must be caused by this. She wondered if she was doing enough, or if whatever Murakumo cooked up at the side would be enough. Was anything enough? If she could make Kitakami smile genuinely like in the plane then…
Perhaps she too could be happy.
But can she do it?
Even though everyone was working so hard, this girl beside her always felt as if she was out of her reach.
"Hey Ooichii, you're making a serious face," Kitakami pointed out, glancing at her sister with a raised eyebrow.
Ooi blinked in surprise before putting it off with a nervous laugh, "Well, you know I'm always serious about you, Kitakami-san~, haha!"
Kitakami stared at her sister's face for a few more moments before looking ahead, "Hey, you know… I'm… sort of glad. I'm glad you're here with me. All of you."
"Kitakami-san..?" murmured Ooi.
"It's just sort of scary. I keep wondering how long this'll last. How long things will stay this way. It might suck thinking about it but, it just comes to mind, you know?" continued the Torpedo Cruiser with a wan smile, "Anyway, it's fine if you don't get it. I don't expect you too but… I don't think you should be going out of your way doing stuff for me, yeah?"
Ooi sighed and shook her head and said, "Kitakami-san... You need to do something about that distance you keep putting up."
"Wha-?" the Torpedo Cruiser shot her sister a weird look before Ooi took a step forward and barred her path.
"Hey, we care about you. We try our best for you. We don't want you to feel left out is all… Especially when you've been doing your best on the Frontlines," said Ooi as she looked at her beloved sister right in the eye, "We want to make you happy. To return the favor but it's almost like we can't reach you because of the distance between all of us. Everyone's worried. Everyone's concerned. Did something happen, Kitakami-san? You weren't like this a few months ago."
"…. I've been having nightmares. It scares me, you know?" Kitakami managed with a humorless chuckle, "Losing all of you again. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that way but… It's worth the thought, I guess."
"You're afraid of losing us?" asked Ooi.
"Why the heck do you think I'm working my butt off with a temperamental Secretary and a Demonic Luck Based Destroyer at the thick of this entire mess?" scoffed the Torpedo Cruiser as she crossed her arms, |I just don't want to get hurt… Is all… Sorry, Ooichi. If it's bothering you and all… But, it's just the way it is."
"You're wrong," Ooi replied firmly. She then took her sister's hand and pulled her close, fixing her gaze into the black haired girl's eyes and spoke with a voice filled with conviction, "I don't care if you push me away or something, but I'll make sure you feel better anyway. Because the more you try to shove us, the stronger we'll come down at you. We're family, right? It's normal for us to listen to one another's problems… That's why you can't push me away even if you tried… Goddess or not, you just can't."
"Ooichi…" Kitakami stared at her sister with a surprised look before averting her gaze, "What's with you all of a sudden? Even if it's you that's an odd thing to say."
"Oh yeah? Well it's also odd for someone as laid back as you to think about trivial things like this," Ooi countered while waving a finger, "You're pretty stubborn but I think I'm better. Even if you get past me, there's still those three idiots behind me that'll come and bother you. And even then… There's still that girl who dislikes you."
"…. You mean that brat?" asked Kitakami.
"She may not be like us… A family… But she's the closest person you have as a friend, hm?" pointed out Ooi as she cracked a small smile, "Perhaps once in a while, you should consider her feelings as well?"
"She's just a nuisance…" grumbled Kitakami.
"Nuisance she may be but she's a good girl. She may just be able to curb your bad habits," suggested the brown haired girl before she turned and started walking away.
Kitakami blinked before jogging after her sister, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"You know I love you too much to do anything about your bad habits. Well, unlike me, that girl has the temperament to set you straight," giggled Ooi while her sister caught up with her with a frown, "Oh don't give me that face."
"You're saying it like we're an item," deadpanned Kitakami, "You… Of all people…"
"But you're just so cute, how can I not spoil you, Kitakami-san? I may try but… In the end, I'm just as lost as those three. I could only hope that girl could do something," sighed Ooi with a distant look.
"Well, I'd feel more comfortable with you girls than some stubborn, annoyingly voiced brat who can't shut up," mumbled the elder Torpedo Cruiser.
"Well, I think it's better if we work with people we dislike to develop our character. You should give it a try, Kitakami-san…" suggested Ooi with a teasing smile.
At this, Kitakami wavered and stumbled to hug Ooi from behind, "So you're finally going to abandon me, Ooichi?"
"I'm telling you to grow up, Kitakami-san!" said Ooi firmly, raising her nose up in the air, "If this is so Murakumo wouldn't murder you, I'll gladly withhold myself from spoiling you."
"I can take her on. Secretary or not," but even as Kitakami said this, she felt an odd chill run down her spine.
"She has that Lucky Dog with her. And even you can't beat the Admiral's puppy in a straight fight… She's allied to Murakumo so you'll definitely get destroyed," Ooi calmly pointed out.
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Kitakami growled, "I guess you're right… Anyway, are we heading back yet?"
"We should be and… Huh?" Ooi paused as her face formed a frown. Kitakami wondered what was up but she then found out when she saw her other sisters stare at the opposite side of the street with gaping mouths. The two girls of the Kuma-class turned to where their sister were looking at and found themselves feeling as if they were slapped.
Standing across the street was a lone blonde haired girl dressed in a fashionable white and green dress. She walked on a pair of mid-heeled white sandals and carried herself with a dignified air as she approached the Kuma-Class girls. She turned away from the first three idiots and walked her way towards Kitakami and Ooi.
However, Ooi stepped in the girl's way and stared upon her determined expression. The girl didn't flinch, didn't waver, and didn't step back from Ooi's hard gaze even when the rest of the Kuma-class girls retreated five steps. As if measuring the girl, the brown haired torpedo cruiser then said, "That's a refreshing expression. In just a day, you've mustered this much courage?"
"I want to talk to Kitakami-san," Abukuma replied.
At this, Ooi blinked twice before cracking a small smile, "Well don't let me get in your way. Murakumo did some work."
Stepping aside, Ooi let the blonde haired girl pass. Kitakami stood transfixed at the girl she considered as nothing more than a nuisance earlier, the same Ship Girl her gut told her to looked down on and bully. But now, the girl that stood before her left her speechless for the first time. Somehow, this appearance of hers caught Kitakami off guard.
It was like she was a totally different person.
Was this what Ooi meant? Was this their plan after all?
"Hooo?" she managed to utter, relaxing her once tense posture and looked at the girl before her with a challenging look, "You wanted to talk to me? What's the occasion?"
Kitakami couldn't let herself lose her cool. Otherwise, that'd be really embarrassing, huh?
"I'm asking you out on a date," Abukuma firmly answered, "Would you please go out with me."
This kid…
Kitakami bit back a sneer.
This could be interesting.
(End Sequence 1)
=========
Oh dear, I guess I finished it too early. Oh well. That's another thing off my plate. Expect Sequence 2 sometime later. I need to read on more shoujo mangas. Hahahahaha. Okay, back to Castlevania.
A sobering thought…
"Nyaaa, this isn't good. They're taking too long," groaned Tama as she impatiently scratched the table, "While getting that angry Clouds on our side is good and all, don't you think we can contribute in this whole shenanigans our own way?"
"I think that we should just sit tight and see what Miss Murakumo has to offer first. We'll only get in the way," Kiso pointed out to calm her irate sister.
"I'd prefer it if we were there ourselves. I mean, I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm more worried about that twin-tailed fool rather than what Kitakami's going to do. Abukuma's spineless and you know how forceful Murakumo could be. This may have been a bad idea, nyaa," continued Tama as she sunk into her chair, "What do you think, Ooi?"
"I think you're right. I wouldn't want that girl's spirit haunting us once Murakumo's done with her. Perhaps there's something we could do to soften up whatever Murakumo has in store for her. I'd shudder to think what Kitakami-san would do," Ooi admitted with a tiny shudder.
Blanching, Kiso then raised her hands, "W-Wait, hold on, you two asked for this! It was your idea to get Murakumo involved!"
"You know it was only a distraction to keep her from murdering Kitakami, right?" Tama pointed out.
"Oh come on!" cried out the youngest Kuma-Class, "Please, let's not be hasty here. We'll just make things worse."
"I wouldn't put Abukuma's blood on our hands because of your indecisiveness, Kiso," said Ooi as she stood up, "We have to make a stand. I'll go get Kitakami-san and keep her down. Tama, if you want to come then let's go."
"Now we're talking, nya!" cheered Tama as she got up and chased after her sister.
Kiso watched her sisters leave with a dumbfounded look before slumping forward, "Useless..."
"Oh my, they left already?" asked Mamiya in concern, holding up her tray of ice cream and placing it down on Kiso's table, "is something wrong, Kiso?"
"Ah, right. Just some family problems," sighed the youngest Torpedo Cruiser, "Geez… Sorry, Mamiya but I'll be leaving too. Need to look after them. Uh, here, coupon for your trouble."
"Well, it would be a waste if I just put this ice cream away," said Mamiya with a small smile, "But will you be okay?"
"I'll be fine. Let's see… Hey, Admiral! You want some ice cream?" Kiso called out to the white haired woman sitting next to her wife. The Admiral gave the thumbs up and Kiso nodded towards Mamiya, "Hand it to her. See you."
Kiso then followed her sisters with a spring in her step, her cape dancing behind her as she ran.
"Does this have anything to do with Murakumo screaming her head off before?" questioned the Admiral as the ice cream was set before her.
"Most likely," giggled the Destroyer beside her, "The Naval District sure is lively, huh?"
"Mhmm… Damned kids," griped the white haired woman as she took a bite out of her ice cream.
…..
….
…
The Naval District was situated nearby a seaside town. It wasn't a bustling city or a bursting metropolis like the Capital but it was a humble little town an hour's drive away from the Ship Girls' residence. It was a place where they were able to relax and catch a glimpse of a normal world. Establishments catering to the Ship Girls were also built here such as cafes, hobby stores and of course fashion shops. The residents of the town were quite warm towards the girls that would decide to visit and likewise the girls enjoyed the town's hospitality.
At the moment, two Ship Girls were in the middle of shopping with one leading and the other suffering silently. Dressed out of their usual clothes, Murakumo and Abukuma wore their civilian attires with the grace and elegance only they could muster. Ship Girls were pretty and it was undeniably so that any one of them would be beautiful enough to make heads turn. The Destroyer carried herself with an air of maturity and confidence that would make people stop in their tracks while the Light Cruiser emitted an awkward yet adorable air about her as she followed her companion.
And Murakumo was aiming to maximize this appeal.
