Chapter 21: Upon Broken Glass
(Flashback)
On the night that the doppelganger had made her escape from the Sakura Empire, Enterprise began to stir from her sleep after being brought into the medical wing after the attack on Azur Lane. Vestal had put her to sleep so that she could recover quickly and not make her injuries any worse.
She tossed and turned while her dreams quickly turned into harrowing nightmares. In her nightmares, a sinister voice spoke that they had captured her sister. That voice sounded dangerous and all too real that made her whole body sweat with anxiety.
"The drifting mist..." She harshly mumbled in her sleep. She tensed up after those words were followed by a painful static that overwhelmed her entire mind. "Ah!" Her eyes shot open, and she convulsed on the bed. She couldn't explain it, but she found her body itching to fight free of something, to break free of some prison.
"Enterprise, please calm down!"
A voice drew her back into reality from her maddening delusion that felt all too real.
Her purple eyes focused to spot Belfast warmly looming over her bed. The maid's worried face replaced the panic feeling with concern for her sad expression. "Bel...," spoke the delirious archer with semi-vacant eyes.
A smile from the maid made the eagle union sink into the pillow. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you awake."
"What time is it? Huh?! The attack! What happened?!" Enterprise lifted her heavy head upward that felt like it was filled with sand.
"Take it easy," urged the maid as she used one hand and rested it on the back of the injured carrier.
"Khh! I'm starting to get sick of how much I'm put out of commission." Her words sounded harsh and spiteful toward herself.
Belfast tilted her head and allowed herself to brush over the nasty look from the white-haired woman. "Everything is... alright now. The attack on the base has been repelled and it's currently nighttime." She wanted to tell the truth and more, yet she couldn't find the perfect window to ease the critical info that her sister had been kidnapped. It was unfair for the woman she loved to be repeatedly cut down again and again both emotionally and physically. She heard a sigh of relief from Enterprise.
"That's liberating to hear." Her face changed to dire when the premonition-like nightmare had recapped in her mind. "I need to talk to Hornet. No doubt that someone has already told her about the incident here. I should let her know I'm doing alright."
Belfast flinched slightly and avoided her gaze.
The doors opened to reveal Cleveland, Prinz Eugen, and Prince of Wales. All three of them looked overjoyed that the eagle union had finally awoken.
"Cleveland—huh?!" The eagle union was about to greet her friend when she noticed the other two women behind her. Also at the doorway, Cleveland's sisters were peeking inside with timid reservations as if they were expecting a bomb to go off. In truth, they were just curious and felt like too many people were in there already.
"What's going on? Cleveland, how's the base looking?" She said, assuming the commander-like role that everyone expected of her.
Cleveland rubbed her shoulder with her other hand. "The base will pull through. It's going to take a lot of hands to get it back into form, but she's not far gone."
Enterprise smiled happily and dropped her head back on the pillow. "That's good. I'm just glad that twisted woman didn't get her way and her ship is still here. Right, Bel?"
The maid stepped forward sorrowfully as the others silently and worriedly observed her. "Miss Enterprise... I never said that her ship was detained—just that the attack was... repelled," she finished with sorrowful eyes closed.
The archer's face changed to a stunned expression as she glanced at every single occupant in the room. A stern expression dawned on her face. "Cleveland, what happened? I know that she caught us by surprise but we're better than this. Are you telling me that her lone carrier was able to slip our grasp?"
Cleveland sighed sadly and nodded. "That's how it went down. A wide percentage of our carriers were locked down in the shipyard. Luckily, my sisters and I were running practice at sea when the attack happened..."
"—then why didn't you capture her ship!?" The spontaneous anger from Enterprise shocked the others like an earthquake.
"Miss Enterprise!" Said Belfast who looked hurt as she would never have expected the archer to lash out like that.
"We did almost have her ship, but the base was getting decimated further without our presence there," said Cleveland as she held her ground, yet shame still plagued her mood.
Enterprise widened her eyes and looked away. It took her a few seconds for her gritted teeth to return to normal. "I... understand. Forgive me for lashing out like that." She touched her forehead, trying to make sense of her explosive raw emotions that felt unlike her yet familiar at the same time.
Prinz Eugen made a face, not entirely convinced that she did understand.
"Can someone get me a phone? I need to talk to my sister." She ordered with an agitated tone that she tried to hide. The only ones that were not fooled were Belfast and Prinz Eugen.
Cleveland's face turned more worried, and she started to fidget with her fingers.
Enterprise glanced back at them with narrowed confusion. "Did I say that too softly? Please, get me a phone now," she barked louder this time.
The blonde took a deep breath and stepped forward, but just as she was about to open her mouth, Eugen touched her shoulder.
