Chapter 22: Reflected Brutality
Alt laid bounded by chains while Akashi tended to her wound on her hand. As soon as she reached the shore, she was stripped of her remaining armaments with the limiter rig placed back on her body like an old annoying friend. That action felt like a cruel slap of irony to her as she contemplated whether it was the original or another that the green cat girl had stored in her workshop.
She now stood outside, bounded by a chain around her neck that was connected to a wooden mass that had been buried into the ground. The area around her was a garden field connecting with the living area of Nagato, the flagship and leader of the Sakura Empire.
In typical fashion, the garden had cherry blossom trees in full bloom that left no shortage of floating pink petals in the air.
Alt would have been more disgusted by the overuse of such an aesthetic if it wasn't for her mind more focused on the pain in her left hand. She glanced to her left where the cat ship was still cleaning up her most recent wound. Still to her left, the red glasses-wearing Kako had her cannons on standby, mostly as procedure.
To Alt's right, Ise idly spun her katana while the tip was planted on the grassy green ground.
Watching them had stirred troubled memories in her mind that forced her to look down when flashes of gruesome deaths complemented their image. Silently shaken by her memories, she slowly coached herself to look straight ahead. What lay in her view, was the one person that remotely deserved her attention. It was Akagi, who stood silently next to Nagato a good amount of distance away from where she was.
The doppelganger took in the tension in the area with an accepting look on her face. She adjusted herself since the chain that bounded her was wrapped around her neck, like some wild animal. It soon started to bother her making her shift in her spot that made the brown-haired heavy cruiser and the redhead battleship jumpy with nervousness and readiness. Finding new comfort, she stopped and leaned efficiently on the large beam of wood.
"Are you happy now?" Spoke Nagato with her back turned.
The sudden response forced a clueless grunt from the white-haired archer. "Hmph, I've been in worse situations," calmly spoke the carrier. Her shoulders relaxed when an intrusive memory didn't flash across her mind by seeing Nagato.
The black-haired short girl shot a sour expression toward the cold carrier. "You wanted to be treated like a wild animal, so here we are."
"I'm indifferent, honestly. Hmph, I see that you put away that massive rig. Do you no longer feel threatened by me?"
Nagato could not deduce if that was a serious and curious question or if she had been trying to mock the black-haired leader. Either way, she gave her a stern face and moved a step forward in challenge. "You don't scare me!"
That brought a small smile to the prisoner. "Good. I find myself respecting you more."
Nagato blinked her eyes a few times, not knowing if she should accept the praise or cast it aside to let her anger keep running. "We don't take pride in doing this. But what you did is unforgivable and with Takao still unresponsive, we can't get any answers to what went on last night."
Akagi shifted in place, paranoid concern visible only to Alt and not the others.
The archer gave her back a wanting look for communication that was not feasible in this current scenario. "I escaped, and decided to come back... that's all," said the carrier with her eyes closed.
Nagato remained unmoved as she rubbed on her fox ears to help her process the information. "Such a simple way of looking at it. You escaped… rescuing Hornet from the Sirens." Her face softened, once she collected what the blonde carrier had told her shortly earlier. "You can try to hide it, but we got that from Hornet herself. You are the hero of this story and my opinion of you has come upon a pivotal junction. I ask myself now, what drove you to go and rescue her?"
Alt paused briefly, wondering that herself with her eyes moving left and right. A small chuckle of joy clawed out of her throat, and she wished they weren't around for that. "It doesn't have any of your business. If you want to know more, then ask Hornet."
Nagato's expression grew stubborn. "How did you know that Hornet was taken?"
That question had put both Akagi and Alt on high alert as the seriousness in their eyes grew.
"Hmm... Takao told me of course," said Alt who took joy as she playfully acted clueless and innocent afterward.
Nagato released the breath she was holding and tried to keep digging for the truth. "She told you, and you felt compelled to save her? How did you manage that? Your ship was in the hands of the Azur Lane base. I was told that communications toward them were being difficult, that's why Akagi's idea of sending Miss Prinz Eugen was used."
She locked eyes with Akagi and then to the others to make it look as if she was merely scouting her surroundings. "You know the answer to that... I'm a Siren. My methods of escape are above your understanding." The level of mocking and boastfulness of the statement effectively worked to win her no friends.
"Pfft, say what? Then why don't you pull another Siren trick and get out of that chain around your neck?" Mocked Ise, just hoping this Siren was telling the truth so she could cut loose.
"Who's to say that this isn't where I want to be?" Retaliated the archer calmly while not giving her the decency to look her way.
The angry redhead lifted her fist and moved forward. "You little…!"
"Stop! If you hurt her, you hurt Enterprise," shouted Akagi loudly and authoritatively.
"Yes, listen to her and be a good little grunt," said Alt while disrespectfully keeping her gaze off the redhead. She would be lying if the heated drama wasn't to her amusement.
"Enough! Why did you help Hornet?!" Cut Nagato, wanting to get to the heart of the matter as that was her only desire at the moment.
Alt sighed, feeling like a hamster in a wheel with this interrogation that she was making sure they wouldn't make progress on. "I doubt you need to search hard for that answer."
