Title: A Dream in an Autumn Dawn

Fandom: Kantai Collection

Focus: Akatsuki

Genre: Romance

Author's Comment: It's been a long time since I written, so my writing feels a little bit rusty. I really need some criticism so please, if you have any, give them in the comments.


13th November 1942
It was reliving.
The pressure of the deep sea, being a useless scrap in the bottom of the ocean.
I stared at the sunlight infraction through the thin surface of water above me.
Even though when I can't move a single thing.
It was a beautiful view.
"I'm sorry"
I muttered to myself.
I can't believe that I became so weak.
I can't believe that I became so useless.
I just couldn't accept of my own existence ending, when I haven't even achieved a single thing.
"I wish…"
I can become grown and experienced.
I'm the Type 3 Special Type Destroyer, so of course I have the potential.
Of course….
Of course…
I….Akatsuki
I…want to go back to the surface
I want to fight
I want to prove my self
"Ikazuchi! Ikazuchi!"
Of course, she will never hear.
I'm just a sunk, pile of scrap after all.
I don't exist anymore, since I can't be used as my original purpose.
I can't be used as a transport…as a weapon anymore.

I can't do anything.
I can't do anything.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry"
To everyone…to commander…
If I have survived, If you're all with me.
I'm sure I can do my best.

But…I'm sunk.
So deep in the ocean.
I don't exist anymore
In everyone's mind.
"You're just a destroyer"
Yes, I'm nothing more than a destroyer
I am meant to be destroyed. Meant to be replaced
Why am I feeling despair? Why am I feeling regret? I'm a non-human entity, I'm not supposed to feel anything.
But why…
Existence.
Is it….because…. I'm afraid of not existing? Is that why I'm afraid of sinking?
"It's alright…"
I heard voices from over the surface.
"It's alright…"
Why? Why is it alright?
"Because you definitely exist"
Why….commander…
"So just sleep, Akatsuki, don't worry about anything"
…Commander…
Because I'm here with you, right beside you

….
….

"Akatsuki, are you okay?"
"Commander…"
"Akatsuki…it's me…"
"Fueeeh!" I finally reached to my senses as vision came back to me.
I stared on my hands as I muttered in disbelief.
"I'm not sinking…"
Hibi….Verniy looked at me with her usual composed face.
"Akatsuki...it's today, isn't it?
"Today..?"
"The day when the real you…sank"
".…" I stared at Verniy in confusion.
I see…it's the day when I sank…
"Is it frightening, Akatsuki?"
"It was…scary…"
Why…am I dreaming this? Aren't our counterparts supposed to be…non-living weapons?
"It really felt like…I was dying…feeling very hopeless…"
"…It must be really frightening" Verniy clenched my hand tightly "It's weird isn't? For us simulating a non-living weapon, as if we're actually presenting their own emotions."
"Hibi…uh…Ver..."
"Hibiki is alright" she smiled faintly "Since you're only supposed to know me as that"
"Yes…."
I'm still not used to her new name, even though it has been months since she was remodeled into 'Verniy'.
It felt very wrong for me to call her that.
It's very unladylike of me.
"Hibiki…do you feel scared…having a dream like this?"
".…" Her faint smile disappeared.
"Ah…I'm sorry…"
"It's alright Akatsuki" she smiled softly, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"I was dismantled, so my dream isn't as scary and violent as yours but…it's a very long dream…and a very lonely one"
"Sorry..."
Hibiki went silent for a while…and then smiled softly again
"It's alright Akatsuki, you should rest. You're acting like Inazuma"
"Wait...why Inazuma…"
"But seeing you very ladylike like this is quite cute. Khorosho"
"Wait! What do you mean by that!? I've always been ladylike!"
"Ah, Akatsuki is normal now. Khorosho"
"Stop implying that I'm normally unladylike!"
Hibiki suddenly hugged me and softly said
"It's alright Akatsuki. You don't need to be concerned by that dream"
"Hibiki…"
"You being here right now is what matters. You certainly exist right now"
A sudden dread feeling suddenly filled my chest. The painful feeling I had when I sunk…
"I...exist?"
"That's right, right beside me…the commander…Inazuma…Ikazuchi…"
"Guu…." tears started to form in my eyes "Hibiki…I…"
"It's alright, Akatsuki"
"Uwaaaaaaa!" A wash of relief filled my heart as I cried into Hibiki's chest.
"Akatsuki…"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She patted my head as I continued crying.