"That's enough. You poor thing have already endured so much already. Let me be the one, it is the reason I was sent here."
Cleveland now looked pale and meekly nodded as she allowed the Iron Blood to take the wheel on the conversation.
Enterprise observed with narrow eyes and furrowed brows at the silver-haired woman. "Can someone spill it already and tell me what's going on?!"
"Enterprise, your sister has been kidnapped by the Siren Tester," said Eugen flatly like someone ripping a band-aid in one swift movement.
A horrified look quickly replaced whatever annoyed expression she had. All the hazy images from her nightmares resurfaced. "Taken!? I... I..." Her surroundings grew blurry, and her heart raced from anxiety. She forced herself upright, much to the discomfort of her body.
"Ent! It's going to be alright. We have search parties scanning the waters for her," assured the blonde cruiser.
"The drifting mist... the drifting mist..." she clutched onto her head, trying to make sense of the rest of it. She knew there was more, but it felt like running into a fence or a very thick fog.
"What are you saying?" Said Belfast.
"She's being held in that place! The drifting mist!" She forced herself to stand and gazed at the door.
"Wait hold on Ent! Where in the drifting mist? That place is no man's land for both us and them," urged Cleveland with reason.
"How would you know this?" Asked Eugen with curiosity.
"I don't have time to explain! My sister needs me!" She clutched her hat that rested on the nightstand and moved forward. Her balance failed her as she wobbled uneasily from her legs to the balls of her feet. As a result, she was held lightly back by Cleveland who was trying to get her to sit back down.
It all happened so fast, but at that moment, something inside Enterprise snapped. It was an amalgamation of knowing Hornet was taken, her inability to help stop the attack, and her twisted twin mocking her at having her ship back.
Cleveland choked up when a firm hand grabbed her by her white poncho and slammed her against the window that was next to the bed.
The glass cracked upon the weight of the blonde and a stunned Cleveland gazed in despair at her friend.
"Big sister!" Shouted Cleveland's sisters.
Belfast held her hands to her mouth, while Wales and Eugen stood speechless as well.
Both Eagle Union ships stared at each other, one with despair and the other with a deathly glare.
"Don't treat me like some useless child," deeply resonated Enterprise with all the hate and anger from the very depths of her wisdom cube core.
The waves of anger that she felt suddenly dissipated, leaving her with widened eyes. A sense of self-hate invaded her heart, and she could no longer look at her friend that she hurt. Unable to bear the situation, she released Cleveland and pushed her way out of the room.
"Big sis, are you okay?" Said the frantic shouts from Cleveland's sisters.
Cleveland looked more shook than hurt and was able to give her sisters a nod of assurance before her head hung low.
"So, the Grey Ghost does have an ugly side..." remarked Prinz Eugen.
"That wasn't Enterprise," challenged Wales with a hint of hesitation. She found the strength to back up her statement when Belfast stepped between them.
"No, that indeed wasn't her. Why... why is she acting like that twisted woman?" Said Belfast with a hand to her forehead.
"What are you saying, Belfast?" Asked a stunned Wales.
"Hmph, that's expected. Isn't she and her one side each of the same coin? Even if they both disagree with that statement," said the heavy cruiser.
"I refuse to entirely believe that," said the maid with downcast eyes.
"Belfast, please go to her. She'll listen to you, or at the very least keep her from trouble," said Cleveland, still looking dejected and not knowing what to make of the situation.
Belfast confidently nodded and washed her sadness away for she had to be strong for Enterprise.
The injured Eagle Union stormed out of the medical building, not even allowing herself to check up on her eagle or with Vestal.
The only goal in her mind was making it to her carrier ship to rescue Hornet. Even the self-hate in her heart for what she did to Cleveland could not push her down—even if it was already soul-crushing enough that she didn't want to look at herself.
"Enty!? Enty, it's you!"
The voice of a new woman had made her stop once she grew familiar with it. Her sad and defeated eyes landed toward the Crane sisters. Zuikaku and Shoukaku ran up to her as they had most likely arrived at Azur Lane after a speedy journey.
"Zui..." She helplessly allowed herself to feel comfort in seeing another ally, but quickly grew reserve, fearful that her spontaneous anger might flare up again.
The brunette crane sister stopped her sprint once she got a few feet from the Eagle Union. Her breath exhausted, she forced her words to come out. "Enty... I've come to—"
"I know. Apparently, I'm the last one to know that my sister has been taken." Her words were quietly harsh, yet her eyes appeared to be holding back so many raw emotions within her.
Zuikaku held one arm with her other hand, an expression of her empathizing with the Eagle Union.
"I'm sorry Zui, but I must go after her... she... she... is everything to me," she gritted her teeth as her eyes allowed tears to fall.
