Chapter 5: The Bonded Seas
Enterprise's world felt fleeting and crudely cut as she wavered between consciousness and unconsciousness during the trip back to Azur Lane. The flares of the sun caused her to shut her eyes during her moments of consciousness, and the rare scenes she could observe due to her searing pain were her little sister's eyes stained with tears and fear. She weakly turned her head to see Belfast looking equally as worried as Hornet while she carried a body in her arms.
Enterprise weakly locked her gaze on her counterpart which was the body being carried by Belfast. The same level of pain had been inflicted on her counterpart. That was all she was allowed as she passed out indefinitely.
(Sometime later)
The Azur Lane base had been devoid of all joyful activity, as a majority of the shipgirls had made their way to the docks when the uncontainable rumor that Enterprise had been wounded inevitably came out.
A medical team composed of Vestal and repair assistants were on standby. Vestal's heart filled with worry as she spotted Hornet and the others quickly closing in. "Cleveland, they're here!" She called to the short blonde-haired Eagle Union who was with her.
"I see!" The blond-haired girl turned around to stare at the slowly increasing crowd that had formed in the knowledge that Enterprise had been critically injured. "I need you all to stand back, please," she said to all the shipgirls that also contained Laffey, Javelin, Ayanami, Z23, San Diego, Portland, Unicorn, and Hammann to name a few.
"What!? You can't do that! We're as worried about Enterprise as you!" Loudly Shouted Hammann.
"If you are, then, you, like everyone else need to give us space that she will need," replied Cleveland with a sigh.
"But- but!" She found herself being picked up by Denver and Montpelier as they hooked their arms around Hammann's arms.
"Don't worry, big sis, we'll run crowd control to make sure no one gets too rowdy," replied both of Cleveland's sisters as they moved Hammann back with the crowd.
Cleveland thanked them and joined up with Vestal.
"Okay, they have docked. Hurry everyone!" Said the medical repair ship as she signaled for the wheeled stretcher to follow her.
Hornet was the first one ahead of everyone else with Enterprise in her arms. The look in Hornet's eyes expressed that she wasn't all that there. She was, for a lack of a better word, emotionally drained from the events of today. She spotted Vestal and Cleveland coming at her. "Please… she needs medical attention," she said with sad, weak, and vacant eyes.
Both Vestal and Cleveland turned pale at the sight of Enterprise, whose hand had been burned black and covered with deep lacerations. The Eagle Union's coat had been obliterated from the right side, and her shirt barely held on to her chest.
"W-who could have done this to her?" Questioned Vestal while she prepped the stretcher next to Hornet and tried her hardest to not waver on her medical duties as a result of her emotions.
Hornet looked in no way ready to respond as she carefully dropped her sister on the stretcher.
"The answer you seek is right here, Vestal… of course, we will need to attend to her as well before any more questions can be answered," replied Belfast.
Cleveland recoiled in shock at the mysterious, wild-haired girl that heavily resembled Enterprise. "What the heck?!"
Vestal scrunched up her face yet walked forward with a professional air to her. "As Miss Belfast said, we need to attend to this patient first," replied the medical repair ship as she called for another stretcher.
"H-how are you not fazed by this?!" Shouted Cleveland.
"My medical duties come first before anything else. The shellshock that this girl looks like Enterprise means little right now. Her wounds are what's important to me right now more than the context of what happened."
They placed her in the stretcher and when they did, the wild-haired girl grunted awake from her unconsciousness.
Everyone flinched at the wild look in the girl's eyes as she stretched out her good arm to escape from the confines of the stretcher.
Belfast intervened with an iron grip and an iron gaze that was directed at the pseudo-Eagle Union. Her grip wrestled with the weak wrist of the wild-haired girl. "Do you know where you are right now?" She spoke sternly to the crazed pseudo-Eagle Union.
She did not respond but she did give Belfast a deadly look that would have made Belfast falter if she didn't harden her nerves beforehand; she was the spitting image of Enterprise after all.
"Your wounds are quite severe, and we will attend to them. You have no say on this matter, and afterward, we will interrogate you for questions… do you understand?" She spoke calmly.
The wild-haired girl's gaze softened in defeat as she lacked the strength in her current condition to express her disagreement.
"I think she understands. We have preparations to be made but first, Enterprise is the top priority. For this one, she will need to be attended immediately afterword, and have someone on guard to make sure she keeps her good behavior," she commanded with strong authority.
"Do not worry about Enterprise's health, the care of the Yorktown class is my primary job, and I will do everything in my power to give her a good recovery," said Vestal as she ordered the medical assistants to help her wheel the two Enterprises to the medical wing.
Hornet didn't bother to talk to anyone else as she followed Vestal, half-mindlessly with her sister's health being the only thing on her mind.
When Cleveland's slight panic attack at seeing a double Enterprise had faded away, she uneasily walked to Belfast. "Talk to me, Belfast, is this girl an enemy?" She asked for clarification.
