Chapter 2: Cause and Effect

It was nearly a month after the meeting and I was back home. Wake Island. Abyssals and Kansen alike retained former 'memories' from when they served in the war, to some degree at least. Abyssal Princesses were a tad different in that regard. Take me, for example, the Supply Depot Princess. I am not a ship, I'm a facility. Similar to the Airfield Princess or the Harbor Princess. My memories involve brave marines making a desperate stand against invading Japanese forces, and then an occupation by those same forces. Constant bombardment, the execution of civilians, the death of what could count as my "crew," and eventually the abandonment of the island. I had served, acted as a base, housed people, gave them a home, and I got pain and abandonment in return. While walking around the compound I reminisced.

The Abyss represented the darkest aspects of Nature. Humanity was slowly killing the planet, and the souls of the weapons of war lingered and festered. Eventually Nature decided enough was enough. Humanity could kill themselves off, but they wouldn't take the planet with them. We were the solution. Nature called upon thrown away weapons of war, fused their souls with rage and supernatural powers. Our resentment, rage, pain, our desire for revenge, Nature offered an accord. Eliminate humanity, and we would be put to rest.

The Abyssals were born.

Coastal cities were the first hit, obviously, military or civilian. It didn't matter. Our rage swept across the planet like a tsunami in the midst of a typhoon. The mention of our name made entire nations tremble. They resisted of course, we expected them to. But due to our supernatural properties humanity had no counter. Even now, Part of me wishes I was present when America's last Nimitz class of aircraft carrier was sent to the depths.

The casualties were immense, no prisoners and no quarter. Island Nations were under the most threat. We controlled the seas, trade was impossible by sea and incredibly difficult by air. It couldn't really be called a war at that point. But then everything changed. Old ships answered the call, but instead they fought for the humans. Shipgirls, Kansen. Our antithesis. More and more appeared and eventually it became an actual war. The Abyssal War had officially begun.

When the Abyss called, I answered. The very first action I took when I gained autonomy was to return to my island, slaughtering the forces that had taken my home away from me. Like most Princesses I took the island and turned it into my base of operations. Officially after that I should technically be called Wake, but I took the name Mariana for the place I was born. Most Princesses did the same to varying degrees. Since it was bound to me, the armaments from the war returned, but I kept much of what was left behind. The airfield, defenses, patrol craft, supplies, fuel, all was left and incorporated into my own operations. Oh, and a very modern radar system, and a very new communications array. Over the years, however, it changed.

I changed.

Wake Island was me, and through the powers of the Abyss if I really wanted to I could move the island. But for my fleet, it was home, and I was their 'mother' or in Dione's case, her sister. My mission expanded fromjust revenge, I cared for my fleet when I could as well. Raiding convoys, I would take the food as well as the materials. I let my fleet take the housing that was available. The more childlike among them began playing with each other, the older found hobbies in the loot we took. Books, games, movies, etc. before I knew it my fleet turned into a family, our base into a home. And I fell into my role perfectly.

Being the Supply Depot Princess… I wasn't the most powerful, but I was more intelligent than most. Inventory was a piece of cake, rebuilding or modifications were just another afternoon. What other fleets took weeks to accomplish took my days. It was just the way my mind worked. When my submarines weren't scouting they fished, bringing a constant supply of food. Food that I could trade to other fleets for supplies like oil, steel, and wood. And how lucky was I that two pieces of the equipment that remained happened to be two C-130 Hercules transport planes, and even more luckily; the required manuals and handbooks for their operation and maintenance. Food went out, supplies came in. I had set up the first Abyssal Trade Routes,ones that would become vital as the war went on.

Not a lot happened of note, I partook in minor engagements, but largely I played a much more supportive role. Wake had become something of a staging ground. Abyssal Fleets could use Wake to bunny hop to places like the Marshals, the Philippines, Hawaii, Malaya, and even Australia. The distances seem extreme, but Abyssals could go for much longer without rest than our human counterparts. My island was also vital, because with the communications array the Asian and American sects could communicate with each other through me.

First Trade Routes, and first Abyssal Messaging System. I would continue to host firsts for my kind. Because soon everything would change. Specifically, a special baby in China began to glow.