If she was going to get Kitakami to look this fool's way then her problems would be solved. To do that, she had to make Abukuma appealing to that dumb Goddess and one way of doing that is to doll the girl up. Abukuma may be indecisive in regards to her feelings but if she could just make Kitakami raise an eyebrow then the mission would be a success.
Getting the Kuma sisters' help on this would only prove disastrous given that Ooi has no sense of subtlety, Tama was a cat and Kiso only had plants stuck to her head. She had no choice but to do things personally but at the very least those sisters did give her a suitable guinea pig. She really didn't want to go through the trouble of beating Kitakami up.
Her dumb Admiral would advocate her going for the peaceful methods so here she was instead of walking up to the Torpedo Cruiser and punching her. Well, she always wanted to try out the cruel and unusual punishment thing. It should prove good and useful skills for the future.
"A-Are we really going in here?" asked Abukuma as she reflexively swallowed.
"This place caters to ship girls and have decent prices. It's the perfect place rather than taking the train to the capital… Unless you prefer us going to Tokyo for shopping," Murakumo offered while crossing her arms.
For her goal, Abukuma couldn't afford half-hearted decisions. She was trying to get her point across so this was necessary! Resolving herself and adopting a determined expression, she turned to the Destroyer by her side and said, "Okay! Please guide me."
"Ahahaha… Oh boy," chuckled Murakumo as she opened the door, "This will be a treat."
Abukuma was greeted by the cool air of the store and the variety of clothes that were available to her to try out. The clerks greeted her and Murakumo with bright smiles and courteous words, bowing politely to welcome the two Ship Girls. Murakumo greeted them back and Abukuma couldn't help but simply trail behind the Destroyer as they made their inquiries. She didn't know if she'd look good in any of these dresses but this was why Murakumo was here, it was to guide her.
On her own, Abukuma would've probably broken down or even if she did pick some clothes, Kitakami would probably just laugh at her. And that was unacceptable… Love or not love?
She didn't know herself but there certainly something there, swelling inside her heart, strong enough to make her move through this task.
This feeling was draining though, sapping her of her strength as her chest felt like it was going to burst. Hopefully this whole ordeal would be solved in a short while… At this thought, Murakumo turned towards her with a smug smile before speaking.
"Let's make you shine then," she chuckled before grabbing hold of Abukuma. This time, the Light Cruiser didn't even try to resist.
Still, she wondered what that person was thinking now.
…..
….
…
When Kitakami arrived at the dorms, she was surprised to see her room re-decorated by her two elder sisters. Her confusion left her stunned in the doorway as Kuma and Tama dragged her inside forced her down a kotatsu despite it being late spring. She was then treated to some pudding which left her even more confused as her eldest sister began to massage her shoulders while Tama sat at the side with an expectant look on her face.
For Kitakami, she felt like this was some sort of bad omen waiting to happen but she took it in stride. Keeping her usual demeanor as her sisters spoiled her. Not that she minded being spoiled but it was just strange. Maybe she really worried these idiots to the point that they snapped.
"What's the occasion?" she couldn't help but ask though she somehow felt like she was already dreading the answer.
"Well! We decided to go do some fun stuff today, kuma!" chuckled Kuma as she rubbed the Naval Base's Divine Deity's shoulders
"Fun stuff?" Kitakami could feel her stomach buckling at this, "Fun… how?"
"We got the permission from the Admiral, nya! We can take the day out, nyaa!" piped up Tama from the side, an odd glint in her eyes, "We just have to wait for Ooi to get dressed and we'll be all set!"
Ooi? Oh this can't be—
And lo and behold, Kitakami was greeted by the sight of her close sister in full civilian clothes dragging a Kiso behind her who was also out of her uniform. Emitting an aura of pure radiance and love, Kitakami could only stare as her little sister forked out four tickets before her face.
"We're going to town! We're going skydiving!" she declared as Tama and Kuma cheered in the background.
Sending a questioning look towards her littlest sister helpless within Ooi's grip, Kiso could only groan pathetically as she gestured to take it all in stride. Deep inside, Kitakami wondered what she did to deserve this. Yet the moment she asked herself that, something cold pinged back at her and made her shut up. Ooi's cheer seemed to diminish at the sight of Kitakami's expression yet she maintained a gentle smile and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"We'll get ourselves accustomed first, yes? No need to go for it right away," said Ooi in her kind and warm tone.
Kitakami sighed and cracked a small smile of her own, "Yeah, well, that's okay too I guess. Who's driving?"
"Houshou," moaned Kiso at the back.
It seemed that the entire Kuma Class froze at this revelation.
Panicked, Ooi turned to her sister and squawked, "I thought I had you go look for someone who can drive?!"
"Yes, well, how about you say no to Houshou-san when she's pumped up to assist us! I dare you to say no to her! And that's with Kaga and Akagi lurking nearby!" replied Kiso as fear returned to her good eye before fading into resignation, "We're dead. We're so dead."
"Tch, we won't let something like this delay us. Big Sisters! Dress Kitakami now! We're going to have fun if it's the last thing we do!" Ooi stomped her foot as she exhausted a burning declaration to the heavens while the two sisters mentioned were sent scrambling. Kitakami found herself being dragged into the bathroom before she could voice anything.
With the bathroom door slamming shut, the only two girls left in the room were the youngest sisters.
With an uncertain expression, Kiso scratched the side of her cheek as she said, "Um… Sis. You think this'll work?"
"I don't know, really," Ooi freely admitted, "But we have to hit her shotgun style."
"Shot…gun..?" Kiso repeated with a weird look.
"Well, Kitakami has been acting oddly for the past few days. We're doing this to improve her mood but we don't know exactly that will help her out. So I devised a plan that will surely hit the mark and make her enjoy herself," clarified the fourth ship girl of the Kuma Class with a proud expression, "And if that fails… Well…"
Sighing, Kiso patted her big sister's shoulder and said, "Hey, let's not think of things failing now. This is your effort we're talking about, right? Underselling yourself is unlike you, sis."
"Oh… Hehe… Kiso-chan can be cute too it seems," giggled Ooi as she ruffled her little sister's hair.
"Ugh, please. Don't start now…" grumbled the youngest Kuma Class with a displeased look, "We're ship girls. What's the point of skydiving?"
"It's fun and a new experience! Besides, it can't be that bad!"
…..
….
…
For all intents and purposes, this was her first tie being so high up in the air. She may have decided to go with this due to the heat of the moment but… really. Maybe Kiso was right, this was a bad idea. Ooi tore her gaze from the scenery outside as the tiny plane climbed higher and higher… Higher than what she was comfortable with. She could barely see the airstrip beneath her anymore and this fact left you shivering in fear. Okay, this was bad bad bad…
Across Ooi were her two older sisters, seemingly sharing your sentiments given that they looked like they were scared out of their minds as they held one another. Kiso was busy checking her gear, her expression calm and collected as if being over a few thousand feet in the air was nothing for her. What a diligent girl, it made Ooi proud to be her big sister. To her right, Kitakami wore a concerned expression as she looked at the ceiling. She was visibly nervous but not as much as Ooi's elder sisters.
She didn't even seem to mind when Ooi held her hand and responded by glancing at her sister.
"Why," she asked.
"We thought it was a good idea," Ooi nervously chuckled.
Narrowing her gaze, Kitakami then said, "No, I mean… Is it fine if we didn't take those lessons?"
Ooi coughed and recalled…
"Is is really fine? Will you all be okay?" asked Houshou with a worried look as she saw off the Kuma class girls.
Ooi smiled at the motherly Carrier and assured her, "We'll be fine. Besides, it can't be that hard."
"But there are safety policies and regulation—" began Houshou.
"We took half of the lessons, we'll be fine. Tenryuu tried it once, she came back fine," assured the Torpedo Cruiser as she patted Houshou's shoulder, "We'll be back in a jiffy."
Maybe taking Houshou along as their chaperone was a bad idea. Everyone at the base hated it whenever she was upset and if something were to happen to Ooi and her sisters, then Houshou would definitely be sad. The motherly Carrier was too much of an angel. Even if Ooi only cared about her family most of the time, she too would be pained if Houshou was sad. Which was why… No, this was a time to live on the edge. She had to be strong! Seriously, Jun'you would have been a better chaperone but she didn't risk a car accident this early in the day.
"Okay~, we're nearing the right altitude. Is everyone okay back there?" hummed a voice at the pilot seat.
Tama and Kuma simply shivered in fear while Kiso looked up from her equipment check and answered, "We're fine, Miss Kashima. Err, we really do appreciate the help here, flying us and all."
"Oh it's fine! My little tourist attraction hasn't been doing well lately given all the aircrafts the Wo-Classes have been slinging at us, so having you girls around warms my heart! Oh I'm so excited to fly again!" giggled Kashima as she steadied the plane and pressed some buttons here and there.
From the back, Kuma couldn't help but cry out, "Weren't you supposed to be in charge of logistics at base?! And you're a ship, how the hell can you fly a plane, kuma?!"
"Ara ara~ We have our secrets, Miss Kuma. I'd like to keep mine close to my heart," the Training Cruiser teased playfully.
"According to rumors, it's said that Kashima has around a hundred and eight part time jobs—" Tama began as she clung to her elder sister.
"That's a hundred and nine if you count me kicking my way through the stock market," corrected Kashima with a bright tone.
"Wow, how admirable," Kiso whistled in admiration.
Kitakami on the other hand simply sighed, "Sounds like a pain in the ass."
"Oh it is," Kashima replied from the front, "It's hard work but fulfilling. Even if I am a ship girl, I'm not particularly strong enough to be on the field. So I help out in other ways. It's fun, you know? And rather than being rather distracting, it's something I look forward too. Perhaps you girls could fill in one of the places I go to? I can get you on a trial period."
"Do we have to wear dumb frilly clothes, kuma?" said the Eldest of the Kuma Class with a narrowed look.
"I'll make sure to make a customized uniform just for you, Kuma~," mused Kashima before breaking into laughter. Ooi couldn't help but joining while the others did too, Kuma herself allowing a dry, nervous chuckle to escape her throat before she made an audible gulp. Yes, there was no saving her now.
"Miss Kashima, have we reached the proper height yet? We've ascended a considerable amount," said Kiso as she finished checking her equipment and made her way to inspect her elder sisters' gear.
"Indeed. But how about a quick fly around the Frontier, hm? Don't worry, I won't wander past Kaga and Akagi's patrols but you girls should see the view once you've gotten over your fears," answered the Training Cruiser as the plan soared through a bank of clouds.