Belfast sighed as she allowed herself to remove her iron front. "Yes, she engaged Enterprise with the intent to kill her. I can't say what kind of Siren she is but can certainly say she should be classed as one for the time being. There are questions to be answered like how she managed to harm Enterprise."
All the shipgirls that had been yearning to get closer had their wish granted when they spotted the state of Enterprise as she was wheeled close to them in passing. Even Denver and Montpelier stopped focusing on the crowd to have an eye full at the injured state of Enterprise.
"M-miss Enterprise," softly spoke Unicorn when she laid eyes on the woman that saved her life. Her tears had poured out hard and fast as she held on to her U-Chan, while Javelin tried to calm her down with a hug.
They then got a good look at the wild-haired girl that made everyone whisper and recoil in fright.
"Umm… are my eyes messing with me or are there two Enterprises?" Replied San Diego with a confused look.
"Your eyes are fine… but this one… her hair isn't that pretty as Enterprise," replied Laffey with a tired tone to her voice, which wasn't to say that she wasn't surprised to see this oddity.
The wild-haired Enterprise struggled with her diminished strength to break free of the restraints that they secured her in. She looked at the shipgirls' faces which brought a mental pain that surged through her head as if she was being forced to investigate a long-lost old photo. She looked at Unicorn who brought her the most pain as she frantically looked away to hide her face from them; this also eased the mental pain that coursed through her mind.
"This is my fault… that Enterprise was put into this state," replied Cleveland when the two Enterprises were no longer visible.
"Miss Cleveland, this is certainly not your fault. The Siren, Purifier, was the unknown ringleader of this operation. She lured us in with fake distress merely to express her sinister newfound power that failed… I suppose that can be the silver lining," said the maid tiredly.
"Please tell me everything that went down from the point that I gave you'll the coordinates," urged Cleveland as the two walked away from the dock to where Enterprise was going to be stationed.
This just left Shoukaku and Zuikaku alone as neither of them had said much in the way of the conversation. Zuikaku had been gazing at the captain's hat she had in her hands that belonged to Enterprise.
Shoukaku leaned over to observe her little sister's deep expression. "Zui, this is Enterprise… she'll make a quick recovery, and then you'll be able to personally give her back her hat," she said in hopes that she could brighten the mood of her little sister.
"How can you say that, Shou?" Replied Zuikaku as she felt lost in her head. She kept replaying the scene of the attack in her head in a loop from the details her sister gave her, and every time, she couldn't figure out how Enterprise had gotten hurt. She only wished she could have seen the attack herself instead of being knocked out for a minute. The one thing that she constantly came back to was the burned arms that they both shared. Her mind then recollected about the bullet wound on Enterprise's arm which made her eyes widen with the only explanation being a wild theory that had cemented itself.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Asked Shoukaku, who was still caught up about her sister's previous question.
"I… I'm sorry, Shou but I need to talk to that repair ship quickly before anything else," she said as she quickly ran out of the docks.
"Zui! You're so mean when you don't tell your older sister anything," she pouted. Now she was all alone, but she knew one thing that she could do that would make Zuikaku cheerful. "Hey, everyone! You all over there with your mouths hanging out, I have a little job that will take all of us to do. If you help me, I'll humor your ears with the details of what happened to Enterprise," she said with a friendly tone.
As this turn of events would soon engulf the whole base, they didn't have to think twice about running over to Shoukaku to assist in anything if it meant shedding light on the weirdest thing they've seen. Not even Denver and Montpelier resisted the urge as they technically finished the job, they said they would do for their older sister.
(Enterprise)
Enterprise stood in a vast sea where no signs of anything else stood visible. She felt affected by a calm sensation that made her mind numb at the context of her being here. The warm rays of the sun and gentle sounds of waves made her never want to leave this sea. This was quite rare for her as she never experienced a sea or ocean that made her feel this happy.
"Enterprise…" came a soft and sisterly voice that kicked-started her senses.
She looked around frantically until her vision settled on an older woman with long pinkish-white hair and soft blue eyes. "York… town?" She uttered as she slowly reached out with her right hand. Enterprise's memory of the event that she last remembered quickly flooded through her, and she understood that this hand of hers had been rendered beyond functional.
"Good… your memories are returning…" she said happily while her younger sister stood in disbelief at her recovered hand.
"My hand… no, this doesn't make sense," she whispered to no one.
"You shouldn't worry about your arm right now, that can be left for later," replied her older sister.
"I'm dead, aren't I?" Frightenly asked the strongest Eagle Union.
"Does that scare you?" Asked Yorktown with a sad smile.
Enterprise did not respond as her eyes drifted behind Yorktown to see a tropical land that strangely called to her. If this sea felt like a peaceful place, then that land was a utopia constructed from skilled unknown origins that knew her better than she knew herself. She found herself moving forward to it with baby steps as if she forgot how to glide across the water. She was then stopped by a hand. "York…?"
