A/N: Hello wonderful people and welcome to a new chapter of Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Emerald Eagles. Things are starting to get interesting, with Jonas meeting Yamato and refusing her mission. Kongou is starting to get angry and is already making a plan to deal with Chihaya Gunzou and with Jonas Rongil. This chapter is going to expand on that a bit.
It is going to show a bit of interaction between both crews as they take a break in the Blue Steel Home Port. So I hope you all like it, it might be a little short, my standards are usually pretty high, so I am for around 30 pages, but this one is just shy of 27. Regardless, I worked hard to come up with the plot, which included watching the episode six times so I could memorize the dialogue and everything that happened, and trust me that wasn't fun, especially with the crappy internet I've got.
Shoutout to ExxotikMeow for being a loyal fan...this one is dedicated to you!
Without further adoo, here's Chapter 12...
Pray for me, I just saw a weather forecast for New Hampshire and we are getting screwed with snow...I might not make it past the next few days. Last time I got stuck in my house for 3 days eating nothing but ramen, bread and listening to Taylor Swift's Shake it off on loop for nearly the entire time. And once again, I will listen to Taylor Swift, though this time it's her and Zayn Malik...man never thought I would be listening to an ex-One Direction members..I just felt a shiver run down my spine...
Arpeggio of Blue Steel
Emerald Eagles
Chapter 12
To say Kongou was mad was an understatement. After two days of silence, she had gotten a call sign from Maya, only for her to be sent halfway to the Philippines. She had quickly redirected her course and broke the locks placed on her by Shimakaze's crew, but had then realized she had little armament left, not counting her thanatonium charges. She had sent her repair ship to her currently location to repair any damages done to her hull and also to replenish her armament, but now she directed her hatred towards the ones that did it.
"I fail to understand what you humans intend to do. You are so full of pride...taking someone captive, stealing their weapons, and you get let off Scott free..what is Yamato thinking?" she asked herself. She was sitting atop her bridge, watching the calm waters before her. Several seagulls flew around her and her convoy.
"Kirishima and Haruna have also decided to leave the fleet, and for a design child like Okasabe Makie...what makes her special? What makes you special, Chihaya Gunzou? What has caught 401's interest and made her side with you?"
"Kongou, my resupply is done, will we be heading out soon? I'm bored!" Maya cried, her childish voice filling her ears. Kongou had the tiniest of smiles on her face.
"We will head out soon Maya. Remain on standby, I want to search Kirishima and Haruna's locations, something tells me they'll lead us right to their den."
"Understood, and if you find those meanies who took control of my ship, let me know so I can fire my payload at them!"
"Of course Maya...you can throw your own carnival with Jonas Rongil and his crew."
xxx
Gunzou and his crew were slowly heading into their dry dock, following the bright orange markings that would lead into the underwater entrance. Theta was several meters away from them on the surface, preparing to enter the docks through the surface entrance. He glanced at the screen, reading a bit of the information displayed on it.
"Captain, do you think it was a good idea to bring two fast battleships with us?" Sou asked curiously, looking at his friend. Iona turned to him as well, glancing at him curiously.
"Not to worry, I had Iona lock their weapons." he said.
"Damn, if only I had my weapons unlocked!" Kirishima thought, clenching her hands tightly.
"401 helped us in our time of need, as did Jonas Rongil and his crew..without their help, we would have been destroyed...I want to know why they helped us. I just can't accept their explanation alone." Haruna thought.
"Haruharu...is something wrong?" Makie asked, glancing back at the blonde who shook her head. She gave her a smile.
"I'm alright Makie, I promise we'll keep you safe." she said.
"Hmm...maybe I can find some spare nanomaterial and reconstitute my old body!" Kirishima said excitedly, the prospect of regaining her old body filled her with joy.
"Kirishima, you should stay like that for a little longer."
"What? How come?" she snapped, looking back at her sister.
"It will be much easier for Makie if you remain in that form."
"Why would I do that for a little...girl?" she asked, looking back at Makie, who just gave her a bright smile. She sighed, shaking her head.
