Chapter 3

As Fubuki headed to the headquarters, she couldn't help but think, "why is this happening, we alone are humanity's last hope against these monsters that have taken over and corrupted the seas, we can't fail, I can't fail."

"You aren't alone in this endeavor, and last I checked you haven't lost the war yet, right," a voice said to her, although gentle and reassuring, it sounded dark and almost demonic.

Startled, Fubuki jumped and looked everywhere around her, trying to find the origin of this mysterious voice. "You won't find me unless I show myself to you," the voice said and a matter-of-fact way.

"Who are you and how were you able to know what I was thinking," Fubuki asked out loud.

"I will reveal my identity to you soon, and I would recommend you speak in a lower volume, if the others hear you talking like this, they may just think you've gone crazy," the voice told her.

"As to how I know your current thoughts, let's just say that I'm a being of great power, one that few have ever seen, let alone heard of," it further explained, "as I said before, you're not alone in your struggle, I'm willing to give you a helping hand, but to you and you alone."

"Why me," Fubuki asked her voice now a lower mutter. "You have great potential hidden deep within you, potential that no one you know has, not your friends, Nagato, Yamato, or even your beloved Akagi," the voice answered.

"What do you mean by that," Fubuki asked.

"I'll explain further later," the voice responded, "right now I think you have something important that needs to be addressed."

As Fubuki focused more on what was going on around her, she noticed Akagi heading towards her from the HQ building. When Akagi noticed Fubuki, she quickened her pace.

"Hi Fubuki," she said before kneeling to look at Fubuki face to face.

"Oh hi, Akagi," Fubuki replied, blushing slightly with her idol so close to her. "Were you just debriefing secretaryship Nagato?"

"Yeah," Akagi responded. "Were you needing to speak to her too?" she asked in return.

"Yeah, " Fubuki answered in turn. "I need to know what my new fleet assignment will be since mobile unit five is disbanded."

"Oh, Nagato and I were just talking about that," Akagi said, a slight joy in her voice.

"What, really," Fubuki asked surprised? "So what happens to me now?"

"Well remember how the admiral wanted you to be my escort in carrier force one, well Nagato decided that should be extended so you'll be joining Yuudachi as a member of carrier group one," Akagi revealed smiling.

Upon hearing the news Fubuki's eyes began to tear up as her heart fluttered, "that's...that's amazing news," she finally said chokingly. "Thank you so much," she said before hugging Akagi crying.

Akagi surprised by Fubuki's very emotional reaction, asked, "huh what's wrong Fubuki, why are you crying," before hugging her back.

"It's nothing really," Fubuki said, still holding on to Akagi.

"Fubuki, I think I know you well enough to know when something's bothering you," Akagi said. "Please, just tell me."

"Well," Fubuki started to explain, releasing Akagi. "After I left the docks, I met up with Mutsuki and gave her the bad news," she explained, looking at the ground.

"Oh my," Akagi responded, "I'm sure she didn't take the news well."

"She didn't," Fubuki confirmed. "After that, we and our comrades from torpedo squadron three except for Yuudachi of course were called to help Kongou and the others, while I did okay against the abyssal planes, I scored no hits on the enemy ships, even now I still don't know why I performed so horribly, it's as if my remodel left me cursed or something," Fubuki went on, almost ranting at this point.

As Fubuki looked up, she noticed a look of concern on Akagi's face, "oh sorry Akagi, I didn't mean to vent on you like that," she apologized before looking back at the ground again.

Akagi placed her hand on Fubuki's shoulder, "Fubuki, I don't know what or who gave you those feelings but let me assure you, you did nothing wrong like Kaga told you back at the docks, you followed my orders to stay back and when you arrived to help with everyone else you gave it you 100% best effort, heck, if you didn't come when you did I wouldn't even be here right now, you saved me Fubuki, don't ever forget that and don't think that you didn't give it your all, ok," Akagi said with burning passion in her voice.

Fubuki blushed again upon hearing Akagi's words, but this one was more prominent. "Thanks, Akagi, I think I needed to hear that," Fubuki said, some of her cheer returning to her.

"Akagi, can I ask you something, Fubuki asked?

"Sure," Akagi said, "What's on your mind?"

"Well we're mankind's only hope against the abyssals right," Fubuki began her question, "but have you ever wondered if maybe there are other fleet girls or any other beings out there who may help us?"