Yorktown gravely shook her head at her younger sister. "Don't focus on that, focus on me. It might look beautiful since it takes the inner desires of the one looking at it into account but… it is a one-way trip."
"York… let go of me," replied Enterprise as her mind grew numb with the only desire to reach the warm sand that looked inviting.
Yorktown became serious and held her sister in place with both of her hands on her wrists. "No… one day you will end up here again, but that will only be on your terms, after a life filled with wondrous adventures and joy," sternly said Yorktown.
"How can you say that? What about you?!" Venomously spoke Enterprise. Her emotions were not her own, fully, as the enticing aura of that small tropical island made her say and do things that she wouldn't do with a rational mind.
Yorktown looked hurt. "Are you saying that I didn't get to have a wondrous and joyous life? I saw the world; I have friends who still remember me and live their lives accordingly because of me. And I have two wonderful sisters that I was happy to be a part of their lives. I have you… who left me with the greatest peace of mind that everyone I loved would be taken care of. My Enterprise, the little Eagle Union that could," she said happily that made Enterprise break down in her arms.
"Sister… I'm sorry… my selfishness got the better of me," she said after she regained some sense.
"I do not fault you for wanting to finally rest, Enterprise, but can you truly be at peace if you couldn't give Hornet a proper goodbye?"
"Hornet? I need to go back…" She turned around and felt petrified by the vast landscape of water that lay before her. The water on the horizon looked icy cold and angry with frequent waves, and the clouds in the sky were gray. There was also this dangerous presence that would give anyone second thoughts about venturing out there. She then felt Yorktown rest her head on her shoulders.
"Getting cold feet, I wouldn't blame you with those waters. Remember… why do you sail across the dangerous seas? Why do you fight battle after battle with the risk of death? Why did you refuse to let others share your burden? Why do you decide to live in a watery world that brings you so much pain?"
"F-for my friends… for the people that I… love…" Enterprise's heart could swell at the word 'love'. To her, it was a strange word to replace 'friend' yet held the same level of devotion- possibly greater than the former. Her eyes enlarged as a dark outline in the shape of a woman appeared a few feet away from her with a hand extended out.
"York, who is that?" Asked the Eagle Union. She didn't feel this entity to be threatening, yet the fact that she couldn't put a face on her made her uneasy.
Yorktown continued to rest her chin on her little sister's shoulder as she dawned a confused expression. "Hmm… I'm not sure. I know I'm me, and I know that you are you, but this third person can't be identified. It must be your brain telling you that it can't decide who they are only that they are special enough that they are personally here to take you back."
"My brain?"
"Right, you are sleeping right now and maybe this is the best way you decided on dealing with your near-death experience. I am happy with that fact as none of this matters except for the reason why you want to return. Who knows, this unknown person might be the big deciding factor for you," she said with a giggle.
Enterprise held out her hand and connected it with the unknown entity that made her feel as if she was flying.
Her flying experience ended quickly as she felt heavy, tired, and confined to a body that didn't have the option of great mobility. She felt encased in soft pillows that begged her to open her eyes to a white medical room. "Am I home…?" she said with a dry mouth.
A sharp gasp of air reached her ears as she moved her eyes to see Belfast looking at her with wavering eyes. "G-Good morning, Miss Enterprise," she said with her strongest attempt to sound elegant and strong.
Enterprise then looked to the left to see Zuikaku with a tearful bright smile.
"Ah… Enty, this is the greatest of mornings now that you finally awoke," said Zuikaku, strong, yet adorably sensitive as she continued to wipe tears away from her face.
"Bel… fast? Zui… kaku?" She could see that they both had their eyes-stained red. Belfast appeared to maintain her elegant smile through this ordeal, and Zuikaku wasn't shy at leaving her emotions out like an open book.
"Huh… is Ent awake?! Ugh, you guys left me sleeping on this awful chair without telling me anything!" Responded an angry third and equally worried voice that Enterprise had trouble putting a name on.
The Eagle Union got her answer when a third face had squeezed into her vision and stood between Zuikaku and Belfast.
"Hornet…" responded Enterprise with her heart feeling weightless.
"Yes, it is us, Enterprise. Please, conserve your energy," said the maid.
"Oh… sis… you had me worried there for a second," said Hornet with tear-stained eyes that did not help the laid-back personality she had been going for.
"I'm sorry for… making you worry about me… especially you… sister…" She forced her voice to declare those words, even though her vocal cords craved water.
Hornet felt like bursting into more tears that would have resembled a water fountain for it was not every day that she would hear her older sister calling her 'sister'. "Damn it, Ent, stop trying to sound cool. You're my sister and of course, I'm going to worry about you," she said with a bright sunny grin that pushed her tears away.
Enterprise weakly chuckled at the three happy faces that brought so much light and life to her harsh world. "Wa… ter… is there water… around?" She asked as her mouth could no longer live without it.
