Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Lady Nagato! Lady Nagato! The Unionists are here!"

I didn't need Yaezakura's shouts from outside my door to know what was happening. I could already hear the naval yard's numerous anti-aircraft guns firing away, the constant drumming of the smaller type 96's intermixed with the thunderclaps of the heavier type 89's. If I closed my eyes, it almost sounded like a summer storm, its raindrops on a sheet metal roof; and if I listened long enough, it almost drowned out the screams. There was no ignoring my calling, however; Yokosuka needed me, and I had a rendezvous with death.

I grabbed my helmet off the nearby ammo box that had served faithfully as my bedside table and took one last look at my trusted piece of armour. Its once proud, glistening golden chrysanthemum had worn down to a dull sheen, chipped and bent with several of the petals having long since fallen away. The rest of it wasn't in much better shape: rusting around the edges and punctured by splinters. It rattled like an old wind chime when I set it down upon my head, and I prayed it would stay in place, given that the chin strap had long since fallen apart.

By the time that Yaezakura lost her patience and kicked the door open, I was set to greet her. "You shouldn't be here," I cautioned her as I stepped out into the naval yard. "This is a battle now, and last I checked: your rigging is still incomplete."

The young destroyer before me just puffed her cheeks and frowned, as if completely unconcerned with the flak clouds and dive bombers decorating the skies above. "I can still help!" she said. "Now come on, the others are already waiting for you!"

She tugged on my arm, but I was too busy staring off into the distance. It was as bad as I envisioned it to be. Great columns of smoke were already billowing in the distance, the earth shaking beneath our feet as bombs hammered the Yokosuka naval yard, and even though we threw up enough flak to blot out the sun and streaks of tracer fire scythed through the air, the Unionist planes just kept coming. It was as if there was no end to them, the heavens themselves opening up and unleashing all their hate upon us. To think so much fire and fury could be brought down on such an inconsequential naval yard, barely able to muster up a defense, was equal parts terrifying and enraging.

What hope did we have against such unrepentant hate? What could one kansen do except rage against the dying light?

"Nagato? Nagato!"

Akagi's shouting barely even tickled my perception, and it wasn't until one of her paper charms flew over and smacked me on the side of the head that I realized that I wasn't standing in the Yokosuka naval district, but on the Ark. The fight had clearly been going on without me while I had been standing in blank stupor, as King George V was locked in combat with Mutsu, while Kawakaze kept Choshu at bay.

It was a worrying prospect not just because I had lapsed when my friends needed me, but the memories usually only came to me when I was asleep. The only time I became lost in them while I was awake was when I lost control and attacked Enterprise. Was I losing control of myself again? The inhibitor collar meant I couldn't do much damage even if I did, but none of us had our rigging summoned, so even a sword in my hands posed a threat to both friends and foe. Did I risk trying to fight now, when I was clearly losing myself again? What if I became lost in a memory and wound up attacking a friend again?

I knew what I had to do, and yet I could not bring myself to act. My feet remained anchored to the floor, and all I could do was watch as my friends fought on. Despite being outnumbered, Mutsu and Choshu were far more in-tuned fighting alongside one another than anyone on our side. They kept close together, shifting targets and movements in order to keep King George V and Kawakaze off-balance. And thanks to the constant shifts, Akagi and Enterprise couldn't get clear firing angles either. Occasionally one would take a risky, quickly-aimed shot, and if it didn't fly wide from an overabundance of caution, it was swatted out of the air by Mutsu in a shower of sparks and flame. Indoors, there wasn't enough room for a carrier to take full advantage of all of their abilities, which left few options outside of supporting fire.

On display was a textbook example of the Sakura Empire's tactics of balance and harmony. The two sisters covered each other's weaknesses; Mutsu would use her reach with deliberate, carefully executed manoeuvres to protect them both, while Choshu would exploit any openings that came about. In the midst of an exchange of quick strikes and parries between King George V and Mutsu, without even the need for a signal, Mutsu suddenly pressed back with a flurry of high strikes that forced her opponent's guard upwards. At that exact moment, Choshu slipped past Kawakaze and swept down low to knock out George's legs right out from under her. The two sisters striking at the exact same time at opposing ends and in opposing direction sent King George V flipping through the air stern over bow before crashing face down into the floor.