It seemed that Kitakami had become enraptured by the sight of a different sort of sea beneath her. Instead of a sea of ocean blue, what greeted her was a great expanse of white clouds spreading below the plane or towering through the heavens. For a Ship Girl who has gotten used to looking up the sky in both of her lives… The past and the present… Being in the air was a magical experience. Even Ooi was left breathless as she spotted migratory birds fly in formation beneath them.
"Hmph, this ain't bad after all…" murmured Kitakami from the side.
Blinking in surprise, Ooi then cracked a warm smile at her sister's words.
….
A few minutes later, they prepared to jump.
Kuma and Tama had gone ahead of them before Kiso followed to make sure those two landed safely. Standing by the side of the plane, the remaining girls looked straight down as the wind roared all around them. They went deaf for a moment due the change in pressure before they could hear again.
From the pilot seat, Kashima spoke up, "This is it, ladies! Better go after your siblings now. I'll meet you back on the airstrip, okay? Be careful out there."
Grinning, Ooi got ready and nodded towards her sister, "Ready?"
"Race you to the bottom," was Kitakami's parting words as she jumped off.
"Hey wait for me!" Ooi cried out as she chased her sister and took the leap, diving after Kitakami.
…..
….
…
It was around the early hours of evening that the five sisters found themselves wandering along the streets of the seaside town. The two eldest sisters were being dragged through the streets by the youngest while Kitakami and Ooi lagged behind them. The sisters were left to their own devices by Houshou after their little afternoon adventure. The Motherly Carrier was glad to hear that their combined efforts worked on Kitakami but Ooi was told that they still had a lot to go.
She didn't really know though, seeing her beloved Kitakami smile before jumping off an hour ago, she felt she was blessed to see her sister smile that way. It was not that Kitakami didn't smile often; the real problem was her hidden feelings. What she really felt, her real thoughts, her true desires aside from staring at that blue sea.
As Warships, they didn't lead happy endings.
Ooi could vaguely remember her own death and having read it from the Frontier Base's library only gave her second hand accounts. She couldn't recall. None of her sisters did except maybe for Kitakami. If that was the case then Kitakami's lethargic attitude these past few months must be caused by this. She wondered if she was doing enough, or if whatever Murakumo cooked up at the side would be enough. Was anything enough? If she could make Kitakami smile genuinely like in the plane then…
Perhaps she too could be happy.
But can she do it?
Even though everyone was working so hard, this girl beside her always felt as if she was out of her reach.
"Hey Ooichii, you're making a serious face," Kitakami pointed out, glancing at her sister with a raised eyebrow.
Ooi blinked in surprise before putting it off with a nervous laugh, "Well, you know I'm always serious about you, Kitakami-san~, haha!"
Kitakami stared at her sister's face for a few more moments before looking ahead, "Hey, you know… I'm… sort of glad. I'm glad you're here with me. All of you."
"Kitakami-san..?" murmured Ooi.
"It's just sort of scary. I keep wondering how long this'll last. How long things will stay this way. It might suck thinking about it but, it just comes to mind, you know?" continued the Torpedo Cruiser with a wan smile, "Anyway, it's fine if you don't get it. I don't expect you too but… I don't think you should be going out of your way doing stuff for me, yeah?"
Ooi sighed and shook her head and said, "Kitakami-san... You need to do something about that distance you keep putting up."
"Wha-?" the Torpedo Cruiser shot her sister a weird look before Ooi took a step forward and barred her path.
"Hey, we care about you. We try our best for you. We don't want you to feel left out is all… Especially when you've been doing your best on the Frontlines," said Ooi as she looked at her beloved sister right in the eye, "We want to make you happy. To return the favor but it's almost like we can't reach you because of the distance between all of us. Everyone's worried. Everyone's concerned. Did something happen, Kitakami-san? You weren't like this a few months ago."
"…. I've been having nightmares. It scares me, you know?" Kitakami managed with a humorless chuckle, "Losing all of you again. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that way but… It's worth the thought, I guess."
"You're afraid of losing us?" asked Ooi.
"Why the heck do you think I'm working my butt off with a temperamental Secretary and a Demonic Luck Based Destroyer at the thick of this entire mess?" scoffed the Torpedo Cruiser as she crossed her arms, |I just don't want to get hurt… Is all… Sorry, Ooichi. If it's bothering you and all… But, it's just the way it is."
"You're wrong," Ooi replied firmly. She then took her sister's hand and pulled her close, fixing her gaze into the black haired girl's eyes and spoke with a voice filled with conviction, "I don't care if you push me away or something, but I'll make sure you feel better anyway. Because the more you try to shove us, the stronger we'll come down at you. We're family, right? It's normal for us to listen to one another's problems… That's why you can't push me away even if you tried… Goddess or not, you just can't."
"Ooichi…" Kitakami stared at her sister with a surprised look before averting her gaze, "What's with you all of a sudden? Even if it's you that's an odd thing to say."
"Oh yeah? Well it's also odd for someone as laid back as you to think about trivial things like this," Ooi countered while waving a finger, "You're pretty stubborn but I think I'm better. Even if you get past me, there's still those three idiots behind me that'll come and bother you. And even then… There's still that girl who dislikes you."
"…. You mean that brat?" asked Kitakami.
"She may not be like us… A family… But she's the closest person you have as a friend, hm?" pointed out Ooi as she cracked a small smile, "Perhaps once in a while, you should consider her feelings as well?"
"She's just a nuisance…" grumbled Kitakami.
"Nuisance she may be but she's a good girl. She may just be able to curb your bad habits," suggested the brown haired girl before she turned and started walking away.
Kitakami blinked before jogging after her sister, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"You know I love you too much to do anything about your bad habits. Well, unlike me, that girl has the temperament to set you straight," giggled Ooi while her sister caught up with her with a frown, "Oh don't give me that face."
"You're saying it like we're an item," deadpanned Kitakami, "You… Of all people…"
"But you're just so cute, how can I not spoil you, Kitakami-san? I may try but… In the end, I'm just as lost as those three. I could only hope that girl could do something," sighed Ooi with a distant look.
"Well, I'd feel more comfortable with you girls than some stubborn, annoyingly voiced brat who can't shut up," mumbled the elder Torpedo Cruiser.
"Well, I think it's better if we work with people we dislike to develop our character. You should give it a try, Kitakami-san…" suggested Ooi with a teasing smile.
At this, Kitakami wavered and stumbled to hug Ooi from behind, "So you're finally going to abandon me, Ooichi?"
"I'm telling you to grow up, Kitakami-san!" said Ooi firmly, raising her nose up in the air, "If this is so Murakumo wouldn't murder you, I'll gladly withhold myself from spoiling you."
"I can take her on. Secretary or not," but even as Kitakami said this, she felt an odd chill run down her spine.
"She has that Lucky Dog with her. And even you can't beat the Admiral's puppy in a straight fight… She's allied to Murakumo so you'll definitely get destroyed," Ooi calmly pointed out.
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Kitakami growled, "I guess you're right… Anyway, are we heading back yet?"
"We should be and… Huh?" Ooi paused as her face formed a frown. Kitakami wondered what was up but she then found out when she saw her other sisters stare at the opposite side of the street with gaping mouths. The two girls of the Kuma-class turned to where their sister were looking at and found themselves feeling as if they were slapped.
Standing across the street was a lone blonde haired girl dressed in a fashionable white and green dress. She walked on a pair of mid-heeled white sandals and carried herself with a dignified air as she approached the Kuma-Class girls. She turned away from the first three idiots and walked her way towards Kitakami and Ooi.
However, Ooi stepped in the girl's way and stared upon her determined expression. The girl didn't flinch, didn't waver, and didn't step back from Ooi's hard gaze even when the rest of the Kuma-class girls retreated five steps. As if measuring the girl, the brown haired torpedo cruiser then said, "That's a refreshing expression. In just a day, you've mustered this much courage?"
"I want to talk to Kitakami-san," Abukuma replied.
At this, Ooi blinked twice before cracking a small smile, "Well don't let me get in your way. Murakumo did some work."
Stepping aside, Ooi let the blonde haired girl pass. Kitakami stood transfixed at the girl she considered as nothing more than a nuisance earlier, the same Ship Girl her gut told her to looked down on and bully. But now, the girl that stood before her left her speechless for the first time. Somehow, this appearance of hers caught Kitakami off guard.
It was like she was a totally different person.
Was this what Ooi meant? Was this their plan after all?
"Hooo?" she managed to utter, relaxing her once tense posture and looked at the girl before her with a challenging look, "You wanted to talk to me? What's the occasion?"
Kitakami couldn't let herself lose her cool. Otherwise, that'd be really embarrassing, huh?
"I'm asking you out on a date," Abukuma firmly answered, "Would you please go out with me."
This kid…
Kitakami bit back a sneer.
This could be interesting.
(End Sequence 1)
=========
Oh dear, I guess I finished it too early. Oh well. That's another thing off my plate. Expect Sequence 2 sometime later. I need to read on more shoujo mangas. Hahahahaha. Okay, back to Castlevania.
Sortie 11: KantaiVania (Middle Part)
AnonymousRabbit
Rabbit Faced
Truth to be told, she didn't actually have a plan. But considering the damage that was being done to the village and how strong the lurking Abyssal Princess was, it was worth checking out. What got her worried was the group of Huntresses and Warriors that had gone before her never returning. If they couldn't beat that Abyssal, what chance did she have? Also, there's a chance that they in turn may be corrupted so she may be in for a hard fight.
Walking down the indicated path, she soon caught a face full of sea breeze that immediately revitalized her body. And just beyond where she stood, she came upon the colossal form of a castle… Or at least what should be a castle.
No, it was something else entirely. It was more like a ship graveyard… Numerous wrecks of ships were joined together somehow, forming what passed off as an ominous structure of steel and rust. From the exposed bellies of these ships, they all seemed to have been victims of collision and sunk.
Nagatsuki knew what a ship looked like after getting shot and these ships all seemed to have sunk by hitting something from beneath. Cruise Ships that weren't attacked… The whole lot of them were old enough that most of them were falling apart.
It wasn't structured to be a castle or anything but it did give off the appearance of something inhabiting it. Just how tall was this thing and how big was the area it was covering? If Nagatsuki could hazard a guess, it could be as big as an entire island…
Was she really going to have to explore that whole place by herself?
Not like she had much of a choice. Either way there was no way she was going to finish this job without getting hurt. For the most part, she could only pray that there was an Anchor around otherwise she'd die and revive at her last Anchor. Having to walk the ten day trip to this village every time she died would be a pain in the ass.