"Water? You got it, Enty." Zuikaku jumped across the room where a stand with a jug stood. Her hand reached for it only to connect with another one that dawned on a white glove. It turned out that both Zuikaku and Belfast had thoughtlessly bolted over to the jug of water, and they were now engaged in a stalemate. They quietly wrestled for the jug and the one cup of water as they stared daggers at each other.
"Come on, passing maid… let go," she said with a crooked grin that felt appropriate for the maid.
"I rather not. Maybe you should let go and rest your wounded hand."
Zuikaku smirked dryly at the maid who saw this as a struggle for the Eagle Union's affection, even after the maid had clearly stated that she didn't want to pursue her feelings. "Fat chance."
"Hey what's taking so long? Give me that?!" Shouted an angry Hornet who grabbed the cup of water from the two.
They both noticed that they had spilled water on the ground in their struggle so they both cleaned it up since it was the least they could do. "Oh, so thinking of joining the love race again?" Said Zuikaku with a snarky expression to Belfast in a quiet manner.
"Stop being delusional. It's only natural to attend to my friend," coldly stated Belfast.
"Hmph, I was already getting the water, and your pulls spoke more than just a friend, and more like you wanting her to look at you like some merciful goddess making it rain in a hot desert," remarked Zuikaku.
Over where Hornet was, the blonde Eagle Union placed the cup of water near her older sister's mouth as Enterprise took big gulps from it. Hornet then cleaned her sister's mouth when she was done.
"Thank you… how… long have I been out?" Asked the Eagle Union.
"It is the day after the incident. I am rather shocked that you came so quickly. Shocked… but happy, Enterprise," informed Belfast who sat back on her chair that had been placed rather close to the recovering Eagle Union.
"Did I die?" She asked bluntly with a held breath.
Everyone in the room gasped sharply with mixed emotions of anger, fear, and shock.
"What?! No, what kind of preposterous question is that? You were admitted to the medical wing and placed under heavy pain medication. Your vitals have been low, but… nothing certainly of concern like your heart suddenly stopping," said the royal maid sternly and a little offended.
"Ent, don't joke like that, okay? I… don't even want to think about that," replied the younger Eagle Union.
"We've all been here either together or in shifts, and nothing crazy like you flatlining happened," said Zuikaku with her arms crossed.
Enterprise vacantly looked at the ceiling as she processed this information. "So… it was a dream?" She spoke with unsureness if she really did get to talk to her sister again. She forced herself to get up from the bed with what small strength she had.
"What are you doing?!" Shouted Zuikaku and Hornet in unison.
"Enterprise don't…" The maid tried and failed to put her head back on the pillow.
Enterprise didn't care what they had to say and only stopped when she could inspect her arm. Her right arm had been bandaged up all the way up to her shoulder, and the sudden movements had caused her white bandages to be stained with fresh, red blood.
Belfast rested her gloved hand on the back of the Eagle Union's neck, making the Eagle Union's hairs stand up by how tender her touch felt. She was then gently pushed back onto the pillow. "Enterprise, I beg you to please stop moving. Your body is numb right now, but the pain will soon hit you ten-fold if you cause your body any more stress."
The blonde Eagle Union stomped her foot on the ground. "Dang it, sis. I'm going to get Vestal quickly to help seal it up again," she moved past everyone and out the door.
It wasn't a full minute later when Vestal came into the room. She looked lost in thought, and more like she was going through the motions of her everyday medical duties. Her attention came back when she spotted the fresh blood that stained the white bandages. "Enterprise! Your body won't heal properly if you don't rest," worriedly shouted the medical repair ship.
Enterprise lowered her eyes in shame. "I'm sorry..." She was unable to argue with the medical ship that had overlooked all her countless wounds. Of course, this one took the cake.
"I'm going to put you under for a while. Just so that I can undo the bandages better, is that alright?" Asked Vestal that enacted a sad response from the other three.
Enterprise knew she had no actual say in the matter because of her state, and Vestal was being courteous, so she agreed to at least take away the guilt of Vestal doing it against her will.
"Thank you," she injected a serum into an IV that Enterprise had just grown aware of that connected to her other arm. Since she had become aware of the IV, she also noticed that she had on a black tank top with gray sweatpants that were hidden under the bedsheets. Her outfit change posed a serious question of who undressed and redressed her. As much as she wanted to further ask this question, her eyes grew heavy, and she fell back to a rhythmic breathing slumber.
"Enterprise..." spoke the maid with emotions that dared forced her to lash out at the harsh world for rendering the woman she loved to this state.
Zuikaku had looked away with hurt in her heart. She didn't say anything, but she had her reasons for wanting Vestal to put her under.
Once Vestal had finished, she looked at all three. "This is good that she's already gained consciousness. Her body could do with some more sleep for tomorrow's surgery, so think of this as a quick nap for her, and it would only last for an hour or two at the most. That's plenty of time to explain the serious situation we find ourselves in," said Vestal.
"Vestal, what are you referring to?" Asked Belfast.