The Sakura crane wrapped her arms around the other woman, letting her release the tears that she had been holding back.
"It's okay, you don't need to explain it to me. I understand your pain, Enty. That's why allow me to help."
Belfast had caught up to the Eagle Union and had witnessed the display of affection between both carriers. She pushed down the ugly jealousy that clawed out of her, wishing that was her that was comforting Enterprise.
Without making herself known to them, she began to walk forward.
The hug that they had initiated soon concluded with Enterprise moving away from her and making her way to the shipyard.
A passing glance at the direction of the maid finally made the crane woman see her love rival. "How long have you been standing there?" She declared with her arms folded.
Belfast pushed the differences that she had for the crane woman aside and began to speak. "I only arrived a second ago. Your friendship for Enterprise was a much-needed outlet for her emotions.'
"Pfft, and you couldn't do that?" Said the brunette with a smirk of victory.
The maid narrowed her eyes and calmed her temper. "Miss Zuikaku. Let's put our differences aside for now because I worry about the mental state of Enterprise."
"What do you mean?" Worry over those words had brought the Sakura carrier back into a state of reason from her personal achievements.
She proceeded to tell Zuikaku and Shoukaku everything that happened earlier ago.
Both crane sisters took a step back and silently glanced at each other.
"This wasn't the first time either. She's lashed out at another ally and acted uncharacteristically harsh toward her," said the maid.
Zuikaku looked anxious and pondered on logical reasons. "Maybe it's stress, it has to be stress."
"I know that all that's happening to her from gaining a malicious twin, getting wounded, and then losing Hornet plays a part in this. However, it feels like she's acting like that woman."
Zuikaku straightened her posture as a sense of seriousness washed over her. "If that's true, then I won't let it happen any further. I'm here for her now."
Belfast accepted those words, regardless of the jealousy she felt. She wasn't going to say what she thought out of fear of starting a rivalry challenge.
(Hours Later)
The night concluded and the sun started to rise. The ocean waves were disturbed by four ships sailing at full speed. The injured Eagle Union was at the front with her eyes focused on the horizon.
Zuikaku and Shoukaku stood behind Enterprise while Belfast decided on staying at the back. The maid's mind had still played the scene from last night, pondering the violent actions of the carrier she had fallen for.
"Enty, are we actually going to the drifting mist?" Asked Zuikaku with sweat on the side of her face. She had never gone there and only heard stories about the mist from others. She would be lying if she said she never wanted to go there as that place called to her as an adventurer gets called by an unexplored place.
Enterprise lowered her head, feeling unsure of her nightmare premonition. "I can't explain it, but I had a nightmare of Hornet being taken before I was informed. There's a gut feeling inside me to trust these images."
"Gut feeling, huh? Good enough for me!" Shouted Zuikaku with encouragement.
This earned her a small, and tired smile from the Eagle Union.
Shoukaku then moved in close with them that drew their attention. "I hate to be that ship, but 'where' in the drifting mist? The area itself is large with rock formations and landmasses scattered throughout. We'll need pinpoint coordinates if we want to get any headway." She had kept to herself because anyone could feel the tension in the air from Enterprise, and it also didn't help that her sister's love rival was also here with them. In the end, she dedicated herself to self-appointed referee if those two would bud heads.
"I'm working on that," said Enterprise with a spiteful tone behind her words. She had been trying to force herself past the metaphorical fence in her mind almost to the point of exhaustion. All she could make out from her memory of that nightmare was the drifting mist, but she could feel that the distorted voice had more to say.
Her obsessive thinking was disrupted when an invisible force poked her in the forehead.
The others heard Enterprise scream in agony as she lost her balance and fell backward.
Zuikaku swiftly acted and held onto the carrier. "Enty!" Worriedly shouted the brunette.
Shoukaku joined them from the side. "What happened to her?"
Belfast being the last to reach them, spotted fresh blood cascading down the bridge of Enterprise's nose.
The white-haired crane sister pulled out a handkerchief from her robes and gingerly wiped the blood away.
"I... suddenly had the feeling that my face had been pecked by some creature," said the injured archer.
Everyone looked at each other with visible confusion on their faces. Only their wild thoughts could have given them closure as to why this had happened.
After that incident, they continued onward to the drifting mist in silence.
"There." Said Shoukaku grimly as she garnered the attention of the others with a finger toward the distance.
The drifting mist was finally in their sights. A massive fog-style wall slowly advanced on them, invoking a sense of intimidation. It was still far away that they still hadn't reached a point of no return and could leave its clutches.
Enterprise opened her mouth and her chest tightened from the feeling that Hornet was close by. "Come on let's go!"
