"Nenohi! Nenohi, get up! Get up, Nenohi ! You can't fall asleep here!" Yuudachi heard Ikazuchi yell in a panic as smoke, fire and shellfire echoed all around her..
Yuudachi could only grimace as she looked around and lifted her gun toward the nearest I-class destroyer, blasting it to pieces with a single shot. She was the highest level among all of the destroyers of the 31st fleet, and only one cruiser topped her in level, but just barely. Because of her level she had been made the flagship for the rescue force, but that hadn't made her happy. She knew that she still needed more experience and the only cruiser above her in level, their fleets Tatsuta, would have been a better choice to lead the rescue fleet to her mind.
And she had been right.
The enemy I-class and Ro-class destroyers had been a slight enemy for the low level destroyers, but what really caused the problem was the Wa-class Submarines. Dozens of torpedoes battered the destroyer rescue fleet, catching them completely off guard. The Wa-class hadn't fired until their rescue force had found their destroyers, it had been an ambush all along.
"This is bad. We need to retreat fast, Poi!" Yuudachi muttered to herself as she fired her gun through the smoke. All around her debris bobbed atop the water and smoke drifted off of the bodies of the I-class they had destroyed, hampering her visibility.
Looking through the smoke for her next target, or any other nearby ally, an I-class destroyer leapt out of the smoke and flew toward her, its jaws wide open with vicious intent.Taking a step back to avoid its jaws, Yuudachi swung her left arm and shoved her guns barrels into the I-class's mouth, firing as she swung. The I-class exploded over her gun, the pieces of its body littering the water around her and leaving a blackened burn across her entire left forearm. With a hiss of pain, Yuudachi switched her gun to her right hand, and stood up. "Murakumo, where are you, Poi!"
What answered Yuudachi was not her comrade, but another I-class destroyer, that leapt out of the water and latched its teeth onto Yuudachi's right leg. Letting out a scream Yuudachi lowered her gun toward the I-class and blew it to pieces, blasting her own leg with shrapnel and fire along with it.
Yuudachi dropped to her knees and bit her lip to stop herself from screaming again. She never wanted to have extra torpedoes so much in her life, and greatly regretted having used them against the I-class that they had first seen. Like all of her allies, she had run out of torpedoes just before the subs had appeared, and now the few I-class that were left were running suicide attacks upon them. It was not a good situation, and it was getting worse by the second.
"Yuudachi, are ye okay?!" Murakumo yelled as she burst through the smoke and stepped up beside Yuudachi, her skin scratched and her clothing torn and bloody.
"I'm fine, Murakumo. D- did you see Nenohi and Ikazuchi?" Yuudachi asked, blood dripping from her arm and legs, and burns across all of her body, peeking through tears in her clothing.
Murakumo looked at Yuudachi in shock as she got a better look at her and saw how horribly wounded Yuudachi was, and how she seemed to be barely standing. After a second of silence Murakumo nodded grimly. "Yeah I saw them. They both are majorly damaged but Ikazuchi managed to move Nenohi back a bit. Aoba is protecting them but if they get attacked, they shall sink for sure. Aoba is hurt pretty badly too."
" Not good, Poi." Yuudachi said with a cough as she gripped her gun, one of its two barrels clanking slightly before falling into the water.
"I do have some news though. The admiral sent a message saying there's some reinforcements coming. They should be here soon!"
"About time, poi. At least the smoke from those I-classes are helping us by limiting the fire from that Ru-class. How long will they take to get here, Poi?"
"I had trouble finding you; they should be here any minute now!"
"Good. Then we- oh no!" Yuudachi said as she looked forward into the smoke.
"What is it? Do ye see something?"
"The smoke, it's waning, Poi."
Murakumo looked up to see what Yuudachi was saying was indeed true, the smoke all around them was thinning and the light from the sun high above them began to shine through. The smoke continued to clear until Murakumo and Yuudachi could see the ocean through it, as well as the enemy Ru-class battleship and dozens of battle ready, un damaged I-class, Ro-class and a few Wa-class alongside it. "W-what do we do, Yuudachi?" Murakumo asked with a heavy gulp as she gripped her sword tightly.
Yuudachi gripped her now single barreled gun and silently wished for just one torpedo. "We hold out, Poi! Get everyone to keep attempting to retreat, anyone not majorly damaged fights here with us, Poi!"
Murakumo looked at Yuudachi in shock before nodding and rushing backwards to inform everyone else of what to do.
Yuudachi waited until Murakumo was gone before allowing her posture to slacken, tears immediately leaking from her eyes as she lifted and trained her gun toward the enemy before her, just within her range. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" Yuudachi asked herself gloomily as the enemy all opened fire, their shells flying through the sky toward her. The shells whistled through the air, and as they neared her, Yuudachi closed her eyes, expecting to feel nothing in a few seconds.
