Well, here we are. This is a project I've been working on and off on for about two months now...
Sisters of War (Kancolle)
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Skywalker_T-65
Writer with too many ideas.
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Well, here we are. This is a project I've been working on and off on for about two months now, trying to hammer together something that works. Anyone who knows my preference in ships will know that my favorite ship, bar none, is USS Saratoga. So really, it was only a matter of time until I put together something Sara-centric. Which is where this was born.
Hopefully it worked out well.
And I remain horrible at naming stories, go figure.
This is also low-priority in updates. Destiny and Indy remain main (KC) projects. This is just something I needed to get out of my head.
And when I say low-priority, I mean this is a short story. Somewhere between 5-10 chapters. So it will be finished quickly.
Quiet. So quiet. I'm all alone now, here at the end. It's cold...I thought it would be warm? It should have been. But...then, it doesn't matter though. I can finally rest...rest and join everyone. I miss them all. I miss Little E. Langley. Lex...
How did it come to this, dying alone?
Pearl Harbor no longer burned. It had been over a week, since the harbor had been attacked, and the fires had long since been extinguished. But, perhaps, that made it all the worse. The lack of fire and smoke just left the devastation to the harbor in sharp relief. West Virginia, her proud upper-works black with soot and smoke. Her hull laying beneath the shallow waters of the harbor, as men swarmed over her trying to cut into the twisted hulk. Oklahoma, her battered keel exposed, the dull metal glinting in the bright sunlight. Utah, in the exact same situation on the other side of Ford Island.
And of course...proud Arizona, shattered and twisted. Her tall tripod mast bent forward, fire scarred and torn. Her bow, shattered by the detonation that had doomed her and her crew. Oil leaked into the water around the battleship, laid low by an enemy she had never intended to face. Oil that may well have been tears of the fallen, as it dyed the water black.
Even knowing this was the case, did little to prepare USS Saratoga, as she sailed into this sight. The carrier stood on her deck, looking out at the harbor with wide blue eyes. She...she had not been prepared for this. Not at all.
"My God..." Sister Sara held a hand to her mouth, almost unable to believe what she saw.
No one heard her, of course.
"I can't believe this..." Sara looked at each of the fallen ships in turn, before her eyes stopped on Arizona. "We prepared for this. We tested this. How did this happen?"
The carrier and her sister had specifically 'attacked' Pearl Harbor on several occasions. She couldn't understand how the Japanese had managed the same. How could the Japanese of all people catch them off guard like this? It didn't seem possible. It couldn't be possible.
But yet, here she was. The evidence staring her in the face, as the carrier clutched at her white shirt.
"I'm sorry...I should have been here to help."
But she hadn't. Sara had been in San Diego, retrieving her air group. Far too out of place to do anything to help, and she knew that. But it hurt to see, nonetheless.
I'm sorry.
Turning away, Sara instead looked at another ship, leaving the harbor. Despite the death and destruction surrounding her, the carrier felt a smile tug at her lips. She would recognize that carrier anywhere.
"Little E."
"Aunt Sara!"
A smile that fell away, as Sara brushed strawberry blonde hair from her face. Enterprise only called her 'aunt' when something was wrong. It was their little in-joke, actually. Everyone else called her Sister Sara, but Enterprise had always called her 'Aunt'. Just as Sara had taken Yorktown's nickname, and ran with it. If Little E was using it now...
"Are you okay?" The blonde asked, her tone softening as she looked out at the other carrier. "I know this has to be hard on you, but..."
"It's all my fault."
"What?"
Sara couldn't believe what she heard, as she stared wide-eyed at her younger counterpart.
Enterprise let out a shaky sigh, and Sara could almost see her running a hand through her hair, "I was supposed to be here Aunt Sara. A storm kept me away, but I was supposed to be here to help! If I hadn't been late, I might have..."
The other carrier trailed off, her breathing heavy as she tried to get her thoughts in line.
"If I had been here, I could have kept everyone safe. I failed them, Aunt Sara. I failed all of them. Arizona is dead because I wasn't..."
Clenching her hands in her short blue skirt, Sara took in a deep breath. She couldn't listen to this...Enterprise shouldn't be blaming herself. This wasn't her fault. It wasn't Sara's fault either, though she could easily fall into the same pit as her niece in all but blood. No, this was the fault of no one but the Japanese who had launched the attack in the first place. They were the ones at fault, not either carrier.
"Little E..." Sara wished for nothing more than being able to hold the other girl tightly. "This is not your fault. Remember that, it is not your fault."
"But..."
Shaking her head, the elder carrier sighed softly, "No, don't think like that. If you had been here, you would have been hit too. Same if I had. We couldn't have stopped this."
It hurt to admit that, certainly. But...the reports spoke of hundreds of planes. That was more than either she or Enterprise could have handled. Sara wasn't prideful enough to think otherwise, however much she disliked thinking of that. That said though, it was hardly like they couldn't make up for their failure in a different way. It wasn't their fault. They couldn't have stopped it. But...
"...I know." Enterprise finally replied. Her voice sounded defeated, missing the cheerful tone that Sara was used to. "But I don't like thinking about it. I was so close by...some of my pilots were here during the attack!"
"And we couldn't have stopped it even then."
Sara sighed heavily, before putting on a smile. Even if no one could see it, she did it for herself.
"But we can fight back. We took a big hit here, but we can come back from it. Don't worry Little E, we'll win this war that Japan started. They have no idea who they've attacked, and even if we have to take up the role the battleships should have had, we will beat them back. They won't know what hit them!"
She couldn't see it, but Sara knew Little E was smiling herself.
"Right! You and Lex trained us well, Aunt Sara. We can win this!"
"Exactly. Now get out there, and show them what you can do. This is your chance to shine, remember that."
"But aren't you going to join me?"
"No, not yet anyway. I'm going to be reinforcing Wake."
Little E tapped her chin, something Sara could hear over the radio, "Wake?"
"Between Midway and Japan. We have a small outpost there, and it's my job to make sure they survive." Sara smiled, almost eager to finally get the chance to show she could fight. "And I'm not about to fail!"
"Well of course you won't. You taught me everything I know, Aunt Sara. I know you can handle anything Japan throws at you! You and Aunt Lex both!"
Sara couldn't help the flush that crossed her cheeks, as she pulled down her cap. Her hand brushed against the blue feathers in said cap, making her smile despite the flush. Yes...she and Lex had been the ones to pioneer American carrier doctrine. They had the skill and experience that entailed, and few could ever match it. So Sara could believe Little E when she spoke those words. And those words were a buoy to her in another way.
Because Sara knew she was going to be going to Wake alone.
"Be careful out there, Little E. Lex will be with you, but I don't want to come back and find out something happened to you!" Sara smiled, as she looked out at the other carrier, pulling out to sea with her escorts.
"Don't worry, I learned from the best!"
