Chapter 2

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Tales of Useless Abyssals and a Broken Shipgirl

The Southern Sector, E-Island

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The Abyss is a deep dark cove of hate, hate for all humanity`s flaws and reverse of all their ideals. Being reincarnations of hate from a distant war, the Second World War. These Demons of the sea rose up from the depths to make Humanity pay for all the suffering they made, all the death they did with their war crimes, all the damage and pointless deaths they caused eighty years or more ago, this is the sole purpose of the Abyssal's existence. It is their holy duty to end all humanity to end all suffering.

By committing more crimes and pointless deaths today.

Now you can see why I can't see the point of all this. When I wake up from the marshy slimy water of the Yard reborn as a Princess, even given the honour of having a Ru-Class escort. I was told all of this fairytale by none other than the Southern War Princess, lectured of the purpose of my existence as a weapon against humanity. I almost fell asleep and want to sink back into the murky tub of water I was made in.

Of course she won't let me do that.

So I was dragged into trainings and forced into sorties against the Shipgirls. And I usually sank back down in deep cold water while my brethren and the enemy create fireworks above the surface. It's not an act of cowardice, it's just that I won't scar myself for a cause that I don't believe in.

Then after the fireworks ended, I retreat back to base, go to the mess hall by myself and my Ru-class escort. Sat on a stool and drank stale rum leftover by sailors from the past as our base was built on the ruins of a old Military base, and I wasted my life away without no one telling me what to do. That was to me, the greatest enjoyment in my life.

And if you sink, you are a dumbass or weakling or useless, no one will shed a tear for you. Poor Submarine Princess sank two days ago, I overheard Lycoris Princess called her one of those names with a punchable smirk and the other mean Princesses let out a bitchy laugh at this tasteless joke. More the reason of not joining sorties.

And lucky for me, hierarchy is a thing in this place, hence regular humanoid Abyssals don't dare to pester me for slacking as they lacked both the strength and the rank to do so. The weaker Abyssal was always obligated to be the bitch of their better. Just like how the Ru-class, was obligated to dedicate her entire life on me just for being my escort. She was the only one who nagged me constantly like a concerned mother. Even though her words lacked malice and she only verbally suggest me to sortie to avoid the Wrath of the Southern War Princess and my superiors by following orders. As all slacking ships are considered deflective, deflective ships are considered useless, and useless Abyssals are scrapped and scuttled. In other words, executed. Princesses were not spared either. Constantly making fear while living in it for the sake of it, was the life of the Abyssals.

Oh and to remind us constantly about that, they even build the dungeon right next to the Mess Hall. Where the "Useless" Abyssals were held behind bars, unwanted and depressed and broken, prepared for the death row. We even have a Shipgirl down here, purple haired and disheveled, never spoke a word, heads down and both wrists chained to a wall. Even though she ain't executed, she was constantly tortured for shits and giggles.

But I ignored it and kept drinking, no one dared to say a word about it. Ru although sat next to me and nag, but she didn't stop me, sometimes even join me. She does make a good drinking mate through. Still I wonder, when was the day where I will be at those cages, or when will be the date where I have no choice but to sortie against the Shipgirls, and how it would be like if I sunk like the Submarine Princess or executed like those poor folks in cages.

Nevermind that, I will just drink it away, away out of my head. No problems in my head, no worries.

And I lived like this for weeks. Until one day, that fateful day where I was drinking the last bottle of rum in stockpile.

That one day where everything changed.

It was like usual, I was sipping alone at the mess hall while pondering where to scavenge the sacred liquid in my bottle right now. Right beside me was a new branch of death row inmates and that Shipgirl.

A Wo-class who lost an eye and A Destroyer-classed Princess was chained and locked in an iron cage, prepared for scuttling. Their crimes were that of being old and broken, while the Princess was that of being a weakling, hence a useless Princess. Even the Supply Depot Princess, a Princess-Classed transport ship although weak in firepower but useful in expedition. Although weren't set for scuttling, was chained and locked along the Useless Abyssals. That purple haired Shipgirl was still there, disheveled and devoid of hope, brokenness written all over her.