Naturally, no sooner was George on the ground didn't Akagi and Enterprise loose their own volleys. Arcs of gold and crimson streaked across the room, only to be met by the impenetrable steel wall posed by Mutsu's blade. She even managed to deflect one of Enterprise's shots straight towards Kawakaze, who was in the midst of trying to capitalize on the distraction, only to be forced onto the backfoot, twisting awkwardly in order to avoid catching a wayward arrow.

But even a momentary lapse in focus was enough of an opening for Choshu to drive all her weight and might through. Kawakaze hadn't even gained her footing before Choshu rushed in and disarmed her with a single, precise strike. Despite having her opponent unarmed now, she refrained from going for the kill and instead did a quick spin to deliver a roundhouse kick so forceful it launched Kawakaze across the chamber.

In the span of a few seconds, our two best swordswomen were now too busy picking themselves off the floor, which left Choshu and Mutsu free to start chasing after Akagi and Enterprise. The two threw pretty much everything they had at the two Sakuran warriors, and the sparks and flames from the flurry of talismans and arrows made for an elaborate light show. Still, all they could manage was a delaying action.

"Miss Nagato? Miss Nagato?" a familiar voice beckoned for me, followed by a sharp tug on my sleeve. It was Unicorn, who was keeping a worried eye on both me and the ensuing fight. She, understandably, kept her distance given she had no other weapons aside from launching her planes, unless that equine companion of hers had a secret weapon within it. "A-are you okay? You've just been standing there."

"I… am not," I answered. "I am seeing Choshu's memories again. It is much like when I lost control and hurt Enterprise. I can… I can feel her anger. All of her pain…"

"But I thought she was doing better: she seemed okay at the party."

"As did I," I said with a heavy sigh. "I fear her sister is forcing her back into her old way of thinking, forcing her to recall painful memories."

"Then… then could we maybe help Choshu remember something better? Surely she has good memories of her time here," Unicorn said.

As simplistic as a suggestion it may have been, there was some merit to it. After the fight in Enterprise's infirmary room, I came to realize that the memories I witnessed were not just a matter of happenstance, but the memories that came most vividly to mind for Choshu. The pain and anger that I felt right now was a reflection of her current state of mind, just as her desperation that night alerted me to the danger to Enterprise. There had to be a way to use that connection to our advantage.

The time for considerations, though, came to an abrupt end when a flash of movement drew my attention: something large, red, and fluffy, no less. It was Akagi, hurtling through the air towards Unicorn and I!

"Watch out!" I shouted before pushing Unicorn to the side. While I managed to save my friend, I was not so lucky and caught the full brunt of Akagi's backside slamming into me.

The impact toppled me over and somewhere in the tumble I hit my head against something solid. It only dazed me for a moment, but when my senses resettled, I found myself outdoors at the Yokosuka naval district again. I was fairly certain it was Yokosuka; the planes streaking overhead weaving through flak and tracers were a familiar sight from not too long ago. I hadn't hit my head that hard, but it was ringing now, and pounding like somebody was using my head to ring a bell. The rest of me was numb at first, but then a rising tide of pain came rushing back in. Had somebody just detonated a bomb next to me?

Fighting back every ache in my body, I peeled my backside off the ground and stumbled back to my feet, only to find myself standing at the outskirts of a massive crater, a thick haze of smoke and ash spreading through the air as flames began to consume what remained of the building that had once stood before me. The broken remnants hung around the edges of the crater; shattered walls and twisted columns clung desperately to one another for support, little by little falling victim to gravity as their last vestiges of strength buckled and broke.

Panic surged through me. I wasn't alone. Where were the others? Frantically, I searched my surroundings, pushing aside pieces of sheet metal and plywood panels until I found Yaezakura buried beneath some of the debris. At a glance, she looked okay. Dazed, but okay. I let out a sigh of relief that I hadn't even realized I had been holding in.

"Wha… what happened?" she groaned, staring up at me with glazed eyes.

"Just a bomb," I answered. I should have been more gentle, more reassuring, but as a warrior of the Sakura Empire, there was an expectation of stoicism in the face of adversity. "Come on, get up already–war isn't over yet."