Zuikaku followed her trail but Belfast and Shoukaku looked hesitant.
Shoukaku had held her tongue back enough and every sense of intuition in her body told her that this was a bad idea. "Hold on! Are we really going into the drifting mist?!"
Enterprise turned her head to look at Shoukaku. "That was the plan," she said with a serious scowl on her face.
"Pfft, the mist itself is like twenty-five percent of the overall territory that is the drifting mist. I suggest we explore the available key locations first and wait for the remaining twenty-five percent to be available again once the mist has moved on," said the older crane sister.
"We don't have that time! It's been more than one whole day since she's been taken and I doubt a Siren will care about keeping her fed and hydrated," fired Enterprise.
"I understand that, but what about on the off chance that's she's in an area that's not touched by the mist?"
"That's the same as saying what if she is in that twenty-five percent inside the mist?" Fired Enterprise.
Shoukaku remained strong with her reasoning. "This place screws with both us and them. Sirens are based on logic, and this is illogical for them to set up a base. Why are you allowing yourself to be ruled by these unverified premonitions? For all we know this could be a trap."
"If Zuikaku was taken and you had a vision, wouldn't you do the same?! Or live with the idea of never knowing?!"
Shoukaku paused and acknowledged her with a nod. "Yes, you have me on that. Still, she wouldn't want me to dive in headfirst without knowing full well that she was in there. I'll be the hypocrite all you want me to be, but I'm doing this for your safety."
Belfast couldn't agree more and moved close to Shoukaku to support her. "Miss Enterprise, nothing good has ever come from going into that mist. It's why we stay far away from this place. My sister Edinburgh had a friend who was forever lost in that mist. Its stories are no mere rumors."
Zuikaku fidgeted with her fingers and shyly glanced at the injured carrier. "I'll have to agree. I've never been here as much as I always wanted to check this place out. But I don't know, I'm getting a really bad chill in the back of my neck."
Enterprise stood in disbelief and then gritted her teeth, feeling like she had just been betrayed by her closest friends. "Then you are all pathetic! I refuse to let her die!"
"Miss Enterprise... this isn't you. You are starting to sound like her," said the maid, hoping that she could get through to her.
It almost appeared like Belfast had been able to get some sense into the injured carrier. That was only a mere second as Enterprise stared back at them with a glare that she had never even given to her most sinister of enemies. "Don't compare me to her," she said murderously.
Zuikaku could see first hand what the passing maid had meant about her no longer acting like her old self.
The pain in Belfast's heart ached, yet she trained her calm and determined eyes on the carrier, as she blocked her path into the mist.
"It's suicide, Miss Enterprise. As your maid, I must stop you here and now," she declared.
The white-haired carrier's eye began to twitch, and she found her hand resting on her rail runway that was ready to launch fighter planes on her mental command.
The Eagle Union could hear Shoukaku getting into a fighting stance with her destructively melodious flute close to her lips. She locked eyes with Zuikaku who looked torn.
Zuikaku's face looked at the point of crying as she glanced between the woman she had fallen for and her sister and Belfast.
With a shaky hand on her katana hilt, she moved to where Belfast resided.
Belfast gave her a respected look of appreciation.
The brunette pulled her katana out and reversed it, leaving the dull side facing the injured carrier.
Enterprise gave off a small hysterical chuckle. "You're losing the effectiveness of your weapon like that. I thought you knew better."
The words stung the brunette, and she locked her warm yellow eyes with her. "It's effective in knocking you out, Enty."
"Enterprise, you have a kind soul. You've shown that time and time again. Whatever dark thoughts are plaguing your mind, please don't let them drown you. Get rid of them," said Shoukaku.
A metal click drew the archer back to Belfast, who had activated her side guns and had raised her right arm to line up her arm gauntlet that had two small barrels attached to it. No doubt that even those packed serious firepower contrary to their small size.
"Miss Enterprise, you don't want to fight us, and I understand the pain in your heart. For someone that has been the vanguard of all our fights, you find yourself put on the sidelines by injuries that keep weighing you down. That's further emphasized by being unable to do anything when your sister is taken."
There was a struggle in the eyes of the carrier. Without that struggle, she would have already launched her planes into the air.
Belfast knew of that struggle and took comfort that her friend was still there behind that anger. "All I ask of you is to please put your faith in us. We will get Hornet back."
Enterprise let out a deep frustrated breath and relaxed her shoulders. She was having a hard time looking at them but nodded uneasily.
The other three collectively sighed in joy.
Zuikaku's smile grew just a bit as she sheathed her blade. "Alright, how about we check counterclockwise through this place, and by then the mist would have relocated—" She was stopped and frightened when Enterprise began to scream rampantly.