"Well, it is easy to move around, so I don't mind much." she said. Finally entering the dock, the submarine surfaced, right above the mooring arms. They slowly started to move, locking the vessel in place.
"To think, 401's stronghold was this place all along." Kirishima muttered, quite impressed that they had an island solely to themselves. Haruna opened her map, seeing a bright orange sheen over the island.
"This place has a heavily places signal on it, it's interference made it impossible for us to pick up on our radars." she said. The arms finished locking the vessel in place, the all clear appeared on screen, finally letting the crew stand up.
"Well, welcome to our stronghold Kirishima and Haruna. You don't need to worry about anything, I'm sure Hyuuga will take care of you." Gunzou said.
"Hyuuga? You mean the fast battleship Hyuuga?" Haruna asked curiously.
"I didn't think, she'd defected to their side." Kirishima said firmly, not believing their former Flagship to be sided with humans.
"Gunzou, there seems to be someone else here. I'll display the image on the screen." Iona said. The screen fizzled out for a few seconds, finally showing them a crimson colored Heavy Cruiser, which had been facing them. Everyone gasped.
"The Heavy Cruiser, Takao? What's she doing here?" Haruna asked curiously.
"Heh, Takao had gone AWOL after being defeated by 401...to think they had seized control of her."
"Actually Kirishima, we aren't aware of this...Iona, is Hyuuga alright?" Gunzou asked.
"Yes, she's come down to meet with us." the blue haired girl replied.
"Well, if Hyuuga hasn't been subjugated, then there certainly must be a reason for why Takao is here. Let's go ashore, she'll surely explain things to us." Gunzou said firmly.
Just as the crew of the 401 had left their vessel, Theta's hull surfaced, falling into place on the hanger beside the 401. The loud whirling sounds of the locking mechanism filled the area, along with the dull thud of the arms locking the hull in place. The automatic gangplanks lowered, allowing the crew to finally be back on land. Since they had been in the center of the docks, they had to get onto the other side by crossing over 401's main deck, but they were soon gathered with everyone else.
"Man, it's strange being back here. I surely thought it would be a one time deal." Nick said, looking around the place.
"Hyuuga was generous with us, so we had to return the favor. Let's see how she's doing." Jonas said firmly. His crew stood beside Gunzou's all of them glancing at the Heavy Cruiser currently present before them.
"Wonder what's going on there?" Chloe said, muttering the question to Miku.
"Guess we'll find out soon."
A familiar white pod appeared in front of them, bearing a pixelated face. Jonas recognized it from the first time he had met the Harbor Master. Though he did find it odd that she was back inside it. Was she perhaps nervous that the captain was back? Jonas didn't know, but he was quite amused.
"Welcome back Captain. I assume everything went well?" she asked.
"Indeed, Hyuuga, thanks for guarding our stronghold for these past six months. I really appreciate it." Gunzou said firmly.
"It's no problem captain, after all...I only did it for...Sister Iona!"
Iona who hadn't been paying much attention turned back at the sound of her name, only to see the pod fully open up. Hyuuga literally glomped the shorter girl, knocking her to the ground.
"Sister Iona, I can finally see you again! It's been such a long time since I last did, just thinking about it reminds me of that day over a year ago, when your torpedoes penetrated my hull and filled me with a euphoria I had never experienced before!" she cried loudly, rubbing her face against Iona's.
"P-please Hyuuga...could you let go?" she asked softly.
"I will not, I've waited this long so I could finally hug you with my own arms! I am not letting this moment go to waste!" she cried.
"Uh...I don't remember Hyuuga being this...forward..the last time I was here." Jonas said.
"Perhaps she mounted a strange plug in?" Haruna suggested.
"I dunno, Hyuuga was always the weird one in the fleet." Theta said, ignoring the fact that the brown haired woman was literally humping the girl onto the ground. Upon hearing that, she quickly composed herself and stood up, giving Iona a bit of breathing room.
"Light Cruiser Theta, I will not have you calling me "Weird"." she said firmly, glancing at the redhead. She crossed her arms, a smirk on her face.