Then a loud scuffle happen behind my back. The loudest one I ever heard since birth. Even the Shipgirl and the Useless raised their heads to see what the commotion about.

I turned to see her for the second time. The Southern War Princess amongst two Ne-class dragging a batten and struggling So-Class submarine to the mess hall. Crackling and eyes twirling wildly as she screamed.

"WAIT WAIT MATEYS, YOU HAVE THE BELIEVE ME! THE FORTUNE EXISTS! IT…"

The Southern War socked the Submarine in the face with her metal gauntlets to shut her up, causing the two Ne-class to let go of the prisoner as their superior wants to manhandle her. She then loomed over the fallen Abyssal and grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the ground. The Submarine`s cocked hat fell as she struggled for air.

"Listen up you Useless fuck. You have no right to spew Blasphemy nor do you have the right to live anymore. You are a disgrace to the Abyssal Fleet the moment you ran away from the sortie like a little bitch. More so now when you come back all retarded talking about fortunes and treasures… disgusting things only humans yearned for." The Southern War threatened with fire burning from the slits of her eyes. Her Aura of fear sent both her Ne-class henchwomen into shivers, however the So-class, who was at the receiving end still maintained an insane grin and wild eyes that scared the Ne-classes more than their Princess.

"C...Chill, This is all an misunderstanding...it`s just that after a depth charge lobbed hafta my head, I have an epiphany!"

She coughed a bit while in the stranglehold of the Princess. But her insane smile unwavered and her eyes seemed more dilated with excitement as she continued her tale.

" Right after the charge blew my head, I almost sunk but I hit my face on one of those old colonial era Human vessels beneath the sea. It's a miracle that I survive, as if fate want to show me something, and it indeed showed me something amazing. As Abyssals we can feel emotions of the wrecks of the sea, and that wreck felt special. Those emotions I felt from it were unlike the ones from the Second World War, it's hundreds years older, those spirits although unwanted and outcasted. Yet, they are Free…"

"Free?"

"Unrestrained by cause or their better men! They rob and take as they wish from their superiors, drank and lived out a wild exciting life with dreams of gold and infamy! Even if Empires and those bigger than them pursuited, they still smile and laugh and spat on their faces, and give them hell and turmoil as these stronger ones chased. Sinking many bigger Galleons owned these empires before eventually being chased down. Heh heh, and even when these spirit sink they sunk with their gold leaving a bad taste to their stronger adversaries, heh heh sunk while gettin paid! HAHAHA! The faces of those Empire men and Admiral made when these Spirits screw with them! Win even in death..." The So-classed laughed maniacally.

"Those buccaneers , Pirates as they called themselves in the parchments they preserved in glass bottles within the shipwreck I read has such emotions that felt me with ecstasy! And the papers hinted of a Fortune these humans of the past hid. I want that! The fortune, the freedom and it's delicious emotions. More delicious than the ones of pointless hatred we have or the boring forced positivity felt from the Shipgirls ... So I wonder, why sink without getting paid right? Why sink for the lame Abyssal cause of hate towards humanity? RIGHT my maties?!" She asked with a wild grin to her two Ne-class captors who still in fear at the Princess.

" So I decided that I would rather dramatically sink as paid Abyssal girl then a penniless weapon, I want an adventure full of plunder, freedom and infamy! But I need folks to tag along, so I just want to come back and spread the good news to ya so I can get some mates! Not really just runnin away, but preparing to SEIZE MY FORTUNE!"

The Mad So-class screamed the last part out loud with her soul, in fact her words touched herself so much that tears ran down her cheek. She reached into her hat and pulled out a small green bottle a scroll of old paper within.

"Inside here, is a hint to the Buccaneer`s fortune and proof to my words."

She did won my attention , the Useless Abyssals had their ears and eyes on her as well. She even managed to raised the Purple Haired Shipgirls up. In fact I saw a different look on her face now, instead brokenness I saw something else, I saw hope and intrigued.

But the Southern War Princess, oh boy she sure looked disgusted. She took the bottle the So-class presented to her and tossed it aside and it shatter to a million pieces right beside my stool, only the paper within remained. I ignored it and continued sipping.