I didn't even wait for an answer as I hoisted Yaezakura back to her feet, though she had to cling to my arm while she waited for her senses to stop doing cartwheels. I should have just told her to leave; I wanted to. Without her rigging, she was just a liability in a battle of this magnitude. Besides, I knew why the Eagle Union was targeting Yokosuka, and I couldn't let her suffer because of me.

After she took a few more deep breaths and gave herself a couple slaps on the cheeks, she looked to be back to her usual self. "Okay! I'm good. I'm still good… so… so what's the plan now?"

"We need to figure out where the enemy fleet is," I concluded. The entire assault appeared to be only by planes, which meant carriers had to be somewhere nearby. Judging by their numbers, I estimated maybe four or more carriers. Probably an entire task force, which meant dozens of destroyers and cruisers in escort as well. "Maybe if we send out I-372, she can scout out their location. And then… then I can sail out–draw their fire away from the naval yard. It's my head that they want."

"What? No! There's too many planes… a-and your rigging hasn't been repaired," Yaezakura said as she clung to my arm even tighter. "Even you can't fight against those odds alone. It'd be suicide!"

"I am a Sakuran kansen," I snapped, jerking my arm away. "I do not run from battle, and if it is my day to die, then I shall do so like the great Lady Yamato: face-to-face, so that I can stare death in the eyes and spit my last breath at them!"

That was, however, a complete load of bilge. Everybody knew the story of Lady Yamato by this point. Our greatest and most powerful kansen ever put into service, who sailed to the southern islands in a last-ditch effort to repel the Union invaders, and went down in a blaze of glory fighting against impossible odds. It made for a great story, but it was also about as true as any fairy tale. The truth, known only to a handful of us who still had pull with the naval intelligence divisions, was that Lady Yamato never even made it to her destination. She was swarmed by Union airplanes while en route. She sank without ever having seen the face of her enemy.

We all had to keep believing that there was some hope at the end of all this strife and suffering, that these fights and our deaths meant something in the grand scheme of things. It was strange that when this war began, all I could think about was glory, honour, and strengthening the empire's future. Those were the ideals I carried with me into every battle.

But as the years passed, I found my concerns becoming far more narrowed, more discrete. Our leaders in the capital became an increasingly distant concern, while those who stood alongside me took more precedence. They all needed somebody to rally around, to lead them, to tell them that they were still fighting for something that mattered. The admirals hundreds of miles away weren't going to, and so the responsibility fell upon me. After all, I was Nagato, former flagship of the Fourth Combined Fleet.

I wasn't sure who it was becoming harder to keep lying to: my friends, or myself.

A flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. With a whole air raid going on around me, I would've paid it little heed except it came from the direction of the bombed-out building, and it prompted Yaezakura to point and shout:

"Nagato, over there!"

Through the haze and smoke, a young kansen came stumbling out. I could barely recognize her at first, for she was covered from head to toe in ash, oil, and blood. Her steps were more of a shamble; a dazed and aimless stupor that was more at home outside a gambling house than a military base. I raced to her side, arriving just in time to catch her as the last of her strength gave out. It was only upon closer inspection that I realized who it was.

"I-372!" I said, cradling and lowering her to the ground. "Hold on, we'll get you to a medic! You're going to be okay."

Another lie to add to the pile.

Yaezakura came rushing over a moment later, but stopped abruptly a few steps away. The look of horror and revulsion on her face was all too expected. It wasn't the first time she had seen a wounded kansen, but I doubt she had ever seen one so horrific. It wasn't even the sight…

No, it was the smell.

I thought I-372 had been left darkened by ash and soot, but it wasn't. Her body had been left charred by the fires sparked by the bomb. In all of my years, there was nothing that felt more viscerally wrong than the smell of burning flesh. It was thick… viscous… it invaded your nostrils and seeped into your pores like an oily residue. There was a stinging foulness to it that struck right down to your most primal instincts of revulsion and disgust. As much as Yaezakura wanted to help her colleague, she couldn't force herself to come any closer. It was probably for the best. Up close one could see the charred skin in every minute detail, how it crackled beneath my fingers, with whole layers of skin sloughing off from the slightest touch as she twitched and convulsed in my grasp.