All three of them were left horrified when the injured carrier's arms lined up close to her sides as if she was being detained by an invisible force.
"Miss Enterprise!"
"Enty!"
The combined concerns of both the maid and swordswoman filled the air. They raced to her side and got her to lean on them while they quickly moved to the nearest landmass.
All sense of time had been lost on them as Enterprise continued to scream like a madwoman with the other three unable to do much aside from making sure she didn't hurt herself or suffocate. They had placed her gently to rest near some rocks while they sat around her.
"We need to take her back," said Shoukaku worriedly.
"Agreed!" Said Belfast and Zuikaku.
Just as they were about to pick her up from her resting position, Enterprise ceased her cries of pain and was finally able to relax, along with the usage of her arms again.
"Are you alright?" Asked the maid who felt unsure whether she should touch her.
Enterprise looked tired as if she had run a marathon and her eyes looked visibly shaken. "My doppelganger is fighting someone," she said haggardly.
"Who though?" Said Zuikaku.
"I'm not sure," replied the Eagle Union. She sheepishly looked up toward her three friends with a saddened face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean the things I said. I know that you are only trying to help. Pfft, I don't know what I'll do if you all weren't here. Firing my bow is a foregone conclusion with this bandaged arm."
They all smiled at her to help her bring her deposition back to a neutral state. Little did they know, Enterprise's shared pain with her doppelganger had only just begun.
(Hornet- A While Later)
"Almost done." The blonde Eagle Union had a warm smile on her face while she attended to the wound of the doppelganger.
After the hug that changed everything between her and the blonde, the white-haired woman found herself docile and in the care of her sister. For her to acknowledge this reality felt so easy and right to her that she wondered if she was dreaming. With that in mind, dread chewed at the corners of her heart as she wondered when she would awake.
No such thing came as Hornet finished off the dressing to her wound by tying it firmly in place. A sting resulted from that, but nothing that she couldn't handle. She glanced at Hornet's now ripped jacket. "You didn't have to do that," she said with a despondent face.
"I don't want to hear that sad humble talk right now. Now, it's not the best, but it should keep it from rubbing on things and irritating the wound."
The archer and her bird, which rested on her left shoulder, examined the dressing. "It's perfect," replied the injured carrier with a small smile. She flexed her left fingers to adjust the fabric around her wound for the ideal pressure.
Hornet's smile grew brighter.
"We should get that cut on your shoulder checked," said the carrier to distract herself from getting embarrassed.
The blonde felt thrown off by the greater sisterly concern from the doppelganger who up until this time, was mostly cold, bitter, and would throw frequent glares. "I'm fine, sis. That Siren did irritate it more but once I get back to the Sakura Empire, those girls will patch me up. They... could do the same for you if... you know, wanted to go back with me," she said with a hopeful smile—but she already knew the answer to that.
The white-haired carrier pondered on the idea, then she caught herself almost laughing. "I doubt I'll be welcomed back as if nothing happened."
Her grim tone made the blonde think through more of the events that would have happened if the doppelganger was here now. She now looked uneasy after it all sank in.
The other woman noticed it immediately. "Relax, no one got hurt. Right?" She said to her eagle with a stern voice.
He complied with a loud rapid nod. "See? Now that makes one less thing to talk about later," she mumbled the last part to her eagle who grew less energetic and more concerned for what kind of talk.
"That's good..." said the blonde, feeling the tension in the air between owner and pet.
"Of course, I caused quite a commotion nonetheless, so no thanks, Hornet."
The blonde carrier sadly acknowledged that foreseeable outcome. "I... won't fight you on that. While I might not agree with it, just know that you're still my sister. I'll make up a story or figure something out to maybe keep them from searching for you."
"You really would do that?" She felt touched and stunned at the level of loyalty from the other woman.
"Yes, sisters look out for each other. You showed me your sisterly loyalty, so it's only fair that I do the same."
The topic of sisters, a topic that felt foreign to her, made her ponder her recent actions and what she had to do to get to this point where she was able to rescue Hornet. A sense of guilt and shame chained her down as she couldn't help but remember the woman that put all her faith in her. The planned deceit, manipulation, and betrayal started to lose their luster in her eyes and her heart could now understand the desire of the fox woman more realized than ever. Unable to get further with her sudden empathetic feelings, she focused on another angle to what her sister said. "Within reason...," added the doppelganger with a stern look once she got her thoughts sorted. She did not like the possible outcome of Hornet's total compliance as unintended malicious actions would surely seed themselves in front of her because of her loyalty. In the end, if you're loyal to one thing, how can you be loyal to its opposite? Only she was the one to be allowed to use those extreme actions, and the last thing she wanted was to pull Hornet into more danger.