"Hey trash, we are weapons built for war. A War to end all humanity. We don't need human pleasures like gold, love or any of that sort. And we certainly don't need useless weaklings like you. You bringing such a disgusting lie is the greatest sin I seen an Abyssal had committed, by tomorrow I will gather the rest of my fleet while I take pleasure to parade your corpse as an example."

"Psst."

A gentle and timid voice hushed beside me . It was the Useless Destroyer-classed Princess.

"What's going on over there?" She asked

"Looks like an poor Abyssal who lost her marbles. I heard rumours of them , but she was the first one I saw. The Abyss always treats them as useless too, no, they punish them more for the deflect in their minds, mutilations then they cannibalize her. I feel bad for that So-class." My Ru-class said.

"Oh dear…" The Destroyer Princess sunken back to the corners of the cage and curled back to her depressing state.

I said nothing and quietly took a sip of my drink. For some reason the So-class incoherent ramblings felt like music to my ears. Even if I view that pale girl in cocked hat as an idiot.

Who even in that situation was too mad to even feel fear. But rolled her eyes uncaringly at the Princess that grip her by her throat.

"Heh Well, suit yerself mate, I came back here to deliver the news is to find shipmates for me to Share the fortune. Mates who can look after my arse and stick up to Uppity scoundrels like yer. And In fact one of my mates are already here to kick yer arse!"

The Southern war raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And which one of us is dumb enough to even give a shite about you? Heh and which one of you weaklings can even surpass me heh?! I am the Southern War Bitch of the Southern Front retard. Don't think shitty bluffing will save you from sinking trash." She asked as she dangled the So Class in her Gigantic Gauntleted hand.

"Oh ho ho, yer be surprised. She`s someone reliable, someone who loves drinking as much as me! And Someone who I can SHARE the Fortune with! SOMEONE LIKE HER!"

"...!"

The Submarine pointed to something behind the Southern War`s back. And it was at me. A slouched me with my back facing her who just wanted a peaceful drink.

Ru-class broke a cold sweat with her expression screaming "Don't drag us into this." But I just took a quiet sip.

"You there! Y...You like rum right, me Love rum too! Who knows! Maybe if we pulled this off, we can use all our fortune to buy the freshest rum the world can offer! Hell, maybe the Fortune is good rum afterall!"

I can feel the Southern War`s ruby red eyes piercing through my back. Even if I continue to pretend nothing had happened.

I can also hear the loud thud and a "ack" the meant she tossed the So-class aside, and heavy thumping sound of her boots that get louder and louder meant she was approaching me.

"You… are the Aircraft Carrier Princess, the latest one who came out of the Southern Yard. My Latest and strongest creation of the Abyss."

I didn't even bother to turn and give her eye contact.

" Yet you are here, wasting your potential on humanity`s shit while slacking, tsk tsk… Slacking your way off sorties."

She slammed a fist to the table causing Ru-class to jolted a bit and lost her emotionless demeanor completely. Quivering and fear overwhelmed her. I just took a sip, the bottle was down less than half.

"But you know what, as a respect for that potential, I am going to give you one last chance. Tomorrow you are going to join me to raid Guam. No deserting, no slacking, and I want you dig your fingers into the eyes of human Admiral residing there."

"Of course Southern-sama, we will proceed with this operation with no hesitation or issues." Ru class said.

"You fuck off one side Ru, I am talking to the other Princess here. Not you."

I sat still, still not giving her a word.

"Come on Aircraft Carrier Sama, you have to say something!" Ru Classed whispered and begged.

"Hey maties uhh? me still held down here! " The So-class cried out. Apparently now she was pinned to the ground by the two Ne-classes again.

"You heard what I said Aircraft-Carrier Princess?! Before I sink you where you stand…"

" You're annoying me Twintails…..." I growled back , flames flaring from my eyes as I glared deep into my Superior`s.

"..."

Now, everyone was taken aback, the prisoners, the Ne Classes, the Ru Class, even the Southern War herself.

"Excuse me?" She responded , still astounded by my words.

Ru-class stare down to the floor wide eyed and shook. Not even her know what to say.