"N-Nagato?" I-372 murmured, her words barely audible. "I… I'm… sorry…"

Sorry? She was dying in my arms, and yet she still felt she had to waste what precious few breaths she had left to apologize to me? I-372 wasn't even a combat kansen; she worked transportation and logistics. The only reason she was anywhere near an active combat zone was because the Eagle Union was dead set on sinking every battleship left in the Sakura Empire. If anybody should be on their knees pleading for forgiveness, it was me. I was the flagship that rallied the empire to war; I was the one who ordered the attacks that would rouse the sleeping giant; I was the one who was so hated that the invaders would scorch an entire peninsula just to get at. This girl was no threat to anybody.

And yet, here I was. Still alive, while those around me paid the price.

"A-are you… there, Nagato? I… I can't… see… it's… so dark…"

"I'm here, I-372," I said. I tried to take her hand, but it was badly burned, it slipped out of my grasp in a clump of charred, bloody skin.

"It… it hurts, Nagato… it hurts so much…"

Every time I watched another comrade breathe their last, it felt like a small part of myself went with them. Hopes… dreams… ambitions… nothing but emptiness and ash after almost four years of fighting. The only embers left burning beneath all the ruins was my hatred: hatred for the invaders who would not be sated until everything I loved was destroyed; hatred for my leaders who condemned us to death for nothing but their egos; hatred for the heavens and gods who did nothing as we wasted our last breaths in prayers, hoping for salvation that would never come; but most of all, hatred for myself, for being absolutely powerless to change any of our fates, and being so arrogant to think I could've.

And damn everyone and everything for what the world was forcing me to do.

"Yaezakura, you're going to want to look away."

"Look away for what? And who's Yaezakura?"

The sudden appearance of Akagi's voice snapped me back to reality. No longer was there a dying I-372 in my arms, but instead a dazed, but very much alive and well, Akagi, who had the most perplexed look on her face. Who wouldn't be confused when their friend appeared to be talking to people that didn't exist? Thank goodness somebody stopped me before I had re-enacted that memory any further.

"The memory flashes are getting worse, aren't they?" Akagi asked.

Growing anxious, I nodded. "I do not know what to do… at this rate, I fear I will hurt my friends."

"You need to focus, Nagato," Akagi said as she gave a reassuring smile. "The connection you share with Choshu works both ways. Help her remember."

There was so much hate and anger in her memories, though, that overcoming it seemed as futile as overcoming a monsoon. And Choshu most certainly looked to be full of rage, locked in combat with Kawakaze. Their blades were a flurry of shimmering steel, punctuated by thunderclaps and sparks. Despite her small stature, Choshu was relentless, swiftly weaving and striking at Kawakaze from every angle. My former bodyguard's preference for defensive fighting was having little luck in forcing an opening. No sooner did she deflect or parry one incoming strike, Choshu would already be driving her blade forward with the next. She lunged in a series of high strikes, each one knocking Kawakaze more and more onto the backfoot, ending with a jumping, twirling slash that smashed her guard open. It left Kawakaze with no choice but to try and counterattack to force her opponent away. But as she swung her blade back, Choshu just weaved under it, flowing like a river so quickly that I barely even saw the flash of steel and blood.

Kawakaze's stoicism crumbled as she fell to her knees, her pained cry ringing out as her sword clattered on the ground.

"Kawakaze!" I cried out as I raced to her side. Her sword arm hung limp by her side, blood already trickling down to her fingertips.

"Nagato… you should get the rest away… while you still can," Kawakaze said through gritted teeth.

Even if I were willing to sacrifice my friends, there was no way that Captain DeWolf would agree to such terms. Choshu had turned her weapons against us, and the only way to answer such a dishonour was to meet it head-on.

"Not going to run this time?" Choshu said. She stood waiting, confident in her dominance now that Kawakaze was crippled. "Is this what it takes to finally light a fire in your boilers?"

Taking Kawakaze's sword, I rose to my feet and readied myself. "You. Will. Pay!"