"I can't say for sure if I can accurately answer that question," Akagi answered, "but if there are others, I'd say we can't just assume that they'll help us, they may not know about us either and even we do meet others, we don't know what their motives truly are."

"Why do you ask," Akagi asked Fubuki?

"Well I couldn't help but wonder if there were others out there like us or if there was a being like a god or something similar if they would help us against the abyssals," Fubuki explained.

"Whether or not such a being exists remains to be confirmed," Akagi said.

"So umm," Fubuki hesitatingly asks, "would you mind showing me where the carrier group one dorm are Akagi?"

"Sure," Akagi said, chuckling slightly.

As they walked together, Fubuki couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia from where they were going. It was the third place Mutsuki and Yuudachi showed her while giving her a little tour of the naval district, and the place where she first met Akagi.

"Remember this place Fubuki," Akagi asked?

"Yeah," Fubuki responded, "this is where we first met."

"Yep," Akagi confirmed smiling, "well this isn't just a practice range for me and Kaga, it's also where we stay."

"Really," Fubuki was surprised by what she had just heard. "This little palace is your home."

"I wouldn't call it a palace, but yes this is more luxurious than the dorms used by the regular fleets," Akagi said chuckling. It still surprises her how childlike Fubuki's sense of wonder and amazement can be sometimes, regardless she still found it quite adorable, but she kept that to herself.

"Am I gonna share a room with anyone," Fubuki asked?

"Yeah, but let's get your stuff first, okay," Akagi answered.

A few moments later Fubuki carrying some bags follows Akagi into a hallway before stopping at the second door from the left. "This is where you're gonna be staying," Akagi declared before opening the door. As Fubuki entered she noticed someone laying on the bed farthest from her. She immediately recognized the blonde hair and black clothing, "YUUDACHI," she squealed excitedly, waking Yuudachi from her nap.

"Poi," Yuudachi said in surprise before turning to Fubuki, "Fubuki what are you doing here?"

"Well I guess you and I are roommates again Yuudachi," Fubuki said, calming herself down.

"What you're in this fleet now too," Yuudachi asked?

"Yep, Akagi just told me today," Fubuki answered, setting her stuff down.

"Wow, poi," Yuudachi exclaimed, jumping off the bed and hugging Fubukiher returned her hug immediately.

"Let's kick some abyssal butt just like the good old days Fubuki," Yuudachi said, releasing Fubuki.

"Yeah let's, right Akagi," Fubuki turned to the door but saw Akagi was gone.

"Oh I guess she left a little while ago," Yuudachi said.

Fubuki looked saddened but Yuudachi interrupted, "hey I think we have some catching to do, don't we?"

While Yuudachi and Fubuki were talking, Akagi was walking to the practice range where she found Kaga practicing her shots. "Oh hey Akagi, you seem a little bit more cheerful," Kaga said as observant as ever.

"You know it never really dawned on me until now," Akagi began to say, "but seeing Fubuki's happiness and cheer return to her brings me a happiness I never felt before."

Kaga, surprised by what she said, "you really care about her don't you," she asked smiling?

"What, well I do but not like that," Akagi stampers, her cheeks as red as her skirt.

Kaga chucked and said, "come on Akagi, we're sisters, I think you know that I see through your bluffing."

"Well, you see," Akagi began, "I don't know how I feel about her, at first I only thought of her as a comrade, then it changed to a friend after I noticed how hard she was working to improve herself, but now, I think my feelings toward her are almost motherly in a way, I want to see her smile, I want to hear her laugh, I want her to always be proud of herself while not becoming arrogant, and while I think some of her little quirks are cute I still want her to grow and change for the better."

Akagi sighed after making her speech, seemingly defeated by her confusion. Kaga, setting down her bow, walks to Akagi placing her hand on her shoulder. "I think I understand how you feel," she started, "it's ok to not exactly know how you feel about someone, especially the more time you spend with them and the more you get to know them."

"Thanks, Kaga," Akagi said. But then, a realization hit her mind, something that was at first in the back of her mind but clawing at her to pay more attention to it.

"Kaga, you seem different," Akagi suggested, smirking.

"Huh, what do you mean," Kaga asked surprised?

"Well you seem more talkative than you usually would, you to care more about how others feel, and overall you seem more open and less distant than you were before," Akagi listed off and slightly giggling, "it seems the time you spent with Zuikaku in mobile unit five must've worked wonders on you."

"What," Kaga said, turning away from Akagi, hands on her face to hide her blush. Akagi just laughed even harder at her sister's reaction.