She used her oversized gauntlet and batted my final precious bottle of rum shattering to the floor. It's shards mixing in with the shards of what used be So-class`s bottle.

My eyes turned bloodshot as I lost my final bottle of rum. Something in me ignited.

"No one… no one had ever dared to talk to me like that… you are the first, Aircraft-Carrier Princess." She said shakingly pointing a finger at me with her voice cracking and her lips curling to a malicious insane smile.

"Forgive her Southern-sama , she's just two months old and was still adjusting developing her behavior as an Abyssal. We can take the mission and…"

She immediately grabbed the Ru-class by her neck and lifted her high, choking her.

" Say more and I will scuttle you too Ru Class. Being Deflective, Defiance is unacceptable in the Abyssal Fleet. It's the definition of useless and I… will have to scuttle her, and you her escort , are supposed to steer her the right way, and you failed. NOW I Will NOT HAVE..."

Crash*

The Southern War was cut off as the back of her head was smacked with a metal stool, by me. And she released my Ru-class.

From where I smashed the stool on the Southern War, a U-dent was formed on the stool. As I tossed the ruined stool aside.

"Why you…." The Twin-tailed Princess didn't took long to recover.

In a burst of flame, her Gauntlet a tri cannon which she tried to summoned to fire at me. But I socked her scowling face with Abyssal-Alloy encased fist causing her the lose a teeth and spat some blood. Stunning her for a while with blood leaking from her nose.

Then I wrestled a arm over her shoulders and gave her a hard knee to the Stomach and she cried in agony before she can fire her cannons.

" No one ever…"

I kept kneeing her in the stomach, harder each time as I was reminded of her smug arrogant smile she gave me just now.

"Tells me…"

I gave one final Kneecap. Before clasping my fists into a makeshift mace and swung it down her skull with a Sickening crunch.

"WHAT TO DO!"

Despite all that, An Abyssal albeit a Princess is durable enough to withstand all that. So she shakingly tried to get up on her four limbs, before I stomped my boots on the palm of her Cannon Gauntlets causing her to scream in agony, and laugh at the same time?

"You… were supposed to use all those strength on humanity. I made you stronger so you can give righteous hell to the humans, I … made you too strong, I am happy for you for that. Yet you abuses this strength and life bestowed to you for your own selfishness, disregarding your place in life, and I am ... bitter at you for that. What had I done..." She spat out her words along with her blood, while shakingly pointing a twisted finger at me. Blood and tears running down her face.

I stood there looking at her pitiful form.

Then as prideful Princess, she won't accept defeat as a reality, especially by an lower ranked Abyssal. As a last ditch attempt, she pulled her remaining tri-cannon gauntlet at my face.

"Now sink you tragic failur…"

My fist crackled in red flame I gave her a backhand before she can aim well, causing her to launch her round through the ceiling instead of me. She screeched like a banshee when I dug my thumb into her eye and grabbed her by the head. Then slammed her the back of her head to the floor before stomping a sharp iron boot so hard that it punched through her stomach and blood splatter out of her mouth, the wound I made with my boot, and it was all over...

Southern War Princess at last eyed in shock as she look at my boot that impaled her, when she looked at me, she became another person. Fear written all over her face as she went from an arrogant Abyssal Princess, into a scared teenager whimpering.

"Will I... Will I... be resurrected again... someday…"

Those were her last words before her head fall over as her eyes rolled back. As she crumpled lifelessly like a puppet with her strings cut.

Silence descended throughout the hall, all eyes are on me now. The Shipgirl, the Ru-class, the Ne-classes, and the Useless ones.

"Wow damn, she died penniless with emptiness, didn't expect you to turn her into a donut through." So-Class commented.

"W...what had you done. The Abyss will never forgive us after this! We had became traitors...they will search for us, and hunt us and give us a worse sinking than the Princess!" Ru cried, her entire being quivering in horror as she looked at the corpse of the incapitated the Princess.

I feel no shame for my actions, but I do felt disgust when I looked at the face of the fallen Princess. I carried her corpse with my Shoulder under her waist, as I walked to a nearby window and tossed her outside, I watched as she fell to the seas with a plume of water, then slowly sink down the cold sea leaving only a few fading ripple.