Fueled by a surge of anger, I lunged forward with a leaping strike. I believe even Choshu was taken by surprise by my speed and fury, just managing to get her sword up in time to avoid being skewered. However, with two swords in hand, I could keep up the attack with a relentless onslaught of strikes. I lashed out, again and again, wild and reckless, but what I lacked in finesse I made up for with sheer volume. Sparks rained down on Choshu as she weathered the flurry of strikes.

"Ha! Now you're fighting like a real Sakuran!" Choshu said as our blades locked together.

As she leaned in, I braced my defense with the second blade. "Like you would know what a real Sakuran is!" I shouted back. She pushed in hard, forcing me back a step, but her taunts only served to infuriate me further. I would make her eat her words if it was the last thing I did.

With a ferocious cry, I threw all my weight forward, pushing her sword aside. I then quickly flipped one of my swords over and drove the pommel right into her jaw. Struck hard enough to draw blood, Choshu stumbled back a few steps and was left with a dumbfounded stare. She even had to check her lips just to be sure she was actually bleeding.

"You… you actually hit me?" she remarked. "You barely ever fight. You're supposed to just make fancy speeches and look pretty for the humans to worship!"

"Then try this speech!" I shouted and then leapt towards her, striking down with both blades.

Though she got her sword up, the force of the blow still drove her down to one knee. She started to look surprised by my strength, but I had not even begun to fight. She dared to provoke me, and I was going to make her pay for it. Keeping her pinned with one sword, I quickly used my off-hand to bat her blade aside, then sent her tumbling over with a swift kick to the chest.

"We welcomed you into our home, Choshu!" I barked.

Quickly scrambling to her feet, she tried to regain the initiative, but I met her lunging strike with my own. A thunderclap of steel and sparks rang out as we exchanged a volley of forceful blows, each one ringing louder than the last.

"My sister embraced you as family!"

Another surge of strength overpowered my opponent's defenses, the weight of my hammering blows cracking her fortitude. A splash of crimson coated my sword when I caught her with a glancing blow. She stumbled back a step, now clutching at the seeping wound on her sword arm.

Respite, though, would not be hers.

"I trusted you!" I slammed once more into my opponent, scything away in a renewed assault, fueled by a growing rage. "You betrayed us! You hurt my friends! My family!" My swords felt as though they moved on their own, guided by a heavenly fury that could not be sated. Already wounded, Choshu could do little else but be swatted around as she blocked each strike, stumbling further and further off-balance as the sheer power of my anger broke her down. Again, I was rewarded with another flash of blood as my sword raked her leg, and then another when I caught her side. I could have maybe ended the fight sooner, but I needed her to suffer for every dishonour she inflicted upon us!

Her confidence soon turned to desperation, as she frantically tried to get some distance or protect herself. But as the wounds began to pile on, she was soon having to let lesser strikes in just to protect her core. More and more, my blades slipped through her guard, a bloody flourish accompanying each attack.

I would bleed her dry.

Take her apart, piece by piece!

Finally, her strength could take no more, and all it took was a few focused strikes at her sword hand to send the weapon flying away.

"Is this the war you want?" I barked, then dropped her to the ground with a swift headbutt. I stood over my battered and bloodied opponent, victorious but not yet satisfied. Dishonour of her magnitude could only be cleansed with blood.

Choshu stared back. There wasn't even a flicker of fear in her eyes. "Looks like I was able to make a real warrior out of you after all," she said, intent on facing her end with what little honour she had left.

I tossed one of my swords aside, and aimed the other at Choshu, one hand gripping the hilt tight and the other bracing it on the pommel. "Then allow me to grant you the death that you have been seeking."

I raised my sword high…

"Nagato, stop!"

It was Captain DeWolf. Like a lighthouse cutting through a storm, his voice pierced through the haze of hate and anger, and I found myself overtaken by a sudden clarity of thought. What in the heavens was I doing? I was just about to kill Choshu! How could I do something so terrible? Regardless of what misdeeds she may have committed, that did not warrant a death sentence. I wasn't even trapped in a memory this time: I wanted to kill Choshu.

Was this what Cunningham meant when she cautioned about kansens becoming consumed by our memories?

Once those thoughts and questions began to swim in my mind, my grip slackened, and the sword fell to the ground.