"Sorry Miss Flagship, but you are weird and now that I can freely express myself, I will do so in an orderly fashion..weirdo." she replied. Jonas slapped the back of her head, causing her to yelp in pain.
"Theta, respect her...we are here in their stronghold, so I want you to be polite and courteous." he said firmly. She grumbled under her breath.
"So...you are the mental model of the Fast Battleship Hyuuga?" Gunzou asked curiously.
"I am...I felt this was the best way to interact with you...it's my first time meeting you in this form, so hello." she said.
"I hate to interrupt this meeting and all..but why did you defect to their side?" Kirishima asked. The brunette smirked, glancing at the small teddy bear.
"Kirishima and Haruna...you two want to know why I defected, and yet you forget what happened when the two of you docked together and were destroyed by them?"
"Why I oughta..." Kirishima snapped angrily.
"You should know the answer to that question by now...you found someone special to protect right? That's why I'm doing this, to protect every body that's special to me, and speaking of bodies!" she said, turning her attention to Iona. Her pod instantly grabbed the girl, holding her suspended in the air.
"I'm good at fixing bodies, let me take a look at yours Sister Iona, I promise to be gentle!" she said, grabbing the hem of the girl's skirt. Somehow, Iona was able to break free and land a solid kick to Hyuuga's face, sending her flying into some crates.
"Hyuuga, I want you to make repairs and refill our thanatonium charges. I want all of this done for the next time we set sail." Iona said, pointing to her vessel. Jonas was actually impressed with how stern she could be.
"Y-yes s-sir!" Hyuuga cried, clutching her head in pain.
"Not that this isn't entertaining, but what's that doing here?" Jonas said, pointing to Takao's vessel. Hyuuga stood up and cleared her throat.
"Ah yes...about that."
"401, and crew...it's been awhile." a firm voice said. Looking at the port side deck, Jonas could see the mental model of the heavy cruiser. She had changed her outfit, now wearing a sleeveless light red shirt, with a matching red skirt. She had kept her long black stockings, and had exchanged her white heels for black ones. She had a firm look on her face. Upon seeing Gunzou though, her cheeks became red and she clutched her chest tightly.
"Gunzou-sama!" she exclaimed.
"Wait...who are you again?" Kyouhei asked. With a wave of her hand, Takao fired her turrets, the sound of lead hitting the ground sent Kyouhei running back, trying to avoid the gunfire. Takao sighed, her body glowing a bright red.
"Maybe this will jog your memory." she said, changing into her previous outfit.
"I sailed here before you and occupied this base, just so that I could speak with you all."
"Actually, you fell to my gunfire and security systems and were taken captive." Hyuuga corrected, a smirk on here face.
"I see, that seems more reasonable." Shizuka said, earning a laugh from Iori.
"You came here...to meet us?" Gunzou asked.
"Oh uh...yes...that's right." she said. The man glanced at Jonas who just gave him a shrug. He was also confused, it made Takao's motive all the more interesting to hear about. She had been acting strange too, not at all like what she had shown the last time they had met.
"Well..let's hear what you have to say." he said.
"This should be good." Nick said, cracking open a bottle of Mountain Dew. He handed one to Jonas who took a long swig from it.
"Um...well...I.."
"That's right Takao...go ahead and say it!"
Jonas glanced to his right, staring right at Hyuuga, who had unknowingly broadcasted her thoughts right to him. He looked at the other mental models but it seemed he was the only one who heard it.
"I want you to hand over.." Takao continued, pointing her finger right at Gunzou, the blush on her cheeks darkening a bit.
"Go on Takao, say it! Hand Over Chihaya Gunzou...then I can have Sister Iona all to myself!"
"Yo, captain are you alright?" Taco asked, noticing the weird look on Jonas's face. He had been intently watching the brown haired harbor master, seeing the lewd look on her face. She licked her lips, a bit of drool forming at the corner of her mouth.
"Hand over...Chi...Chi...hand over the Vibration Warhead and all of the data you've collected on it!" Takao finally screamed, earning gasps from everyone, including Hyuuga. She stiffened a bit, most likely not understanding what she had just said.