"What are we going do? What are we gonna do? What are we going to …" Ru-class covered her head just she muttered the phrase again and again.

The Ne-Classes did nothing but too stared at me, as I murdered their Princess, their superior hence they thought twice before irking my wrath.

I slowly walked back to the counter and put back the dented stool back to how it was, then gingerly and I picked up So-Class`s note then sat back on the stood and studied the paper.

It was a map with a few notes scribbled on it.

"Oi,"

I called out to the So-class. Who immediately turned her attention to me.

"This Fortune of yours , how do I find it."

A wide smile stretched on the Submarine`s face while her eyes twinkled as if she heard the most beautiful music she had ever heard in her life.

"So your coming lass?"

"But I am get to be the Captain."

That didn't rained on her parade, without hesitation she immediately enthusiastically saluted and cried.

"AYE CAPTAIN! Sohai reporting!" the So-class,i cried.

"Sohai?"

"That's the name I given meself! It's pretty dull to be called a So-class all ze time eh?"

I nodded in understanding. Amused to a extent.

The Ru-class looked at me stunned

"You can't be serious, you are trusting the words of a mad So-class?!"

"Yea, then what else can I do, I ain't going to sink Shipgirls for the Abyssal Fleet nor am I sinking for it. Fuck them, we are sailin our way now, and surviving as our own fleet, sailing for our freedom and rum rather than for the boring Fleet don't give a shit about us. Sailing without any arrogant bitch pointing orders at us! You in?"

" I…" The Ru Class hesitated, before taking a deep breath and sighed. "As your Escort, My Princess, you know what my answer is."

"Captain…"

"Pardon?"

"Captain Yorktown or just York. This is the name I called myself now, I ain't going to take Aircraft Carrier Princess anytime soon, not gonna take something that bitch gave me. And I don't like calling you Ru-class for my entire existence. How about Rudder?"

"Rudder?"

"If you ain't fine with it I …"

"No… I will take it." my Ru-class , Rudder said.

Then I turned to the other Useless Abyssals. Who gave me a worried look as I walked towards them

Then wrapping my hands on the barred doors of their cages and I tore the door apart and threw it one side.

"Wo?"

"What are you doing?" The Supply Depot Princess asked grabbing the bars of her confinement.

I said nothing but took the ring of keys that hung outside the cage and tossed it to them.

"The same Offer goes to all of you, no longer will we be called useless by those uppity bitches once we are out of this fleet. No longer must we answer to the Abyss but ourselves! So we are forming our own fleet to survive, a fleet to seize our fortune as we pleased and I need girls like you in. So here's the offer : Join my crew and make yourself a name."

The Wo-class was the first to grab the keys and unlocked her cuffs. She did waste a second to grab her cane and exited her cage.

"Wo." Was the first word she said after she joined.

Soon not long, the Supply Depot Princess shrugged her shoulders.

"Yea why not, anything better than being a mule here." The Supply Depot Princess said as she reached and took the keys, then proceed to did the same thing as the Wo-class and got out of the cage.

"Uh… I...I will come too." The Destroyer Princess timidly joined next.

The two Ne-classes came to us too. Losing their Princess , they decided to turn to a new one.

"Well, I guess that's all of them." Rudder said

"WAIT!" One voice cried.

It was the Shipgirl, her eyes bloodshot and desperate as she rattled her chain when she tried to get closer to us.

"Please….T...take me with you too." She begged.

Rudder coldly glance at her before turning away. But she then widen her eyes and turned back when she realized I am approaching the Shipgirl.

"Wait...you aren't serious Prin… I mean Captain, you are taking a Shipgirl with us?! They are the sworn enemy of us Abyssals!"

"That's what they said, but now I said fuck them. I don't give a damn about the Abyssal War from the beginning, nor do I give a damn about whether she's a shipgirl or not..." I said as I tore her retrains off her wrist.

"These Shipgirls worked for their human masters, they do anything their master tell them to and if their Admiral tell them to bend over and take it. They will spread their legs while they are at it. They will even throw their own to sharks if ordered. And these Admirals want us DEAD, who knows when she will shell us behind our backs because her Admiral ordered it."