"What are you waiting for?" Choshu said, less of a question and more of a demand.

"You may not think of me as a true Sakuran, but you are still my sister," I answered, "and I will not kill my family."

As I reached down to offer her my hand, I noticed her gaze shifting away from me… and to someone else. I had become so caught up in the fight and in my memories that I had forgotten that Choshu wasn't the only one who had taken up arms against us. I was quickly and acutely reminded of this when my legs were swept out from beneath me and I found myself staring up at the blade of Mutsu's naginata.

"I am the only family she requires," Mutsu said as she pressed the blade to my neck.

I thought she was supposed to be busy fighting the others, but as I glanced to check on my friends, I realized that none of them were standing anymore. Enterprise was sprawled across a toppled-over server terminal, the whole unit crumpled in around her from the impact, and King George V was having to keep one hand on the wall just to stay upright. I could understand Enterprise not being best in close-quarters; she was recovering from her injuries. But George? As much as I wanted to take pride in the Sakura Empire, I had trouble believing that one of the foremost kansens of the Royal Navy lost in single combat. She shouldn't have lost…

Except as I watched her gasp for breath and struggle just to keep her balance, I remembered that she hadn't entered this fight free of injury either. She may have not been carrying the physical scars of flames and shell splinters, but between the memories of Cunningham and her quarrels with DeWolf, her heart carried just as many wounds. Fighting with a broken spirit was no better than with a broken sword.

"Now unless you want your precious Nagato's head separated from her shoulders, I suggest you throw down your weapons," Mutsu said to the others.

King George V looked to me for a moment, as if to gauge whether I was prepared to meet a warrior's death for the sake of the mission, or if better to take her chances elsewhere. As a kansen, I was as prepared for death as any of my kin if it meant protecting humanity, and stopping Mutsu's plan qualified as such.

"George… don't…" My words were cut off when Mutsu pressed the blade just enough to coax a small trickle of blood from my neck.

I would've thought George to be the type to never surrender and to always put duty first, but she sighed and gave me a sombre smile. "Sorry, Nagato… but I can't do that to him again," she answered, followed by a clatter and a clang as her sabre was unceremoniously tossed to the floor.

"Finally, a kansen with good sense," Mutsu replied. She gestured for Choshu to get back to her feet. "Sister, gather their weapons and then see to it that all of our new guests are brought together."

Though wounded, Choshu stumbled back to her feet. "I'm fine… in case you were wondering," she grumbled.

Choshu went about the room and gathered up everyone's weapons, tossing them into a pile a safe distance from the rest of us, who had been put into a line like the prisoners we now were. Enterprise was still nursing a headache from where her skull had acquainted itself with a server mainframe, which had left bits of circuit board tangled in her hair. The DeWolf brothers were kept separated from the rest of us, while Choshu kept us kansens under guard.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked when she noticed us gathering around Kawakaze.

"She's hurt," Akagi answered, sparing no venom for her words. "Or would you prefer to have the death of a second Kawakaze weighing on your soul?"

Choshu's gaze settled on Kawakaze, who despite keeping as much pressure as she could on her arm was still bleeding profusely. With a sigh, our watcher grabbed a portion of Kawakaze's sleeve and sliced it off. It was an imperfect solution, but we managed to fashion a simple bandage from it, as well as used one of her ribbons as a tourniquet. Once we had finished tending to the wounds, Choshu lined us all up, subdued and on our knees, save for Captain DeWolf, whom Mutsu personally pulled aside.

"Captain DeWolf… if I had known who I was talking with on the beach that night, I would've insisted on bringing you along as well," Mutsu mused, an uncomfortably playful smirk upon her lips. She spent a long time staring at him, and at least for his part, DeWolf managed to remain stoic in the face of a powerful adversary. "At first I thought you were just another hapless, pig-headed officer, but seeing how far you've managed to get has made me reconsider that." She regarded the captain with a curious gaze, one that reminded me much of Akagi's when she was on the hunt. "You are a most curious specimen. To think you could sway even the likes of one as strong-willed as my sister. Perhaps after I am done, I should keep you as a pet. I'm sure Nagato would like that."