"Takao...we cannot do that!" Gunzou snapped angrily. He was about to say something else when a white and orange blur zoomed past him, jumping high into the air.
"Takao you idiot! What the hell are you doing?" Hyuuga shouted, landing on the boat deck.
"Um...I messed up?" Takao said, pressing her fingers together. The brown haired woman grabbed a fist full of her shirt, pulling her to eye level.
"You messed up? We had a deal and you messed up!"
As the two women continued to argue, Jonas had rapidly lost interest. He glanced back at Gunzou who gestured for him and everyone else to follow. Once the yelling had died down a bit, he proceeded to talk.
"Sorry about that, Hyuuga isn't normally like that. Somehow I doubt Takao said what was truly on her mind." he said.
"It would seem so...she didn't seem that way when we first met...she's a first class Tsundere if I ever saw one." Jonas said, earning a chuckle from the others. He shook his head.
"But anyway, I would prefer it if we got back to business. I sent Shiki and Isuzu back to our home port shortly before arriving here. I realized that crossing the Pacific was going to be rather difficult, and with your shortage of armament, it would be a dangerous trek. So, we will be leading you to our temporary base of operations, over in Midway. By now, the girls should be getting ready to assemble it." he said.
"Midway...not a bad choice Jonas." Haruna said, already looking up the location on the map.
"It's going to take us five days to sail there, even at full speed. We'll have to tread carefully, so I've decided it's best to travel at half just in case we run into anything. We'll take the brunt of it while you guys fire accordingly. Once we arrive, Shiretoko will conduct more permanent repairs and will replenish your payload, we should be set to travel to America then. Of course we'll have to drop by Pearl Harbor so that they can send a message to San Diego." he said.
"What do you think captain? Is it a good idea?" Sou asked, looking at his friend and captain. Finally arriving at the meeting room, everyone proceeded to enter. Gunzou remained silent for a few minutes, before giving Sou a nod.
"I believe it's a good idea. Shiretoko is a resupply and repair vessel, so she should have the adequate equipment to fix anything that Hyuuga can't repair on her own. Our supply of nanomaterial is dwindling, so we had to leave this place anyway." he said.
"With us bringing Kirishima and Haruna along, it won't be long before someone shows up to check on us." Iori said.
"My apologies...we didn't mean to cause you anymore trouble." Haruna said. She placed her arms on Makie's shoulders, seeing the frown on her face.
"Nonsense, you aren't causing us trouble...sooner or later someone was going to find it. Without knowing who will show up, we'll have to act accordingly. Hyuuga's defenses are first rate so we should be alright. Once the 401 is finished repairs, we will continue onwards..for now everyone is on standby...rest up...we'll need it." he said.
"Everything is the same for us. Theta, I want you and Miku to run diagnostics on our hull..make sure all of our sensors are repaired and ready to go...we are 401's first line of defense so I want every single nook and cranny of that ship examined and I want everything you find in my hand as soon as you are done."
"Understood captain!" the two girls said firmly.
"As for the rest of you...you've earned yourselves a break. This might be the only time we get to have such luxuries, so make sure to have fun and be ready for battle. I have to speak with Hyuuga about something." Jonas said, turning to leave.
"Do you want me to come with you Jonas?" Serina asked, already knowing what he was referring too. He shook his head.
"I'll be alright. It's not like Takao is going to fire her guns at me, and if she does I can always deflect her bullets...just rest up okay? I'll be fine." he said, leaving the room.
"Do you really think he's fine?" Miku asked in a worried tone.
"Course he is. He's our captain, he's never lead us astray before." Nick said.
"Yes but you must remember what happened a few hours ago, he's most likely going to speak with Hyuuga about it, the last thing we need is Yamato ramming her bow right up our stern." Chloe said, minding her language.
"Jonas Rongil...he has a bigger burden than any of us..being a human and a mental model must be tough on him." Haruna said, a frown on her face.
"Everything will be fine...Jonny is going to be fine!" Makie said, earning a laugh from everyone.
"You girls should rest up, you must be fatigued after everything that's happened...feel free to use our beach to relax..I doubt we'll be using it for much longer." Gunzou said.