"..." I paused with hesitancy. Then I heard a soft murmuring behind us, we noticed, it's from the Shipgirl.

"My Admiral-kun…" She murmured.

"My Dear Admiral-Kun and her Secretary Ship… heh... heh." Her mouth started to curl into a thin twisted smile.

"That man and my Dear Onee-san…"

Her fists clenched into balls and she started shaking. Tears dripping and splattering on the floor. I soon realized , she was shaking...with rage.

"Are...pieces...of...shit that stabbed… me at the back. Because one is a PARANOID SELF ABSORBED FUCK ... the other a SADISTIC YANDERE WHORE who don't give a shit about family! "

Everyone was stunned at the Shipgirl. Who was still twitching and quivering in rage, before snapping her fiery blue eyes at Rudder.

"You said we will even throw our own to Sharks when ordered? Damn right, you are dead right. And now I am here, marinated slobber sliced and diced like some kind of toy… Love for humanity? Reincarnation of Positive Emotions of Ships of the past? Pride of a Ship Maiden? Heh all lies. We just weapons built to serve mankind, and disposed whenever they felt like it. And I hate it, I would rather chase gold and infamy as Pirates so that I can spit on their face as a good old "Haha"!"

A soft silence descended once again, but it ended when Sohai clapped enthusiastically at her end.

"Bravo! Bravo! Such drama and anger! Gold and infamy and Freedom?! I like that ! In fact the god damned reason I am in on this. I say we keep her!"

"So just curious , what will do when you see your Admiral and his Secretary Ship again mate?" I asked.

"Ex... Admiral, well I will shove a katana up his ass if I ever see his face again!"

I nodded as I helped her up. This Purpled haired one interested me a lot.

"What is your name, Shipgirl?" I asked

"Iwaki Alpha, my name is Iwaki Alpha."

"Aye Iwaki, welcome to the crew." I put hand over her shoulder and help her stand up.

Rudder looks like she want to say something, but bit her lips and swallowed her words. Together we headed for the exit. Never stepping back.

And here we are, a group of Outcasts and a unwanted Shipgirl, no one stopping our exist, some remnants of the Southern War's Fleet even chose to join, some chose to stay. We also managed to gather a bunch of Destroyers and Light Cruisers to our merry crew, the Destroyer Princess had her way with them. We took a abandoned human Cruiser called USS Pride as our Ship, towed by the Destroyers , cruisers and my Familiar Tatch I called it, a gigantic Shark-like beast times larger than me with two turrets mounted on it's back.

I was taught that all Princess own one, I only summoned her in trainings, but never really used her in action. As Tatch pulled my Ship further,I watched the base of E-Island , my former home a black towering structure cutting the sky, getting smaller and smaller as the Pride sailed further. Further away from the Abyssal War, for a new life under it's chaos.

Well in reality, I just want to drink with a free peaceful life without any bother.


Back at the Bar.

Feelings mixed into a mess inside him, the Southern War Princess… the one that killed his Kaga and ruined his life, before he could even avenge his Secretary Ship, she was killed by another Princess because she was too much of a dick. He don't know what to feel about this, he don't know how to contemplate this as all of this can be summarized into an absurd question he asked again to the other Princess...

"Wait, so you killed the Southern War Princess because she knocked over your bottle of Rum?" Shay asked.

"Yes." York answered back.

"And you took an abandoned American Cruiser and decided to become Pirates?"

"Yes."

"Then did you find the Treasure Sohai talked about."

"No,"

"Well, that's a different answer."

"No one can interpret the map and find the treasure, so we spent the rest of our days robbing Cruisers, Fisher Boats and Cargo Ships, scaring the humans onboard shitless. None were hurt as they don't dare to argue with the Barrel of an Abyssal Cannon. Sometimes in Abyssal Raids on Shipgirl`s base, we just sneaked in to take some loot from fallen Guardian Offices. While running away whenever Shipgirls and other Abyssals were around, or when they are killing each other, then along the way, we expanded our ranks by accepting stray Abyssals into the crew.