Smile refusing to leave her lips, Sara turned back to her large island. It was time to go keep an eye on her Admiral, and figure out what was going to happen. It was just a matter of resupplying and picking up the reinforcements for Wake, but she liked to be prepared. The very last thing Sara wanted was to fail on her very first combat mission...
I...see. You have my apologies, for what happened on that island. It is a stain on my honor, and that of my Nation.
No, you weren't at fault for that. Or for the War at all. We were all serving our nations, regardless of how we may have felt ourselves.
Perhaps, but you...
Lost my sister. She's nothing but a memory now...
Saratoga sighed softly, as she lay down on her deck. She could feel men swarming in and out of her hull. Feel the pounding of hammers and the sharp burn of welding. She could hear the echoed orders and work being done on her old hull. She would be the first to admit the work was needed. The sharp pain in her legs from the hit she sustained was still fresh in mind. If more than one torpedo had hit she...she would have died. Died, despite failing at the one mission she had been assigned. Sara had been down ever since that day.
The day when she abandoned the brave defenders of Wake Island to their fate.
I know I couldn't have done anything. Two carriers against one is not a fight I should ever have to do. But I could have at least tried!
And yet, she hadn't. Sara had pulled back, leaving Wake to the Japanese. She had been on patrol and shuffled around the Pacific for a little while after that, before the fateful torpedo had hit her. She had limped back to Pearl, and from there, to Bremerton. And there she had remained, a long deferred modernization underway. That was hardly something Sara could, or would, complain about. She wanted to go back out as best as she could be, so that she could win this time. But...
"Lex..."
More importantly, she wanted to get out to her sister. Last she had heard- or rather, her officers had heard -her sister was with Yorktown, facing down the Japanese in the South Pacific. Sara had complete confidence her sister and Little E's sister. But she didn't like the waiting. She and Lex had served together for their entire careers, and they had rarely been apart. So she didn't like the idea of her twin being out there without her.
Not at all.
"I hope you're okay, Lex," Sara sighed softly, looking up at the sky. "Be careful..."
After she said that, Sara continued to watch clouds float above her. Watch the clouds, and listen to the work being done on her hull. There was little else for her to do, unable to talk with anyone. There were not even any other ships she could talk to at the moment. And so, she lay down, and let the noise of her work crew working lull her to a state of restfulness.
A state that would soon be disturbed, as she heard something rather closer. Tilting her head, expecting a member of her crew, Sara's blue eyes widened. For instead of a member of her crew, she saw a man she had never seen before. And more importantly, he saw her. This wasn't him looking through her, she saw grey eyes focused entirely on her.
He can see me?
Stumbling to unsteady feet, Sara smoothed out her short blue skirt and adjusted her top.
"Hello?"
She didn't expect a reply, not really. But the strange man, dressed in a dark grey suit, merely smiled ever so slightly.
"Hello to you too, Saratoga."
"You can..."
"See you? Yes, I can. I can see all of you girls in fact, and that is why I'm here." The strange man's smile faded, as he pulled his hands from around his back. "Though I am afraid it is not a social visit. I have this, for you."
Sara's eyes followed the movement...only for her legs to give out. The carrier fell forward onto her knees, blue eyes disbelieving, as she stared at the man's hands.
No...no no no no no...
Hands that held a familiar hat, twin to the one that held her own strawberry blonde hair back. The hat was torn and scuffed, soot coating the white fabric. The golden eagle that rested on the front of it was dulled, part of one wing cracked off. And the blue feathers were damaged, one barely holding on to it's place.
"Lex..."
The man sighed softly, as he placed the hat in Sara's shaking hands. "I am truly sorry you had to learn this way, Saratoga. But I am afraid your sister was sunk by the Japanese. Yorktown survived, but Lexington did not. I was sent to return this to you, as you are the one who should have it."
Sara didn't hear the man's words. She merely held the hat, the damaged fabric rough in her hands. She held it to her chest, her heart beating painfully against it. The carrier, for the first time, felt hot tears flowing down her cheeks.
Lex...sis...I...failed. Again. I should have been there to help you! I should have been there!
But she wasn't. And now, Saratoga brought the hat up to her chin, resting her head on the tattered object. Tears flowed freely, her mouth squeezed shut. Her heart felt like it had been torn into little pieces, as the carrier sunk further down, her shoulders shaking with the effort to hold her sobs back. Saratoga clutched Lexington's hat to her, holding onto it like it would vanish if she didn't. Like she would lose everything she had of her sister, if she so much as weakened her hold on it.
She couldn't lose it. She couldn't lose her sister.
"She's gone...Lex is gone..." Sara's voice cracked, as she held her sister's hat against her heart. It was all she could do.
If she let go, she would lose herself. Sara could already feel her heart breaking further, as she voiced what had happened. The sister who had always been there for her was gone. She would never see Lex pull into port beside her again. She would never hear the soft, kindly voice of her sister. It didn't matter that she was technically a little older, Lex had always played the role of elder sister. And now she was gone. Just like that, Sara had lost her only sister. Lex would never be there for her again.
All she had left was this hat.
"I'm sorry," the strange man leaned down, placing a hand on Sara's shoulder. "I truly am."
"How..."
"How did she die?"
Sara couldn't bring herself to vocalize her response, merely nodding her head as she retained her death-grip on her sister's hat.
The man sighed again, "She fought hard, Saratoga. Harder than anyone could expect."
"..."
"Her fuel." The man finally answered the question. "Her fuel caused secondary explosions. She didn't survive."
Killed by her own fuel. Sara could only nod dumbly, as the man pulled away from her.
"Take care, Saratoga."
She didn't reply, staring dully in front of her. Sara's blue eyes were equally dull, unfocused on anything. All she saw was the beautiful hull of her sister...her mind eye filling in the blanks. Fire and debris flying into the air. Lex screaming in pain. Her hull sagging in the water, the crew abandoning her to her fate. Like Sara had abandoned Wake. And she hadn't been there. Sara hadn't been there to at least comfort her sister as she sank.
Sara had...she had failed her sister.
"Lex..."
Falling to her deck, Sara clutched the hat ever tighter against her chest. Hot, fat tears refused to stop, as she screwed her eyes shut. Her hands shook, the carrier's entire body shook. Nothing but pain was in her heart, as she lay on her flight deck. The sound of her crew was gone. The sound of the man leaving was gone. There was nothing but the carrier and her racking sobs. Saratoga didn't bother to hold them in any longer, as she cried. Sobs were ripped from her throat, the carrier for once glad to she couldn't be heard.
She couldn't be heard, and that allowed her to give voice to her grief.
"I failed you Lex! I should have been there to help you!" Sara cried out, her heart breaking even further were it possible. "Why couldn't I be there? Why couldn't I help you? I can't...I can't fight alone. We should have been together until we were retired...we were going to stay together forever..."
Hands clutching desperately at the hat, Sara choked back a sob.