"I appreciate your generosity...I think we'll take you up on that offer." Haruna said, a small smile on her face. She was still greatly confused about many things, but for now these new feelings weren't a burden for her processor to take, and it seemed Kirishima was also doing well.
"Yo, is something wrong Taco? You've been really quiet." Nick said, switching from Japanese to English. Taco glared at him, arms crossed in disdain.
"Of course something is wrong, I can't speak with anyone. I can understand everything you are saying, but I can't reply. How do you think I feel?" he hissed back. His eyes flashed back to Shizuka who was talking with Iori about something. Nick caught his gaze, a smirk on his face.
"Ah, so you have the hots for the raven haired girl...not a bad choice if I say so myself." Nick said.
"Bro, how can I possibly be thinking about that during a time like this?" he asked.
"Taco...Taco Taco Taco...it's simple..all you have to do is go up to her and say, Oppai Daisuki. I assure you, 100% guarantee that she will love you back." he said. Taco looked at him, a frown on his face.
"Are you sure?" he asked. Nick slowly nodded, taking a sip from his drink.
"I don't trust you, remember that girl back in India? You said that she would love me if told her I had a long didgeridoo...and look at where that got me." he said.
"Okay, that time I was just fucking you, but this time I'm not. Trust me, I've used that line on many ladies back home and they always come at me in droves!" he said. Taco narrowed his eyes.
"Oppai Daisuki...are you sure you aren't lying?" Taco asked.
"Every word I've said is the honest truth. I'm a pirate so I have to follow the Pirates Code after all. Go on, I'll be watching." he said, pushing him forward. Taco, straightened his shirt up a bit and fixed his braids. He took a deep breath and made his way across the room. Serina stood next to Nick, watching the young man closely.
"What the hell did you put him up to this time?" she asked.
"Shh...just watch!" he said. He had his phone in hand, already recording it. Taco cleared his throat, gaining the two girl's attention.
"Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Shizuka asked him. Taco looked back at Nick who just made a "Go Ahead" motion with his hand, trying to block his phone.
"Oppai Daisuki?" he said, though it came out as a question. Iori's eyes widened a bit, not expecting that at all.
"Oh...you do, do you?" Shizuka said angrily. Faster than the blink of an eye, she slapped Taco across the face. She huffed flicking a strand of her hair behind her shoulder.
"Let's go Iori, I have better things to deal with than perverts like this one." she said, dragging her friend away. Iori held back her chuckles as she followed the Sonar operator out of the room.
"Son of a bitch! That fucking hurt!" Taco exclaimed. Nick broke into laughter, almost dropping the drink in his hand. Taco glared at him, clenching his hand.
"What the hell did I say to her?" he asked.
"That phrase I told you, it means "I like big boobs". You totally fell for it." Nick replied.
"You jack wagon piece of shit. I'm gonna kick your ass." Taco shouted. Nick raced off, laughing his head off as he went. Chloe sighed.
"It's something different, every damn time." she said.
"I feel sorry for you, are all humans this obnoxious?" Kirishima asked, earning a chuckle from the redhead.
"Not on occasion, but those two can get on anyone's nerves, whenever the girls aren't fighting about who has the bigger boobs, it's them fighting it out over stupid crap. I'm gonna head to the beach, it might be awhile before I can actually go to one again." she said, giving them a wave.
Jonas finally let out the breath he was holding. Ever since getting his core activated, he had been feeling a bit..different. It was as if he was a super computer, and had immense powers just from a small device in his chest, which in reality, it was. He didn't know why, but he felt less human than he did before. A part of him wished he had never found out about it, so that he could continue living his life as peacefully as he had, but now that he knew about it, there was nothing he could do. His heart had been taken out and replaced with it, it was his life now, and there was nothing he could do about it. He sighed, allowing his holographic rings to appear around him. He didn't search anything, he just stood there, staring at them, the bold white color that made them up, the small algorithms that were written on it, it was all so surreal.
"You know, you aren't any less human for having a core within you."