Hornet lightly tapped herself on the head, once she could feel that she had just been scolded by the other woman. "Yeah, you got me. If it doesn't hurt you or Ent—or anyone else, I'll keep my loyalty alive."
The archer chuckled softly and then grew serious. "That seems like a loyalty surrounded by eggshells. The ground will have to give out eventually and… I won't blame you for what you choose in the end."
The blonde grew serious, and her face grew slightly sour. "I know, but it's the only way to reach the hope that I want."
"That can never be," replied the doppelganger with equal amounts of determination and sorrow. She knew what Hornet hoped for this outcome. A future where all three are walking together like true sisters. She didn't show it, but she could almost vomit at having to pretend to be sisterly with her reflection… the woman she was conformed and conditioned to be.
"You stopped fighting with yourself and finally accepted me as a sister—what's not to say that you and Ent can't do the same?"
"—It's different," she harshly declared that even made her dark eagle shed a few feathers from the overwhelming hatred that flared up and died as quickly as it came.
The blonde relaxed her shoulders in surrender and quickly looked away, disappointment visible. "Fine, I'll drop it for now." She brought her face back to her sister, now with an amused look. "On another note, why don't we finally get you a proper name?" She paused for a bit and quickly beamed at what came to mind. "I got it! Alt."
"Alt?! What happened to Ash?" Mocked the archer.
"Someone has a good memory for one who acts like they don't care about names," she said with a cheeky smile.
The white-haired woman grumbled under her breath. "If it's from you, I don't mind. But why Alt?" she finished off with her eyes looking away.
"Alt sounds a little better. It complements Ent's nickname. Alt and Ent, what do you think?" She said with a big grin.
"It sounds like we're keys on a keyboard. I rather not be complemented with Enterprise. Hmm, what even is Alt short for?" She said with her purple eyes showing intrigue despite her annoyed tone.
"Well... alternative?" Said the blonde with sweat on her face and a finger on her cheek.
The doppelganger sighed and lowered her head. "I expected something sillier like Alterprise. Pfft... forget that name. It feels demeaning. And you can forget alternative. But... just Alt sounds simple enough." She let it sit in her mouth, like someone having a second bite of food that they never tasted before. "Hmm, Alt will do. It feels like a proper insult toward Enterprise, so I'll go with that."
Hornet held back a rude laugh as she could only imagine the mental gymnastics her sister quickly analyzed to allow herself to accept that name. If you asked the blonde, she thought that her sister just liked the sound of it and nothing more. "Alt, huh? My little sister, Alt," gleefully said Hornet.
"Little?" Her sour expression was too much that even her dark eagle had voiced his laughter with a few wild sounds.
"Oh, sorry, I always wanted to have a younger sister of my own after getting that treatment from Ent all this time."
"She and I are physically the same age though," remarked the injured carrier.
"Well, you were born after me so that makes you my little sister," challenged the Yorktown carrier.
"That's... rather absurd to look at it like that." Her eyes cast downward as she reflected her time in the dark sea. Technically, she considered those dark days a part of her overall life or continued existence.
"Just forget what I said. Hehehe, dumb Hornet and all that," said the blonde once she had her fill with teasing.
The newly named Alt found herself feeling wonderfully defenseless while she was with the blonde. She enjoyed how her sister genuinely felt positive and warm towards her. "Hmm... if it's just between us, then it's fine. Your words do hold some truth." She didn't know what to feel about the topic. It was easy for her to say that she disliked it and found it absurd, yet to accept it would be to wash away the painful memories that she didn't mind losing. That only left her with one question. Who would she be now if she removed the only genuine memories that she could call her own?
Time went on and they continued their trip back to the Sakura Empire.
"What's the bird's name?" Asked Hornet after looking at the dark eagle for the better part of twenty minutes or so.
"He doesn't have one," said Alt flatly while she maintained her eyes on the horizon.
"Hmm, Grim doesn't ring a bell, does it?" She felt like she was walking on eggshells with that question as she didn't want the white-haired woman to get upset.
It was noticeable when Alt squinted her eyes and made a face as she had just eaten something unpleasant. "Grim... yes... that sounds familiar. No doubt that's Enterprise's name for her bird?"
"Yes," said the blonde without trying to be sneaky about it.
"Then forget it. She never had any desire to call her bird by his name, and the same is with me." Just the mere fact that she could understand her twin's thought process by a quick jog of her memory greatly upset her to the point that the conversation no longer had a future.
Feeling like she had done a massive mistake, she quickly tried to fix it. "That's because she thought she didn't deserve Grimm after... forget it," she said with a sigh.
