Time: Unknown
Date: Unknown
Location: Unknown
"Mmmmm…..no….no….MOTHER!" I screamed at the top of my lungs sitting bolt upright in the bed startling a nurse causing her to fall back on the chair in shock.
I start to look around to find myself in an unfamiliar place and as I look around even more I lock eyes with the nurse before she bolts out of the room shouting doctor at the top of her lungs.
It took a few moments for me to gather my thoughts as I look around some more and finally I realize that I'm in a hospital somewhere. I decided to look around the room again and found a calendar next to a clock but to my shock it wasn't the start of october as it was when I passed out it was now the start of november I had been out of it for a month, an entire month.
It took me awhile to calm down and regather my thoughts so I decided to open the window to get some air for myself and when I looked I saw Kure naval yard just a few miles away completely unharmed and it seems that work busily continuing on. I breathed a sigh of relief that nothing bad had occurred.
"Izumi…" a voice said causing me to turn around and as I did my eyes immediately became full of tears "Kaa-san…. Kaa-san" I tried to move but before I could I was grabbed in a full on hug by Kaa-san with both of us crying and saying how we had thought we lost each other in the battle. It took a good half an hour for the two of us to fully calm down and dry our tears and by this time it was lunch so Kaa-san went to the cafeteria and got some food for the two of us
When I got back and sat beside my daughter Izumi asked "Kaa-san"
"Hmmm?"
"What has happened during the month i've been out?" I took a moment to gather my thoughts before I started to explain..
In the days after the battle all remaining ships were required to recover all personnel that were in the water and head back to the docks for inspection and repair whilst all injured personnel were taken to the nearby hospital which included Izumi after they found her on the Amagi's deck.
After that minor damaged ships took priority and were repaired quickly and set out on patrols in the local area, whilst the other more damaged ships were then pulled in for repairs.
Meanwhile the local populace had started to ask questions on what the hell happened that night, and it took awhile and mainly pressure from the heads of the navy but finally the heads of the RC program came forward and disclosed as much information about the weapon system installed on the Amagi bearing the name MDCS or Magical Discharge Cannon System in its fully named form. They didn't bother explaining how the system worked because the populace would not understand it at all…
"The explanation was a week ago and now here we are speaking to each other after you woke up" Mikan said finishing her explanation
"Arigatou Kaa-san for bringing me up to date" Izumi replied smiling.
I decided that it was now or never and this would probably be the only chance to tell her.
"Sweetie Listen" I said gaining her attention
"What is it Kaa-san?" she replied
"Well, how do I say this ummmm…"
"Kaa-san…" Izumi said starting to get worried
"You know what screw it. Listen Izumi you are not fully human, you are half neuroi" I blurted out and to my surprise instead of her screaming and shouting liked I thought she would. I saw a smile on her face
"I know Kaa-san" she said before struggling to get out of her bed and standing straight and then she muttered something and she was then engulfed in a bright blue light. When the light died down what I saw left me gobsmacked, there Izumi was standing no levitating in front me in black and blue armour. But I knew what it really was.
"Neuroi…. form" I croaked out
"Yep" she replied
"H-how"
"It happened during the battle, a flashback caused me to remember the fire and how that person saved me" Izumi said coming out of the form and hopping back into her bed
"So you know everything" I said getting a nod in return
"I-I'm so sorry Izumi" I said before crying
"For what?"
"Keeping everything from you" I said holding my head my hands
"I forgive you Kaa-san" she said causing me to stare at her in shock
"B-but"
"I'm sure you had your reasons kaa-san and I don't blame you for it. The past is the past let's focus on the present shall we" she said smiling causing me to break down again and hug her to which she stroked my back in order to calm myself down.
It took a good couple of minutes for me to calm down and so I went into the washroom to freshen up and then I went back and sat down again. But then everything changed…..
As the two of us started chatting again about various things, it was then that a voice spoke up.
"Well it's good to see everything is alright and that we now know both sides of the story" A voice said causing the two of us to turn around and see two people in the doorway,
"Grand-Marshal Yamamoto, Ma'am!" Kaa-san said getting up and saluting
"At ease" she said to which Kaa-san relaxed. I then turned my head to the other person and she was a beautiful woman with long light brown hair and gentle brown eyes and she was wearing a regal kimono.
She then turned her head towards me and gave me the most wonderful smile. It was then that I knew who she was.
"Junon-sama!" I yelled causing Kaa-san to look at the person and she immediately bowed in respect, I mean I did as well even if it did hurt me some. I mean come on this woman here is the empress of Fuso for crying out loud who wouldn't bow in respect to her.
"Ara, ara raise your heads and you young one please get back into your bed we wouldn't want to hinder your recovery now would we" she said as she walked into the room and to which I immediately compiled, it was a tense couple a minutes before I decided to speak up.
"Forgive my rudeness Grand-marshal, Junon-sama. But Isn't there more important matters to deal with at the present time?" After that a slow light hearted chuckle could be heard from both of them.
"Go ahead, Yamamoto" Junon-sama said
"As you wish empress" she said bowing in respect.
"Kisa please bring the box here"
"Yes Ma'am" a woman with blonde mid length hair said coming in with a big brown box as both of us looked at each other with signs of confusion on our faces.