Explosions rang out, blasting Yuudachi's ears with the distinctive noise of shells striking metal, but instead of feeling pain and heat, she felt a shadow move across her, and smelled smoke and burning cloth. Opening her eyes Yuudachi found the backs of two people before her. One was wearing a black outfit with purple trim, her earlike headgear twitching slightly as a warm spot glowed on the edge of her blade, and the second a dark skinned woman wearing a sarashi, smoke rising from both of her shoulders and her equipment. The sword wielding woman turned to Yuudachi and smiled "You look like you've had some trouble. Sorry we're late."
Yuudachi recognized the person immediately. Their bases Tatsuta had always said all of the incarnations of her sister were reliable. "You're Tenryuu. You two are our reinforcement, Poi?"
"Yes, this Musashi and Tenryuu have arrived to assist you. Fall back with the rest of your allies. The enemy shall be held off by our fire while you do." Musashi stated confidently as all of her guns lifted and aimed toward the enemy forces.
Tenryuu watched as Yuudachi ran off and joined her fellows. "The only reason she's still alive is she was their flagship. Looks they were hit pretty hard."
Musashi nodded and gestured toward the enemy Ru class battleship, "The enemy flagship is of high level, only their rescue flagship was of high level if this Musashi recalls what the admiral said."
Tenryuu nodded. "Yeah, Yuudachi there is a higher level than us, but we're higher than anyone else here except for her. What do you think, shall we tear into them and keep em busy!?"
Musashi nodded and grinned as if imitating Tenryuu's own grin of enjoying a battle. "We must keep them busy to allow the young destroyers to escape. Let us tear them apart, and perhaps destroy the enemy flagship." Musashi said as she fired all of her cannons simultaneously, her barrage quickly covering the distance and landing on target.
As the smoke from her attack cleared Musashi and Tenryuu could see that Musashi's shells had cut into the enemy forces with deadly efficiency, and their remaining forces were now moving to engage. "I'll make sure any of those subs don't get ya. Let's do this!" Tenryuu said as she rushed forward with her blade brandished, light shining off of its purple edge like a reapers gaze.
Shell after shell, cut after cut, Musashi and Tenryuu tore through the enemy, until they could see no more, but that was the problem.
"Where is the enemy flagship located? Did she retreat?" Musashi asked as she carefully surveyed the area around them.
"Yeah I think so- . No, there she is!" Tenryuu said as she pointed behind them, then noticing that also behind them were the retreating destroyers. "It's going after the destroyers!"
"Musashi looked for a moment and scowled. "She is at too great a distance. This Musashi will not be able to hit her accurately, and if this Musashi misses, she may hit the destroyers!"
Tenryuu scowled and gripped her blade tightly as she knelt down as if preparing to sprint. "Then I'll catch up to her and cleave her in half myself!" Tenryuu roared as she burst forth and flashed across the water toward the Ru-class.
"Wait, Tenryuu! You're not strong enough to take on a Ru-class in close combat!" Musashi warned as she tried to follow Tenryuu, suddenly very worried about the outcome.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Yuudachi? I thought you were out front to help us retreat?!" Murakumo said as she saw Yuudachi run up behind her. Murakumo was helping Aoba to her feet, while many others helped those too injured to move.
"Our reinforcements just got here. They told me to fall back with the rest of you; we need to get moving now, Poi!"
Murakumo looked at her for a moment before nodding, "Alright, let's trust in them. Help me with Aobo. Her legs won't work . . . . . . . Who are they?"
"Pardon?"
"Who are our reinforcements?"
"A Tenryuu kai and Musashi, poi."
Murakumo's face seemed to brighten upon hearing the names "I see. Then we shall be fine I wager. Let's get moving."
Yuudachi nodded in agreement as a chain of cannon fire and explosions rang out from behind them, followed by even more sounds of battle. "Sounds like they're holding them off, Poi. Let's get going!"
She grabbed Aoba's other arm and helped Murakumo drag her along the water's surface. As the sound of gunfire began to quiet she knew they were making good time. They would soon be able to see the base on the horizon, and once they could, the bases shore guns would keep the enemy away. Just a little longer and they would be safe home preparing to-..
"Look out!"
Yuudachi turned as she heard the voice, and instantly felt dread in her heart. The enemy Ru-class was speeding towards them, and their reinforcement, Tenryuu was chase after it, firing at it frantically. The Ru-class was coming after them to finish the job. Looking over the differences in distance Yuudachi quickly knew what she had to do. "Murakumo, keep everyone moving Poi," Yuudachi said as she let go of Aoba and grabbed her half destroyed gun out of her equipment, turning towards the enemy Ru-class.
"Yu- Yudachi? You can't!"