"Enlighten me. Because of the way actions unfolded, it almost appears as if you care for her." The leader of the Sakura Empire held a clutched hand close to her chest. A part of her felt hopeful that it was true and maybe this could help her with her opinion of the chained archer in front of her.
"I don't need to further explain myself." Alt hunkered down in her reasons and strongly retained an uncooperative aura around her.
Nagato lowered her brows at the woman's defiant nature. "Then why come back? All the scrutiny and questions must have surely entered your mind."
"I have my reasons. There's nothing for me out there in this condition. So, keep me here—that's what you can do. For the sake of Enterprise, right?"
"Take her away, my opinion of you has reached its terminus," said Nagato who looked to be at her wit's end and had given up in trying to understand the actions of bravery and selflessness from the chained white-haired woman.
Internally, Alt wished she could go back to the time where she couldn't understand herself as she does now.
(Enterprise)
The mission was a failure. Not only did they search and search for Hornet, but later down the search, Enterprise's bow had come apart in her hand and a large deep wound birthed from out of nowhere. Her rigging even suffered damages that rendered her unable to battle, yet she could still sail to a manageable degree.
The others grew scared and worried as to who the doppelganger was fighting or maybe she had grown bold and decided to take her own life.
Both love rivals held their breath in terror, wondering if Enterprise would cease living by the desire of her twisted twin while they could do nothing but watch as useless spectators.
While both were so different, for that hour after the archer got her hand wound. They silently grew angry at their helplessness to protect Enterprise as an invisible force could bypass all of them.
No other danger came for Enterprise, making them take comfort in that. Still, they were reminded how fragile the archer's situation truly was.
Enterprise pushed through her pain, cursing her twin for getting in her way out of any other time. She thought she had a break once she was able to get past the internal fog in her mind and figure out that the distorted voice in her nightmares had laid out a group of numbers to the location of her sister.
Without missing a beat, they all sailed toward the location. It turned out that the location was indeed around the same spot that the drifting mist had been earlier when they arrived.
With that grim reveal, Enterprise remained silent while the other three could not bear to meet the gaze of the archer.
"This is the place," said Enterprise as she scanned the area. One didn't have to look hard to see that something reminiscent of a battle had happened here. Close to their area, there was a small landmass composed of rocks that had the remains of a crashed plane with scorch marks riddling the area. The remains of the plane were far too decimated to make out what model it had been, but she could guess that it was her model. That only further raised questions within the injured woman.
Another sign was small metal parts that floated in the water. Shoukaku inspected a piece and widened her eyes. "This looks similar to parts that were used in the mass-produced siren ships," she said as she held it up for her sister to see.
"Yeah, this metal is definitely Siren designed," said Zuikaku with a frown.
The maid grew more depressed with each passing second the story in this area unfolded. "Enterprise..."
"Stop, Belfast... Just stop." A sense of despair washed over the injured carrier as she took in the whole area around her. Her sister had indeed been here, and she had failed her for not getting here faster. A part of her was enticing her to yell at her friends for holding her back, but frankly, she was too emotionally drained to say anything else.
"Enty! She isn't here, which means she must still be alive." Zuikaku's words failed to cheer or inspire hope in the archer.
"If she is, then there's no trail to follow anymore," defeatedly said the Eagle Union.
"Perhaps we should regroup with the other Sakura ships back home. I'm sure with our searching, someone might have found a new lead," said the older crane sister.
"I second that, it would be best for Enty to get her hand checked, too," said Zuikaku.
"Whatever... fine." replied the archer without any struggle.
With their mission ended, they made the journey to the Sakura Empire in silence.
It had been some time later that Shoukaku, Zuikaku, and Belfast needed to pull Enterprise out of her dark place of depression.
The maid moved up and matched her speed with the archer. "Miss Enterprise... I'm sorry," she said heavily feeling like she was enduring rusted armor that weighed her down.
"It doesn't matter, Bel. How could you have known? How could anyone have known? The only reason I knew was because of this random nightmare that I have no idea where it came from. From the Sirens or from her?"
Belfast and the others didn't say a word as they gave it thought as well.
"It all feels cruel that I couldn't decipher it all in time like it wasn't meant for me, and I was some intruder for even knowing what I already knew," she said with a tormented expression.
Shoukaku's phone then sounded that noticeably caught the attention of the others. The older crane sister excused herself and answered the call. "Hello? …Huh?!" Her reaction had garnered the others to more proactively keep their attention to what had shocked her.
"What's wrong, sister?" Asked the brown-haired crane.
Shoukaku stared at her phone, looking mystified and happy. "It's Hornet... she's returned."
Enterprise's dejected eyes quickly shifted to unimaginable hopeful ones from the positive news. Some time went by since she heard the news of Hornet.
(Alt)
As Alt and the armed Sakura ships that were with her moved outside Nagato's living quarters, she quickly felt many eyes on her.
Some were curious while others had distaste in their eyes. No doubt because their fellow sister in arms, Takao, was injured by her.