"I'm alone now. I've lost my only sister. Lex...sis...I..."
Sara was unable to finish, a wordless scream of grief all that came from her mouth, as she lay on her deck, her heart shattered into tiny little pieces...
Standing on that deck, Sara looked out at the ship in the distance. At the girl- no, at the woman -she had been talking to, the first to hear of how she had truly reacted when she lost Lexington. That had been four years ago now, and the pain was as fresh as it had ever been. It was why Sara had never even told Little E how she felt, keeping up a strong front for the younger carrier. Especially after Enterprise found herself in the same situation...lone survivor of her class. They had both made a pact, the first time they met again in 1943.
They would never bring up their fallen sisters, either to each other or to the younger girls who bore their names.
So why was Sara talking of it now? Now, she knew her own death was near. She was no fool. Looking at the other warships surrounding her, from proud Nevada painted a brilliant orange, to old Arkansas in the distance, Sara knew one thing. They were targets. For what, she didn't know. But there was no other reason that she would be here, with all these ships. Especially with the German cruiser nearby as well, and the...two Japanese ships. A cruiser, and the woman Sara was staring at, across the water of Bikini Atoll.
"I am sorry you had to go through that." Battleship Nagato spoke softly, her red eyes looking at the water beneath them. "Moreover, I am sorry it was because my Nation attacked your own."
Sara shook her head, a small smile on her lips despite everything, "No, don't apologize Nagato. You aren't at fault for what happened."
"I lead the attack on Pearl Harbor," Nagato replied shortly, her voice pained. "I was the flagship of Imperial Japan. The nation that took your sister, and killed many of your countrymen. It is only natural that you would be angry."
"I stopped being angry, a long time ago." Sara looked down herself, clutching at the old hat she had never let far from her. "So did Enterprise. We took just as much from you as you ever did from us. Your sister isn't here, I noticed."
Nagato looked stricken, as the otherwise stoic battleship turned her head, "You had nothing to do with Mutsu's death. She fell in harbor, victim of a member of her own crew."
"Oh..." the carrier looked down, "I'm sorry, Nagato."
"You couldn't have known, Saratoga-san."
She hadn't. Sara wasn't familiar with the Japanese warship's history, but that hardly excused things. Still...
"What was she like?"
"..."
"You don't have to tell me."
A shake of the battleship's head was the only answer, "No, this is the hour of both our deaths. If even one other remembers Mutsu as I die, then I will at least rest easier."
And so Nagato began to tell a story of a cheerful girl, who had a teasing side bigger than Sara's stacks. Of a girl who always had a joke ready, even if it meant teasing her elder sibling. Mutsu had been a girl who was almost the heart of any fleet she was in, always there when someone needed a shoulder to cry on. Or ready and waiting to make anything into a joke, if the opportunity presented itself. Nagato tried to sound annoyed when she talked of those jokes. Her lips twitched however, and her voice shook. Sara felt like she could hug the battleship, knowing the feeling quite well.
For all that Mutsu's antics may have annoyed her, Nagato quite clearly missed them dearly.
She spoke disapprovingly of Mutsu never acting professional. Of the younger battleship constantly trying to get a rise out of her stoic sister. Acting unbecoming of a battleship of the Emperor's Navy. Especially when that battleship was also a member of the Big Seven. But for all that Nagato disapproved, she never said she hated it. Or that Mutsu was dishonorable. No...if anything, Nagato sounded fonder and sadder with each word. Until her voice finally trailed off, talking about the last day they had spent together.
"I was sent out while she was in harbor." Nagato's voice was soft, almost impossible to hear. "I left with Mutsu's typical teasing, and I replied that she needed to be serious as always. Our little ritual. I had no idea at the time it would be the last time I ever saw my sister."
Sara sighed softly herself, "That is...very familiar. Lex went out with Yorktown, and I stayed behind. It never even crossed my mind I wouldn't see her again, you know?"
"Yes, I believe I do Saratoga-san." The battleship smiled weakly. "At the least, I was informed of what happened. Though I have never..."
"Seen that man again."
Nagato nodded, though confusion was clear on her stoic face, "You have met him?"
The carrier nodded wearily, "Only once, when he gave me Lex's hat. I didn't know who he was at the time, and I still don't know. I can only assume he was a messenger of some kind, but...otherwise, I honestly don't know. Don't really care either."
A slight twitch of Nagato's lips betrayed her amusement, "No, I imagine you don't. It would be dishonest to say I cared. All that matters is that he told us what happened to our sisters, yes?"
"Exactly."
Sisters that they would soon be joining. Sara looked down at the hat in her hands once again, as she ran a finger gently along the cracked eagle. The metal was cool under her touch, reminding her of Lexington. It had been so long since she had seen her sister...but the memories were as fresh in her mind as they ever had been. Sara had already told Nagato of Lex. The battleship had been a good listener, not once interrupting Saratoga in her tales. Only serving as a silent listener, as the carrier poured her heart out.
Strange, that she would do that for someone who was an enemy not long ago. And whom she had only recently met.
But Nagato was insightful, in a way that few others Sara had met ever were. She was correct, when the battleship said this was the hour of their deaths. And...it was relaxing, in a way. To face death with dignity, knowing that at least one other ship was by her side. Who would remember her sister, even if they were both doomed. And in the end, Sara may have considered Nagato a friend in better times.
But...this meeting was never going to last long.
"You know we're going to die soon, don't you?"
Nagato nodded again, her stoic features not changing at all. Sharp red eyes looked at Sara, as the battleship held a single hand up, waving it at the grouping of ships around them.
"Yes, I do. I knew such, the moment I was taken captive by your Navy, Saratoga-san. I am the last of Japan's battleships. Moreover, I lead the attack that began this war. It is only understandable, that your nation would expend me as some form of target. For revenge, if nothing else." Nagato sighed softly, as she looked at Sara. "That you and your comrades are here as well is the only thing that confuses me, though I do understand the presence of Prinz Eugen and Sakawa-chan."
Sara smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes, "I don't know the answer either, Nagato. But...whatever the Navy is planning on doing, I'll be right here with you. Considering that Nevada, Arkansas, New York...they're all here too, which means we're surplus."
The battleship's lips twitched, despite the situation.
"I may finally understand Admiral Yamamoto," she whispered. "He always claimed that America would be more than capable of building a navy that could crush our own, were we not able to force a short war. That the United States can sacrifice a fleet carrier of your skill and experience, in addition to several battleships, without so much as a pause to question the action?"
A small, soft, laugh escaped her lips.
"Yes, I can see what the Admiral meant, now, at the end of my life."
Both warships fell silent at that, lost in their own thoughts. Sara gently rubbing her hand along Lex's cover. Nagato staring at the sky, hands clenched in her skirt. The two warships, once mortal foes, were now united. If only in their upcoming deaths, the countdown to that echoing in Sara's mind. She knew this day was her last, and it was only a matter of time until her death came.