She just had to make sure she didn't die then if that was the case.
Walking down towards the ship graveyard, Nagatsuki soon found remnants of a camp just by the road. She managed to loot a few scraps of food that hadn't go bad yet and a couple of soul clusters that had been lying around. She was thankful that no one attacked her so she kept on going. It wasn't until she finally stepped upon the beach filled with pieces of ships that she started to see the Beasts of the Abyss…
She also felt a rather ominous sensation crawl behind her back while the air around her seemed to have dropped a couple of degrees. She noticed that her breath began to smoke before she took the first step towards the imposing of ships looming at the distance. The sand shifted beneath her boots as she walked, going past debris and pieces of the ships that had been washed away.
Nagatsuki managed to encounter the first few remnants of the last group that investigated the place. With their heads morphed into the obsidian hide of the Abyss, the Beasts of Ha turned their gaze towards the Ship Girl as she drew her sword. These corrupted folks wielded torches and stood idly before rushing towards her while flailing wildly.
The Ship Girl dashed to the side and cut the first enemy before moving unto the next. Batting away the Beast of Ha's torch with her buckler, she then slammed her sword into its gut and ripped it through its side, knocking it away with a dull thud. Calming her nerves, she figured that this would be a good warm up.
Looking up she realized that the duo hadn't been alone and five more Beast of Ha's, remnants of the earlier Party, began their approach. The Ship Girl's foes moved in an uncoordinated group, giving her the chance to pick them off one by one without getting surrounded. She was faster, stronger and deadlier thanks to her very nature as a Ship Girl. But even so…it's weird how she could fight well on land just as she could at sea.
But while that was the case, she felt that she preferred the sea than this.
Having absorbed the souls of the dead, Nagatsuki continued onward through the beach. Stepping through the tar-like substance which corrupted the waters and sand, Nagatsuki tried to be more alert than before. She was quite certain that recently Abyssalized people weren't her only problems.
She found her first dead end leading into the belly of a cruise ship. Heading back outside would only lead her to seeing the same walled off piles of ocean liners blocking her way forward.
Still, after a little bit of searching, she managed to find a working elevator and pulled the lever to ascend. She didn't exactly know where she was currently headed but at least she wasn't stuck indefinitely. With her head currently filled with the smell of rotting sea weed, rusted metal and the sound of creaking ancient machinery, she was glad it all came to an end having reached the top of… whatever she was in. She couldn't exactly call it a ship anymore could she?
Walking out of the elevator, she immediately came across something she both wanted and dreaded. It was an Anchor.
She rushed towards it as her mind went blank before reaching out to touch its top with her hand. The Anchor responded to her touch and emitted a soft green glow and began to shine.
WEIGHT ANCHOR
Sitting down before its presence filled her with a sense of relief and comfort. The last time she saw an Anchor was before she embarked on that stupid ten day hike towards the Unnamed Village. Nagatsuki would have preferred it if she found one at its entrance but this should work too. Now she had little choice but to explore the rest of this area for kicks… And maybe find that Abyssal.
Honestly, she still couldn't wrap her head around it. A flying Abyssal… Why hasn't the world ended yet?
Still, despite the possible horrors she was about to face, she made sure to refill her Repair Flask. Otherwise she'll get into another situation where she'll be forced to dodge and roll all over the place just to avoid getting killed. Once she has rested enough, Nagatsuki tried prying herself away from the comforting glow of the Anchor and rise back to her feet. Dusting her clothes, she reloaded her main turret and drew her blade and walking ahead.
The Ship Girl's footsteps echoed through the metallic hallway with the exit just beyond. She hurried a bit and immediately found herself looking at a makeshift bridge made from the flesh and chitin-like hide of the Abyss and the rusting steel corpses of small fishing boats.
There were two Beasts of Ro patrolling it yet they haven't noticed her coming out into their view. Nagatsuki took the advantage and rushed towards the two Abyssals and sliced through them before they could react.
Absorbing their souls and catching her breath, Nagatsuki turned as the wind whistled behind her. The makeshift bridge she was standing on rattled at the jarring force it had to endure as something descended from above.
The metal creaked in protest while the green haired girl tried her best to stay on her feet. Just beyond her where the hole she came out of was located stood an Abyssal Knight. A Ta-Class Abyssal Knight with its glowing light green eyes and black cape dancing in the wind like a banner.
"Oh… Oh no," an audible gulp left Nagatsuki once she realized how painful this was going to be. That thing most likely saw her rush at the two Beasts of Ro… it was a trap all along to bait her and she fell for it!
The Ta-Class charged at her with a wrathful roar, each step it took pushing the bridge to its limits as she stepped back and tried moving her paralyzed feet. Gritting her teeth, Nagatsuki didn't run and instead rushed to meet the Knight of Ta as it raised its obsidian axe. She could do this. She's done it to worse opponents before so this should be a cinch! The Ta-Class swung down its axe and split apart the bridge.
Nagatsuki dodged at the last second, rolling through the attack as it missed her. She then recovered as fast as she could to get a view of the Ta-Class' exposed back and stabbing her sword through it.
With the sensation of her sword going through flesh, Nagatsuki kicked the Abyssal off her weapon as she stepped back. Apparently the Ta-Class wasn't dead yet so when the Ship Girl tried ending the Abyssal while it was down, she was greeted with a face full of 16 Inch Abyssal Guns.
BANG
Nagatsuki was sent flying backwards as a shell punched through her torso and splattered the bridge with her blood. Slamming back down the floor, Nagatsuki found herself to be alive albeit Heavy Damaged. Grunting as she stood back on her feet, she took a swig of her Repair Flask as the Ta-Class recovered from her backstab.
However this was also the time the bridge decided it was enough and promptly fell apart.
With the feeling of weightlessness taking over through the haze of pain and agony as her body healed, Nagatsuki's mind kicked into action and forced herself to roll the moment she hit the ground. Recovering from the fall was easy enough and heights like that wouldn't exactly kill her outright but if she were careless, she would've been hurt again.
And that would have been bad in the face of her Ta-Class friend locking on to her with its main guns.
BANG BANG
She rolled away as the Ta-Class fired is weapons before brandishing its huge battle axe once more. The Abyssal kicked off the ground and took to the air, slamming down its axe as Nagatsuki dashed to evade it. She didn't take the opening the Abyssal had presented and waited, being then rewarded by the Ta-Class' instinctual swing which she then used to get close. She knew that was to bait her in to attack and if she predicted it right, the Ta-Class was going to swing its weapon back down.
So Nagatsuki reached behind her and brought out her buckler instead of her main gun. Planting her feet on the ground, she raised the buckler and slammed it against the Ta-Class' descending dominant hand and redirected its swing downwards. Rubble and dirt exploded violently to her left while the Ta-Class looked at her with its soulless eyes, surprise marring its twisted ghost-like visage.
"Riposte," she breathed before jamming her sword through the Abyssal's body once more with enough force to send it to its knees. Kicking the Abyssal down and pulling out her sword, she managed to absorb the souls it held and make it her own.
With the Abyssal Knight dead, she tried catching her breath and checked her body for wounds. Aside from bruises and aches all over, she was doing pretty good. And fending off a Ta-Class with just one sippy was impressive in its own right. She then gave the area she was in a good look and she realized that she was on the other side of the blockade of ships she was stuck on.
The huge building of Ship corpses was just in the distance past a few more wrecked fishing boats. Up close, Nagatsuki realized that it was far more intimidating than before. If she was wondering if the first group of Warriors and Huntresses made it this far, then she was quickly answered by finding the corpse of a man lying nearby. With the corpse slowly rotting and the way he was positioned, it could be said that he died by falling from the bridge Nagatsuki had just demolished.
Looking up, she found the other end of the bridge she was trying to cross and found the long winding staircase leading downwards. If the Ta-Class hadn't destroyed the bridge, she would have been able to take that path… That safe, comforting staircase that didn't involve falling or getting ambushed.
She wrinkled her nose at the rancid stench of decaying human flesh before kicking the corpse over and going through the man's pockets. Some souls as currency, a few Curry of the Kings to imbibe her sword with poison, rusted coins and a diary…
A diary, huh?
"Wonder what this is about," she murmured before flipping through its pages.
"Well isn't that just ominous?" the Ship Girl whispered to herself in worry before pocketing the diary. This man and his companions were betrayed by their Huntress. No wonder they were corrupted by the Abyss so easily. With their hearts filled with shock, regret and all sorts of negativity, the corruption would seep its way through their souls and change them from within.
It's amazing how this man managed to reach this far given that the rest of his group was turned just by the entrance.
The castle was just some ways ahead so Nagatsuki left the area and went back to walking to her destination.
…..
….
…
She thought back to simpler times. Back at her Naval Base, she would wake up to her sisters trying their best to get her off bed. She'd be then served breakfast at the mess hall while everyone frolicked and just be idiots in general. They laughed, talked and leaned on one another as a family. The other Ship Girls were there too, they were the veterans, the honest to god warrior maidens that kept the seas safe from the Abyssals.
Nagatsuki was just a girl good at expeditions. It's what the Mutsuki class did best when out on sea. Though they could still pack a punch at night battles, the Mutsuki class would normally be greeted by peaceful seas as they gathered resources to help the Naval Base.
It was a simple life, a bit boring but she was content in contributing to saving the world in her own way. To be honest, she was tired of fighting and being called back into the world of the living as a girl felt like a second chance.
The whole deal with the Abyssals sucked but then again, she wasn't out there on the frontline having gun duels with ships that could easily outpace her. She could live a peaceful life like this. But… Alas, she felt this vision of the past disappear.
Because right now she was forced to fight for her life once more.
Nagatsuki fought.
She brought her buckler to bear and defended against a projectile attack unleashed by an imp before rolling away as a cluster of them shot towards her. She recovered and closed in towards the Imp that assaulted her, slicing twice and absorbing its tiny pocket of souls. She planted her foot on the ground and stopped an Imp from crushing her arm with her buckler and bashing it away. Another pounced at her before she cut it down in one swift slash.
She fought and the sounds of gunfire filled the moist tunnel she had found herself in as the Imps fired at her. Dashing through the projectiles, bullets and magical alike, she closed in on the Imps and cut down the rest of them with only a few bullets digging into her flesh.
Catching her breath to recover her stamina, Nagatsuki gave the tunnel she was in another quick look to make sure she was alone.
There was nothing but the age old pillars and soft glow of the waters on either side of the stone path leading forward. She couldn't sense any other opponent lying in wait but she had to be careful unless she wanted to fall for another trap.