Alt made a frown, wondering if maybe she could have found a different alternative. It wasn't that she cared about their opinion, but more for the sake of Takao who she had admittedly gained some respect for.
"Come on, keep moving," said Kako. Her demanding command was followed by a spontaneous push that she hadn't given much thought to.
Alt gave her a glare that sent a spine-chilling fright to the poor girl.
"Alt!"
The archer's eyes reduced in intensity when the all-to-knowing voice of Hornet filled her ears. From intensity to softness, her eyes connected with the blonde who had been the one to give that name to her. With that name, she felt a unique sense of individuality that she thought she couldn't have.
Hornet ran across the grass and stones to get to the sidewalk that the white-haired carrier was at.
"Hornet, it's good to see you," she said, allowing her true feelings to be shown. She didn't care about the confused looks from the Sakura ships that were placed in charge of her.
Hornet smiled at her and showed her arm that had been bandaged neatly. "I bet you were worried about me—but not as much as I was worried of you. So, how did it go?" She asked nervously and meekly.
Alt lowered her head and glanced to her sides to make sure only Hornet could hear her. "They're all bite and no bark. All they can do is lock me up and continue brooding at me."
The blonde didn't agree nor disagree with her sister's choice of words yet found a peace that both groups didn't get harmed. "Please, just don't go stirring up the Hornet's nest—no pun intended," laughed her sister that earned her a reciprocated minimal acknowledgment from Alt.
She didn't know how to respond to her, so she changed the topic. "Have you seen Takao?"
"Umm, not really. I've been in the medical wing, and they told me that she checked herself out."
"At least she's walking..." said Alt in a way that sounded harsh, but she didn't intend it to sound that way.
Hornet bit her lip and decided to dive into the question that bounced in her mind. "What happened? I saw the warehouse—or what's left of it. How badly did you hurt her, Alt?"
Before she could respond, Hornet was suddenly pushed aside by a woman in a white uniform. It was Atago, and they both didn't even notice her until she was mere inches from Alt's face. Her expression lost any kind of friendly or softness to it.
"Hey, don't push her!" Angrily shouted Alt so close to a very serious Atago.
The other Sakura ships stood silent plus the guards as they watched a rare sight before them.
The white uniform-dressed woman tilted her head toward the blonde with a guilty expression to her actions. "My apologies, Hornet. But I have some business with this... this... witch. I'm surprised to even hear you being so protective over Hornet who you never showed any kindness in the past," challenged the perky woman.
"It's none of your business, Sakura." It was true what Atago had said, and she had no right to get angry over a truth that she actively enforced within herself back then. However, things had changed. She had changed.
"You're right. What is my business, is how you humiliated and thrashed my darling sister."
Alt grunted, feeling guilt and torment for what she did. While she truly felt sorry, she couldn't allow herself to give the woman in front of her that benefit, or else she would lose ground on her anger and the woman next to her would steamroll over her. "She was in the way." In that second, the injured archer widened her eyes as a memory of Atago or an aspect of her in her mind flashed across her vision. In that vision, Takao and Atago were both lying lifelessly on the ground covered in arrows while countless other arrows had blanketed the ground around them.
Alt felt hollow inside as the demented emotion she felt in that memory flooded her mind. Shame and disgust ate away at her from the fact that her arrows didn't expand into explosive energy. They had retained their form merely because she willed it. She could not relate to her old self and a single question haunted her mind: Did she enjoy playing with her enemy?
Hornet squeezed between them with her attention toward Atago. She was completely unaware of the dire inner turmoil of her new sister. "Alt, enough! And Atago, what she's trying to say is that she was trying to rescue me."
"You?" The black-haired woman looked puzzled before she regained her footing and refused to quell her justified anger.
"Yeah, where's Takao? We can sort this whole mess at once," urged Hornet for both to be amicable.
Atago narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "My sister has been evasive. No doubt she's ashamed of letting the others see her with how this witch got the drop on her."
Alt silently released a breath once she felt more grounded in reality. Her frown came back when she heard "witch" directed toward her again. "It was her fault for visiting me at night. Her kindness was what did her in."
"Alt!" Shouted Hornet with wide eyes. She felt the urge to pull on her sister's ear to sort her out like how Enterprise used to with her at a much simpler time in the past.
The injured carrier let her anger have a respite and she controlled herself to remain calm.
"Alt? Did you name her?" Her undertones in her voice clearly projected that of something lower than a person she was referring to. More like some wild animal that should be denied such a luxury like a name.
"You bitch—you're one to talk with ears like that!" Her emotions were high right now, and all she desired was to recreate the scene in her head with only Atago in mind.
Hornet felt squished between two titans and a sweat drop was evident on her face. "Time out—time out, for crying out loud!" She used all her strength to push both back a few inches. "Atago, you need to relax and breathe. Alt is my sister. She earned that right by saving me twice from near death. And you, Alt. All these unnecessary loaded remarks aren't helping you."
This feeling felt new, to be scolded by her sister which was about the only one she would truly take to heart made her feel like a failure. "She mocked you with that comment."