Even if we don't get to find the actual Fortune Sohai was talking about, hell we don't even know what to do with it even if we found it until we found New Nassau. Still, the bounty we stole made up for that. And Rum was thankfully apart of them, we sorta forgotten about that Fortune. And this work is fun and all, but I have to admit this line of trade had made weird significant changes to us, Mindoro became a shut-in addicted with the human loot she found, some of us became more vulgar, made some slangs and made Sohai more … amusing ."

"Then how does the money , cosplay come in? Why do you even need them?"

"To trade with others in New Nassau and spend them on rum… and certain goods for the needs of the crew."

"Huh?"

"It was soon discovered we aren't the only ones who ran from the War. There were Pirates Fleets made up completely of Shipgirls, Abyssals or a mix of both. Each have our own messed up stories, Ships that had too gave up and sunken into this trade. And when they gathered up together, they made more sea slangs, and a little cesspool called New Nassau where Darwin, a former Princess now Captain who turned her base into a marketplace that sell the loot to criminals of the human underworld for goods and resources, bauxite , oil and even some commercial goods like rum, cigars, tea even videogames and cosplay and manga, heard she have good connections. Overtime it expanded and more trash of the sea converged there. Unredeemable underdogs living under lame chaos of war to make a living, or a name for themselves."

"Nassau? the Pirate Republic?"

"New Nassau," York corrected, " I don't know why but Darwin apparently have same tastes as Sohai, regardless that place became a Marketplace for us, for us to sell stuff and buy stuff. That's where we get our Abyssal-Alloy cutlasses, our uhh clothes and stuff,I mean they looked cool and intimidating… and they worked well when it's close and personal, fit the theme too."

"..." Shay just blinked twice at the Princess who take a moment to pat her hand on the hilt of her black cutlass, before they have another awkward eye contact… which York broke with an annoyed groan.

" Ugh, Anyways we are heading there so you better savour your time here in my bar, Oh and wear that."

York used her eyes to gesture a dirty coat and white overalls hanging from a wall.

"Uhh… I don't think they fit."

"Well if you continue to wear this fancy Whitecoat. Chances of you getting mobbed and forced to walk the plank by some angry Shipgirls is high. You saw Iwaki? New Nassau is filled to the brim with her type, or even worse and more unreasonable. Many Disgruntled Shipgirls there got fucked over by their Admirals gathered there, hence they want you kind`s head on a pike as much as the Princesses back in the Abyss, especially the Blighters. In a den of thugs you better dress humble Whitecoat."

A horn shook the entire bar. A brief pause of two seconds or so a ringing of a bell can be heard and someone above cried.

"We are reaching shore!" The Bell ringer cried.

"I'll be going now, I will wait for you on the starboard. A health to you Shay."

York drank her cup in one shot and slammed it down her counter.

Shay watched and York disappeared as she exited the stairs, Wool grabbed her cane and finished her barkeep duties. For some reasons, sitting here felt more comfortable than my desk back in the Guardian Offices.

For some reason when he sat at the stool, it felt like that Princess was the only one he can trust in this whole wide lonely world back at that moment.

Hence , Shay took the ugly jacket and climbed up the stairs.


-000-

Main Factions :

The Abyss

Guardian Office

...

Brethren Court (Notable Fleets):

Salters , Leader : Captain York, Aircraft Carrier Princess

The New Nassau Free Company , Leader: Captain Darwin

Blighters , Leader : Captain Hood

Red Flag Fleet , Leader : Captain Ping.H,

Northern Sea Fleet , Leader : Captain/Generalissimo Ping.Y

Wakies , Leader : Captain Wakey


Planned Arcs/DLCS (May Change):

.

Revenge for another Revenge (Current Arc).

(Focused Fleets : Salters, The Abyss, Guardian Office, The New Nassau Free Company)

.

The Red Office Conspiracy

(Focused Fleets: the Red Flag Fleet , Northern Sea Fleet, )

.

Drowning Crown

(Focused Fleets: Blighters, Guardian Office (British Branch) )

.

Anne and the Dutchman

(Focused Fleets: Wakies, Salters, Blighters, The New Nassau Free Company)


Author's notes.