The path towards the castle was blocked off once more and the bridge leading to it had been apparently shattered. The only other way Nagatsuki found was a decrepit underground passage that seemed to go into the direction of the ominous ship corpse castle.
The only problem was the entrance was filled with these cocoon-like structures that oozed thick, tarry black pus that ate through the ground. Nevertheless, Nagatsuki identified signs of the corruption therefore it could only be the work of an Abyssal's influence.
It only got worse further she descended into the passage. Seeing it seemed to be headed for the castle, she figured it might lead to an alternate path.
Now that was all fine and dandy before she found herself being attacked from the waters, from the ceiling and on the path of the one-way stone passage she was walking on. Having fought the horde, she had yet to discover where they came from. But still the appearance of the Imps had provided a slight bit of information, she was getting close to where that Abyssal was hiding.
She took another sip of her Repair Flask and soon realized she had just used her last one. Her flask was now empty.
Great.
Excellent.
"I'm doomed," she breathed.
As she said this, Nagatsuki then perked up at the sound of something odd. It was the sound of a girl humming. A soft, gentle lullaby bouncing through the moist tunnel walls and washing over Nagatsuki's tired form. With her blade at the ready, she walked forward to where it was supposedly coming from. With her footsteps echoing all around, she strained her ears to filter out any other noise except this soft song.
Soon, she found herself in a wide circular room filled with the cocoons she had come upon before. Almost too many for her liking and she couldn't help but raise her sword at the ready. The path she had been traversing led to the small piece of land at the center of the room and the exit was just up ahead. With the rest of the room filled with water, she figured that this was her only way out of this place.
Stepping towards the center of the circle did she hear a familiar bell ringing.
Nagatsuki then turned around to find the path she had gone through to be blocked by the dreaded white fog. Looking back at her exit, she then realized that it had been sealed off too. Not only that but the lullaby had stopped and the cocoons all around her began to shudder and crack.
"Alas, another wandering Soul comes before us. Perhaps you too seek salvation, Miss Huntress?"
A voice echoed throughout the room, Nagatsuki feeling a lump forming in her throat as she drew her main turret instead of her buckler. The voice only seemed to be amused by her actions while the cocoons slowly unraveled. Then she heard the god awful screech coming from within the cocoons.
The sounds of gunfire filled the air and Nagatsuki was forced to dodge to the side. She was then greeted by the sight of the PT Imps coming to life, like some twisted infant born from an egg, the Abyssals writhed and screamed as they flopped down on the ground and turned their haunting blue gaze towards the Ship Girl.
Parting their oversized heads to reveal rows of sharp teeth, a spine chilling laughter then filled the room.
Nagatsuki made a move to attack before the Imps could get their bearings yet something grabbed her from behind. She realized too late the great set of wings spread apart behind her and the scent of the sea filling her nostrils before she was grabbed by the back of her cloak and dragged off the platform.
At first she was in the air before she was slammed hard into the water and found herself staring into the dark depths.
Nagatsuki choked and struggled swim upwards yet something grabbed her leg beneath her. The Ship Girl then stared into the multitude of burning blue eyes alight with ghost fire in the suffocating darkness. The numerous PT Imps cracked their sadistic grins before swarming the Ship Girl while she tried to slash at the one holding her down.
By the time she released herself, Nagatsuki could only see the wall of teeth coming to tear her apa-
…..
….
…
She died.
And now she was awake once more, her first breath since dying was one filled with the smell of metal and rusting ships. She jumped and felt for her body and realized that she was whole once more.
Not exactly the best death but she couldn't help but think back to how she managed to survive her body being torn apart long enough before she expired. Those things didn't kill her quickly and cleanly either so the phantom pain racked at her brain and left her shuddering in fear before the Anchor.
"Damn it…. Damn it," she cursed as she tried to keep her mind off the feeling of hundreds of teeth biting chunks of her flesh off of her.
She tried gathering her wits about her before refilling her Repair Flask and rising back to her feet. She had to get a move on, maybe find out more about what she was facing before she got herself killed again. She preferred it if she wasn't killed again but she'd better expect it considering she still didn't know what she was up against.
She won't have to deal with that ambush again if the Fog Wall had been erected. Having rested enough, Nagatsuki stood up and exited the Anchor's location and found herself back on the bridge that should have been broken.
The two Beasts of Ro were patrolling it once more and she was certain that the Ta-Class had come back as well.
Just as this entire farce had always made sure to do.
So with knowledge on what was going to happen, Nagatsuki drew her main gun and took potshots on the Beasts of Ro from a distance. The Abyssalized individuals were killed at once and Nagatsuki waited for the Ta-Class to dive down. Except it didn't. So it's most probably not aware of her yet… but still, her gunfire was loud so there's a chance that the Knight of Ta was already alerted.
She'll have to make a run for it.
Steadying her breathing, Nagatsuki focused on the other end of the bridge. Gathering her courage, she ran.
She made it to the middle of the bridge before something slammed hard on the opposite end she was running from. The Ta-Class had noticed her and it was back with a vengeance. Nagatsuki ignored it and rushed forward with all her might yet the bridge broke apart as she ran. She jumped yet she couldn't jump far enough and she fell alongside the wreckage fated to break over and over again unless she stopped dying.
She fell and rolled to recover as she did before yet this time a Knight of Ta waited for her as the dust cleared.
She didn't have time for this and she was understandably angry. Nagatsuki gritted her teeth and snarled, "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"
Pulling out a parchment filled with the Poison Brew of Reku and smearing its contents on her blade, the Ship Girl angrily brought her sword before her as she had infused it with poison. She kicked off the ground as she and the Knight of Ta rushed at each other.
…..
A full minute later, Nagatsuki came out victorious from the bout with the Ta-Class dead once more. As the poison faded from her weapon, she couldn't helpt but feel exhausted as she looked back up the hole where the Anchor should be. If only there was such a thing as a shortcut in this world, that would be great…
She expected to be alone in a moment of silence after a tough fight but imagine her surprise to notice someone approaching.
"Hmph, taking down a Knight of Ta like that… You're quite the something, aren't you?" commented a woman's familiar voice. Nagatsuki turned her gaze to the side where the man with the diary was and found the familiar form of the stranger known as Crane standing by. It's almost as if she had watched the fight unfold there the entire time… Did she just arrive? No… Damn it, Nagatsuki cursed under her breath as she tried standing up once more.
"Why are you here?" asked the Ship Girl while still keeping her blade bare.
Crane smiled and looked down at the man's corpse beneath her feet, "Sightseeing. I was wondering what the 'Capable Huntress' those villagers sent as a sacrifice this time would be doing. I'd assume you're going to that structure?"
"I am. Or so I thought when the one I'm looking for is just blocking my path towards it," replied Nagatsuki with a frown.
"I see. Well, I'd suggest that once you get past the obstacle in your path that you hurry along and move closer to that castle. Souls are being held within. Powerful Souls that a Huntress like you would be quite interested in acquiring… How goes your progress?" asked Crane as she tilted her head to the side.
"It's harder to break through than I thought. I'll get through eventually. I think," even Nagatsuki wasn't sure. Usually fights like these lasted her weeks and chunks of her sanity but in the end, the hope and inevitability of her victory was something she clung on.
"Hm… Well, if you need my assistance, know that you know how to call other Huntresses. I'll help you along the way should you wish it," offered Crane with a nod.
Nagatsuki couldn't help but be suspicious at this, "So you're a Huntress too?"
"Don't look at me as if I didn't look the part. Still, be wary of enemies beyond this point. They could be quite troublesome… And tragic. Learning about the enemy is one way of defeating them, isn't it?" mused the woman with a soft chuckle.
Blinking, Nagatsuki then shook her head and sheathed her sword. At least she was going to get help. It was just a thing whether it was reliable or not…
"Is that so, huh? Well, if you'll excuse me, I still need to push through," answered the green haired Destroyer as she walked towards the underground tunnel's entrance.
"Brute forcing things won't do you any good. Had you failed once and lived means you have the chance to learn from your mistakes… And perhaps study about what you're up against, yes?" suggested Crane as she raised her arms to shrug, "Why don't you get resupplied before heading out, hm?"
"A sound suggestion but I don't really have any souls in me to get anything useful. I'd like it for my next attempt to be my last," said Nagatsuki replied as she inspected her reserves. None. Possibly the rest of her money was stuck to her last bloodstain.
"Whatever suits you… But perhaps an advice, then," offered the cloaked woman as she stepped forward, "That beast too was once a Huntress like us. Therefore you shouldn't underestimate it unless you have a death wish. It knows all the tricks in the book therefore you have to be craftier than it if you wish to outsmart it."
"I'm assuming you know more," guessed Nagatsuki as she crossed her arms.
"The villagers do. After all, they know her better than anyone else. You should tell them you've found her. Perhaps you'll be privy to more information then," said Crane as she hid her hands within her cloak and nodded.
Nagatsuki frowned before turning her gaze upwards… Right.
Back to town then…
…..
….
….
Several hours later, Nagatsuki was back in the tunnel.
"Huntresses in our Village? Well, perhaps… We had two of them."
Back in the dark, moist underground passage, the Ship Girl drew her sword and proceeded with caution. The smell of rot and the pus of the Abyss filled her nostrils as she continued onwards, her boots splashing around as she found her first few enemies. The Imps took notice of her from afar and their malformed visages were alight with ghostly blue lights. They screeched and giggled before pouncing towards her, desperate to close in the distance between them and the Ship Girl.
"The Blue huntress. Yes, Samidare. We all know her exploits before. Such a nice young lady, protecting us, the weak, against the monsters lurking beyond our village. We all remember her fondly."
Nagatsuki's eyes flashed and she drew her main turret and firing. Gunshots filled the tunnel as shells shred apart the rotting flesh of the Imps and cracking through their obsidian carapace. She held her ground and kept herself from charging in and instead took out a pebble. She then tossed it between her and the remaining imps and watched the waters in the canal explode as a couple more imps appeared.
It was then Nagatsuki moved to attack, slicing the imps in the air before jamming her sword at one of the remaining imps. Before the other could react, she smashed her sword into it with all her might and watched the two Abyssals splatter on the wall.
"I remember back when she was still in her prime. Kind, likes to play with the little ones in our village, and usually brought supplies back to the village. She was akin to a fairy, providing for us as well as protecting us. Which is quite ironic, considering her... brand new form."