"She did. But don't worry about me on my behalf. You didn't seem to care as that was directed to you as much as it was directed toward me. I'm a big girl and can take a few mean comments."
Alt sighed and remained silent with her gaze strongly at the white officer in front of her.
"Hornet, have you lost it? What will your sister think once she's learned that you're chummy with the woman that's trying to kill her?"
The blonde inhaled anxiously, understanding that notion had not been lost on her. However, she stood strong in her conviction for what future she wished for. "No one is killing anybody. Alt could have killed Takao, but she didn't."
"Not for a lack of trying," Atago muttered angrily while looking past the blonde toward the archer.
Kako placed a hand on Hornet's shoulder to allow her to step aside slightly so that she could get Atago's attention. "This has gone far enough. Miss Atago, please stand aside. You're blocking our way to her holding cell."
Hyuuga suppressed a laugh that was still heard. "Pfft, I don't mind at all. This feels like watching a soap drama—man if only I had a drink by my side."
The heavy cruiser stared at her with daggers that were rivaled only by the archer's glare.
The gray-haired battleship swallowed hard and hid behind her redheaded sister.
Ise grew rigid and subtly tilted her head behind her. "You really can't read a room well, can't you?"
Atago returned to looking at the archer and gave Alt one last mean look before turning her head to Hornet. "Wash your hands of this Siren. Whatever sisterly aura she may have will only lead you crashing into unforgiving rocks."
Hornet held her tongue and kept her eyes low as the other woman stormed off. "We shouldn't be fighting like this," softly whispered Hornet to herself.
All of them went down a flight of stone steps that led them to the outer area of the Sakura Empire and to where the beach and shores were.
Hornet was lost in her mind when she spotted movement on the water. For a second, she spotted a figure in the distance of the water that almost looked like her sister. She tried to rub her eyes to dispel the illusion until that said illusion shouted out toward her.
"Umm, I think I see Zuikaku, Shoukaku, and is that... Enterprise!?" Ise gripped the hilt of her sword. It was a response of a bad omen she knew all too well. It ran purely on the idea that the old saying went that no good ever happens when doppelgangers cross paths.
"Oh no," said Kako with a dreaded look on her face as well.
Alt's eyes looked forward and spotted her twin. Her anger began to flare but she tried to hide it like someone being mildly annoyed by another presence.
"Ent!" Hornet, without thinking, sprinted toward shore. Her sister had also reached the shore and the two hugged each other tightly.
The short-haired carrier lowered her eyes, unable to witness the moment and feeling more like a stranger than ever.
"Hornet, are you alright?" She held onto her sister fiercely that one would think they hadn't seen each other in years
"I am, sis. I'm so happy you came," said Hornet.
Enterprise grew sad and removed herself to look at her sister. "How did you escape?"
Before the blonde could explain, her sister looked past her to see her twin silently chained. "You," she said angrily. The resentment of her twin getting hurt and impeding her actions ignited in her heart; coupled with all the damage she did to Azur Lane.
Alt refused to cower before the intense gaze of her reflection. "Yeah... me." Mockingly stated the other archer, her eyes never leaving the other with equal amounts of resentment.
Enterprise pulled herself away and walked with purpose toward her twin.
It all happened suddenly when Enterprise raised her left hand and punched her twin across the face. All the others gasped in bewilderment and horror as Alt dropped to the warm sandy ground.
Enterprise staggered heavily, feeling the force of a punch across her own face. She couldn't decide what hurt more, her face or the burning sting in her left hand that she used to punch her twin. No doubt that her twin was also contemplating that. "That's... for Grimm," she said between breaths.
"Ent! No!" Hornet stood petrified with shock to see both of her sisters bleeding from their mouths.
This also reflected on Belfast, Shoukaku, and Zuikaku who had reached the shores.
Alt could feel the metallic taste of blood in her mouth and immediately spit. "About time you did something." Mocked Alt as she viciously stared daggers at Enterprise.
"Shut up, shut up! It's your fault that I'm even in this state!" She grabbed her by the hair, also feeling the pull equally. "You're a blight that invaded my life. Just when I thought I had beaten my demons, you and the Sirens play one final insult from my fears. I won't let you ruin my life or anyone else."
The pseudo-eagle union was forced to look at her twin. Those words replayed in her head like a broken record. "Blight... I'm glad we think the same. However, weren't you the one that shot your arrow at me and caused this burden?"
Enterprise didn't know what that meant. Was she talking about her shooting the black mental cube or the final arrow that scorched both? In her hesitation, Alt thrust forward and headbutted Enterprise.
The impact sent both hitting the ground.
Pushing through the pain, Enterprise quickly got up and landed two more blows.
"Ent, stop! she was the one that rescued me!" Cried Hornet frantically. She held onto the left arm of her sister.
"Let go!" She pushed her back and landed two more concussive blows across her twin's face.
The world grew dark quickly as she felt the others grab them and pull them a few feet from each other.
Before Enterprise lost consciousness, she spotted her sister resting the unconscious doppelganger's head on her lap, her gaze appearing nothing less than concerned. This heart-wrenching sight made her feel betrayed beyond words.