It felt like hours as I cried into Hibiki's chest.
My eyes and mouth feels very tired.
"Hibiki…I'm…"
Just then, I heard the door opening.
And then I saw the commander entering my room.
"Akatsuki…are you okay now?"
"C-C-C-Commander!"
W-w-wait! I'm still in my pajamas!
"Wait Commander! I'm still not…"
"Hmm..?"
I felt a very deep embarrassment as he stared at me.
"This is very unladylike of me~~"
"It's alright" he grinned "Akatsuki is always ladylike in every situation. And I love that about her"
Wha..is he proclaiming that…in front of his own…
As I looked at Hibiki, she just smiled.
"I'll always love Akatsuki, ladylike or unladylike. Khorosho" she smiled

Are they bullying me!?
"Verniy, is she getting better?"
"She's alright commander, she's just had a bad dream"
"I see…hmmm"
He walks towards me and then stared at my face.
"Hmmm…your face seems red…"
W...wait...
"And you're heating up, I wonder why…"
His face went closer to mine.
Wa…wait...is he going to…
"Your pupils is quite wide. Verniy, why don't you check her temperature?"
"Understood"

That's right, I shouldn't have expected anything cliché like that from a married man! Thinking of such things! A lady shouldn't do that!
"I'll make some tea for us, so I'll be going out for a while"
"…yes"
I felt as if my energy is flowing out of the tip of my fingers.
"Hmm? Your skin is quite cool." Hibiki proclaimed as she compared my forehead with hers.
"It's nothing.…"
"….fufu" she smirked
"What is your problem!?"
"It's alright Akatsuki, Commander will give you something good today"
"What!? What do you mean by that?"
".…" She didn't say anything.
"…Hibiki?"
"Both me...and the Commander…love you very much"
"W...wait, what are you saying!?"
She suddenly spouted such an embarrassing line.
"So.…it's okay…." She just looked at me with a longing gaze.
"Is something the matter…Hibiki? You're acting mysterious. It's unladylike"
"No, it's nothing" she smiled.
Just as I felt puzzled about her reaction, Commander suddenly entered the room, carrying a tray of tea sets.
"Here's some hot tea to warm you up, Akatsuki"
"Uh? Thanks Commander…"
"You too Verniy, and I bought some jam for you as well"
"Spasiba Commander. Khorosho"
"As I thought, tea is really a drink for a lady!"
"Hmmm" the commander grumbled.
"And here you are drinking coffee. That's so unladylike!"
"Well, I'm a man after all" he smiled wryly.
Right after the commander putted down his cup of coffee, he suddenly proclaimed.
"Akatsuki, tonight we'll be eating out"
"Eh? Really!?"
The food Mamiya-san made is delicious but eating out is a really special occasion.
"Of course"
"Hibiki, Inazuma and Ikazuchi will go as well, right!?"
"...about that…"
"Sorry Akatsuki…" Hibiki sighed "I have to wait for Inazuma and Ikazuchi for their expedition reports"
"Eh…but the more the merrier…"
"Sorry Akatsuki…"
"Then Commander, why don't we go another time?"
"Eh…well…"
"Akatsuki" Hibiki smiled faintly "Today is your special day, so it's alright"
"...if you say so Hibiki…"
I see…Commander wants to cheer me up, since today is my sinking day.
But it'll be even more cheerful if all my little sisters goes as well.

Both me and Commander changed into our casual clothes and went out of the naval base.
We didn't even eat out, he brought me to a very romantic movie, called "Titanic" or something.
In the end, the ship sinks. Such a tragic movie. And kind of trauma inducing.
"COMMANDER! WHY DID YOU BRING ME TO THIS KIND OF MOVIE!?"
"I…I'm sorry, I just got this tickets for free….so…."
As a token of regret, he then brought me to some store for some shopping.
"I'm sorry about earlier….why don't you buy anything you want?"
"A toy store….Jeez Commander, I'm not a kid…"
But we actually bought some ship models kit and lots of other stuff, so it was so worth it.
In the end, we were walking together, side by side, in a quite busy street.
"Akatsuki, don't get lost"
"Eh!?"
He held my hand.
…somehow this really feels like a date.
Wait…no! He's supposed to be married! I'm not supposed to be happy like this! I'm not supposed to be happy when a married man cheats on his wife with me! It's…it's…..
"IT'S SO UNLADYLIKE!"
"What's so unladylike?"
"Eh...uh…nothing..."
Ooops, my thought accidentally slipped out.
Calm down Akatsuki. Commander is just taking you out to cheer you up, nothing special.
...I suddenly felt a sudden urge...
"…nn"
"What's wrong Akatsuki?"
"I need to…go to the toilet…"
"Oh…." he smiled wryly "Then why don't we go inside that family restaurant? We'll eat dinner there"
"O-okay…"