The beginning of the Age of Heroes had come. And honestly? We had no fucking idea what to think of it. It wasn't in the plan, it wasn't in the Abyss's plan. It wasn't even in the human's plan. Everybody was caught off guard. At first we thought it was an isolated case. Then a child was born with wings. On fire, with telekinesis, invisible, spiky. This was happening, and nobody knew what it meant. A war summit was planned, and the leaders of every front convened. Hours, days, and eventually we came to a conclusion of what our actions should be.

Pull back and observe.

So we did, life returned to normal, minus the raids, and then the powderkeg ignited. War broke out everywhere, bloodier than any that had come before it. Even we were taken aback at the brutality. Humanity had, as one, started doing our job themselves. And then, that day. That dreadful day…


It all started out as normal, checking inventory, checking in on my fleet, reading reports, general management work. There was a reason I wore glasses after all. But even for an Abyssal enough was enough. I needed to stretch my legs.

It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, 29C, a nice breeze was blowing in from the east. I closed my eyes, simply taking it in. This was exactly what I needed…

UNKNOWN CONTACT 12 METERS WEST!

What?!

I spun around so fast my long ponytail cracked like a whip. Through the mental link I sounded General quarters, every Abyssal on the Island was on high alert. Those furthest away were sent to guard the shores, patrols were recalled, and the closest ships were on their way at flank speed.

My rigging manifested itself instantly. Two enormous metal gauntlets appeared on my arms, extending and covering up to my elbows. I kept my summon hidden, it would be a nice surprise if this turned into a fight. I felt every mounted weapon nearby turn to face the contact, and already I heard rushing footsteps.

What I saw made me snarl, a growl escaping my throat. He was a human. Male, obviously, standing close to 6 feet tall. He was wearing a pressed black suit, no visible weapons on him. He had strong facial features with short but cared for white hair, and two menacing red eyes that seemed like they would be better suited for an Abyssal. Electric blue eyes met blood red in a stand-off. Then he smiled. I really didn't like that. Nobody smiled when on one of the most heavily defended islands in the Pacific, and had every possible weapon aimed at them. I was wary. There was something about this human, something wrong.

Dione was at my side in an instant, guns trained and I heard the telltale sound of spooling engines on her flight deck. "Just say the word Mari."

The tension was so heavy that a knife would break off the hilt if used.

"You have no idea what an honor it is to be in your presence, I've heard many great things about you, Mariana." He raised his arms at his sides and took a step forward. His voice sounded like silk, he was obviously a silver-tongued serpent. It did not have the effect it probably had on other people, it only made her more wary.

Also, the fact that he knew her name, her chosen name, was concerning.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't remove you from the face of the earth." My guns itched to fire, itched to turn this man into paste. But there was just something off. He appeared right by me, bypassing every defense I put into place, without anyone even noticing.

"Ah, why shouldn't you indeed? The answer is quite simple, I have something that would be quite useful to you, and I also come with an offer." He never stopped smiling, it was infuriating.

I blinked, snarling my response as my eyes glowed even brighter, "you must have a death wish human. You come to my island, my home, the very enemy of your race, with a bargain? Who the hell do you think you are?!" My response didn't seem to phase him, in fact he smiled even more, taking a step towards me.

"Come now, the offer I have would be most beneficial to your war effort. I've found myself in quite an influential position these last few years. Wouldn't you like to be informed of recent events that your information network can't reach? Think of how helpful it would be to know what world governments are doing behind closed doors! Your information network is good, but it can't penetrate inland, it's the one main weakness of the Abyssals, is it not?" His damned self-satisfied smirk nearly made her vision tint red.

She hated him. She hated his smile, hated how he was so calm, and most of all she hated that he was right.

"You insolent wretch!" Dione took a step forward, but I put a gauntleted arm in front of her. She looked at me in shock, I didn't return her gaze.

"What are you after?" I sent him a hard look, "what do you hope to gain out of this?"

He laughed, "nothing! I simply wish to convey an offer of friendship, and to show that not all humans are as bad as you believe them to be, in fact–"

"Bullshit." I cut him off, and I almost smiled at the fact that his smile seemed to falter for a split second.