(Enterprise)
Hours went by, and the injured carrier started to come too. The first thing she could pick up was that she was resting on a soft bed, and voices grew clearer with each passing second.
"How is she?"
Enterprise allowed her eyes to adjust to the light and for the time, all she could see was a blinding white room.
"Nya! What you see is what you expect. She's bluer than a blueberry, nya! Some pain medicine and some heating pads will help with the pain and swelling."
"I… see." Came the despondent voice of Hornet.
"Ngh…" The sound from Enterprise alerted both women. The blonde and Akashi quickly turned their attention to the wakening Eagle Union.
"Ah! I'll leave you two alone, Nya!" Cried Akashi as she didn't want to be in the room with Enterprise.
The door closed and the blonde looked back to see her sister gazing around with a swollen right eye, bruised forehead, and a bruised left cheek. "Ent, you're awake," calmly said Hornet. Relief and anger fought within her to see which one was the one to be expressed by the blonde. The end product was more of a held-back voice with trepidation.
"Why did you go to her?"
Hornet swallowed hard from the direct question. "Huh? Is that what you're going to say first?!" She tried her best to not get angry, but it turned out that her sister was not going to make it easy on her.
Enterprise took a deep breath and remained focused on what she had in her mind. "I want to understand. She's the enemy who attacked our base and has made it her mission to kill me."
"Should you really be saying that? Your one to talk, since you were the one beating her to a pulp."
The clear response was enough for Enterprise to feel like an undesirable cast out into the cold with nothing but the feeling of betrayal. "You have no idea what she did? Her eagle wounded Grimm."
"And you resorted to revenge? I thought you were above that, sis. You always told me that justice is the way to handle things but what I saw out there wasn't justice."
Her sister's words were like daggers that carved through her without mercy. She was left with a void of frustration and remorse from her actions. "You didn't answer my question! Why did you go to her?"
"Why are you so angry?! Hmph, she saved my life, Ent. If it wasn't for her, I would be dead or still held captive."
"You would have been rescued. I was... I was trying to save you, but I couldn't get there in time." Tears fell from her bruised face, and she looked away from her sister.
"Ent..." She tried to reach out for her sister but found herself rejected when Enterprise shook off the hand that had touched her shoulder.
Without looking at her sister, Enterprise spoke. "Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore. Hornet, don't trust her. She is working with the Sirens and she's only tricking you to get to me."
The blonde sighed and huffed her breath. The woman before her felt more like a fragment of how she viewed her sister. That alone made it hard to continue. She walked to the door, knowing that whatever type of talk would be a waste of energy. "You don't even know what happened out there and you are assuming so much. When you want to talk, then come and find me, Ent. I can't muster the strength to get through to a paranoid version of you right now."
The bruised woman heard the door close, leaving her by herself with her despair.
(Alt)
Akagi walked down a dimly lit staircase, the sounds of the stone steps echoed downward. At the end of the stairs, she reached a dungeon-style room that had seen better days. This stone stronghold located in a private area in their sandy shores used to be their main prison holding area before they caught up with the times. It was that point that created more modern and humane designs for their cells. She reached the end of the steps and came upon a row of empty cells, about three to her left and three more to her right. At the middle cell, Ise and Hyuuga stood guard with a sleeping injured archer inside the only cell that mattered to the Sakura guards.
"Hey, why are you here?" Said Hyuuga, taking a more proactive stance while she asserted her authority.
"I need to talk to the prisoner—alone," said the fox woman.
Ise looked at her companion with an incredulous look on her face. "Nah, can't do that. We're not doing visiting hours anymore—if that was ever a thing before, Akagi."
"Nagato's new order is to always have a pair of eyes overseeing her at all times, and to ward off any visitors," said Hyuuga.
"What?! She does know that I need to keep researching and studying her in order to help Enterprise, right?"
The gray-haired woman exhaustedly lowered her eyes and she sighed. "Look, this is above our pay grade if you ask me. She told us what she desired and we're merely enforcing her will. Take it up with her."
"Didn't you get the memo?" Ise's arms folded definitively as no more words were needed.
"Yeah, Zuikaku, Shoukaku, and Atago are out and we're in charge now," said Hyuuga.
"That's..."
Sensing that Akagi looked incredibly distressed, they both glanced at each other with a sympathetic nod. "Okay, fine. You can talk to her, but we need to be present. That's just protocol now."
Akagi remained silent. She had reached a difficult position as her discussion was a sensitive matter for only her and the injured archer. If she rejected their kind offer, they would grow suspicious and likely report her weird behavior to Nagato. Feeling like the latter one still gave her room to explain herself, if need be, she was about to turn around.
"Please stand aside." A voice rang from the stairs.
"Huh?" Both battleships along with Akagi gazed curiously at the new shadow that had appeared from the steps.
From out of the shadows, Takao emerged, looking worse for wear with the right side of her face horribly bruised.
"Takao?!" All three blurted out as the heavy cruiser had been ephemeral since the night of the escape.