Once Hornet had focused her attention back on the bird, Alt started to rub her head with her bandaged hand. "Grim..." She let that name roll around her mouth that took her back to a memory that she had accepted as not being hers. The white-haired older woman from before was talking to her, yet she could not hear her at all. Her memory then changed to a gray day where a black coffin resided in front of her. The coffin had a wide array of beautiful and exotic flowers that spoke volumes of how much the deceased occupant meant to so many. A cold empty feeling was the only thing in her heart and an eagle—much like hers, was resting on top of the coffin with his eyes staring at it before fixing his gaze toward her.
The memory ended, leaving a shaken Alt in its wake. Hornet was unaware of the flared heartbeats that transpired, and the archer was grateful for that. Once her heart returned to normal speed, she now noticed her cheek wet with a tear that had come seemingly out of nowhere.
A few hours rolled on. The excitement and adrenaline from the prior event had worn off on Hornet and she had fallen asleep on the raft.
The doppelganger didn't blame her for wanting to rest. That's all she could do for the moment as she probably needed food and water soon.
With this moment of privacy, she turned her eyes on her eagle. "The things Tester said back there, about you knowing what I was all along. Why? Why didn't you tell me—or show me that I was a Siren?"
Her dark eagle acknowledged the anger from the carrier yet made no response.
"Khh... that was a stupid question. I sometimes feel like I can understand you based on your reactions and this stoic front isn't helping your case," she said harshly.
Her dark eagle tapped on the raft with his beak a few times then looked at her with a cocked head.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Before her bird could respond, a loud alarm started to ring throughout the open sea.
Hornet immediately shot up from her sleeping position on the raft to inspect her surroundings. "What the—?!" With half-opened eyes, she adjusted her vision into the far distance to see the Sakura Empire. She quickly rubbed the rest of her sleep from her eyes and happily glanced back at Alt. "Oh yes, I'm dying for a shower, and some food too!" She allowed her excitement to wash over her, but then it quickly dawned on her. "Wait, Alt. Why are you still sailing forward?"
The dark eagle perked up by this info and stared at his owner.
The doppelganger had her eyes closed, mostly pondering her actions as well as the name that her sister had coined for her. Once she was done with that, she opened her eyes and stoically stared at her sister. "I've decided on going back."
Shock was evident between the two occupants on the raft.
"Really?!" Shouted Hornet with her emotions being an equal mix of elation and surprise.
Alt allowed a small smirk to invade her face. It was starting to become impossible to not show how pleased she was when Hornet appeared so full of excitement toward her. "I gave it some thought and when you said that sisters need to look out for each other… it made me realize that I have some business to settle here."
Hornet tilted her head in confusion. "What business?"
"The less you know the better. They'll be asking you many questions once you get there and it's not that I don't trust you—it's just that I know when to keep certain things close to me."
"Hmm, I understand." As much as people thought she was an airhead, she could infer that someone had most likely helped her escape. There were just too many variables like the limiter rig, her ship being in Azur Lane, and timing. She got startled when the dark eagle flew past her and landed in front of Alt with tones that clearly told her that he was frustrated.
"No, I haven't lost my mind if that's what you think. I'm doing this because it's what I want and that's all that matters. You are free to abandon me if I no longer serve a purpose to you," she said with a cold demeanor. This was all a mental game to see how he would react.
The dark eagle piped loudly and then stood still in front of her.
Her harsh eyes relaxed and a sense of guilt washed over her. He had the choice to leave her, yet he didn't. She wanted to believe that it was his faithfulness, but it could also be because she still served a purpose to him. Whether that purpose was simple as her being his only friend or something more sinister for the Sirens was still to be concluded. She would find out soon enough. "Thank you for staying by my side," she allowed herself that much to reward her bird.
The eagle looked exasperated and soon turned his head to gaze off at the Sakura Empire.
The combat readiness of the Sakura ships was astounding. It only took them a minute to have a fleet set out to intercept the invading presence. Five ships were summoned to meet that challenge.
"Halt!" Shouted the woman in the middle that was most likely the leader of the fleet and appeared to be an aircraft carrier just like Alt. This woman wore glasses and dawned large bunny ears. She was tall and slender with dark blue hair. Her blue eyes stared down Alt with an aura of strictness.
"Hey, that's Hornet!" Said another tall woman that had red hair tied in a messy ponytail. She looked to be a battleship class and immediately held her blade high, ready to attack at command.
"The woman behind her looks like Enterprise—gr! She's the imposter that Nagato briefed us on." The woman next to the redhead had waist-length gray hair with red-tipped tiger ears on top of her head. She had the same class, battleship, as the redhead. Her weapon was also drawn, ready to sharply strike just like her companion.