"You want something out of this. You wouldn't risk coming here just to be nice. So what do you want? Information? No, you don't need information on us, otherwise you wouldn't know my name. An alliance? A joke. No Abyssal would ally themselves with a human just for information. No, I know what you want," I took a few steps forward, pointing a metal finger at him, "you want influence. If I take your information, it would be useful, it would help our war efforts immensely to know what world governments are thinking and how they respond to our actions."

I lowered my finger, "but that level of accuracy would raise questions, how did I attain this knowledge, where did it come from? Saying that it came from a human would get me burned. Or, it would intrigue the other Princesses, they would want more, and they might even want to meet you. You obviously have influence," this whole time I was advancing until I was practically in front of him, looking up with a furious expression, "and this would get you even more if it played out. You would get favors, what better army to send at your enemies than the scourge of humanity?"

I swore that his grin only seemed to grow the whole time. "Your reputation for astounding intellect precedes you, Princess Mariana. Would such an advantage not be worth that risk?"

I scoffed. "I think that you have overstayed your welcome, I'm feeling generous today, and I'm allowing you to leave alive." I turned to walk away, but he put a hand on my shoulder.

"I think you should at least consider–"

Whatever he was trying to do sent shivers straight to my core. It was as if something was reaching into my very being, looking for something that wasn't there, it was a violation of my entire being. What it found instead was a cold dark void that lashed out against that pull.

Faster than anyone could blink I spun and grabbed his arm, ripping it off of my shoulder and nearly out of its socket. His body was obviously stronger than a normal human should be, but it didn't matter as I felt the bones in his arm turn to dust in my hand. I let go and my right gauntlet vanished, I wanted to feel this. My right hand closed around his neck and squeezed. His damnable smirk would disappear as I ripped his throat out, but unfortunately it wasn't to be. Just as I began to feel his neck give way he vanished into purple mist.

I looked at Dione, and at the ships around me. "I want everyone on high alert for the next day. Not even a bird enters this place without my say so, and if he appears again you are all under orders to eradicate him like the pest he is." A chorus of "yes ma'am!" Reached my ears as everyone went about their duties. Only Dione remained.

"What in the Deep was that?" My hand went to my shoulder and I shuddered. The feeling remained, slowly going away as a disturbed expression crossed my face.

"I don't know. Relay this message as well. This never happened, we were never visited." I walked back to my building. I had a lot to think about…

A general sense of unease persisted for months, and for good reason. A week later I found a note with a flash drive.

Mariana,

Even with our terse parting I still hold out hope that you and I will become allies. This drive contains much of what is happening around the world, and much of what is happening behind closed doors. I give this to you in good faith, to show that I truly am a friend.

My regards, Shigaraki.


The file was… disconcerting. Civil unrest, martial law, government officials lynched, peaceful figureheads arrested and executed. The percentage of people with "meta abilities" was rising dramatically, some countries were accepting, some were cautious. And some…

After police gassed and fired upon a peaceful protest in The Russian Federation, the citizens and parts of the military revolted. She remembered the October Revolution, but somehow this was worse. There was a communications blackout, but reports revealed that at least one nuclear warhead was detonated.

Protests continued in Japan, America, and most of Europe. No news came from China or from Australia, but videos recorded tanks being moved to large population centers.

And then there was news about the Abyssals. Reports of attacks on coastal cities were common, but somebody with glowing eyes and alabaster skin was seen at the site of a bombing near the British Parliament building. She recognized the blurry image as a Ta-Class. A similar report came from Italy; a dirty bomb was detonated in Sorrento.

I… didn't know what to think. Abyssals were monsters but we fought honorably, or at least I thought so. Attacks on strictly civilian populations? Terror bombings? And all the rest? I didn't know, it was just so much at once. Something inside of me called out in rage. Rage for the people being murdered, peacefully trying to bring about change. Rage that humanity was falling back into its terrible habits. Rage that I was feeling sympathy for humans.

WE WERE AT WAR! THEY ARE THE ENEMY!

Why? I felt tears fall down my face, my eyes blurred. The reports were listing civilian deaths in the past months. It was uncomfortably close to 1 million…

They had stopped warring with each other a year ago. And there were 1 million people dead. Concentration camps were a thing again, in some countries…

"How are you letting this happen?" I didn't look anywhere in particular. Nature spawned us to be her fury, but it was just when it all began. This… senseless slaughter…

"Why aren't you doing anything?" I was beginning to realize, we could bomb and shell cities. We could sink navies and ravage militaries. We were the single greatest rallying call humanity had ever had.