The white officer moved forward and locked eyes with Akagi before locking her gaze at the others. "I read the memo and wholeheartedly understand the new protocol. However, I would like to suggest that you give Akagi and me some privacy with the prisoner. In exchange, how about I give you both some well-earned payment for a nice drink?"
"Wait, are we actually being bribed from the ideal perfect disciplinary Takao?" Amusingly said Hyuuga.
"It's not a bribe. I just figured that both of you will be having long nights and could use the extra comfort."
"Hmm, sounds like a bribe to me," said Ise with a raised eyebrow. However, her lips grew dry at the prospect of having a tantalizing drink right about now.
"Why are you offering? What do both of you have to discuss?" Said Hyuuga who looked more suspicious than ever.
Takao looked surprised and covered her bottom lip with one of her fingers in embarrassment. "And here I thought you already told them at least that much, Akagi."
Akagi remained silent and observant, completely terrified at what game Takao was playing at. "I'm sorry. This whole new protocol still has me off-balance, my apologies." She played along as that's what her intuition told her was the right course.
Takao grew nervous and blushed, a feat that had the others captivated by as she was never known to show sides like that often. "You really are cruel. I guess I must spill my sensitive matter myself. The thing is before she escaped, she…" Takao had fabricated a whimsical tale involving accidental groping by the prisoner when they brought her meal. The story had turned spicily intense that both guard's faces grew embarrassingly red. "…and then, her hand then started to travel further down—"
"—Okay okay! We don't need to hear that! Will take you up on your offer and will be going, but will be taking the key, you got that?!" Shouted Ise.
Hyuuga slapped her face a few times to calm her mad blush. "Jeez… I don't blame you for wanting some closure from that. I just hope that this Oni woman keeps her hands off me." They both walked past them as they mumbled to themselves as they wondered what they would have done in that situation.
Akagi pulled herself out of her spellbound trance and looked at Takao. "That was so impressive that you didn't even have to keep adding detail to it. They just took it in stride and would have rather spared themselves the trauma of having to ask critical questions to that situation. I don't think they would believe me if I said the same thing. Being a paragon of perfect good does have its perks when there isn't any reason for them to think that you would ever lie."
"Living with my sister does make for good traumatic storytelling, but enough of that. I want you to cut the flattery and tell me the truth, Akagi. None of your charms or charisma infused into it. Only the factual hard truth."
"The truth…" Her fears had come true. Takao did know something that implicated her to the doppelganger's escape.
"Yes, because that night I found myself seeing her deactivate the limiter rig with a control switch right before she kicked my face in. Now, I already talked to Akashi, and she said that she had misplaced it. She also told that she had been a bit absent-minded when you gave her a ton of coin as an "allowance" to splurge on shopping items that day."
"She earned it for working so hard," Akagi said, unable to look at the other Sakura ally.
Takao remained ever watchful of the subtle facial expressions from the fox woman. "I just want to know, why? Why did you help her escape? If you don't tell me then I have no qualms with taking this info to Lady Nagato or..." She gripped her sword, ready for a fight if needed.
Akagi looked offended and scoffed at Takao's almost gung ho action. "Alright! I'll tell you." She glanced at the sleeping archer and then back at Takao. "I'll do you an even better one and have her reveal it."
"Huh?" The bruised woman had been taken aback by those words and stayed quiet for the fox woman to make do on her word.
"Stand in the shadows and just hear."
Takao glanced at the old mossy stone wall between cells that provided a blind spot from inmates. "Fine."
Akagi picked up a bottle of water and threw the small volume of liquid toward the archer. The water stirred her from her concussive sleep, and she coughed violently.
"You came back," said the fox woman kindly while Takao observed in the shadows.
Alt got her bearings and stared at the fox woman once she made sense of her surroundings. "I did..." she simply stated. The burning swelling in her face didn't help her focus.
"I didn't take Enterprise to be a pugilist at heart," said Akagi with a sorrowful friendly smile. She wished she had been there to keep her from getting this banged up.
"You'll be surprised the lengths people will go to. Eh... let's not talk about her right now," sighed Alt. She tried massaging her face but found it painful and difficult.
"Yes. So, what caused the change in heart?"
The short-haired woman stopped her self-check on her face and gave her full attention to the woman. "You can thank Hornet for that. A lot happened out there in the drifting mist, and she and I have come to a change from strangers to something more."
Akagi had learned the location where Hornet had been from Nagato, and she could understand that it had most definitely been an ordeal that helped the archer to face her fears and accept Hornet. "Sisters?"
Alt looked away and she blushed… or maybe it was the swelling on her face that appeared to look like that. "Yes. I tried so hard to push her away for my own sake and to tell myself that I don't need such a relationship."
The fox woman held her head high as she was proud to witness such development in the white-haired woman. The last time they spoke, she had been reluctant to speak openly about her desires and feelings. But this time, she felt honored at the level of confidence the archer had in her. Sadly, she was all too aware that Takao was observing this conversation and she could only hope that this betrayal wouldn't undo whatever level of trust she had forged with the injured woman. "We all need some form of connection with others. It doesn't make us weak to want to love."
A gloomy shadow covered Alt's face. "Love. That word is wasted on me. Yes, I do love Hornet like a sister, but there will never be time for that to flourish."