He jumped a bit, looking to his right to see the woman he was originally looking for. Takao stood beside her, gawking at him a bit. He let the rings vanish, turning fully to her.
"Oh...Hyuuga, I was looking for you." he said. She looked him over, auburn eyes meeting his own blue ones.
"Jonas, is there something you aren't telling me?" she asked firmly. He sighed, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"I'm that easy to read?"
"Like an open book I'm afraid. Come, I'll listen to what you've got to say. I have to run some diagnostics on 401 anyway." she said. He nodded, falling into pace beside her. Takao looked away from him, holding her nose up high.
"It's nice to meet you too Takao. We didn't exactly meet the first time since we were just passing through." he said.
"I...suppose it's nice to meet you too." she replied, after half a minute of silence. The three of them finally reached the dry dock, where the two ships were currently being held. He briefly saw Miku and Theta, just before they ducked into the bridge. A holographic screen appeared before Hyuuga, showing her all of the damage the 401 had taken after it's last battle.
"So, let's get on with it...what do you want to tell me?" she asked, eyes firmly on the screen in front of her. He took a few seconds, trying to formulate what he wanted to say.
"Well...I don't feel human anymore. Before, it was okay because I was blissfully unaware of what had happened to me. But now that I have control over my core, I just fell..inadequate..like I'm only half the person I used to be. I know I'm still fully human, but the thought of having a quantum computer in me, capable of manifesting a ship...it's just a bitter pill to swallow. Not only that, Yamato knows what's been done, hell she gave the US Government everything they needed for this to work fully." he said.
"Whoa wait a minute...you have the core in you, that I get, Hyuuga explained that to me earlier...but are you sure Yamato actually interacted with humans?" Takao asked curiously.
"I'm sure...I was the first human she interacted with. I'm sure she made her mental model because of me. Seven years ago, I was blown off a bridge by a thanatonium warhead. The damage done to my body must have been severe, but somehow I survived and woke up in Hawaii. Up until a few years ago, all I remembered was being put through naval school..but I don't think that's what truly happened. She mentioned someone else, her sister...and how she visited me every day while I was in Hawaii, but I for the life of me can't remember that. She told me that when the missile hit, I landed on Musashi's deck, and she was the one that took care of me and brought me to Hawaii. Yamato was the one who took care of the rest." he said.
"But that's unheard of...what would the Supreme Flagship gain from saving a human? Especially with an implant as dangerous as the one that they did to you?" Takao asked curiously.
"I'm not sure, but she's taken to me recently. She views me as an errand boy, and wanted me to go meet her sister in Madagascar. I'm scared that my refusal is going to be the cause of a battle between us and the Fog. She's the Supreme Flagship after all, and I'm sure I pissed her off by refusing to handle the mission."
"You most likely did. Yamato isn't one to mess around when it comes to getting work done, however her motives aren't always as clear as some of the other Fleet of Fog members. While some of us follow the Admirality Code to the letter, there are others who follow the code by other means. I think Yamato fits into that category." Hyuuga replied.
"So wait...are you saying that Yamato has another reason for why she's doing what she's doing?" he asked curiously.
"Could be, but right now I'm not so sure." the brunette said firmly. After finishing her diagnostics she hopped onto her pod and floated toward 401. Her orange rings expanded a bit as she started repairing all of the damages done to the ship. Jonas decided to sit down, getting a bit tired of standing. He pulled his legs closer to himself, resting his face on his knees.
"This is all so confusing...what does Yamato want? Why is it that I feel a twinge in my heart whenever Musashi is mentioned...just who is she?" he asked firmly.
"Well...in layman's terms, Musashi is just like Yamato, a Supreme Flagship, however she defected from the Fog seven years ago and disappeared entirely. Some say she was hiding, others say she was just lying in wait to attack her sister. Recently though, the European Fleet of Fog have made mentions of a Yamato-class Superbattleship being in the area...a supposed Scarlet Fleet. Not much is known I'm afraid." Hyuuga said.
"Is that all you could gather from the Internet before connections ceased?" Takao asked, gaining a sudden interest.