But...
I may be dying, but at least I can see Lex again.
Saratoga lifted her beloved sister's cover to her chest, holding it against her heart, as the sound of an aircraft echoed over the silent atoll.
"I believe it is time, Saratoga-san." Nagato spoke up, as both battleship and aircraft carrier turned, noting the massive form a Superfortress bomber flying in the distance.
"Looks like it." Sara nodded back, small smile crossing her face. "I'm still not sure how this is going to end, but I'm glad I could meet you Nagato."
"As am I, Saratoga."
No more words were said, as a fat bomb dropped from the bay of the Superfortress. One single bomb, massive and almost comical in shape. Sara had no idea what this bomb was, as it descended towards the fleet. But it hardly mattered. She shut her blue eyes for the last time, holding Lex's cap to her chest. The carrier lay down on her deck, as the bomb detonated.
Fire and pressure the likes of which she had never felt roared over her hull, setting her deck aflame. Her hull was blasted and battered by the explosion, though it held strong for now.
Her hull held strong. Sara merely lay on her deck, her sister's last memento held close, as her breathing slowed. Sara felt nothing but cold, as she drifted away. It was a comforting cold, the hands of death...but a death that would reunite her with her sister. Sara would miss Little E. She would miss Ranger. She would even miss the other carriers, including the one who bore her beloved twin's name. And she would miss Nagato, despite the short time they had spent together.
But it was her time, and she would greet death willingly.
Goodbye...Nagato. Goodbye Ranger. Goodbye, Little E.
Wake up.
Sara, wake up.
Come on, you need to wake up.
Come back!
A shuddering breath came from Saratoga's lungs, as she opened her eyes. Eyes she should not have been able to open. She was no longer on the burning deck of her hull either, despite the impossibility of that fact. She lay on solid ground, soft carpet beneath her body. Clutching Lex's cover tightly, Sara slowly climbed to her feet, confusion clear in every bit of her features.
"Where am I?"
"Home."
Saratoga froze, her body slowly turning.
No...that's not possible...
"L...Lex?"
"Yes, sis."
Sara turned, blue eyes widening to what may have been comical levels in any other situation. Standing across from her, smiling softly, was her sister. Lexington wore the same clothing she had always worn...a loosely buttoned white uniform blouse. A short white skirt, that didn't go any further down her legs than Sara's own blue skirt. Black leggings, covering her shapely legs. And of course, a soft smile, that Sara had missed so dearly.
It should have been impossible. But her sister was there in front of her, and the carrier didn't know how to react.
"I missed you, Sara," Lex continued, her voice soft as the blonde could remember it always being. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you again, little sister."
"Lex...I..."
The carrier wanted to say something. Some way to tell her sister how much she had missed her. But no words came from her mouth. All Sara could do was take a hesitant step forward. Lex gently smiled at her, holding her arms open. That was all the invitation Sara needed, as she threw caution to the wind. Her legs powered her forward, as she ran into her sister's arms, nearly tackling Lex to the ground, were it not for her sister's sure footing.
Not that Sara would have cared, had she knocked her to the ground. She felt tears in her eyes once again, wetting Lex's uniform. Her sister didn't seem to care, as she held onto the older carrier, not once letting go. All Lex did was hold Sara to her, soothingly whispering into her sister's ear. Running a hand through strawberry blonde locks, as she held Sara tightly.
She's back. She's back. She's back.
Unable to think, all Saratoga could do was clutch to her sister, afraid that if she let go, Lex would vanish and leave her alone again. The impossibility of this situation didn't even matter to her. All that mattered was the almost overwhelming worry that her sister would be gone, if she let go. Sara couldn't lose her again. It would break her.
"Sis...shh..." Lex whispered, pulling away slightly to wipe a stray tear from Sara's face. "I'm not going anywhere, you don't need to worry."
"I lost you, Lex!" Sara shot back, grip not loosening in the slightest.
"I know...I know." The grey-haired carrier smiled softly, shaking her head. "And I'm sorry for that. I know how much it had to have hurt you, to lose me like that. I certainly felt more pain in my heart as I sank, knowing I was leaving you alone."
Sara squeezed her sister tightly, "But I should have been there to help you."
"No, that wasn't your fault. You needed the time to be updated, and I never did begrudge you that. You're my sister, and I always wanted the best for you."
Even if that meant you died?
Clearly, Sara didn't voice those thoughts, as she clutched her sister's body. Lex continued to stroke her hair, as she looked down at the shorter carrier. Sara looked up at her, blue eyes meeting equally ones that were equally blue. Twin sisters...
"Sara?"
"Yes..."
Lex smiled, as she pulled away, despite the sound of protest her sister made, "I would love to stay like this, but we need to catch up. There is a lot you need to know."
A small frown crossed Sara's face, "A lot I need to know?"
Her sister merely sighed, holding on to her hand, as she lead Sara over to a table. The two carriers sat down next to each other, not once letting go of the other. Sara appreciated that, more than she would ever vocalize. She...needed the reassurance her sister wasn't going to vanish. All the pain she had pushed down since that fateful day had come back, and she couldn't face that so quickly. So, holding on to Lex kept it at bay, at least somewhat. Knowing that her sister wasn't going to vanish kept her centered.
Kept her from losing control, as Lex began speaking again.
"We don't have hulls anymore, Sara." The grey-haired carrier began. "We're...ship girls. Called back from our rest, to fight a new enemy. That is why I was here, waiting for you to return."
"Enemy?"
Questions about what she was now could wait. Sara may have just ended one war. But she would be damned if her sister were hurt, again.
"Abyssals, as the Japanese named them." Lex continued softly. "They are our enemy. Monsters who exist only to kill and destroy...I have fought them myself. It is not a pleasant experience, sis."
"And that's why..."
"Why we came back."
Staring at her sister, the serious look in her eyes, Sara knew just one thing. It may have been just recently she ended a war. She may have been resting, and happy about that. But she would not let her sister fight alone. She couldn't let her sister fight alone.
"Tell me more."
USS Saratoga would not fail, never again.
Hopefully it worked out well.
And I remain horrible at naming stories, go figure.
This is also low-priority in updates. Destiny and Indy remain main (KC) projects. This is just something I needed to get out of my head.
And when I say low-priority, I mean this is a short story. Somewhere between 5-10 chapters. So it will be finished quickly.
Quiet. So quiet. I'm all alone now, here at the end. It's cold...I thought it would be warm? It should have been. But...then, it doesn't matter though. I can finally rest...rest and join everyone. I miss them all. I miss Little E. Langley. Lex...
How did it come to this, dying alone?
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Pearl Harbor no longer burned. It had been over a week, since the harbor had been attacked, and the fires had long since been extinguished. But, perhaps, that made it all the worse. The lack of fire and smoke just left the devastation to the harbor in sharp relief. West Virginia, her proud upper-works black with soot and smoke. Her hull laying beneath the shallow waters of the harbor, as men swarmed over her trying to cut into the twisted hulk. Oklahoma, her battered keel exposed, the dull metal glinting in the bright sunlight. Utah, in the exact same situation on the other side of Ford Island.
