Author's Note: I do not know much about the KanColle fandom, or anything outside a few of the manga I've read. I'm going to exercise creative license within this writing, and stray a good bit from the norm of KanColle. I have not completed any event or high level bosses. (Sad much?) Also, I like to keep my writing strict to English standards when writing in English, not that I know any other languages anyways; but that does mean I will be dropping honorifics and similar simply because they're not used in English/Western speech, and that would look very unprofessional/weabooish if I adopted them into my writing. That being said, please enjoy this one shot.
Summary : She stood out from the rest of the Southern Ocean. Her mindset, her views, were different from the others. Shunned out left alone, does she follow through with what she needs to do for the Abyssal Fleet? A Southern Ocean War Princess story.
There wasn't much to be said, they said I was different... she said I was different. What she told me that day probably couldn't be that much further from the truth. I lacked firepower, I lacked intimidation. "But you don't choose who you become," I told her. It didn't matter to her, to them... in the end. I was born a princess, and I was proud of it; but they told me I only looked like one, not that I actually had the right to question my commanding directors anyway.
What did it mean to be a Southern Ocean War Princess anyways? I couldn't see the intimidation or the fear that I should be setting into my opponents anyways; I didn't have the same looks or gazes the Demons or other princesses had. Maybe I just wasn't hardened...
There were others like me, who looked like me, similar I guess; but we weren't sisters. They were simply other Southern War Princesses; but they were not me. No, no way they could be. They were actually proud, and boastful. They would pride themselves on their kill streaks, having sunk this many fleet girls or that many fleet girls. I heard all sorts of numbers being tosses around by the other princesses of the Southern Base. The flames in my hair burned hot, but they were not once a symbol of the power I possessed. They might as well have just been for show. It's cool, I was new and all, but I wasn't allowed out, not until I got stronger. Maybe when that happened, I could earn a couple numbers myself? Hmm... talking about sinking ships... what did an enemy ship look like anyways?
Days pass, and sorties are issued. The directors were always pleased with the results we princesses of the Southern Ocean would bring back. I hear we weren't as ruthless as those in the Northern Ocean are, but we still get work done. Wait, we? Oh yes, not we... them. I wasn't apart of those campaigns. Silly me, my talents on the field probably wouldn't be recognized even if I did go out there. Others would get stronger with the passing days. Airfield Princess, Armored Carrier Princess, and even some of the Wa-Class elites! Transport ships!? But me, I stay the same: weak and useless. It's because of this, I hear the other princesses say that I'll never find happiness. Never.
I hear talk being thrown around of the Southern Ocean becoming a strange place, a new dangerous place. Listening in on what the veterans say, Airfield Princess was talking about one of the academies that train our enemies. The acting admiral of that academy was forced to resign due to sustaining an injury on the battlefield. I've never heard of an admiral going out to fight with his ships, but I'm not going to deny it, especially since the rumors of admirals... humans... marrying their ships, pieces of oil and steel. I respect that, only a man of the sea could see the worth of his ships, could see them for who they are, not for what they are. I was never told I couldn't respect my enemy who I'd never see, but I told not to like them.
The previous acting admiral left... with his wife in tow who also sustained injuries. I don't know much about human behavior, actually, I'm just assuming at this point, but I would speculate an admiral would rather sink with his ship than leave the fleet he so carefully tended and mended together. Maybe his commanding officers were just as cruel as mine were? If that's the case, it can't be helped. I heard he left the care of his special fleet to two special friends who used to operate in the Northern Ocean. Two! Two Admirals in one academy. I've never heard of an admiral sharing his academy of fleet girls with another; but I suppose their case was special? And I was right. Story of the those two admirals and their accomplishments spread across the Southern Ocean faster than a squall. I heard their names tosses around every now and again, and they were said with reverence, usually under the initials H and S.
Yes, I've heard of those two before, they used to operate in the Northern Ocean, and if we could hear about Northern Ocean admirals in the Southern Ocean... you could immediately tell they were bad news for all Abyssal kind. Rumor has it, their own navy looked down on them a lot, and didn't provide them with an academy of any kind simply because their views were different. They were only allowed five fleet girls at maximum, not even six. Just five, and some how... just with five fleet girls, they became the terrors of the Northern Ocean, and now... they have an academy. Isolated Island Demon says they didn't take their original fleet girls with them, they let them go to do anything they pleased except following them. I hear they've never married.
Days pass, weeks pass... yes, the Southern Ocean was changing for the worse for the Abyssal Navy, and the Southern Base couldn't be in anymore unrest. H.I.T.S. Ocean Academy the newly named academy given to the new admirals in the region was starting to become widely known, the number one rule: stay away. Things were getting so bad, even lowly I-Class Destroyers were becoming valuable on the southern seas. Just as I thought I wasn't going to be allowed outside of the base, she came to me. My commanding director, Seaki, a Southern Ocean Demon on the verge of becoming a princess, gave me my first detail.
"You're leaving, and you're never coming back." That's what I was told. I guess since I couldn't do anything, I was just taking up resources. "You're going to be stationed at Primordial Rock, the commander has a job for you. You may be a useless Southern War Princess, but we'll make something out of you yet."