More splashes and two more Imps appeared from the back and started hurtling bullets and projectiles at her from afar. Clicking her tongue, the Destroyer reloaded her gun and fired, killing the two Imps in quick succession. She moved and turned as the cocoons above cracked and broke apart, Imps with parted jaws ready to crush her skull with one vicious bite.
"Yes indeed, she has turned into the very monsters she fought, and we failed even noticed it. Really sad to see her, twisted with the abyss taint, and deluding herself, thinking that she's the fairy of the Wonderland."
Nagatsuki dashed backwards before running the first imp through with her sword.
"You know..... I do wonder how she would react seeing you, young huntress. I mean, no disrespect, but you bear the appearance of her usual prey. Little children wandering, lost in the forest. You do look like the part."
The second Imp pounced with a burst of bullets leaving its secondary guns and peppering the Ship Girl as she endured it. She then thrust her left arm forward and jammed the barrel of her main gun into the Imp's mouth. Pulling the trigger, Nagatsuki averted her gaze from the shower of Abyssal organs falling about. Sighing, she lowered her arm and took out her Repair Flask and gulped down the soothing green liquid as her wounds healed.
"Weakness.... I don't recall her having any other than her soft heart. Any other warrior we sent never came back. Others who did only told us that she's agile, and fast, and only luck that would save them against her. She is said to be unpredictable, forcing the warriors and you to prepare accordingly."
Nagatsuki then turned her gaze forward and continued walking. She didn't stop, her mind racing as her heart throbbed within her chest. She felt her breath quicken as the Fog Wall came close. In an attempt to calm herself, she thought back to the information she was given by the Villagers. There's more to this than meets the eye, apparently… Kids on the beach, dead. At the very least she had a gist of what she's up against this time unlike before. This monster had to be put down.
"Huntress. Whatever you do, be careful out there. I don't want to see your corpse lying on the beach among so many other children she had claimed before. I wish you luck, for Lady Fortune is the only one left to guide you."
She placed her hand on the Fog Wall and traversed through it.
Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of a girl with brilliant blue hair hovering far away. With her deep, dark eyes that was not too dissimilar to the void itself, she turned her gaze upon the lone ship Girl that had intruded upon her domain. She wore a tattered dress weathered from age and stained blood while her arms were adorned by dark blue long gloves. Upon her wrists were two ancient 12.7cm HA guns emitting an ominous twilight glow.
But what was eye catching about her were the great pair of moth-like wings attached to her back. Spreading them apart, the girl displayed her magnificent wings as they were alight with blue ghost fire, the air thrumming with power. It was here an ivory staff manifested in her hands, its appearance almost bone-like before she pointed it at Nagatsuki.
"Ah… Another Lost One… Or perhaps you're the same? How interesting. Worry not, worry not my lost sweet," she hummed with that chilling smile of hers, "I'll make sure you do not return."
Nagatsuki readied her sword as the cocoons all around began to hatch. A heart beat later, the numerous PT Imps burst to life and landed on the center platform. They all swarmed Nagatsuki at once as she pulled out a black firebomb. Lobbing it at the Imps, there was an explosion of black fire and the Imps were lit up, screeching and screaming in pain before they were finished off by the Ship Girl. Pulling out her gun, Nagatsuki planted one foot on the ground and turned as the Fallen Witch tried to grab her from behind once more.
Firing twice, she punched two holes through the Abyssal's body and made it recoil in pain. Blue shells manifested and homed downwards, forcing the green haired girl to dash backwards. This was enough of a distraction for a PT Imp to pounce and bite down her left arm. Feeling the pain flare on her limb, Nagatsuki tried to get the Imp off of her but something else caught her attention.
It was the Witch herself floating above, her wings shining ghost-like blue as she pointed down her ivory staff. Then she descended in a spiral motion with her staff propped forward, gliding close to the surface of the center platform as she flew straight for the green haired girl.
Nagatsuki, hindered by the Imp on her arm, couldn't dodge.
The staff stabbed through her torso with enough force to turn her internal organs into mush. She felt it smash through her ribcage and spine and through her back, the wind roaring past her ears as her body failed her.
"Sleep now and when you wake up. Perhaps we'll be together in paradise next time too," giggled the Fallen Witch.
Nagatsuki felt herself being raised in the air before she was tossed aside into the dark pool. She was glad her consciousness faded just before the hundreds of PT Imps ripped her body to shre-
…..
Walking down the indicated path, she soon caught a face full of sea breeze that immediately revitalized her body. And just beyond where she stood, she came upon the colossal form of a castle… Or at least what should be a castle.
No, it was something else entirely. It was more like a ship graveyard… Numerous wrecks of ships were joined together somehow, forming what passed off as an ominous structure of steel and rust. From the exposed bellies of these ships, they all seemed to have been victims of collision and sunk.
Nagatsuki knew what a ship looked like after getting shot and these ships all seemed to have sunk by hitting something from beneath. Cruise Ships that weren't attacked… The whole lot of them were old enough that most of them were falling apart.
It wasn't structured to be a castle or anything but it did give off the appearance of something inhabiting it. Just how tall was this thing and how big was the area it was covering? If Nagatsuki could hazard a guess, it could be as big as an entire island…
Was she really going to have to explore that whole place by herself?
Not like she had much of a choice. Either way there was no way she was going to finish this job without getting hurt. For the most part, she could only pray that there was an Anchor around otherwise she'd die and revive at her last Anchor. Having to walk the ten day trip to this village every time she died would be a pain in the ass.
She just had to make sure she didn't die then if that was the case.
Walking down towards the ship graveyard, Nagatsuki soon found remnants of a camp just by the road. She managed to loot a few scraps of food that hadn't go bad yet and a couple of soul clusters that had been lying around. She was thankful that no one attacked her so she kept on going. It wasn't until she finally stepped upon the beach filled with pieces of ships that she started to see the Beasts of the Abyss…
She also felt a rather ominous sensation crawl behind her back while the air around her seemed to have dropped a couple of degrees. She noticed that her breath began to smoke before she took the first step towards the imposing of ships looming at the distance. The sand shifted beneath her boots as she walked, going past debris and pieces of the ships that had been washed away.
Nagatsuki managed to encounter the first few remnants of the last group that investigated the place. With their heads morphed into the obsidian hide of the Abyss, the Beasts of Ha turned their gaze towards the Ship Girl as she drew her sword. These corrupted folks wielded torches and stood idly before rushing towards her while flailing wildly.
The Ship Girl dashed to the side and cut the first enemy before moving unto the next. Batting away the Beast of Ha's torch with her buckler, she then slammed her sword into its gut and ripped it through its side, knocking it away with a dull thud. Calming her nerves, she figured that this would be a good warm up.
Looking up she realized that the duo hadn't been alone and five more Beast of Ha's, remnants of the earlier Party, began their approach. The Ship Girl's foes moved in an uncoordinated group, giving her the chance to pick them off one by one without getting surrounded. She was faster, stronger and deadlier thanks to her very nature as a Ship Girl. But even so…it's weird how she could fight well on land just as she could at sea.
But while that was the case, she felt that she preferred the sea than this.
Having absorbed the souls of the dead, Nagatsuki continued onward through the beach. Stepping through the tar-like substance which corrupted the waters and sand, Nagatsuki tried to be more alert than before. She was quite certain that recently Abyssalized people weren't her only problems.
She found her first dead end leading into the belly of a cruise ship. Heading back outside would only lead her to seeing the same walled off piles of ocean liners blocking her way forward.
Still, after a little bit of searching, she managed to find a working elevator and pulled the lever to ascend. She didn't exactly know where she was currently headed but at least she wasn't stuck indefinitely. With her head currently filled with the smell of rotting sea weed, rusted metal and the sound of creaking ancient machinery, she was glad it all came to an end having reached the top of… whatever she was in. She couldn't exactly call it a ship anymore could she?
Walking out of the elevator, she immediately came across something she both wanted and dreaded. It was an Anchor.
She rushed towards it as her mind went blank before reaching out to touch its top with her hand. The Anchor responded to her touch and emitted a soft green glow and began to shine.
WEIGHT ANCHOR
Sitting down before its presence filled her with a sense of relief and comfort. The last time she saw an Anchor was before she embarked on that stupid ten day hike towards the Unnamed Village. Nagatsuki would have preferred it if she found one at its entrance but this should work too. Now she had little choice but to explore the rest of this area for kicks… And maybe find that Abyssal.
Honestly, she still couldn't wrap her head around it. A flying Abyssal… Why hasn't the world ended yet?
Still, despite the possible horrors she was about to face, she made sure to refill her Repair Flask. Otherwise she'll get into another situation where she'll be forced to dodge and roll all over the place just to avoid getting killed. Once she has rested enough, Nagatsuki tried prying herself away from the comforting glow of the Anchor and rise back to her feet. Dusting her clothes, she reloaded her main turret and drew her blade and walking ahead.
The Ship Girl's footsteps echoed through the metallic hallway with the exit just beyond. She hurried a bit and immediately found herself looking at a makeshift bridge made from the flesh and chitin-like hide of the Abyss and the rusting steel corpses of small fishing boats.
There were two Beasts of Ro patrolling it yet they haven't noticed her coming out into their view. Nagatsuki took the advantage and rushed towards the two Abyssals and sliced through them before they could react.
Absorbing their souls and catching her breath, Nagatsuki turned as the wind whistled behind her. The makeshift bridge she was standing on rattled at the jarring force it had to endure as something descended from above.
The metal creaked in protest while the green haired girl tried her best to stay on her feet. Just beyond her where the hole she came out of was located stood an Abyssal Knight. A Ta-Class Abyssal Knight with its glowing light green eyes and black cape dancing in the wind like a banner.
"Oh… Oh no," an audible gulp left Nagatsuki once she realized how painful this was going to be. That thing most likely saw her rush at the two Beasts of Ro… it was a trap all along to bait her and she fell for it!
The Ta-Class charged at her with a wrathful roar, each step it took pushing the bridge to its limits as she stepped back and tried moving her paralyzed feet. Gritting her teeth, Nagatsuki didn't run and instead rushed to meet the Knight of Ta as it raised its obsidian axe. She could do this. She's done it to worse opponents before so this should be a cinch! The Ta-Class swung down its axe and split apart the bridge.
Nagatsuki dodged at the last second, rolling through the attack as it missed her. She then recovered as fast as she could to get a view of the Ta-Class' exposed back and stabbing her sword through it.
With the sensation of her sword going through flesh, Nagatsuki kicked the Abyssal off her weapon as she stepped back. Apparently the Ta-Class wasn't dead yet so when the Ship Girl tried ending the Abyssal while it was down, she was greeted with a face full of 16 Inch Abyssal Guns.