We then went inside as I immediately rushed into the bathroom.
As I went back to our table, Commander immediately smiled at me.
"I already ordered your food, Akatsuki"
"Wait? Why did you ordered for me! What if I don't want it!?"
"It's alright, I ordered your favorite after all"
"Jeez.…"
I wondered if he really knows my favorite, but I think eating the food that Commander chooses for me isn't that bad.
"Eating together with the Commander, just the two of us….it really feels like a lady"
"Is that so" he grinned.
As the waiter brought out the food, I'm waiting with anticipation on what food Commander ordered me.

Orange juice, and a pilaf with a flag on top.
"…jeez Commander! Isn't this a kids menu!?"
"Don't you like orange juice and pilaf?"
"W-well…I do like them….but still! You're treating me like a kid!"
"I see…" he sighs "Then I'll just eat that for you then"
"Wait…no! I'll eat it!"

After our dinner, we both went back to the docks, but the Commander went out to the seashore.
"It was really fun huh…except for the movies"
"Hmph, that was the worse"
"Hahaha…I didn't really expect that ending, I'm quite out of touch to today's entertainment after all..."
"What are you, a hermit!?
"I'll be careful next time"
He the silently stare out at the endless sea.
"Commander…why are we here?"
"Staring at the edge of the horizon. Isn't the sea calming?"
"Well, perhaps…"
We have enemies across the sea, so I couldn't really see the sea as calming.
"The sea is also scary as well…"
"Well...that's…"
That's true.
Since this place will be our graveyards…eventually.
"It's so calming, yet also depressing, so worrisome" he muttered
He then smiled at me.
"Akatsuki, you know…that you're a Destroyer"
"...yes"
"And a Destroyer can be sunk very easily"

The feeling of dread from my earlier dream came back.
"It's your own limit, it's your own truth. Even back during the warring days, Destroyers aren't really that expected to last long"
"...yes…Commander"
Why is he saying those mean things? Isn't he supposed to cheer me up?
"Even then...I won't let you sink"

What…is he saying?
"As long as I live, as long as we're together, I'll never, ever let you sink"
"...Commander.…"
He took a deep breath and said. "I already swore to myself…and I already said these will of mine to you, so…"
He rustled in his pockets, and took out a box.
"Something….good…"
Wait...not...it's not that, it mustn't be…..
It's probably some other things…don't get your hopes up Akatsuki…
…or…you'll be hurt…
As Commander opened the box, I could see it.
A navy certified ring.
The proof of love between the commander and his ship.
"That's…"
"Please marry me, Akatsuki"

He said it. That line. That very line
I felt very happy, but also very anxious at the same time.
"Bu…but….Hibiki….don't you love Hibiki, Commander!?"
"Of course" he smiled "I love her, I'm deeply in love with her. But I'm also deeply in love with you as well"
"What is that…." Is it really possible to love two person at the same time? Is Hibiki really okay with this!?
"Admiral will give something good to you today"
Is this what she meant by something good? Does she already know?
"Akatsuki?"
"C...Commander…" I stuttered "I…I…."
"Akatsuki…"
"I'm shooo happi!" My voice became disoriented because my eyes became so wet.
Commander approached me, and wrapped his hands around me.
I sobbed into his chest, since I can't hold back my tears.
So unladylike.
"Akatsuki…I'm sorry for being so sudden"
"COMMANDER YU LOLICON!"
"L...Lolicon!?"
"Yu alredy marrid Hibiki but yu also wa….want…to….marri mi!? Of corsh!"
"You're talking like a drunk…"
"Shaddap! I'm tuu embarresd rait n'ow"
I could hear Commander sighed as he patted my head.
"It has nothing to do with your body type…"
As I calmed down from my sobbing, I finally said
"…I love you too Commander…"
"Akatsuki…"
"Please lower your head" I urged him
Then, I gave him a kiss on his lips.

Definitely ladylike.
And definitely embarrassing.
…I'm sorry Hibiki
"Thank you Akatsuki"
He smiled as he patted my head.
"Jeez, you're still treating me like a kid even in a situation like this."
"My bad.…"

Things went silent.
But my heart is in euphoria.
"I guess…I exist after all"
Because right now.
I'm right beside you, Commander