And of course...proud Arizona, shattered and twisted. Her tall tripod mast bent forward, fire scarred and torn. Her bow, shattered by the detonation that had doomed her and her crew. Oil leaked into the water around the battleship, laid low by an enemy she had never intended to face. Oil that may well have been tears of the fallen, as it dyed the water black.
Even knowing this was the case, did little to prepare USS Saratoga, as she sailed into this sight. The carrier stood on her deck, looking out at the harbor with wide blue eyes. She...she had not been prepared for this. Not at all.
"My God..." Sister Sara held a hand to her mouth, almost unable to believe what she saw.
No one heard her, of course.
"I can't believe this..." Sara looked at each of the fallen ships in turn, before her eyes stopped on Arizona. "We prepared for this. We tested this. How did this happen?"
The carrier and her sister had specifically 'attacked' Pearl Harbor on several occasions. She couldn't understand how the Japanese had managed the same. How could the Japanese of all people catch them off guard like this? It didn't seem possible. It couldn't be possible.
But yet, here she was. The evidence staring her in the face, as the carrier clutched at her white shirt.
"I'm sorry...I should have been here to help."
But she hadn't. Sara had been in San Diego, retrieving her air group. Far too out of place to do anything to help, and she knew that. But it hurt to see, nonetheless.
I'm sorry.
Turning away, Sara instead looked at another ship, leaving the harbor. Despite the death and destruction surrounding her, the carrier felt a smile tug at her lips. She would recognize that carrier anywhere.
"Little E."
"Aunt Sara!"
A smile that fell away, as Sara brushed strawberry blonde hair from her face. Enterprise only called her 'aunt' when something was wrong. It was their little in-joke, actually. Everyone else called her Sister Sara, but Enterprise had always called her 'Aunt'. Just as Sara had taken Yorktown's nickname, and ran with it. If Little E was using it now...
"Are you okay?" The blonde asked, her tone softening as she looked out at the other carrier. "I know this has to be hard on you, but..."
"It's all my fault."
"What?"
Sara couldn't believe what she heard, as she stared wide-eyed at her younger counterpart.
Enterprise let out a shaky sigh, and Sara could almost see her running a hand through her hair, "I was supposed to be here Aunt Sara. A storm kept me away, but I was supposed to be here to help! If I hadn't been late, I might have..."
The other carrier trailed off, her breathing heavy as she tried to get her thoughts in line.
"If I had been here, I could have kept everyone safe. I failed them, Aunt Sara. I failed all of them. Arizona is dead because I wasn't..."
Clenching her hands in her short blue skirt, Sara took in a deep breath. She couldn't listen to this...Enterprise shouldn't be blaming herself. This wasn't her fault. It wasn't Sara's fault either, though she could easily fall into the same pit as her niece in all but blood. No, this was the fault of no one but the Japanese who had launched the attack in the first place. They were the ones at fault, not either carrier.
"Little E..." Sara wished for nothing more than being able to hold the other girl tightly. "This is not your fault. Remember that, it is not your fault."
"But..."
Shaking her head, the elder carrier sighed softly, "No, don't think like that. If you had been here, you would have been hit too. Same if I had. We couldn't have stopped this."
It hurt to admit that, certainly. But...the reports spoke of hundreds of planes. That was more than either she or Enterprise could have handled. Sara wasn't prideful enough to think otherwise, however much she disliked thinking of that. That said though, it was hardly like they couldn't make up for their failure in a different way. It wasn't their fault. They couldn't have stopped it. But...
"...I know." Enterprise finally replied. Her voice sounded defeated, missing the cheerful tone that Sara was used to. "But I don't like thinking about it. I was so close by...some of my pilots were here during the attack!"
"And we couldn't have stopped it even then."
Sara sighed heavily, before putting on a smile. Even if no one could see it, she did it for herself.
"But we can fight back. We took a big hit here, but we can come back from it. Don't worry Little E, we'll win this war that Japan started. They have no idea who they've attacked, and even if we have to take up the role the battleships should have had, we will beat them back. They won't know what hit them!"
She couldn't see it, but Sara knew Little E was smiling herself.
"Right! You and Lex trained us well, Aunt Sara. We can win this!"
"Exactly. Now get out there, and show them what you can do. This is your chance to shine, remember that."
"But aren't you going to join me?"
"No, not yet anyway. I'm going to be reinforcing Wake."
Little E tapped her chin, something Sara could hear over the radio, "Wake?"
"Between Midway and Japan. We have a small outpost there, and it's my job to make sure they survive." Sara smiled, almost eager to finally get the chance to show she could fight. "And I'm not about to fail!"
"Well of course you won't. You taught me everything I know, Aunt Sara. I know you can handle anything Japan throws at you! You and Aunt Lex both!"
Sara couldn't help the flush that crossed her cheeks, as she pulled down her cap. Her hand brushed against the blue feathers in said cap, making her smile despite the flush. Yes...she and Lex had been the ones to pioneer American carrier doctrine. They had the skill and experience that entailed, and few could ever match it. So Sara could believe Little E when she spoke those words. And those words were a buoy to her in another way.
Because Sara knew she was going to be going to Wake alone.
"Be careful out there, Little E. Lex will be with you, but I don't want to come back and find out something happened to you!" Sara smiled, as she looked out at the other carrier, pulling out to sea with her escorts.
"Don't worry, I learned from the best!"
Smile refusing to leave her lips, Sara turned back to her large island. It was time to go keep an eye on her Admiral, and figure out what was going to happen. It was just a matter of resupplying and picking up the reinforcements for Wake, but she liked to be prepared. The very last thing Sara wanted was to fail on her very first combat mission...
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I...see. You have my apologies, for what happened on that island. It is a stain on my honor, and that of my Nation.
No, you weren't at fault for that. Or for the War at all. We were all serving our nations, regardless of how we may have felt ourselves.
Perhaps, but you...
Lost my sister. She's nothing but a memory now...
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Saratoga sighed softly, as she lay down on her deck. She could feel men swarming in and out of her hull. Feel the pounding of hammers and the sharp burn of welding. She could hear the echoed orders and work being done on her old hull. She would be the first to admit the work was needed. The sharp pain in her legs from the hit she sustained was still fresh in mind. If more than one torpedo had hit she...she would have died. Died, despite failing at the one mission she had been assigned. Sara had been down ever since that day.
The day when she abandoned the brave defenders of Wake Island to their fate.
I know I couldn't have done anything. Two carriers against one is not a fight I should ever have to do. But I could have at least tried!