BANG
Nagatsuki was sent flying backwards as a shell punched through her torso and splattered the bridge with her blood. Slamming back down the floor, Nagatsuki found herself to be alive albeit Heavy Damaged. Grunting as she stood back on her feet, she took a swig of her Repair Flask as the Ta-Class recovered from her backstab.
However this was also the time the bridge decided it was enough and promptly fell apart.
With the feeling of weightlessness taking over through the haze of pain and agony as her body healed, Nagatsuki's mind kicked into action and forced herself to roll the moment she hit the ground. Recovering from the fall was easy enough and heights like that wouldn't exactly kill her outright but if she were careless, she would've been hurt again.
And that would have been bad in the face of her Ta-Class friend locking on to her with its main guns.
BANG BANG
She rolled away as the Ta-Class fired is weapons before brandishing its huge battle axe once more. The Abyssal kicked off the ground and took to the air, slamming down its axe as Nagatsuki dashed to evade it. She didn't take the opening the Abyssal had presented and waited, being then rewarded by the Ta-Class' instinctual swing which she then used to get close. She knew that was to bait her in to attack and if she predicted it right, the Ta-Class was going to swing its weapon back down.
So Nagatsuki reached behind her and brought out her buckler instead of her main gun. Planting her feet on the ground, she raised the buckler and slammed it against the Ta-Class' descending dominant hand and redirected its swing downwards. Rubble and dirt exploded violently to her left while the Ta-Class looked at her with its soulless eyes, surprise marring its twisted ghost-like visage.
"Riposte," she breathed before jamming her sword through the Abyssal's body once more with enough force to send it to its knees. Kicking the Abyssal down and pulling out her sword, she managed to absorb the souls it held and make it her own.
With the Abyssal Knight dead, she tried catching her breath and checked her body for wounds. Aside from bruises and aches all over, she was doing pretty good. And fending off a Ta-Class with just one sippy was impressive in its own right. She then gave the area she was in a good look and she realized that she was on the other side of the blockade of ships she was stuck on.
The huge building of Ship corpses was just in the distance past a few more wrecked fishing boats. Up close, Nagatsuki realized that it was far more intimidating than before. If she was wondering if the first group of Warriors and Huntresses made it this far, then she was quickly answered by finding the corpse of a man lying nearby. With the corpse slowly rotting and the way he was positioned, it could be said that he died by falling from the bridge Nagatsuki had just demolished.
Looking up, she found the other end of the bridge she was trying to cross and found the long winding staircase leading downwards. If the Ta-Class hadn't destroyed the bridge, she would have been able to take that path… That safe, comforting staircase that didn't involve falling or getting ambushed.
She wrinkled her nose at the rancid stench of decaying human flesh before kicking the corpse over and going through the man's pockets. Some souls as currency, a few Curry of the Kings to imbibe her sword with poison, rusted coins and a diary…
A diary, huh?
"Wonder what this is about," she murmured before flipping through its pages.
My Last shred of life… Is to be used to warn the others…
Beware. Do not believe her lies… For Our Lady has betrayed us and left us to die.
I beseech you, reader, turn back. For the winds are foul and the corruption crawls up my throat.
The Demoness, the Abyssal Princess, it has mocked us, tortured us with our beloved Huntress' face. Our Lady has been tricked and she has lost her mind.
Our Lady awaits beyond, guarding that foul Demon that was once our beloved Huntress.
Beware for Bloody Winds do not forgive lightly.
Beware. Do not believe her lies… For Our Lady has betrayed us and left us to die.
I beseech you, reader, turn back. For the winds are foul and the corruption crawls up my throat.
The Demoness, the Abyssal Princess, it has mocked us, tortured us with our beloved Huntress' face. Our Lady has been tricked and she has lost her mind.
Our Lady awaits beyond, guarding that foul Demon that was once our beloved Huntress.
Beware for Bloody Winds do not forgive lightly.
"Well isn't that just ominous?" the Ship Girl whispered to herself in worry before pocketing the diary. This man and his companions were betrayed by their Huntress. No wonder they were corrupted by the Abyss so easily. With their hearts filled with shock, regret and all sorts of negativity, the corruption would seep its way through their souls and change them from within.
It's amazing how this man managed to reach this far given that the rest of his group was turned just by the entrance.
The castle was just some ways ahead so Nagatsuki left the area and went back to walking to her destination.
…..
….
…
She thought back to simpler times. Back at her Naval Base, she would wake up to her sisters trying their best to get her off bed. She'd be then served breakfast at the mess hall while everyone frolicked and just be idiots in general. They laughed, talked and leaned on one another as a family. The other Ship Girls were there too, they were the veterans, the honest to god warrior maidens that kept the seas safe from the Abyssals.
Nagatsuki was just a girl good at expeditions. It's what the Mutsuki class did best when out on sea. Though they could still pack a punch at night battles, the Mutsuki class would normally be greeted by peaceful seas as they gathered resources to help the Naval Base.
It was a simple life, a bit boring but she was content in contributing to saving the world in her own way. To be honest, she was tired of fighting and being called back into the world of the living as a girl felt like a second chance.
The whole deal with the Abyssals sucked but then again, she wasn't out there on the frontline having gun duels with ships that could easily outpace her. She could live a peaceful life like this. But… Alas, she felt this vision of the past disappear.
Because right now she was forced to fight for her life once more.
Nagatsuki fought.
She brought her buckler to bear and defended against a projectile attack unleashed by an imp before rolling away as a cluster of them shot towards her. She recovered and closed in towards the Imp that assaulted her, slicing twice and absorbing its tiny pocket of souls. She planted her foot on the ground and stopped an Imp from crushing her arm with her buckler and bashing it away. Another pounced at her before she cut it down in one swift slash.
She fought and the sounds of gunfire filled the moist tunnel she had found herself in as the Imps fired at her. Dashing through the projectiles, bullets and magical alike, she closed in on the Imps and cut down the rest of them with only a few bullets digging into her flesh.
Catching her breath to recover her stamina, Nagatsuki gave the tunnel she was in another quick look to make sure she was alone.
There was nothing but the age old pillars and soft glow of the waters on either side of the stone path leading forward. She couldn't sense any other opponent lying in wait but she had to be careful unless she wanted to fall for another trap.
The path towards the castle was blocked off once more and the bridge leading to it had been apparently shattered. The only other way Nagatsuki found was a decrepit underground passage that seemed to go into the direction of the ominous ship corpse castle.
The only problem was the entrance was filled with these cocoon-like structures that oozed thick, tarry black pus that ate through the ground. Nevertheless, Nagatsuki identified signs of the corruption therefore it could only be the work of an Abyssal's influence.
It only got worse further she descended into the passage. Seeing it seemed to be headed for the castle, she figured it might lead to an alternate path.
Now that was all fine and dandy before she found herself being attacked from the waters, from the ceiling and on the path of the one-way stone passage she was walking on. Having fought the horde, she had yet to discover where they came from. But still the appearance of the Imps had provided a slight bit of information, she was getting close to where that Abyssal was hiding.
She took another sip of her Repair Flask and soon realized she had just used her last one. Her flask was now empty.
Great.
Excellent.
"I'm doomed," she breathed.
As she said this, Nagatsuki then perked up at the sound of something odd. It was the sound of a girl humming. A soft, gentle lullaby bouncing through the moist tunnel walls and washing over Nagatsuki's tired form. With her blade at the ready, she walked forward to where it was supposedly coming from. With her footsteps echoing all around, she strained her ears to filter out any other noise except this soft song.
Soon, she found herself in a wide circular room filled with the cocoons she had come upon before. Almost too many for her liking and she couldn't help but raise her sword at the ready. The path she had been traversing led to the small piece of land at the center of the room and the exit was just up ahead. With the rest of the room filled with water, she figured that this was her only way out of this place.
Stepping towards the center of the circle did she hear a familiar bell ringing.
Nagatsuki then turned around to find the path she had gone through to be blocked by the dreaded white fog. Looking back at her exit, she then realized that it had been sealed off too. Not only that but the lullaby had stopped and the cocoons all around her began to shudder and crack.
"Alas, another wandering Soul comes before us. Perhaps you too seek salvation, Miss Huntress?"
A voice echoed throughout the room, Nagatsuki feeling a lump forming in her throat as she drew her main turret instead of her buckler. The voice only seemed to be amused by her actions while the cocoons slowly unraveled. Then she heard the god awful screech coming from within the cocoons.
The sounds of gunfire filled the air and Nagatsuki was forced to dodge to the side. She was then greeted by the sight of the PT Imps coming to life, like some twisted infant born from an egg, the Abyssals writhed and screamed as they flopped down on the ground and turned their haunting blue gaze towards the Ship Girl.
Parting their oversized heads to reveal rows of sharp teeth, a spine chilling laughter then filled the room.
Nagatsuki made a move to attack before the Imps could get their bearings yet something grabbed her from behind. She realized too late the great set of wings spread apart behind her and the scent of the sea filling her nostrils before she was grabbed by the back of her cloak and dragged off the platform.
At first she was in the air before she was slammed hard into the water and found herself staring into the dark depths.
Nagatsuki choked and struggled swim upwards yet something grabbed her leg beneath her. The Ship Girl then stared into the multitude of burning blue eyes alight with ghost fire in the suffocating darkness. The numerous PT Imps cracked their sadistic grins before swarming the Ship Girl while she tried to slash at the one holding her down.
By the time she released herself, Nagatsuki could only see the wall of teeth coming to tear her apa-
…..
….
…
She died.
And now she was awake once more, her first breath since dying was one filled with the smell of metal and rusting ships. She jumped and felt for her body and realized that she was whole once more.
Not exactly the best death but she couldn't help but think back to how she managed to survive her body being torn apart long enough before she expired. Those things didn't kill her quickly and cleanly either so the phantom pain racked at her brain and left her shuddering in fear before the Anchor.
"Damn it…. Damn it," she cursed as she tried to keep her mind off the feeling of hundreds of teeth biting chunks of her flesh off of her.
She tried gathering her wits about her before refilling her Repair Flask and rising back to her feet. She had to get a move on, maybe find out more about what she was facing before she got herself killed again. She preferred it if she wasn't killed again but she'd better expect it considering she still didn't know what she was up against.
She won't have to deal with that ambush again if the Fog Wall had been erected. Having rested enough, Nagatsuki stood up and exited the Anchor's location and found herself back on the bridge that should have been broken.