"Yes, that's right. Even then, there are stray messages on the comm system from time to time, I like keeping the channels open in case I run across one of those. Now, what is it that you want me to do for you Jonas? If you'd like I can take a look at Theta after I'm done with 401."
"I would appreciate that, thank you...but that's not why I'm here. Last night, you increased my processing power to 25%...I want you to increase it to 50." he said.
"50%...are you insane? Something like that so soon, it could devastate your body, especially because we don't know what would happen to you." Takao snapped, glaring at the boy beside her. He smirked.
"Aw, so you do care...that's nice."
"What...I just don't want to see you die idiot. I've heard plenty of things, about your stupidity and unwillingness to die..but I've also heard nice things, about wanting to befriend us...I suppose having a dream like that isn't all that bad." she said.
"But that still doesn't mean what Takao said isn't true. Are you willing to take that risk Jonas?" Hyuuga asked. He gave her a nod.
"I don't know what's out there...the American Fleet of Fog...I've faced them before...Saratoga, Ticonderoga, Virginia and Lady Lexington...they're all pretty scary...I just want to be ready to handle anything that get's tossed our way." he said. Hyuuga nodded, turning her eyes back to the task at hand.
"I'll increase your processing power to 50%...but remember, this might affect your entire body. Not just how you act, but your bodily functions as well. You might be more Fog than human after we're done."
"If it means having the power to protect my friends, than I'm willing to throw away what little humanity I have left." he said firmly. Takao's eyes widened a bit in shock. She refused to believe what she was hearing. She turned to him, grabbing a handful of his shirt.
"You are insane...there is a thin line between being human and being Fog...how can you dare cross that line without a care in the world? Are you stupid?" she asked. He merely chuckled at her.
"I'm not stupid...you might think I am, but ever since I found out about this core...I've just wanted to see what it could do. I've been feeling less and less human by the day...just thinking about the ones that failed, those kids that died..I was the only survivor of that horrible experiment. The only one who gets to breathe...why would I want to be a human after that? After those atrocities were committed in the name of Hope? Under the Flag of the country that I grew up in? Those scientists...those researchers and government officials...they've done nothing more than to shame our land...if I had the choice to remain a human, I would throw it away..I would rather be of the Fog..then at least I wouldn't have to worry about the ones who died before me." he said. Takao slapped him across the face, anger coursing through her. It was a feeling she was familiar with, and one she could definitely live without.
"Shut up! You don't think death affects us? You don't think we don't have that burden too? I've killed hundreds...thousands of humans since I woke up, and casually disregarded them like useless washcloths...but ever since I developed this mental model, and I met Chihaya Gunzou...I've come to realize so many things. This world is beautiful, I've gained self awareness that I didn't think I had. I feel pain, I feel guilt for what I did. How can you say you want to be part of the Fog because we don't feel guilt over the deaths of others? You don't know us!" she snapped.
"Takao...I think that's enough...he's confused...just let him be." Hyuuga said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She sighed, letting Jonas go. He grabbed his cheek, a smirk on his face.
"You know, it's always the pretty girls that slap really hard." he said, making her blush a bit.
"I...well..shut up!" she snapped.
"Tsundere." he said, in a sing song voice. That only seemed to make her blush even more.
Xxx
"Are you sure about this Haruna?" Kirishima asked, glancing over at her sister. Both of them found themselves in the pavilion. It had gotten a lot brighter since they had last been there, and they swore they could hear birds chirping. Haruna gave her a nod, choosing to remain silent.
"Haruna, Kirishima...why are you leaving the fleet?" Kongou asked, surprising Kirishima who almost fell off the table.
"Jeez, I've told you not to do that!" she snapped. Kongou merely ignored her, glancing at her younger sister.
"I have found my way...I've found the reason for me to exist." she said.
"The Design Child?" Kongou asked curiously, earning a nod from her.
"I made her a promise, that I would be her friend..and I intend to keep that promise." she said.
"Friend...I do not comprehend this...Haruna the scars of being in battle and next to humans has put a burden on your processor. Things often times fall to fatigue...you must undergo repairs. Return to the Fleet." the woman said simply.