And yet, she hadn't. Sara had pulled back, leaving Wake to the Japanese. She had been on patrol and shuffled around the Pacific for a little while after that, before the fateful torpedo had hit her. She had limped back to Pearl, and from there, to Bremerton. And there she had remained, a long deferred modernization underway. That was hardly something Sara could, or would, complain about. She wanted to go back out as best as she could be, so that she could win this time. But...
"Lex..."
More importantly, she wanted to get out to her sister. Last she had heard- or rather, her officers had heard -her sister was with Yorktown, facing down the Japanese in the South Pacific. Sara had complete confidence her sister and Little E's sister. But she didn't like the waiting. She and Lex had served together for their entire careers, and they had rarely been apart. So she didn't like the idea of her twin being out there without her.
Not at all.
"I hope you're okay, Lex," Sara sighed softly, looking up at the sky. "Be careful..."
After she said that, Sara continued to watch clouds float above her. Watch the clouds, and listen to the work being done on her hull. There was little else for her to do, unable to talk with anyone. There were not even any other ships she could talk to at the moment. And so, she lay down, and let the noise of her work crew working lull her to a state of restfulness.
A state that would soon be disturbed, as she heard something rather closer. Tilting her head, expecting a member of her crew, Sara's blue eyes widened. For instead of a member of her crew, she saw a man she had never seen before. And more importantly, he saw her. This wasn't him looking through her, she saw grey eyes focused entirely on her.
He can see me?
Stumbling to unsteady feet, Sara smoothed out her short blue skirt and adjusted her top.
"Hello?"
She didn't expect a reply, not really. But the strange man, dressed in a dark grey suit, merely smiled ever so slightly.
"Hello to you too, Saratoga."
"You can..."
"See you? Yes, I can. I can see all of you girls in fact, and that is why I'm here." The strange man's smile faded, as he pulled his hands from around his back. "Though I am afraid it is not a social visit. I have this, for you."
Sara's eyes followed the movement...only for her legs to give out. The carrier fell forward onto her knees, blue eyes disbelieving, as she stared at the man's hands.
No...no no no no no...
Hands that held a familiar hat, twin to the one that held her own strawberry blonde hair back. The hat was torn and scuffed, soot coating the white fabric. The golden eagle that rested on the front of it was dulled, part of one wing cracked off. And the blue feathers were damaged, one barely holding on to it's place.
"Lex..."
The man sighed softly, as he placed the hat in Sara's shaking hands. "I am truly sorry you had to learn this way, Saratoga. But I am afraid your sister was sunk by the Japanese. Yorktown survived, but Lexington did not. I was sent to return this to you, as you are the one who should have it."
Sara didn't hear the man's words. She merely held the hat, the damaged fabric rough in her hands. She held it to her chest, her heart beating painfully against it. The carrier, for the first time, felt hot tears flowing down her cheeks.
Lex...sis...I...failed. Again. I should have been there to help you! I should have been there!
But she wasn't. And now, Saratoga brought the hat up to her chin, resting her head on the tattered object. Tears flowed freely, her mouth squeezed shut. Her heart felt like it had been torn into little pieces, as the carrier sunk further down, her shoulders shaking with the effort to hold her sobs back. Saratoga clutched Lexington's hat to her, holding onto it like it would vanish if she didn't. Like she would lose everything she had of her sister, if she so much as weakened her hold on it.
She couldn't lose it. She couldn't lose her sister.
"She's gone...Lex is gone..." Sara's voice cracked, as she held her sister's hat against her heart. It was all she could do.
If she let go, she would lose herself. Sara could already feel her heart breaking further, as she voiced what had happened. The sister who had always been there for her was gone. She would never see Lex pull into port beside her again. She would never hear the soft, kindly voice of her sister. It didn't matter that she was technically a little older, Lex had always played the role of elder sister. And now she was gone. Just like that, Sara had lost her only sister. Lex would never be there for her again.
All she had left was this hat.
"I'm sorry," the strange man leaned down, placing a hand on Sara's shoulder. "I truly am."
"How..."
"How did she die?"
Sara couldn't bring herself to vocalize her response, merely nodding her head as she retained her death-grip on her sister's hat.
The man sighed again, "She fought hard, Saratoga. Harder than anyone could expect."
"..."
"Her fuel." The man finally answered the question. "Her fuel caused secondary explosions. She didn't survive."
Killed by her own fuel. Sara could only nod dumbly, as the man pulled away from her.
"Take care, Saratoga."
She didn't reply, staring dully in front of her. Sara's blue eyes were equally dull, unfocused on anything. All she saw was the beautiful hull of her sister...her mind eye filling in the blanks. Fire and debris flying into the air. Lex screaming in pain. Her hull sagging in the water, the crew abandoning her to her fate. Like Sara had abandoned Wake. And she hadn't been there. Sara hadn't been there to at least comfort her sister as she sank.
Sara had...she had failed her sister.
"Lex..."
Falling to her deck, Sara clutched the hat ever tighter against her chest. Hot, fat tears refused to stop, as she screwed her eyes shut. Her hands shook, the carrier's entire body shook. Nothing but pain was in her heart, as she lay on her flight deck. The sound of her crew was gone. The sound of the man leaving was gone. There was nothing but the carrier and her racking sobs. Saratoga didn't bother to hold them in any longer, as she cried. Sobs were ripped from her throat, the carrier for once glad to she couldn't be heard.
She couldn't be heard, and that allowed her to give voice to her grief.
"I failed you Lex! I should have been there to help you!" Sara cried out, her heart breaking even further were it possible. "Why couldn't I be there? Why couldn't I help you? I can't...I can't fight alone. We should have been together until we were retired...we were going to stay together forever..."
Hands clutching desperately at the hat, Sara choked back a sob.
"I'm alone now. I've lost my only sister. Lex...sis...I..."
Sara was unable to finish, a wordless scream of grief all that came from her mouth, as she lay on her deck, her heart shattered into tiny little pieces...
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Standing on that deck, Sara looked out at the ship in the distance. At the girl- no, at the woman -she had been talking to, the first to hear of how she had truly reacted when she lost Lexington. That had been four years ago now, and the pain was as fresh as it had ever been. It was why Sara had never even told Little E how she felt, keeping up a strong front for the younger carrier. Especially after Enterprise found herself in the same situation...lone survivor of her class. They had both made a pact, the first time they met again in 1943.
They would never bring up their fallen sisters, either to each other or to the younger girls who bore their names.
So why was Sara talking of it now? Now, she knew her own death was near. She was no fool. Looking at the other warships surrounding her, from proud Nevada painted a brilliant orange, to old Arkansas in the distance, Sara knew one thing. They were targets. For what, she didn't know. But there was no other reason that she would be here, with all these ships. Especially with the German cruiser nearby as well, and the...two Japanese ships. A cruiser, and the woman Sara was staring at, across the water of Bikini Atoll.
"I am sorry you had to go through that." Battleship Nagato spoke softly, her red eyes looking at the water beneath them. "Moreover, I am sorry it was because my Nation attacked your own."