Vestal's posture straightened and she stared at them. "Well… after I treated her wound yesterday, Zuikaku came to me with a pressing theory on how Enterprise was injured."
"Huh, what theory?" Asked Hornet who looked a little defensive that this wasn't shared with her.
Zuikaku stepped forward and sat next to Enterprise's bed. "Hornet, I'm sorry that I didn't say anything. I didn't say anything to you because, at the time, I thought I was losing it. And you already seemed lost that I figured you needed space. I talked to Vestal about Enty's bullet wound on her left arm…"
"What about it?" Said Hornet.
"We didn't pay attention due to the chaos that unfolded with Enty, but that wild-haired look-alike has the same wound on the same arm. Also, does anyone else find it weird that Enty's entire arm got torched from out of nowhere?"
Belfast searched for a possible answer, yet she could only come up with two unproven ones. "Yes, I found myself asking that very question too. My original conclusion was that it was connected to some secret attack from the fake, however, I didn't have any solid evidence of it. My second conclusion was that Enterprise had become too careless and the force of her attack had damaged her too, like a gun that backfired…"
Hornet aggressively shook her head. "That's crazy! I saw her fire her arrow and she looked fine when it fully launched out of her bow."
"And I can agree with you on that, Hornet. I didn't mean that my hunches were sound conclusions," said the maid.
"I think the question we should be asking is why does her wound look similar to that mysterious girl's wound," stated Vestal.
Hornet forcefully closed her eyes to recollect the event. "They did get blown away at the same time- wait! Are you saying that they somehow shared the same injury?" Said Hornet with wide eyes.
Zuikaku nodded. "That's what I have concluded. When I first saw her, she attacked me with that wound already there. Then Enty showed up to save me with the same wound on her arm. She didn't say how she got it but from the looks of it, she probably encountered that faker earlier."
Vestal took the lead in this conversation. "Yes, I believe this critical fact to be a good reason for this situation. I don't know how or why, but they both have shared the same accident. This is the theory that Zuikaku had shared with me. At first, the bullet wound that she told me about did make me listen to her theory but then… my eyes were open when I examined the wounds of the mystery woman that you brought. Her wounds were an exact match to Enterprise's wound; lacerations, burn intensity, and how far it reached to her shoulders were all the same. Here is a photo that I took for record-keeping while they were being cleaned up and getting medical aid." Vestal pulled out a photo from a clipboard that she had on her person. The photo was that of Enterprise's wounded arm before the bandages. She then pulled out another photo that looked like a copy to the untrained eye. The one difference in the photos was that one could see short hair on one, while the second had their hair going past their shoulder.
"Okay, I'm starting to get chills here," said Hornet with increased worry at the meaning of all this.
"Vestal, all these facts do hold some ground, but there is a chance that this could all be coincidence… very disturbing coincidence," finished Belfast.
"Fine then, let's all take a walk, shall we?" said the medical ship.
Everyone reluctantly left the room and walked a few doors from where they started until they stopped in front of one that was used specifically for prisoners of war that were injured while taken hold. The big difference was that there was a small room with a one-way mirror that connected to the main room.
Everyone gasped as they finally got to see the wild-haired Enterprise again after Vestal had taken her into her care.
The fake Enterprise was confined in a medical bed with a monitor close to her. She was asleep and looked like she hadn't moved for some time.
"Just as I figured. Look at her arm," said Vestal who remained steadfast in her conclusion.
All three of them could see that the imposter Enterprise was in a deep sleep and her arm had been stained with fresh blood.
"When we attended to her injuries, she put up a fierce resistance that kept me from aiding her. I took the liberty of injecting her with a heavy dose that put her out like a light. She hasn't moved a muscle since then, and her wounds have opened up for no reason." Vestal turned her tired gaze at all three of them to see what they would say.
Both Belfast and Hornet were still reluctant to accept this while all strong evidence from the medical photos and the stained blood pointed to Zuikaku's solid theory.
"It was hard for me to accept this too since it feels like something out of a nightmare, but this is the reality. I can stick a needle in this one to draw some blood, and we can have the definitive proof that this is real when we check on Enterprise to see blood dripping from the same area.
"Come on you two! We live in a world where Sirens can control and manipulate time and space, and this is hard to believe?!" Shouted Zuikaku.
"It just... doesn't make sense. She was aiming for Ent all along with the intent to kill her, then why didn't she just kill herself?" Demanded Hornet.
"She fought back like a woman who wanted to live, especially when we got on her ship," replied Belfast.
"Yes, I don't understand either. I feel numb just thinking about if she did allow us to hit her," replied Zuikaku.
"You were all correct to bring her back here to us. If she died out there, then Enterprise would have followed afterward," said the medical repair ship.
"That was Belfast's intuition, really. Even though I had evidence to back me up, my head was lost in Enty's health. It wasn't until I got back here that my eyes were opened," weakly replied Zuikaku.