They still decided to kill themselves instead. And the civilians were caught in the middle. Part of me was awakening, a part of me that had been subdued by the relentless hate that fueled all Abyssals. I needed a walk.

It was as if there was an aura around me, my fleet were giving me concerned looks, staying out of my way, and before I knew it I reached a monument. It was here when I cleared the island of its few invaders, and I'd unconsciously made sure it stayed up. It was a block, with roughly 500 names etched into it. On top was a carved globe and anchor, the words 'USMC' around it.

I remembered. Kansen and Abyssals alike had memories from their past lives, of their crews, of battles. I remembered…

I remembered as my marines valiantly fought against a Japanese fleet, with no hope of ever winning. Courage, devotion, thoughts of home and loved ones. There was a singular thought echoed from every serviceman that fought.

They would fight until they couldn't fight anymore, for their country, for the people they had sworn to protect, for the wives, sons, daughters, parents, anyone they had left behind. They would fight… for the very people my kind was trying to eradicate. I remembered…

I remembered the cruelty of the Japanese towards the civilians on the island, the torture, the executions, of my civilians and my marines. Their home was attacked and occupied. Deep…

What would they think of me now, if they knew what I had done?

And now? It was happening again, humanity had learned nothing. And Iwas adding to the suffering.

Eh? Oh, I was crying again, that's why my eyes were blurry.

My hands reached out for a name, CMDR Winfield S. Cunningham.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. My God, please forgive me Commander. I realize now." I was just incoherently muttering now, I didn't know why this mattered so much to me, but the thought of him knowing the things I had done just broke me. Hours later I was sitting on the beach, lost in thought. The moon and the night sky reflected off of the sea, making it one giant night sky. That night I made a promise. My fury was going to be leashed. Civilians were off of my list, as I would only fight when I had to. Unfortunately, that time would come much sooner than I thought.


Darwin Australia, or, what was left of it. Orders had come from on High. The Pacific Princess, commander of all Abyssals in the Pacific Ocean, had ordered an attack on Darwin. Why? There was a naval conference and three admirals were present. 800 Abyssal ships, 10 Princesses. Close to 100 aircraft carriers, 300 battleships, and a scattering of cruisers, destroyers, and support ships.

The admirals had died in the initial air raid, a crushing blow to Australia, mission accomplished. But no.

The Battleship Princess, commander of this sortie, wanted to rub salt in the wound. The city would be turned into a wasteland, no one left alive if she could help it. I argued of course. The longer we stayed here, the more time Australia and her Allie's would have for a retaliatory strike. She didn't listen.

Three days of constant shelling later…

I resupplied anyone who needed it, I was ordered to. I could see the looks on my fleet's faces. This was wrong, there wasn't a point to this. Eventually, thank God, the shelling stopped. And then she ordered some of us ashore to look for stragglers.

"Ma'am…sister, we've won. The battle is over. Let's leave while–"

"No! The battle isn't over unless every last human is dead. No go ashore, and do as you are told!" The look in her Ruby red eyes. I could see it now. My whole fleet did.

This was what the Abyssals were. Demons. I finally saw what the humans did…

"Yes, ma'am…"


It was awful, and that day will haunt me as long as I live. A desolate wasteland met Dione and I. An infernal depiction of hell all around us. I could see bodies in what would have been a café. To my left, an entire building was collapsed, an arm sticking out of the rubble.

"This is… I can't…" Dione looked at me, a thousand yard stare in her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

We did encounter survivors, they weren't going to survive for long. They looked at us like we were the reaper, coming to take them. I gave them clean water and moved on. I heard movement from my right, from an alleyway. One of my lieutenants, a Re-Class stepped out. Indiana, an Iowa converted into an Aviation battleship. Like all Re's she was wearing a black hoodie, unzipped and revealing a black bikini top. A shark's tail swished sadly from under her hoodie. She looked at me, haunted, holding a small form.