Sara shook her head, a small smile on her lips despite everything, "No, don't apologize Nagato. You aren't at fault for what happened."
"I lead the attack on Pearl Harbor," Nagato replied shortly, her voice pained. "I was the flagship of Imperial Japan. The nation that took your sister, and killed many of your countrymen. It is only natural that you would be angry."
"I stopped being angry, a long time ago." Sara looked down herself, clutching at the old hat she had never let far from her. "So did Enterprise. We took just as much from you as you ever did from us. Your sister isn't here, I noticed."
Nagato looked stricken, as the otherwise stoic battleship turned her head, "You had nothing to do with Mutsu's death. She fell in harbor, victim of a member of her own crew."
"Oh..." the carrier looked down, "I'm sorry, Nagato."
"You couldn't have known, Saratoga-san."
She hadn't. Sara wasn't familiar with the Japanese warship's history, but that hardly excused things. Still...
"What was she like?"
"..."
"You don't have to tell me."
A shake of the battleship's head was the only answer, "No, this is the hour of both our deaths. If even one other remembers Mutsu as I die, then I will at least rest easier."
And so Nagato began to tell a story of a cheerful girl, who had a teasing side bigger than Sara's stacks. Of a girl who always had a joke ready, even if it meant teasing her elder sibling. Mutsu had been a girl who was almost the heart of any fleet she was in, always there when someone needed a shoulder to cry on. Or ready and waiting to make anything into a joke, if the opportunity presented itself. Nagato tried to sound annoyed when she talked of those jokes. Her lips twitched however, and her voice shook. Sara felt like she could hug the battleship, knowing the feeling quite well.
For all that Mutsu's antics may have annoyed her, Nagato quite clearly missed them dearly.
She spoke disapprovingly of Mutsu never acting professional. Of the younger battleship constantly trying to get a rise out of her stoic sister. Acting unbecoming of a battleship of the Emperor's Navy. Especially when that battleship was also a member of the Big Seven. But for all that Nagato disapproved, she never said she hated it. Or that Mutsu was dishonorable. No...if anything, Nagato sounded fonder and sadder with each word. Until her voice finally trailed off, talking about the last day they had spent together.
"I was sent out while she was in harbor." Nagato's voice was soft, almost impossible to hear. "I left with Mutsu's typical teasing, and I replied that she needed to be serious as always. Our little ritual. I had no idea at the time it would be the last time I ever saw my sister."
Sara sighed softly herself, "That is...very familiar. Lex went out with Yorktown, and I stayed behind. It never even crossed my mind I wouldn't see her again, you know?"
"Yes, I believe I do Saratoga-san." The battleship smiled weakly. "At the least, I was informed of what happened. Though I have never..."
"Seen that man again."
Nagato nodded, though confusion was clear on her stoic face, "You have met him?"
The carrier nodded wearily, "Only once, when he gave me Lex's hat. I didn't know who he was at the time, and I still don't know. I can only assume he was a messenger of some kind, but...otherwise, I honestly don't know. Don't really care either."
A slight twitch of Nagato's lips betrayed her amusement, "No, I imagine you don't. It would be dishonest to say I cared. All that matters is that he told us what happened to our sisters, yes?"
"Exactly."
Sisters that they would soon be joining. Sara looked down at the hat in her hands once again, as she ran a finger gently along the cracked eagle. The metal was cool under her touch, reminding her of Lexington. It had been so long since she had seen her sister...but the memories were as fresh in her mind as they ever had been. Sara had already told Nagato of Lex. The battleship had been a good listener, not once interrupting Saratoga in her tales. Only serving as a silent listener, as the carrier poured her heart out.
Strange, that she would do that for someone who was an enemy not long ago. And whom she had only recently met.
But Nagato was insightful, in a way that few others Sara had met ever were. She was correct, when the battleship said this was the hour of their deaths. And...it was relaxing, in a way. To face death with dignity, knowing that at least one other ship was by her side. Who would remember her sister, even if they were both doomed. And in the end, Sara may have considered Nagato a friend in better times.
But...this meeting was never going to last long.
"You know we're going to die soon, don't you?"
Nagato nodded again, her stoic features not changing at all. Sharp red eyes looked at Sara, as the battleship held a single hand up, waving it at the grouping of ships around them.
"Yes, I do. I knew such, the moment I was taken captive by your Navy, Saratoga-san. I am the last of Japan's battleships. Moreover, I lead the attack that began this war. It is only understandable, that your nation would expend me as some form of target. For revenge, if nothing else." Nagato sighed softly, as she looked at Sara. "That you and your comrades are here as well is the only thing that confuses me, though I do understand the presence of Prinz Eugen and Sakawa-chan."
Sara smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes, "I don't know the answer either, Nagato. But...whatever the Navy is planning on doing, I'll be right here with you. Considering that Nevada, Arkansas, New York...they're all here too, which means we're surplus."
The battleship's lips twitched, despite the situation.
"I may finally understand Admiral Yamamoto," she whispered. "He always claimed that America would be more than capable of building a navy that could crush our own, were we not able to force a short war. That the United States can sacrifice a fleet carrier of your skill and experience, in addition to several battleships, without so much as a pause to question the action?"
A small, soft, laugh escaped her lips.
"Yes, I can see what the Admiral meant, now, at the end of my life."
Both warships fell silent at that, lost in their own thoughts. Sara gently rubbing her hand along Lex's cover. Nagato staring at the sky, hands clenched in her skirt. The two warships, once mortal foes, were now united. If only in their upcoming deaths, the countdown to that echoing in Sara's mind. She knew this day was her last, and it was only a matter of time until her death came.
But...
I may be dying, but at least I can see Lex again.
Saratoga lifted her beloved sister's cover to her chest, holding it against her heart, as the sound of an aircraft echoed over the silent atoll.
"I believe it is time, Saratoga-san." Nagato spoke up, as both battleship and aircraft carrier turned, noting the massive form a Superfortress bomber flying in the distance.
"Looks like it." Sara nodded back, small smile crossing her face. "I'm still not sure how this is going to end, but I'm glad I could meet you Nagato."
"As am I, Saratoga."
No more words were said, as a fat bomb dropped from the bay of the Superfortress. One single bomb, massive and almost comical in shape. Sara had no idea what this bomb was, as it descended towards the fleet. But it hardly mattered. She shut her blue eyes for the last time, holding Lex's cap to her chest. The carrier lay down on her deck, as the bomb detonated.
Fire and pressure the likes of which she had never felt roared over her hull, setting her deck aflame. Her hull was blasted and battered by the explosion, though it held strong for now.
Her hull held strong. Sara merely lay on her deck, her sister's last memento held close, as her breathing slowed. Sara felt nothing but cold, as she drifted away. It was a comforting cold, the hands of death...but a death that would reunite her with her sister. Sara would miss Little E. She would miss Ranger. She would even miss the other carriers, including the one who bore her beloved twin's name. And she would miss Nagato, despite the short time they had spent together.