The two Beasts of Ro were patrolling it once more and she was certain that the Ta-Class had come back as well.
Just as this entire farce had always made sure to do.
So with knowledge on what was going to happen, Nagatsuki drew her main gun and took potshots on the Beasts of Ro from a distance. The Abyssalized individuals were killed at once and Nagatsuki waited for the Ta-Class to dive down. Except it didn't. So it's most probably not aware of her yet… but still, her gunfire was loud so there's a chance that the Knight of Ta was already alerted.
She'll have to make a run for it.
Steadying her breathing, Nagatsuki focused on the other end of the bridge. Gathering her courage, she ran.
She made it to the middle of the bridge before something slammed hard on the opposite end she was running from. The Ta-Class had noticed her and it was back with a vengeance. Nagatsuki ignored it and rushed forward with all her might yet the bridge broke apart as she ran. She jumped yet she couldn't jump far enough and she fell alongside the wreckage fated to break over and over again unless she stopped dying.
She fell and rolled to recover as she did before yet this time a Knight of Ta waited for her as the dust cleared.
She didn't have time for this and she was understandably angry. Nagatsuki gritted her teeth and snarled, "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"
Pulling out a parchment filled with the Poison Brew of Reku and smearing its contents on her blade, the Ship Girl angrily brought her sword before her as she had infused it with poison. She kicked off the ground as she and the Knight of Ta rushed at each other.
…..
A full minute later, Nagatsuki came out victorious from the bout with the Ta-Class dead once more. As the poison faded from her weapon, she couldn't helpt but feel exhausted as she looked back up the hole where the Anchor should be. If only there was such a thing as a shortcut in this world, that would be great…
She expected to be alone in a moment of silence after a tough fight but imagine her surprise to notice someone approaching.
"Hmph, taking down a Knight of Ta like that… You're quite the something, aren't you?" commented a woman's familiar voice. Nagatsuki turned her gaze to the side where the man with the diary was and found the familiar form of the stranger known as Crane standing by. It's almost as if she had watched the fight unfold there the entire time… Did she just arrive? No… Damn it, Nagatsuki cursed under her breath as she tried standing up once more.
"Why are you here?" asked the Ship Girl while still keeping her blade bare.
Crane smiled and looked down at the man's corpse beneath her feet, "Sightseeing. I was wondering what the 'Capable Huntress' those villagers sent as a sacrifice this time would be doing. I'd assume you're going to that structure?"
"I am. Or so I thought when the one I'm looking for is just blocking my path towards it," replied Nagatsuki with a frown.
"I see. Well, I'd suggest that once you get past the obstacle in your path that you hurry along and move closer to that castle. Souls are being held within. Powerful Souls that a Huntress like you would be quite interested in acquiring… How goes your progress?" asked Crane as she tilted her head to the side.
"It's harder to break through than I thought. I'll get through eventually. I think," even Nagatsuki wasn't sure. Usually fights like these lasted her weeks and chunks of her sanity but in the end, the hope and inevitability of her victory was something she clung on.
"Hm… Well, if you need my assistance, know that you know how to call other Huntresses. I'll help you along the way should you wish it," offered Crane with a nod.
Nagatsuki couldn't help but be suspicious at this, "So you're a Huntress too?"
"Don't look at me as if I didn't look the part. Still, be wary of enemies beyond this point. They could be quite troublesome… And tragic. Learning about the enemy is one way of defeating them, isn't it?" mused the woman with a soft chuckle.
Blinking, Nagatsuki then shook her head and sheathed her sword. At least she was going to get help. It was just a thing whether it was reliable or not…
"Is that so, huh? Well, if you'll excuse me, I still need to push through," answered the green haired Destroyer as she walked towards the underground tunnel's entrance.
"Brute forcing things won't do you any good. Had you failed once and lived means you have the chance to learn from your mistakes… And perhaps study about what you're up against, yes?" suggested Crane as she raised her arms to shrug, "Why don't you get resupplied before heading out, hm?"
"A sound suggestion but I don't really have any souls in me to get anything useful. I'd like it for my next attempt to be my last," said Nagatsuki replied as she inspected her reserves. None. Possibly the rest of her money was stuck to her last bloodstain.
"Whatever suits you… But perhaps an advice, then," offered the cloaked woman as she stepped forward, "That beast too was once a Huntress like us. Therefore you shouldn't underestimate it unless you have a death wish. It knows all the tricks in the book therefore you have to be craftier than it if you wish to outsmart it."
"I'm assuming you know more," guessed Nagatsuki as she crossed her arms.
"The villagers do. After all, they know her better than anyone else. You should tell them you've found her. Perhaps you'll be privy to more information then," said Crane as she hid her hands within her cloak and nodded.
Nagatsuki frowned before turning her gaze upwards… Right.
Back to town then…
…..
….
….
Several hours later, Nagatsuki was back in the tunnel.
"Huntresses in our Village? Well, perhaps… We had two of them."
Back in the dark, moist underground passage, the Ship Girl drew her sword and proceeded with caution. The smell of rot and the pus of the Abyss filled her nostrils as she continued onwards, her boots splashing around as she found her first few enemies. The Imps took notice of her from afar and their malformed visages were alight with ghostly blue lights. They screeched and giggled before pouncing towards her, desperate to close in the distance between them and the Ship Girl.
"The Blue huntress. Yes, Samidare. We all know her exploits before. Such a nice young lady, protecting us, the weak, against the monsters lurking beyond our village. We all remember her fondly."
Nagatsuki's eyes flashed and she drew her main turret and firing. Gunshots filled the tunnel as shells shred apart the rotting flesh of the Imps and cracking through their obsidian carapace. She held her ground and kept herself from charging in and instead took out a pebble. She then tossed it between her and the remaining imps and watched the waters in the canal explode as a couple more imps appeared.
It was then Nagatsuki moved to attack, slicing the imps in the air before jamming her sword at one of the remaining imps. Before the other could react, she smashed her sword into it with all her might and watched the two Abyssals splatter on the wall.
"I remember back when she was still in her prime. Kind, likes to play with the little ones in our village, and usually brought supplies back to the village. She was akin to a fairy, providing for us as well as protecting us. Which is quite ironic, considering her... brand new form."
More splashes and two more Imps appeared from the back and started hurtling bullets and projectiles at her from afar. Clicking her tongue, the Destroyer reloaded her gun and fired, killing the two Imps in quick succession. She moved and turned as the cocoons above cracked and broke apart, Imps with parted jaws ready to crush her skull with one vicious bite.
"Yes indeed, she has turned into the very monsters she fought, and we failed even noticed it. Really sad to see her, twisted with the abyss taint, and deluding herself, thinking that she's the fairy of the Wonderland."
Nagatsuki dashed backwards before running the first imp through with her sword.
"You know..... I do wonder how she would react seeing you, young huntress. I mean, no disrespect, but you bear the appearance of her usual prey. Little children wandering, lost in the forest. You do look like the part."
The second Imp pounced with a burst of bullets leaving its secondary guns and peppering the Ship Girl as she endured it. She then thrust her left arm forward and jammed the barrel of her main gun into the Imp's mouth. Pulling the trigger, Nagatsuki averted her gaze from the shower of Abyssal organs falling about. Sighing, she lowered her arm and took out her Repair Flask and gulped down the soothing green liquid as her wounds healed.
"Weakness.... I don't recall her having any other than her soft heart. Any other warrior we sent never came back. Others who did only told us that she's agile, and fast, and only luck that would save them against her. She is said to be unpredictable, forcing the warriors and you to prepare accordingly."
Nagatsuki then turned her gaze forward and continued walking. She didn't stop, her mind racing as her heart throbbed within her chest. She felt her breath quicken as the Fog Wall came close. In an attempt to calm herself, she thought back to the information she was given by the Villagers. There's more to this than meets the eye, apparently… Kids on the beach, dead. At the very least she had a gist of what she's up against this time unlike before. This monster had to be put down.
"Huntress. Whatever you do, be careful out there. I don't want to see your corpse lying on the beach among so many other children she had claimed before. I wish you luck, for Lady Fortune is the only one left to guide you."
She placed her hand on the Fog Wall and traversed through it.
Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of a girl with brilliant blue hair hovering far away. With her deep, dark eyes that was not too dissimilar to the void itself, she turned her gaze upon the lone ship Girl that had intruded upon her domain. She wore a tattered dress weathered from age and stained blood while her arms were adorned by dark blue long gloves. Upon her wrists were two ancient 12.7cm HA guns emitting an ominous twilight glow.
But what was eye catching about her were the great pair of moth-like wings attached to her back. Spreading them apart, the girl displayed her magnificent wings as they were alight with blue ghost fire, the air thrumming with power. It was here an ivory staff manifested in her hands, its appearance almost bone-like before she pointed it at Nagatsuki.
"Ah… Another Lost One… Or perhaps you're the same? How interesting. Worry not, worry not my lost sweet," she hummed with that chilling smile of hers, "I'll make sure you do not return."
THE FALLEN WITCH
Nagatsuki readied her sword as the cocoons all around began to hatch. A heart beat later, the numerous PT Imps burst to life and landed on the center platform. They all swarmed Nagatsuki at once as she pulled out a black firebomb. Lobbing it at the Imps, there was an explosion of black fire and the Imps were lit up, screeching and screaming in pain before they were finished off by the Ship Girl. Pulling out her gun, Nagatsuki planted one foot on the ground and turned as the Fallen Witch tried to grab her from behind once more.
Firing twice, she punched two holes through the Abyssal's body and made it recoil in pain. Blue shells manifested and homed downwards, forcing the green haired girl to dash backwards. This was enough of a distraction for a PT Imp to pounce and bite down her left arm. Feeling the pain flare on her limb, Nagatsuki tried to get the Imp off of her but something else caught her attention.
It was the Witch herself floating above, her wings shining ghost-like blue as she pointed down her ivory staff. Then she descended in a spiral motion with her staff propped forward, gliding close to the surface of the center platform as she flew straight for the green haired girl.
Nagatsuki, hindered by the Imp on her arm, couldn't dodge.
The staff stabbed through her torso with enough force to turn her internal organs into mush. She felt it smash through her ribcage and spine and through her back, the wind roaring past her ears as her body failed her.
"Sleep now and when you wake up. Perhaps we'll be together in paradise next time too," giggled the Fallen Witch.
Nagatsuki felt herself being raised in the air before she was tossed aside into the dark pool. She was glad her consciousness faded just before the hundreds of PT Imps ripped her body to shre-
…..
YOU DIED.
(To be continued)
(To be continued)
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