"I have to, Poi! Now get going, I'll hold it off!" Yuudachi cried as she ran towards the charging Ru-class, leaving Murakumo alone with the rest of the retreating destroyers. She raised her gun as she ran and fired at the Ru-class.
The Ru-class ignored all the shots that Yuudachi hit her with and did not slow down until she was almost on top of Yuudachi, her guns bearing down and aimed directly upon her. The Ru-class meant to blow her out of existence and then keep going. As the Ru-class grinned Yuudachi swung her good right arm and punched it in the face with her gun, the only good barrel bending and breaking off as she did.
The Ru-class reeled back in pain, the barrel of Yuudachi's gun now lodged in her left eye, and swung her leg, kicking Yuudachi in the stomach and dropping her to the water. Gazing down on her with vicious intent the Ru-class's gun barrels aimed down, and the sound of loading shells told Yuudachi she was going to die.
Just as the Ru-class was about to fire however, a purple edged black blade pierced through its chest. The Ru-class spun around and struck the attacking Tenryuu in the head with its armaments. As it did, Tenryuu's blade pulled free and flew out of the Ru class as she spun.
Tenryuu crashed to the water and tried to raise her gun, but was kicked back down by the enemy Ru-class before she could. A second later the Ru-class began opening fire from all of her guns.
The Ru-class blasted Tenryuu over and over again at close range, the smoke and shrapnel making it hard for Yuudachi to see what was happening. Not thinking of her own survival anymore, only about saving Tenryuu, Yuudachi pulled herself up and grabbed Tenryuu's sword from atop the water near her, and rushed toward the Ru-class.
As Yuudachi neared the Ru class she saw it stop firing, and saw nothing on the water's surface where Tenryuu had been laying. The Ru class looked at her and grinned vilely, raising its guns to do the same to her.
Tenryuu had come to their aid, had come to reinforce them and had even engaged a battleship far physically stronger than her in close combat to protect her and her fellow destroyers from the situation they had gotten themselves into! She got herself sunk to protect them! Yuudachi realized in horror as the Ru-class trained her guns toward her.
Looking past the Ru class Yuudachi could see Musashi running to help her, a look of horror and sadness, of rage and hate, filling her face. It was obvious to her that Musashi and Tenryuu were friends or comrades, and just like she had many friends in her own fleet, they likely had many in their own, and now they had lost one, because she hadn't stayed back to help them, because she had tried to retreat with everyone else, because she didn't do her job as a flagship.
Yuudachi felt something snap inside her. It wasn't her morals or bones or anything like that, but something snapped, and it drove her into a rage. Without heeding her own life she let out a scream and lunged at her Ru-class, thrusting Tenryuu's blade through one of the Ru's guns and into her torso as its other guns turned toward her. Bending around the guns fire Yuudachi could feel her fingernails lengthen and harden into claws, and drove them into the Ru-class's face without holding back.
The Ru-class flailed wildly, knocking Yuudachi backwards away from her as she grabbed her face in pain, trying to stop the bleeding puncture wounds that Yuudachi left. Landing on her back and rolling to her feet, Yuudachi looked up and roared once more, rushing the Ru-class with horrid intent; her eyes turning from green to red and her hair suddenly becoming horribly messy, some of it forming almost earlike spiked off her head. Yuudachi reached the Ru-class with startling speed and stabbed her good arm into the Ru-s stomach and ripped it out, causing the Ru-class to drop to its knees in pain as it clutched its stomach, giving Yuudachi a perfect shot at its face. With terrible speed and a frightening lack of mercy Yuudachi grabbed the Ru-class's head and slammed it into the its own weapons over and over again until the Ru-class stopped moving completely.
As the Ru-class sank beneath the waves Yuudachi fell to her knees, exhaustion hitting her like the weight of a Bismarck as her eyes and hair returned to normal. A second later Musashi got to Yuudachi's side and helped her up, assisting her all the way back to the 31st destroyer fleet's naval base with tears of regret slipping off of her face.
Authors note:
To put the significance of this in to technical terms, and for the heck of it, here are the current levels for everybody.
Tenryuu : lvl 22 kai.
Musashi: lvl 23
Shimikaze: lvl 19
Wo : lvl 19
31st fleet Yuudachi : lvl 29 kai
31st fleet Murakumo : lvl 19
The rest of the 31st fleet destroyers : lvls 3-16
The Enemy Ru class flagship: lvl 30.
Yes, Tenryuu is kai. Nothing was ever said because her looks don't change, and therefore it went unnoticed by others.
On a different point, a few people have been asking some question in the reviews as of late, and I am greatly happy that people are. However, I shall not be answering any of the questions that have been asked thus far because they will be answered by the story itself over time. Hope everyone liked the chapter.
Oh, and before I forget, the last chapter I made comment about that poll, I hadn't opened it for voting(oops), but now it is open for voting, so I apologize for that silliness on my part.