She remembers the fiery hot blaze of destruction that paints the ocean a deep crimson red.

There's just something so hypnotizing about it, Akagi thinks, as she watches, entranced, at the way the flames flicker— dance and flitter— across the surface of the sea, eventually spiraling away into a wisp of smoke.

For a split of a second she forgets about the despair and the hopelessness over her current predicament, allowing herself to simply indulge in the crackling of the roaring flames before her— like a child all huddled up before the hearth of a fireplace in the middle of a frigid winter.

She remembers the anguished screams of her comrades— of rage and vengeance.

Of grief and loss.

It's madness. It's chaos.

Torpedoes are sent whizzing and cannons are sent blasting at every corner. Everything is a blur, and only the raw emotions in those screams ring through.

Tears fall, mingling with the salt of the sea.

After all, it's a known fact that all ships would eventually return home one day, one way or the other— back to mother ocean.

Akagi remembers watching her fall.

And it happens all too quickly before she can even react.

She remembers her heart splitting into two, her gut dropping into an oblivion, her voice reaching to great heights, then finally cracks when she sees the ghost of a broken smile on her bloodied face.

And she hears a loud snap coming from somewhere deep within herself.

She wants to— no, needs to— close in towards her. (To feel her warmth encased around her one last time.)

But her legs can no longer budge.

She needs to reach out for her. (To interlace their fingers together and hold her close. Palm to palm. Heart to heart.)

But her arms are far too heavy to even move.

And this searing pain in her shoulder is nothing; compared to the excruciating twinge in her chest of watching her one and only love slowly fade away into a pitch of nothingness, consumed by the beautiful raging flames.

As Akagi had thought, the color red has never once suited her after all.

And finally, she remembers sinking.

All alone.

Embraced by the ocean and kissed by nothing else but the color of blue, blue and more blue.

Blue— Kaga's favorite color.

Akagi smiles.

Surrounded and dyed in her color…

If she closes her eyes and pretends hard enough, it's almost as if she back in her cool embrace.

Sinking… It isn't as bad as they all make it out to be, Akagi thinks in her final moments. Though, she only wishes that she could have one more chance.

Because the next time they were to ever sink…

It'll be together.

Together, by each other's side.

'...-san…'

'…-kagi-san…'

"Akagi-san, wake up."

Eyes snapping wide open, Akagi sucks in a gasp.

Air.

Fresh air.

And it takes her a couple seconds to orient herself, fingers flexing and toes, wiggling.

"Akagi-san?" Repeats the same quiet voice from earlier, although this time holding an underlying hint of worry.

Breath hitching, Akagi freezes. Then, gingerly lifts her head, holding her heart between trembling fingers. In the next instant, all she sees is beautiful topazes shimmering back at her, so filled with love, warmth and life.

Life.

And it all comes crashing down on her like a ton of bricks as glances up into that all too familiar face, committing every little curve to memory.

Akagi is not exactly sure to who had moved first, but suddenly, she's all wrapped up in her embrace, gentle arms encircled around her tightly— securely— as if afraid that she might just disappear into thin air.

"Akagi-san… You're finally—" Kaga chokes back on her tears— happy tears— and holds her in a little closer. "You've no idea how long I've waited for you…"

Akagi takes in a shuddering breath, and it is then does she finally notices the tears coursing down her face, but pays no heed to it. Smiling, she leans forth, nuzzling into a trembling shoulder and tightens her grasp around a slim waist, breathing in the crisp fragrance of ice and winter— Kaga.

"Kaga-san, sorry it took me awhile, but I'm home."