"Captain Mikan Sayama, Attention!" she said to which Kaa-san immediately complied
"For your quick decisive actions against the neuroi threat and leading your fleet effectively into the heat of battle alleviating the stress on the remaining ships defending the naval yard, the naval command has decided. Congratulations Captain Mikan Sayama you are hereby promoted to the rank of rear-admiral effective immediately"
Kaa-san's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Yamamoto retrieved from the box the certificate, rank insignia and epaulets and handed them to her, she was about to say the traditional celebration but a hand stopped her.
"Please hold off the celebrations as i'm not finished just yet" she said turning to look at me
"Sub-Lieutenant Izumi Sayama, Attention" I tried to get up out of the bed for the third time and I finally managed it with assistance from Kaa-san as she supported me.
"For your valiant efforts in defeating the newest threat from the neuroi and helping to defend your homeland protecting the lives of many in this area, we hereby grant you the title 'Hero of Kure'" My eyes became far larger than Kaa-san's at this point "also with approval from command I hereby promote Sub-Lieutenant Izumi Sayama to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander effective immediately" yet again Yamamoto once again retrieved from the box the certificate, rank insignia and epaulets and handed them to me.
I was in shock at the fact that that I had skipped the Lieutenant rank and immediately went straight to Lieutenant-Commander instead, it took a few moments to get over the shock but I stood fast and accepted it without complaint.
The two of us then looked towards Yamamoto and with a quick nod we both shouted "BANZAI!" in traditional Fuso fashion. A quick cough suddenly caused the two of us to snap back to attention as it seems that the Grand-Marshal wasn't finished just yet.
"Okay now that has been taken care it is time for me to reveal your new orders, rear-admiral Sayama"
"Ma'am"
"The RCEF has taken its course as a trial unit and as a result of the previous battle plus all records that have been given to us, it has been decided to update the fleet to full combat status when all ships have been repaired and a new flagship assigned, to which you will take command of, the fleet is to immediately head into the operations area that includes the whole of the seas surrounding Fuso, Lieutenant-commander Sayama"
"Ma'am"
"You have now been given complete and sole control over the IFN Amagi and at such a time when you have made a complete recovery you are head straight to Yokosuka Naval yard and await further orders, I have already spoken with the rear-admiral about this and she has agreed to it"
This had put my mind at ease as I was worried about being suddenly being told I was not in the same fleet anymore. "Do the both of you understand your new orders?"
"Yes Ma'am" we both saluted
"Now, now I hope you haven't forgotten my presence here" Junon-sama said to which we immediately bowed and apologised to her
"Calm down you two" she said so we did
"Now Izumi my dear could you please stand in front of me" she said which made me and Kaa-san nervous. But I dug down deep and with a big gulp I went did what Junon-sama had asked of me
"For all the time of my reign I have seen what damage and destruction that had came due to a Neuroi's rage" I flinched at this as a feeling of despair developed in the pit of my stomach
"I despise the neuroi as much as the next person." I felt like curling up into a ball and dying at this point
"However, what I see before me is a young girl with a gift. A gift that helped protect us all from oblivion " She said smiling "So please follow me" she continue as she got up off the seat and left the room. Kaa-san got me a wheelchair and we followed her to a radio-room.
Junon-sama then asked the radioman to leave the room and so he did. And what happened next would change my life forever.
"Dear people of Fuso, it is I Empress Junon. I'm here to make an announcement" she said taking a sip of her drink before continuing "We all know the events of the previous month and how a lone girl saved us all from the Neuroi's wrath. Well said girl is here we me today, and I will say this" She took another sip of her drink "She is no ordinary human" I knew then where this was going.
"This young girl Izumi Sayama, is half human half neuroi. Now I know what you are thinking but let me say this. What I see is a brave young girl with a gift, it may come from the enemy we despise but she used this power to protect us all here in Kure. She could have gone berserk and killed us all, however she didn't she used her power for the greater good" She took a swig of drink again.
"There Is one more thing I would like to say and that is Izumi Sayama is not a monster, she is is a very proud citizen of Fuso" She exclaimed and from outside the roar of the crowds that had gathered could be heard.
I went wide eyed in shock "J-Junon-sama I-I… " she then walked over to me and put her finger on my lips "You are special my dear and I believe you will bring a change to this war. Now let's move somewhere else shall we" She said grabbing the wheelchair and then she pushed me out of the room with Kaa-san and the grand-marshal following close behind.
Time: 20:00
'I'm glad that's over' I said to myself as I lay in my bed. You see after Junon-sama's radio transmission an emergency press conference was held on the base with me being in the center. Question after question was asked and I was overwhelmed a few times but my Kaa-san was there to help me through it.
Once the press conference was over it was time for dinner and I got another surprise in the form of eating dinner with Junon-sama and Grand-Marshal Yamamoto. I had to go to the washroom and pinch myself for a good couple of minutes to make sure I'm not dreaming and I wasn't everything that had happened was real.
After dinner the two of them left with my mother not so far behind them but she made sure to give me a kiss and hug before she left. I was then wheeled back to my room by a nurse before being left to my own devices and here I am know resting in my bed.
"I will make Junon-sama proud and I really hope that this blows over soon" I said out loud before getting comfortable and slowly but surely I slipped into a peaceful sleep wondering what the future may bring.