But it was her time, and she would greet death willingly.
Goodbye...Nagato. Goodbye Ranger. Goodbye, Little E.
Wake up.
Sara, wake up.
Come on, you need to wake up.
Come back!
A shuddering breath came from Saratoga's lungs, as she opened her eyes. Eyes she should not have been able to open. She was no longer on the burning deck of her hull either, despite the impossibility of that fact. She lay on solid ground, soft carpet beneath her body. Clutching Lex's cover tightly, Sara slowly climbed to her feet, confusion clear in every bit of her features.
"Where am I?"
"Home."
Saratoga froze, her body slowly turning.
No...that's not possible...
"L...Lex?"
"Yes, sis."
Sara turned, blue eyes widening to what may have been comical levels in any other situation. Standing across from her, smiling softly, was her sister. Lexington wore the same clothing she had always worn...a loosely buttoned white uniform blouse. A short white skirt, that didn't go any further down her legs than Sara's own blue skirt. Black leggings, covering her shapely legs. And of course, a soft smile, that Sara had missed so dearly.
It should have been impossible. But her sister was there in front of her, and the carrier didn't know how to react.
"I missed you, Sara," Lex continued, her voice soft as the blonde could remember it always being. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you again, little sister."
"Lex...I..."
The carrier wanted to say something. Some way to tell her sister how much she had missed her. But no words came from her mouth. All Sara could do was take a hesitant step forward. Lex gently smiled at her, holding her arms open. That was all the invitation Sara needed, as she threw caution to the wind. Her legs powered her forward, as she ran into her sister's arms, nearly tackling Lex to the ground, were it not for her sister's sure footing.
Not that Sara would have cared, had she knocked her to the ground. She felt tears in her eyes once again, wetting Lex's uniform. Her sister didn't seem to care, as she held onto the older carrier, not once letting go. All Lex did was hold Sara to her, soothingly whispering into her sister's ear. Running a hand through strawberry blonde locks, as she held Sara tightly.
She's back. She's back. She's back.
Unable to think, all Saratoga could do was clutch to her sister, afraid that if she let go, Lex would vanish and leave her alone again. The impossibility of this situation didn't even matter to her. All that mattered was the almost overwhelming worry that her sister would be gone, if she let go. Sara couldn't lose her again. It would break her.
"Sis...shh..." Lex whispered, pulling away slightly to wipe a stray tear from Sara's face. "I'm not going anywhere, you don't need to worry."
"I lost you, Lex!" Sara shot back, grip not loosening in the slightest.
"I know...I know." The grey-haired carrier smiled softly, shaking her head. "And I'm sorry for that. I know how much it had to have hurt you, to lose me like that. I certainly felt more pain in my heart as I sank, knowing I was leaving you alone."
Sara squeezed her sister tightly, "But I should have been there to help you."
"No, that wasn't your fault. You needed the time to be updated, and I never did begrudge you that. You're my sister, and I always wanted the best for you."
Even if that meant you died?
Clearly, Sara didn't voice those thoughts, as she clutched her sister's body. Lex continued to stroke her hair, as she looked down at the shorter carrier. Sara looked up at her, blue eyes meeting equally ones that were equally blue. Twin sisters...
"Sara?"
"Yes..."
Lex smiled, as she pulled away, despite the sound of protest her sister made, "I would love to stay like this, but we need to catch up. There is a lot you need to know."
A small frown crossed Sara's face, "A lot I need to know?"
Her sister merely sighed, holding on to her hand, as she lead Sara over to a table. The two carriers sat down next to each other, not once letting go of the other. Sara appreciated that, more than she would ever vocalize. She...needed the reassurance her sister wasn't going to vanish. All the pain she had pushed down since that fateful day had come back, and she couldn't face that so quickly. So, holding on to Lex kept it at bay, at least somewhat. Knowing that her sister wasn't going to vanish kept her centered.
Kept her from losing control, as Lex began speaking again.
"We don't have hulls anymore, Sara." The grey-haired carrier began. "We're...ship girls. Called back from our rest, to fight a new enemy. That is why I was here, waiting for you to return."
"Enemy?"
Questions about what she was now could wait. Sara may have just ended one war. But she would be damned if her sister were hurt, again.
"Abyssals, as the Japanese named them." Lex continued softly. "They are our enemy. Monsters who exist only to kill and destroy...I have fought them myself. It is not a pleasant experience, sis."
"And that's why..."
"Why we came back."
Staring at her sister, the serious look in her eyes, Sara knew just one thing. It may have been just recently she ended a war. She may have been resting, and happy about that. But she would not let her sister fight alone. She couldn't let her sister fight alone.
"Tell me more."
USS Saratoga would not fail, never again.
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Genolution
Hello there
- Location
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
Wow, sucked me in from the start like always, Master Skywalker. Now I want to see Sara and the rest of the Crossroaders have a reunion.
pharaoh122
*Insert witty title here*
- Location
- Imperial Manila, Asian Mexico
Looking forward to more. Your stories are always a great read.
SaltyWaffles
I am dissapoint, son
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Right in the feels, cap'n.
still_guns
For the Empire!
- Location
- Bridge of ISS Conundrum
I found the ninja you sent Sky... but he was already chopping onions and he got away whilst my vision was blurred
Skywalker_T-65
Writer with too many ideas.
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- Plural/They/He/Her
Well, that is an intention here. Especially with Nagato.
Which ended up working better than I thought it would. Then again, there are commonalities between the two so...
Looking forward to more. Your stories are always a great read.
Thanks!
I probably understand Sara better than any ship/character (including E, believe it or not). So getting in the proper mood to write this...was easier than expected. Sara's history is fertile ground for FEELS.
Well, even if it's FEELS, at least I got that part good!
And that's an ego-booster right there. Means I wrote this well.
Heh.
Also, for context:
As just about the only designs I like from it, I use WSG!Lex and Sara here. Actually, they may well be my favorite character designs across both games.
esseresse
R'lyth Power Make-up
- Location
- divorceville, state of depression
- Pronouns
- They/Her
And this is the 7th active Kantai fic I'm following
8th active shipgirl fic
32nd active fic
*Rocks back and forth on top of the bedroom door while gibbering*
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
8th active shipgirl fic
32nd active fic
*Rocks back and forth on top of the bedroom door while gibbering*
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
Must keep plot lines straight
I can absolutely reassure you that you will eventually master the skill of being able to switch from story to story in reading or writing without mixing up anything.
I cannot promise that you will retain your reason and sanity. Then again, I'm a Floridian, so maybe you'll do better than me in that regard!
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
Doubleposting is impolite, you know.
- Location
- Vancouver, Washington
Very enjoyable read. I'm glad that here Sister Sara has been reunited with Lady Lex.