"Ah, Jeez. She's the dangerous secret escapee! So much for taking it easy today under a cherry blossom tree," said another woman with long light-brown messy hair and a pair of gray dog ears on top of her head. Her blue eyes clearly showed sleepiness that expressed she would rather be napping somewhere. Her class was a heavy cruiser.
"Furutaka, control yourself. Fate has granted us to shoulder this encounter. The enemy in front of us will not go easy on us. Remember what she did to Takao?" The heavy cruiser that spoke had her expression and energy more serious than her sleepy companion. She had a slender frame with long brown hair tied in twin braids. Her red frame glasses perfectly complemented her face along with her teal eyes. Just like the others, she had animal-like qualities with her pair of animal ears on top of her head being gray.
"Ah! You're right, Kako," said Furutaka.
Sounds of gun barrels positioning themselves sounded out from both of their rigs.
Hornet's twintails raised upward in shock as she was stunned to hear that. She turned around to glance at Alt who could not meet her gaze.
"I am the first carrier, Souryou. I heard from the others that you managed to escape their aggressive tracking of you," said the aircraft carrier that was in the middle of the armed group.
A flashback of her escaping from the carriers on the night she escaped ignited the mind of the doppelganger. "Yes, that does ring a bell. Although, if you were there, I might have had to fight back a bit." One quick look at the Sakura Carrier invoked that this woman was clearly a master battle tactician. Just by looking at all five of them intently invoked an odd feeling. Her vision flashed with a haunting memory that brought pain with it. That pain invaded her mind when she inspected the five women in front of her. These five women, she had met them before. Not the ones in front of her, but their visage during her life in the dark sea. She knew better now with her memories returned that she had met her end at their hands before growing from that experience and correcting it on their next encounter.
"I'll take that as praise. Hmm, you are injured. Have you come to surrender?" Said Souryuu calmly with no intent to strike blindly like how her comrades were thinking behind her.
One could tell that the others weren't expecting a conversation, yet held their tongues, waiting for the order to be given.
A silence filled the air suddenly that made Hornet grow tense. "Girls, hold back those trigger fingers and pointy swords." She was quickly pushed forward when Alt casually kicked the raft toward them.
Souryuu was taken aback and quickly stopped the raft with her hands.
"Yeah… I've come to surrender," she said with a stoic expression and mimicked a tired voice. She then held up one good arm while the other stayed in position.
The other four looked stunned and confused about what the enemy had said. For Souryuu, she kept a long hard gaze at the other carrier and respectfully nodded. "Ise and Hyuuga… bind her to take her into holding."
The redhead and the waist-length gray hair woman both mumbled under their breaths, feeling energetically deflated that they didn't get to let loose with a fight. They circled the doppelganger who remained defenseless while her dark eagle looked nervous.
"Do me a favor, you can thrash me around all you want, but don't give the little guy a hard time," she said seriously.
Hyuuga, the waist-length gray battleship, laughed almost drunkenly at the request. "Prisoners don't get requests!"
"Hyuuga! She has willingly surrendered to us without aggression. By our honor, she has very much been granted that request along with no harm towards her. You hurt that bird and there will be a whole load of paperwork thrown at you," said the bunny carrier as she adjusted her glasses.
Hyuuga gave her a disrespectful angry look. "Are you kidding me?! She injured Takao, you don't see that?"
"I do. That is why lowering we to her level is unneeded. Ise, I hope you don't share the same desires for needless fighting," said the Sakura carrier.
Hyuuga sighed and angrily folded her arms in obedience. Ise unenthusiastically nodded and moved behind Alt.
The redhead grabbed the left arm of Alt and tied it together with the doppelganger's waist from the back.
"Alt! I'm proud of you. I'll sort this whole situation out," cried Hornet with a happy smile that contained a few tears.
For the first time, the doppelganger blushed at the wonderful praise from her sister.
"Umm… are we missing something?" Remarked Ise with an incredibly confused eyebrow raise.
"Ugh… this is so boring. I wish I was drinking right now," said Hyuuga as she held onto the dark eagle, like someone holding onto a stuffed animal.
They escorted Alt to land with Furutaka and Kako keeping their weapons aimed at the doppelganger.
Souryuu was then left with Hornet. Her expression softened to a kind smile. "You must be starving," she said concernedly.
"I am, but please take me to Nagato first. Alt was the one that saved me from that Siren."
"What?! Very well, that works out fine as Nagato has already asked to be informed once you were found," replied the Sakura carrier.
I need to end this chapter right here as it will keep on going into a few more thousand words. But yeah, I'm getting really excited with how the story is progressing. My goal for this story is to have it completed by the end of the year or at least close. I hope I can make that deadline and if not, oh well. Thank you all for reading and I'll see you in the next one.