"I just… couldn't leave her out there. She was in pain and angry. I would never wish an enemy of mine to die slowly and in agony. The only thing that crossed my mind at that moment was giving her a quick death, however, I couldn't do it while she looked at me with all that hatred. The face of Enterprise was there even if it was contorted with hatred. I decided on saving her- right there- in the hopes of finding answers to her existence and what became of the black mental cube with thorough interrogation," said Belfast.
"You did the right thing, Belfast. All we can do right now is wait for her to come to, and demand answers," said Vestal.
They all silently watched the Pseudo-Eagle Union who remained unmoved from her slumber
Later, Vestal had given the order of having one guest limit in Enterprise's room so she wouldn't be overwhelmed when she awoke. Belfast agreed to take the first watch much to the discomfort of Zuikaku.
The brown-haired Sakura Empire and the blonde Eagle Union decided on grabbing some food to take back to the room. They walked back from the restaurant they had purchased food from with noticeable looks of compassion and sad gazes from the other shipgirls.
Hornet's mood had shifted due to the constant pity gazes she had been receiving. "Pfft, I don't need them all looking at me like I'm some wounded puppy." She stopped walking which made Zuikaku almost collide with her. "My sister isn't going to die! I know that most of you are at a loss for words and don't know what to say to make me feel better. Well, here's some advice. Don't say anything! Let my sister rest, and you all keep living life. That's what my sister would want from everyone!" She then turned a street corner that detached them from everyone else who took in those words.
"That was... something," said Zuikaku with astonishment.
"I don't beat around the bush, and I rather lay out all my feelings in the open to let everyone know where I stand." She stopped again which provoked Zuikaku into another collision that she managed to evade.
Hornet struggled internally with her emotions that were expressed with her wavering eyes. "The thing is... yeah when Ent got hurt. A part of me broke down. I never got into a state like that before. Not even with Yorktown's death did I bawl my eyes out. Sure, I silently grieved, yet accepted my oldest sister's passing. But… with Ent, her vacant eyes… her eyes looked back at me, and I saw Yorktown."
Zuikaku could see tears rolling down the Eagle Union's face that was masked by her tilted head and hair.
"She was a double amputee from her legs. She never expressed sorrow over it and continued to warmly smile at the world but deep down, I knew that the fact that she couldn't protect the ones she loved hurt her the most. I don't even know if Vestal can even fully heal my sister's arm, and maybe no number of bandages and treatment can stop this gut feeling that Ent might have to part ways with that arm."
Zuikaku lowered the bag of food she had in her hand and walked up to the blond Eagle Union. Without saying anything, she brought her in for a hug.
"What are you..." Hornet stopped as she felt rather safe in the hug that evidently, resulted in Hornet's face being buried in the Sakura Empire's chest.
"Shou does this to me whenever I run into a hardship I cannot overcome so easily. Miss Hornet, your sister is a fighter who understands why she fights. Maybe in her most private moments, she thinks differently, but I don't think she can ever fully allow herself to give up on any battle. Her recovery is another battle just like all the others. Sometimes, it can be simple to give up on something when you associate if it brings you pain or not. There are good and noble deeds that accumulate pain, and there are bad ones that don't. Your sister will always take the path of most resistance If it means everyone can keep smiling. That's why I and everyone else respect her, and I know that this injury will be overcome because luck is on her side."
Hornet's expression had elevated into a weak smile. "Eh, yeah, she is stubborn... but I guess right now it's a good thing. Damn it... this isn't me in the slightest. All this sulking about while my sister is doing her hardest to get better. Let's go and give her the support she needs."
"Yes, the only way to go is forward, " happily declared Zuikaku.
After Hornet had calmed down, she noticed a ship come into view from the ocean. "Zui! It's that other Ent's ship!"
Zuikaku's blood froze at the possible threat that could befall the base. "I have a bad feeling about this," said the Sakura Empire. They wasted no time in making their way to the docks. "How can this be? Please tell me that the ship doesn't have an autopilot or something," said Zuikaku.
"No, it can't be that. The ships were damaged to the point that they shouldn't even be moving!"
They reached the docks where they encountered Cleveland with other shipgirls standing in awe at the damaged vessel.
At the top of the damaged ship stood Shoukaku with a boastful wave; It wasn't every day that a Sakura Empire would stand on top of the USS Enterprise. "Hey, there everyone! I took the liberty of fetching the wrecked ships from battle," she said casually. Javelin, Ayanami, Laffey, and Z23 were seen behind her holding a damaged rig that they threw to the side of the ship.
The rig activated and materialized as another copy of the USS Enterprise, parting the waters in the dock.
If Zuikaku and Hornet had any remnant of denial of the shared fate of both Enterprises, then it was quickly blown away as both ships damaged hulls looked exactly the same, down to the curvature of the bent metal.
Cleveland, after knowing the details from Belfast on what went down with the SOS call, stood livid. "Hey, Shoukaku! What were you thinking bringing the enemy ship back here with the ship's owner also here?! We're going to have a disaster if she gets her hands on it."