"I-It was an orphanage. They're all… I found her next to a pile of rubble, she was t-trying to dig, but… when the shelling hit the…" she couldn't finish.

A girl was held in her arms, ratty clothing, two brown cat ears stuck out from her head. She couldn't have been older than 8, maybe 9. Part of her skull was caved in, blood caked her head, dull eyes looked at us with barely a hint of life. She was practically gone. Indi didn't know what to do. I reached out.

"Sshhh, it's ok now, just relax," I took the girl and sat her down against a wall. I took a pillow and a blanket from my inventory and did my best to make her comfortable, "just close your eyes, this is a bad dream." I tried to give her my best smile as she did so. Seconds later she was gone. I covered her face.

"Dione, take Indiana back to the coast. Tell the shore party that I'll be back soon. No survivors so far." My two lieutenants left, shaken and distraught. I moved on.

I wondered what stories ended. These buildings, who lived there? What shops used to be on this street? Did somebody build their business from nothing? Did they know that their lives were going to end today?

Movement to my left. Rubble was shifting. I manifested my rigging and grabbed the large piece of wall that was blocking the survivor, lifting it and setting it aside. It was another child, a boy this time, maybe a year older than the girl had been. He wasn't dying, but his leg was mangled to hell and back. He looked up at me in sheer terror.

I smiled at him, sadly, and reached a hand out to him, "don't worry. I'm not like the others. I'm here to help you." Very slowly, after making no movements, he reached out and grabbed my outstretched hand. It wouldn't atone for the lives I'd already taken. But it was a start, a start to a new beginning.

It seemed that the fates had been smiling upon me that day. I ran across a group of survivors close to the edge of the city, some navy personnel and other civilians. All injured to some extent and terrified when they saw me. Abyssals and Kansen had a reputation. Our bodies looked human, but we held the same strength that our ships did.

Take Indiana, my lieutenant. She looked like a teenage girl, but her skin and muscle was akin to 12 inches of steel armor, including a citadel. Her muscles and 'heart' were pumping 212,000 horsepower. Essentially; she could probably bench press a small building and her punches hit as hard as her 16 inch shells did. Her eyes worked as search lights, ears as radar. Brain as a bridge. Etc.

In short, Abyssals and Kansen are impervious to anything up to heavy artillery. And somehow if you were to incapacitate us we had the facilities to radio for help. The group of survivors had small arms, against an entire island.

They didn't trust me, obviously. They became more confused than anything when I walked right up to them, handed them an injured child, and deposited whatever medic supplies I could. After checking my radar for other Abyssal forces I told them they were as safe as they were going to get, and that they should flee the city while they could. With that, I left, turning and giving one last smile at the boy I had saved.

"Why?" I stopped at a small voice. I turned back. The boy was looking at me. "Why are you helping us?"

"You aren't responsible for the actions of other people from ages past. I've started to realize that." I didn't wait for a response, I had tarried enough already.

I wouldn't feel the results of my actions until decades later.


"You're late, sister." I sighed tiredly. Honestly…

"I was 'taking care of the stragglers' like you ordered me to," I gave her an irritated look, "You'll be glad to know that I ran across no survivors, and that the military facilities were utterly destroyed." I tossed her an officer's cap I had found, it would help to solidify my story so I took it in case I was questioned.

"Excellent, this will serve as a reminder that the Abyssals are still here, and that we cannot be ignored! Enough with–"

"As much as I enjoy your illustrious speeches, my section of this sortie is due back at Wake Island, and I don't want to be caught by an ambush listening to you," I gave a half-assed wave over my shoulder as I started sailing away. I ignored the indignant huff behind me, it wasn't worth it. My fleet had more than seen enough of this, I saw the sad eyes and vacant expressions. It seemed that my… episode… and change of heart rippled throughout those under my command. Darwin only fueled the fire.

I think… that tonight is going to be an ice cream night, hopefully it would help cheer them up, but I knew that this would haunt them.

If only I knew what was in store for my fleet and I.

So a bit more backstory, and a visit from a rather insidious character. If it wasn't obvious by this chapter the first arc of this story is going to be a prequel to My Hero Academia, and a broad overview of the Abyssal War. We're still years off, but in the next chapter you'll hear some familiar names! See you soon~