Akagi tensed up from the archer's sorrow, and she wasn't the only one that reacted. Takao had partly removed herself from the wall and had moved closer to the cell bars without being detected.
"Why? Because you desire to kill Enterprise? Do you even hear yourself?!" Disappointment replaced her shocked sorrow.
Alt looked at Akagi with acceptance to what she told the Sakura carrier. "All the more reason for my memories to have stayed buried. Now, it complicates things."
"You realize that this path of self-revenge is needless. You got your ship out of an enemy base, you used that ship to attack my home to get you out, and you thwarted a Siren's plan. All for your sister. You have shown that there is no limit to the lengths you will go for her. Allow yourself to abandon your quest for revenge as another triumph for her."
Alt looked conflicted. She appeared to be searching within herself for a conclusion to her stormy mind. Her face relaxed briefly before the pain from her face brought her back. "I… I can't. I was given life because of her tormented soul. I'm nothing but a forgotten fragment that no longer fits with her. She's outgrown what my existence stands for while I stay with all that she hated."
"Then that should motivate you."
"Huh?"
"If you are the amalgamation of her failures, sorrow, and tormented mind, then show her your strength. Show her that you can flourish and be your own person with all that baggage you carry. That's the greatest revenge imaginable; to flourish and prosper before your enemy."
Alt remained quiet, taking those words deeply and replaying them in her head.
Akagi continued, unaware of the breakthrough she had caused inside the archer. "How frustratingly sad. You wish to save her and protect her, but you would cause her the greatest harm imaginable by having her bury two sisters."
Alt's face broke into a dispirited one and her chest grew tight. "My life is nothing but a lie; filled with death and pain. You wondered why I returned. It's to make something positive with it and to fulfill my end of the deal. Words alone are not enough for the opportunity you gave me to rescue Hornet. Please, let me help you now." Her words came out loud and defenseless, like a child trying to make an adult understand them.
Takao lowered her head in the shadows and Akagi moved closer to the bars as she got on her knees. "Are you truly able to?" She said with hopefulness.
Alt brought her emotions back within her and her voice calmed. "In a horrible twist of fate, that benefits you… yes. I fear that I'm the only one that can save her now. No one should feel imprisoned in a world designed to torture them."
"You have no idea how grateful I am. Kaga... I'll be able to see you again." A Tear rolled down her face as she pressed her face against the iron bars.
Alt reached out to Akagi but stopped mere inches away from touching her hair. She understood the Sakura carrier as she too had gone to great lengths to save her sister. They were kindred spirits in that regard.
"Can... tomorrow work?" Asked Akagi with pleading eyes.
Alt silently nodded and moved back to the cell bed she had been on.
The fox woman wiped the tears from her eyes and composed herself. "Okay... okay... then I must get things ready."
"Be patient with me. I'm not feeling like I used to compare to the last time we talked," said Alt.
"What do you mean?" Worriedly Asked the Sakura carrier.
The archer sighed and paused for a moment to understand how to put what she was feeling into words. "My memories are no longer fragmented. I know things... things that make it hard to look at others now, even more so than before. Every second I'm reminded by more of what I forgot. It doesn't feel like a fog anymore but more like rain. The force of it heavily drenches and leaves me gasping for air. I feel slow and heavy by the influx of information." Fear crept into her heart about what would happen when she closed her mind for sleep. Would she still dream of her past violent lives, or will she drown in them? It was taking all her willpower to keep herself afloat from the emotion of guilt.
"Is there anything I can do?" Said Akagi.
"Not for that, not really. But I'll take an ice pack," said Alt dryly.
"Consider it done," said Akagi defeatedly yet driven.
"I've heard enough then."
Alt and Akagi flinched by Takao who finally decided on making herself known.
The archer shot up from the bed too quickly that it gave her head rush, which was a bad combination with her bruised face. "T-Takao! You didn't tell me that she was here?" Alt did not look mad, but more startled which the fox woman figured might be a hopeful sign.
"Please! It's not what you think," pleaded the fox woman, fearing that everything will come undone.
"She's right. I got the guards that will be watching over you to let their hair down for the time being, so that we can all three talk in peace. I connected the pieces when I saw you deactivate the rig that night, and figured you had some help." She looked at Akagi who found herself not liking the attention from the two.
"So, you heard it all?" Alt looked guarded yet there was sadness in her stern eyes.
"I did. I'm sorry."
Alt felt taken aback by the apology and averted her gaze. "Why are you sorry?"
"From that night. I said that you didn't care about Hornet while all this time it was nothing but a ruse."
"It's only because I wanted you to think that. I should be the one saying sorry," softly grumbled the injured prisoner.
Takao could feel the archer's gaze lock onto her bruised face. This caused her to touch her swollen face with an accepting smile. "My face... it will heal. And I can't be mad at you for just that since you seem to have gotten an even worse beating. I came to confront the treachery of Akagi but found only peace of mind."
"I almost disappointed you, but she made me see things and... I don't regret going for Hornet. There, I said it."