Shoukaku evaded the stern lecture with a roll of her eyes. "Do you propose that we left this ship out in the sea where it could be stripped for parts by the sirens? Or maybe Iron Blood would secretly squirrel it away for unofficial research. They do have a shady nature about them after all."
Z23 frantically burst with rage. "Hey! How dare you shamefully call the Iron Blood out with shady nature that is truly just privacy to our projects!?"
This was left ignored by Shoukaku as she dropped down to stare at the shorter Eagle Union shipgirl that weighed the words she had been told.
"This ship being here can cause danger to all the others on base."
"That seems to be your favorite thing to say, Miss Cleveland," she jabbed with sarcasm. "I didn't take this expedition lightly as your more honorable fellow Eagle Union allies helped me push this clearly out of commissioned vessel to shore. I also brought Enterprise's ship as well as I can imagine that repairing your ace is of the most importance," she said with a passive-aggressive smile that rendered Cleveland from fighting her.
"Shou!" Shouted Zuikaku and Hornet.
"Zui! Forgive your older sister for being gone all night. I took the liberty of bringing back Enterprise's ship, which was not an easy task. Although, it was certainly easier than the orders our elders would give us." She laughed at her own joke that went ignored by the two.
"You brought my sister's vessel back..." Hornet without thinking wrapped her arms around the older Crane sister.
"Eep!" Shoukaku tensed up as she wasn't expecting a thankful greeting of this level. She could feel the Blonde Eagle tremble with sorrowful happiness. The older Crane sister had her hands up in the air to avoid them touching Hornet, but that changed when Zuikaku gave her a look that said to humor the blonde-haired girl in her time of need.
Shoukaku pouted and swallowed her issues, and tenderly patted the back of the girl with her fingertips.
"You're amazing! All of you are amazing!" Cried Hornet to the Eagle Union shipgirls and all the others that experienced a restless night to bring her sister's vessel back.
"Sis, you really are amazing," declared Zuikaku.
Shoukaku felt overly excited at the praise. "Oh, Zui! I knew that this would bring a smile to your face. Plus, we've gained some friend points that show that the Sakura Empire is always there to help," she said happily. She wasn't about to say that doing this only to make Zuikaku happy was seventy percent of her motivation.
"We should put a sticker… on Enterprise's ship… so to know which ones hers," replied Laffey as she gazed over the ship with her friends.
(Belfast)
While Hornet and Zuikaku were out, the royal head maid sat next to Enterprise with her gaze never leaving the white-haired Eagle Union.
Her eyes appeared to be far off as she fought with her internal struggles of the heart. She allowed her heart to win this internal battle that resulted in her planting her hand on the freshly bandaged arm. "Forgive me for not being able to protect you. I should have been stronger and realized that there was something amiss when I saw those fighter planes."
Enterprise noticeably stirred, and slowly her eyes opened to focus on the royal maid. "Bel... no more sleeping aid," she joked dryly, making the surprised maid giggle.
"I agree. It is rather horrendous to keep dosing you with a sleeping aid. Don't worry, Vestal will have to get through me if she desires to do it again." She cutely giggled.
The Eagle Union couldn't describe this pleasant sound from the maid, only that it made her heart flutter briefly. "Belfast, I'm glad that you weren't hurt from that arrow. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."
"The arrow merely pushed me back, and my gauntlets absorbed the blow with only bruising in my wrists. A maid should always be equipped for the direst of situations."
"Right... that's what I like about you, Bel..." smiled Enterprise.
Belfast's cheeks turned red at the praise. "Your words fill me with joy. However, do know that I'm in the same boat as you. I am devastated that you were hurt, and my heart fears what could have happened if you died, Enterprise, so don't allow me to ever find that out," she said with sorrowful eyes.
Guilt had crept into her mind at her dream that she had in which she was ready to pass on from this life filled with war and the constant harsh ocean. "How foolish of me to make you all worry."
"It wasn't your fault. You responded in accordance with your heart when she pushed us out of her ship."
"Yeah... if only I knew that our fates were bound together," said Enterprise with a heavy sigh.
Belfast widened her eyes. "Enterprise... you know of that?"
"Yeah... from the look on your face, maybe Vestal or someone put the dots together. I wasn't blind to notice the bullet wound that her planes inflicted on me to be on her arm as well. I didn't have anything to conclude about our fates being bonded until I shot my arrow. Belfast, I know my arrows well enough to understand their impact. That arrow was a manifestation of what was in my heart and when I fired it, I desired for that arrow to eradicate every piece of her. I desired it to be strong enough to take me out. The searing pain that appeared on my arm harbored my intense hatred toward her, that was the moment where I understood we were connected. And I understand that she's still alive after all my struggle," replied Enterprise with a defeated sigh.