Alright that's done! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

I had been a big fan of Kantai Fanfic for a while, especially the ones centred around Abyssals. They are just so fascinating, their design, their style… however they just feel so shallow. The feel like the "other" genre of villains who are designed to be the punching bag of the good guys, the Shipgirls who are as shallow (examples of "other" be like your 80's James Bond Villains. Evil Commies from Rambro Movies or evil Space Invaders etc). With no other qualities except being evil and hateful, while the Shipgirls is just your stereotypical Admiral cocksucking Harem addition. The only interesting thing about Abyssals was that they used to be Shipgirls which had a lot of potential … but that theme was not explored enough in the canon franchise, only hinted. And I am not sure if the Anime is canon or not. Even through, the Alter-Ego didn't do much to redeem their characters.

So fanfiction come in, explore more into their character, make them more than the stereotypical "other" villain. Who have qualities and good motives of their own. Two Fanfic the inspired me the most is "Drag me to the Depths" by twentythirteen and "The Abyssal Dairies" Trilogy by MortalitasBorealis .

While Drag me to the Depths by Twentythirteen still portrayed the Abyssals as the "other" while the Shipgirls although have their challenges, slightly less shallow characters, but is still the Admiral bootlicking goodie two shoes that had bored me quite some time, but still interesting to read. Same can be said for the Abyssals, especially twenty's portrayal of the Battleship Princess, who although is an "other" genre villain, she still have a clear motive that is intriguing, like to end suffering and evil of wars and she does have a good and admirable intentions, except it was misguided due to her actions, and Admiral Drake, call her out of her hypocrisy in the story.

However "Abyssal Dairies" by Mortalitas… especially the latest "Abyssal Dairies Requiem" was the treasure chest hidden in the seas of the Kantai Fanfic. With an interesting cast of Abyssal not the "other" villain, but genuine good characters with their own qualities and quirks. Like Hornet, an unfortunate Woman woke up in the middle of the sea who faced her own challenges but still strives to be a good person. Even if she was the Aircraft Carrier Water Hime hunted by Shipgirls and wronged multiple times just because she was an Abyssal, she struggles to keep her conscience clean. Her portrayal of the other princesses was also as interesting, Washington the Battleship hime a natural leader with a gentle lady-like demeanor to lead the Abyssal Coalition to fight against the Shipgirls for their own survival. Despite that, Abyssals aren't the good guys of the story as they too have their own flaws and scumbags of their own, such as Sonya, the Southern War Princess who was Psychopathic and Brutal, but she has her backstory and her own set of good qualities. Same can be said for Shipgirls where there's good but flawed Shipgirls and disgusting and horrible ones, such as Tatsuta who was portrayed as a Sadistic Monster but had her own qualities, their Admirals had good ones like Tsubaki of Yokosuka Office, Admiral Kenny Gray who spared a Princess and there's asshole Admirals like Travis Gray, his brother, a tragic bitter villainous Admiral who had good reasons of his villiany… the point is that there was a good and bad to anything in her story, everything was diverse and arranged well. It's characters, the factions within it. It really done Justice to the characters of Kantai collection. Sadly, by now there still too many "Good Guys" in the Abyssal Faction and the story was biased towards them despite how hard Mortalitas tried.

Which brings a problem to the Kantai Fanfic in general, Abyssals are either bad shit evil, or good to the extreme, while the Shipgirls in most fanfics are the same. So I want to explore the grey area more, and while drinking a lot , listening to Irish Sea Shanties which I recently had an interest of... an question come out in my head.

"WHAT IF EVERYONE IS A SELFISH BASTARD?"

What if in the midst of the Abyssal War, there are just Abyssals and Shipgirls sick and tired of anything, the unwanted outcasts of Society going against Societal norms. Like becoming Pirates and forming their own Factions in the name of their own Freedom and Personal Goals? While above this underworld , your Stereotypical Abyss and Shipgirls duke it out. Not anyone of them is a Hero or villain, but just have their own goal and needs?

Now the Factioning part is interesting , I have something in mind for each of them. Some DLCs after I finished this arc.

(Note : I am guilty of borrowing some naming conventions from Mortalitas, but due to the lore of certain characters, namely the Princesses, I feel like I have no choice but to name them as such to be faithful to their lore. )