"I'm glad we are all in great understanding of each other," happily smiled the ponytailed swordswoman.
"Your sister seems to be on a warpath once she heard that I attacked you," added the white-haired carrier with a displeased look suddenly appearing on her face.
"I'll... explain things to her. She doesn't need to get mad on my behalf."
Alt shrugged at the idea. "Honestly, I would rather sleep with one eye open than to have her know the deceit that had happened."
Takao looked confused but as she was about to fire back with a pleading argument, Akagi spoke. "I would have to agree."
"Huh? Figures you would be on board with that idea," she said mildly upset.
The doppelganger moved closer to the bars. "Takao, I regret assaulting you. There were many ways I could have removed you from my path. One of those is to tell you what Akagi and I were planning so that Hornet could be rescued. The thing is, I don't trust that many people. Trusting Akagi was more of a sink or swim deal as I would have had trouble escaping on my own. If I told you the truth, it would just complicate things more."
Takao furrowed her brows yet softened them after giving it some thought. "I suppose you're right about not letting my sister know about the alliance you two created. However, I don't agree with you when it relates to me. I would have heard you out and given you the chance."
"But would you have let me leave based on my word that I was going to rescue Hornet?"
She wished she could blindly say yes, but something held her back. Was it her loyalty to the Sakura Empire? Her intuition as a woman? Or maybe she really didn't trust her definitively as friends should?
Alt did not revel in the silence from the uniform woman in front of her and held no malice or contempt to the silence. "It's alright. You had nothing to gain and everything to lose if I was lying."
"I would have gained hope that you're a good person if that's worth anything," said Takao with sad eyes, both a reflection to herself and to the lack of trust the doppelganger had for her.
Those words found a way to warm Alt's heart that equally made her feel lost just like Takao.
"I'll be back with that ice pack," said Akagi, figuring that breaking the silence was in order. She hurriedly went up the stairs leaving only Alt and Takao alone.
"Can I get you anything?"
Alt sat down on the bed. "No, your benevolence is enough."
She didn't mean to sound rude, but a small laugh produced from her throat. "It seems that you're understanding kindness more," said the heavy cruiser.
Alt looked annoyed and rested her head on the pillow that felt rough. "I guess I've changed."
"Or more like you have become more of who you suppressed," stated Takao.
"Yeah... " she didn't have to think hard to understand that she was comparing her to the kindhearted Enterprise she was based off.
Not fearing that she might make her angry, she kept going. "There is good in you. You might think that it only extends to your sister out of a familial obligation, but you did rescue me from that blast... in your own way."
Alt made a sound of shock and her eyes widened briefly.
Takao smiled as she knew she had struck true. "I didn't know what to make of it until now. The effort you put in when you could have just left me out in the open."
Alt remained silent for a few seconds, before speaking again. "Would you believe me that it was part of Akagi's deal to have no casualties?"
"No, you weren't going to uphold the deal, just like you said. Hey, can you really help her sister?"
Alt could hear the sadness and doubt that radiated from the other woman. She lifted herself into a sitting position. "I would like to think I can. Being trapped inside a prison created from them isn't the first thing I would call a paradise."
"No, I suppose not." She lowered her head, the weight of so many other things she wanted to say plagued her mind.
"Could you leave me? I want to rest, and I have much to think," said the doppelganger.
"Of course. I'll leave you to it." Takao looked behind her one more time and walked away.
Alt raised from the bed and walked over to the mirror that hung on the opposite wall to her. She inspected the sink, along with a toilet. "Pfft, plumbing... well that's a step up from before I guess. She turned on the water and doused her burning hot face with the refreshing water. A modest clean rag lay near the sink, and she gingerly cleaned her beaten face.
She stopped when she caught a glimpse of her eyes. They were naturally purple just like Enterprise. Anger flashed across her face briefly the more she stared at her eyes. Unable to bear it, she looked away hating everything that she was. "Two sets of eyes, and I find myself hating both. Which one do I hate more?" She asked her reflection that continued to stare at her.
Her eyes focused on her pupils, coming to understand that to undo whatever the Siren's did to Akagi's sister resided in those same monstrous eyes. "Change... change..." she forced herself to summon those yellow eyes, but her efforts did not bear fruit. Looking down on the bottom left area of the mirror, she noticed a piece had been torn away. Her eyes went further down, and she spotted a piece of stray broken glass forgettingly discarded on the floor. It wasn't in the shape of anything sharp to that of a knife but still acted like a portable mirror.
Defeatedly, she retreated to her bed and continued trying to summon her yellow eyes. When Akagi did come back, she accepted the ice pack and went back to her focus.
I feel bad for making people wait so long for updates to this story. The reason for that is I've been finishing up another story I had been working on along with this one. I've come to realize that juggling two stories might be a bit much for me to handle at the moment, so I'm happy to say that I'll be focusing my attention on this story going forward. It will be one of my New Year's resolutions to try and get this story the attention it deserves. While both of my stories are amazing to write and craft, I find my Azur Lane story beating it by a small amount.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone that favorited this story as it now has about 100 likes, which is a happy milestone for me. Thank you all and have a great new year!