"Forgive me, Enterprise. Zuikaku was the first to notice it when she mentioned the bullet wound that you both shared. This was a detail that I did not take into account. Also, Vestal confirmed it based on the exact match of both wounds, and the fact that she's in this very building in a sleeping state, yet her bandages became bloody when you stirred earlier."
"The Sirens... really have no bounds when it comes to their wickedness, " spoke Enterprise. She couldn't deny that her life was now connected to a Siren that shared her face, voice, combat abilities, and probably more left to be discovered.
"Are you so certain that she may be a Siren? It was chaotic in that mirror sea, but she seemed to hate Purifier with great aggression," said Belfast.
"Purifier did show her colors today with how she tossed aside her allies. Maybe this is how Sirens operate in the end or maybe she was collecting Purifier's betrayal in blood," said the Eagle Union.
"Any number of reasons could be valid. She's here now, and she will be interrogated when she makes a recovery. I suppose she can tell us what happened to the black mental cube."
"The cube's gone, Bel. It chipped when I hit it with my arrow, then shattered, which resulted in that black smoke coming out. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it felt like a wisdom cube."
Belfast gasped in shock. "What?! But... how...? When we analyzed it before, it didn't show any responses or similarities to that nature."
"I'm at a loss, too. I know that it's gone now- replaced by her..."
"We will find a way to separate your fate from her. She will be placed on lockdown with on-the-clock guards to make sure she doesn't escape or hurt herself."
Enterprise lost the ability to smile at the comforting words from the royal maid. She now faced an enemy unlike any other that could hurt her with just a self-infliction wound as a response.
The door opened, and Zuikaku, Hornet, and Shoukaku entered the room. Belfast felt compelled to recite Vestal's one guest limit rule but decided not to comply.
"Sis, it's good to see that those sleeping drugs aren't keeping you out cold," replied Hornet as she took a chair to sit close to her sister's bed.
"I rather go to sleep on my own terms as well. Of course, I don't feel any pain now due to the drugs they gave me, and that might change later when it comes back," she said with tired acceptance of the fact.
"Just rest, for now, Ent. Vestal can repair any damage, and you'll be good as new when it's all done," said Hornet with a grin.
"You think so?" Asked Enterprise with a sad look at her bandaged arm that she couldn't even move or feel anything from. Even though she was sad, she had a small hint of hope that was realized by the encouraged words of her younger sister.
Hornet held her breath and exhaled it with a newfound burning determination. "Of course, I do. Luck is in your blood after all. In fact, do you remember that one time we bought mystery sandwiches?"
Enterprise scoffed lightly at that wild time. "I do. As a matter of fact, I remembered that you dragged me out of bed in the morning because you wanted a specific sandwich from a pool of unlabeled ones."
"Hehe, and what else happened? Come on, say it," said Hornet who had found her true smile back.
Her little sister's smile was infectious, as the older Eagle Union found herself smiling. "You opened one to find out that it was a jelly sandwich and not the one you wanted. Then I opened mine, which turned out to be the golden eggwich that you wanted," tiredly explained Enterprise as a smile had formed.
"You didn't include that the eggwich is the most sought-after sandwich in the whole pool of options. And what happened next?"
"I pulled three in a row…" said Enterprise with a small blush on her face.
"Darn right you did! San Diego and Hammann were soaked in jealousy from your incredible luck," stated Hornet.
Both Zuikaku and Belfast couldn't hold back their laughter at the genuine sisterly moment that those two were having. It was a much-needed story that brought life back into Enterprise.
"Here…" Hornet pulled out a white, small bag that caught everyone's attention. "… I went back to snag one for old time's sake. Care to do the honors?" She said while she held it in front of her sister.
"Hornet, whatever you are trying to prove, this might backfire," said Enterprise who didn't want to ruin the moment.
"Please, I won't take the result seriously if it's bad," she said.
Enterprise hesitantly reached out with her left hand to tear the top part off. She let out a breath as a golden eggwich stared back at her.
Hornet beamed hopefully as her faith was restored in this single action. "See… your luck hasn't run out yet, so that arm is as good as new," said Hornet with happiness.
Enterprise could not describe the warm feeling in her heart that made her cry briefly at the love she felt from all those around her. If this was what being human meant, then she was right to change for the better.
For those of you that were hoping to see more of the… well… let's call her "fake" for now. She will get more exposure in the next chapter. My knowledge of the lore of Azur Lane is still hazy, but not as bad as it was in the beginning. In the anime, Enterprise's dark version really pulled me in, and I have read up on her in-game lore. Considering that the anime is doing their own original story that doesn't entirely match up with the game's events, I'm going to have some alterations to Enterprise's "shadow" that will hopefully surprise some of you. I do hope that you all are liking where I'm taking this story, and even though it might have heavy drama, I'm going to balance it out with cute, romantic moments every now and then. In this chapter, I mentioned Vestal as a medical repair ship. I believe she is referred to as a repair ship, but it felt off for me to leave it like that. So medical and repair are pretty much interchangeable for her. Most might not care but wanted to acknowledge it regardless.