And so it happened. I was given a small regiment and one job: sink transports. Primordial Rock, a labyrinth formation of rocks and crevices, became my new home. Recently, we had lost an Anchorage Princess, so they decided to make use of her equipment that was left behind. One painful trade from another, I may as well have had my name changed too! I was stripped of my right to the ocean, and converted into a small land base, I was no longer a proud aviation battleship of the Abyssal Fleet, but a cobbled together experiment: a land base battleship hybrid. Seaki said I had no use on the sea because I wasn't strong, but now I would be strong, and useful to the Abyssal Fleet. All I had to do now... was rely on the intel of my regiment of cruisers and destroyers, shoot, and sink. Never would I personally see the enemy.
They might as well have called me Cobble Princess, I was a Southern Ocean War Princess turned into an Anchorage Princess that was surprisingly functional. I looked like a Southern War Princess... I am a Southern War Princess, so why am I stuck at this rock, shooting at an enemy I'll never see? Dwelling on the border of the Southern Ocean and the Western Ocean... nobody will ever bother me I guess.
Looking around, my dwelling was bland, dull. I needed something to make my life a bit more exciting. The flames in my hair usually served as some form of entertainment, so I wanted something that would burn. I have been left alone for so long now, nobody ever came to check on me, only the small group of destroyers and cruisers I have now grown to love have ever worried about the well being of their princess. But regardless of the situation or circumstance, I now had a job to do for the pride of the Abyssal Fleet, but maybe... I could deviate from those orders just a little bit, nobody would notice, right? Not a princess as small on the radar as I am.
As the days flew by, every other transport ship that worked for the humans would be captured and brought to my chambers. I would evaluate them and check what they had in tow. They were so scared, saying they've heard stories of how ruthless Southern War Princesses really are, and they were right. I had a job to do for the Abyssal Fleet. Most of the transport ships were carrying oil, ammo or supplies, few would ever carry anything cosmetic; but there was one that was carrying something that took my fancy. Within her trailers, I found something made of wax, candles I'm told they're called. Red, long and they burned bright. Maybe I could detach myself from this anchorage artillery base for just a few and... make this cavern like crevice a home.
I loved the new atmosphere of my Primordial Rock, faint darkness lit by the orange flames of candles that burned bright and smelt similar to a piece of candy I've grown to love called Fireballs. Mmmm... with this, I felt a lot better about myself, so I continued the job. I shot and I sunk countless transports.
Over time, it seemed word of my bombardments was getting to the acting admirals of both the Southern Ocean and the Western Ocean. That's okay, my regiment is hardened, and so am I. I am powerful, I am ready. One after another, sorties came, and my bombardment made them retreat to safety. I never once saw the enemy, but my regiment tells me they're weak to my power. My status as the Cobble Princess would remain unchallenged. Not even commander Seaki could touch me.
The attacks continued, and it didn't take long before I started taking losses myself. Eventually, I'd hear of a destroyer or a cruiser being sunk; in contrast I would also hear reports of an enemy ship being sunk from my bombardment. I wasn't as hardened as I thought I was, for comrade or enemy, any time I heard report of a ship sinking, my heart sank as well. After every operation, I would leave my post, if just for several moments, and blow out candles; one for each ship that sank. It would serve as a reminder to me how important my job is, but also that loss is never easy... for either side in the war. Maybe the others were right? I would never find happiness.
One day, I hear reports of a strange fleet of ship girls outside Primordial Rock's waters. A destroyer tells me outside of my mortar range is a group of ships very unusual. A couple of male-type ships, one of them my height, sharp looking with long hair and other who appeared aggravated, a Wo-Class Carrier with bandages covering her right eye, and an Airfield Princess converted into a carrier. I couldn't believe my ears, I have never seen the enemy before, but male-types just were not possible; could it be the work of H.I.T.S. Ocean Academy? Have they finally taken notice to me? The two admirals who were the terrors of the Northern Ocean?
I laughed to myself, perhaps they did. Maybe Seaki gave them a lead... she never liked me anyways. I found myself amused. Two male-types, two rag-tag abyssals and most likely two regular fleet girls in the mix somewhere thought they could take me? As long as they didn't get close, they were mine.
So I closed my eyes, and fired where I felt best. I heard cannons fired off in retaliation, but not once did I hear anything, not even my own, taking damage. It was as if the four outside were merely being a distraction and firing off pot shots. I never did hear tale of two more ships coming to aid the group; and I would soon find out why. I never noticed until it was too late though, I felt arms wrap around my body. So warm, and so smooth. I looked down and saw the bright color of her skin. My eyes trailed. I couldn't afford to stop firing for the safety of my regiment, but I was intrigued. Slowly, I detached myself from the base, and turned about to find two red eyes look into my own.
She wore a blue swimsuit and her eyes radiated, star shaped pupils and most noticable of all, a smile adorned her features. Behind her, a blonde wearing the same attire approached, but I barely paid her no mind. I was fascinated by what was in front of me, I was enthralled. For the first time, I saw the enemy, and she was beautiful. Is this what I've been doing this whole time? Sinking ships as beautiful as my own? As beautiful as the candles that burned in my dwelling? I ordered my regiment to cease fire, it was clear by how these girls looked at me that they meant no harm.
"My admirals really wants to see you, Southern Ocean War Princess," she told me. A graphic upon her left breast caught my attention, an emblem that read H.I.T.S. "My name is Iku! What's yours?"
Her smile, her sincerity forced me to drop my tension. I couldn't help but smile at her as I told her my own. "My name... is Sauri."