"I'm sorry, but I've made my choice. I will not be returning to the Fleet." she said, ending the connection. Kongou sighed, glancing at Kirishima.
"Are you leaving the fleet as well?" she asked.
"Um...for now..I intend to keep a close eye on Haruna...to make sure she's fine." she replied.
"Will you not leave Haruna's side?"
"I-I'll take that into consideration." she hastily replied. Soon enough, Kongou was on her own. She took a sip of her tea, a frown on her face.
"I see...so that's how it is. Maya.."
"Yes Kongou?" the girl replied, already being in the pavilion.
"You are aware of the current circumstances correct?" she asked. Maya gave her a nod, looking at the holographic screen before her.
"Yup, I am up to speed on everything." she said.
"Good, you will rendezvous with me, together we will deal with this problem!" she said.
xxx
"Yay, finally! I get to do something, other than be someone's captive! It's gonna be a carnival!" Maya cried, loading every single missile launcher and torpedo tube with active charges. She was finally going to get her part in the story.
Jonas felt a bit odd now, he had undergone another procedure, bringing his processing power up to half of what he normally would have. While the feeling of motion sickness wore off after a few minutes, he couldn't help but feel a little weird. It was as if he wasn't even in his own body. He could hear his own heartbeat, or rather the simulation of a heartbeat from his core. He was more in tune with his surroundings now, and could hear anything he wanted, so long as his sonar was active. It also felt like something within him moved, though he didn't know what. He felt as if something was under his command, but wasn't sure of what it was exactly. He figured it was his ship, which had somehow homed in on him, but Hyuuga assured he didn't have the power to move his ship yet. He opened and closed his hands for a few seconds, just staring at his palms.
"So, how do you feel?" Hyuuga asked curiously. Jonas looked at her, a small smile on her face.
"I feel like I'm living inside the internet...like whatever I need to know, I can learn within seconds. It's a weird yet airy feeling...is this what you all feel?" he asked, directing his question to both her and Theta, who had been watching over him for awhile.
"I'm not sure what you mean when you said "Airy Feeling" but I suppose that's what we feel. Wait until you take over your vessel, it's gonna feel even better. Knowing you have all of that firepower at your control, it's gonna take you a long time to fight the urge to just blast away anything in sight." Theta said.
"I've run some extra diagnostics on your core...the previous personality, that of Iowa, was a pretty smart individual, even for a mental model. She seemed to over think everything and choose the best course of action, I believe this has also affected you. It's an asset to have in battle at least...you're Klein field is also pretty strong. At 50% processing power, you'll be able to deflect everything that's thrown at you, at least until you reach 80% saturation, after that you'll most likely fall to fatigue." Hyuuga said.
"Alright...I suppose that's good to know. With this power, I'll be able to make quick decisions in battle." he said. A series of beeps filled their ears, and Hyuuga quickly opened up her search system. A smirk worked its way onto her face.
"Hmm...so it seems Kongou has found us. It's a little bit early for her to show up though...I wonder how Sister Iona will feel, seeing her simulation was off by a few hours." she said.
"Uh...this is bad right? Isn't she the Flagship now?" Jonas asked.
"Indeed, after my departure, it was Kongou who was assigned to the fleet. Takao left shortly after, with Kirishima and Haruna following after her. Let's not forget, you guys attacked Shiretoko and in turn took Beta and Theta with you...she must be feeling pretty angry about all of this." She said.
"So, what exactly are we going to do about it?" Jonas asked curiously. Hyuuga smirked, glancing at her friend.
"I think we should let Chihaya Gunzou handle it. It might be the best course of action." she said. He nodded and turned to Theta.
"I want you to launch the boat, be on standby for anything that will happen. I'll get the crew down in a few minutes...I dunno what will happen, but I want you to be ready for anything. Remember our mission." he said.
"Ensure the safety of 401 and make sure to get the Vibration Warhead unharmed to San Diego California, by any means necessary." she said firmly.
"Right...I'll be going now." he said, turning to leave. He sighed softly to himself. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he would make sure to be ready for anything.