She walked a slow circle around the captain, her hand gliding across him as if to map out the contours of his figure. I doubt she had any actual interest in him as a person, but rather as a symbol of her triumph over the rest of us. A trophy, as it were. Or maybe she just liked the way it made Akagi bristle, as my colleague looked ready to pounce the width of the room at the next provocation.

"If this is meant to be an interrogation, could you get to the point?" DeWolf said.

"You Unionist men; always so impatient."

"He's a moosehead," Choshu interjected.

"I beg your pardon?" Mutsu replied.

"He's not from the Eagle Union," her sister explained. "He's from the Maple Monarchy. So… you know, he's a moosehead."

"What the hell is a moose?"

Captain DeWolf couldn't help but chuckle. "It's like a deer, except twice as large. Majestic creature, I assure you," he said. "Quiet, but imposing. And often underestimated."

"Sounds ridiculous," Mutsu remarked.

"That's what everyone thinks until they see one charging them." The captain's wit was, unfortunately, met with a harsh critic as Mutsu gave him a swift punch to the gut. Even his resolve couldn't withstand that level of force and he doubled over with a sharp gasp.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Akagi barked. She would've lunged forward, but Choshu was quick to bar her path, sword pointed at her head.

Amused, Mutsu hoisted DeWolf back to his feet and dragged him before one of the few remaining computer terminals. "He'll live, so long as he continues to cooperate," she said before shoving him into a nearby seat. Draping an arm around his shoulder, she pulled out a dagger and gently tapped the flat side against his throat. "Project Wishing Well: you were one of its principle architects. I've enjoyed pouring over the files your team left behind. I must say, it is ambitious. Brilliant, even." She cooed and continued to tease the captain with her blade, gliding the tip down to his collar. "The potential for endless kansens; power over death itself. Whoever controls it could rival the gods."

"It's also a fantasy," DeWolf shot back. His eyes remained fixed on the knife at his chest. "Even if it were possible, do you really think the Sirens would let you just have it?"

"You should worry about yourself, and let me worry about the Sirens," Mutsu replied. "The last of the files for Wishing Well are under a secure encryption. How fortunate, though, for fate to deliver the man with the keys right to me."

With a cold stare, DeWolf replied with the expected, "No."

Once again, her gentile facade did a quick about face. She sneered and grabbed DeWolf by the face, dagger held to his eye. "Do not make me say this again: give me Wishing Well!"

"Go to hell." A brazen move, but DeWolf also knew she couldn't kill him, not if she wanted the files.

With a frustrated growl, Mutsu pushed him aside, followed by a litany of profanities that, thankfully, DeWolf wouldn't understand. The problem with the captain's defiance, though, was that while he was relatively safe, there was a room full of bargaining chips that Mutsu could use. She wasted no time in scanning the line of us, and her sights settled on King George V.

"Let's see how dutiful you'll be when I start carving up your friends," Mutsu said as she grabbed George by the hair and pulled back hard, knife to her throat. "She was the one you sailed in on, correct? Only a trusted kansen would be granted a position of an honour guard. Tell me, George, how much do you trust your captain?"

"Enough to know that he'll never give you what you want," King George V replied, as unflappable as the captain had been.

"Mutsu, wait. You said we wouldn't have to kill anybody for this," Choshu said with a sudden hint of concern in her voice. "Plus, she's Royal Navy. If she dies, we'll have the whole of Azur Lane after us."

"Except that's been her intention all along," Captain DeWolf answered instead. "She might spare Akagi and Nagato and Akashi because they're still Sakurans, but the rest of us are forfeit. Once she has Wishing Well, and she doubles the size of the Sakura Empire's fleet, the rest of the world will have no choice but to see the empire as a threat. Azur Lane will have to act, and the empire will be forced to make a difficult decision: appease western powers and risk alienating their entire fleet, or gamble on their newly bolstered forces and take a stand against the outsiders." There was a calmness in his voice despite the threat to George, the kind of poignant lecture one would see from a school teacher who already knew the entire lesson plan from memory. "It's as you said, Mutsu: two tigers cannot share the same mountain top. And if your plans are going to provoke the ire of Azur Lane anyways, then you may as well strike first."

The fact that Mutsu said nothing to counter the claim was proof enough of his accuracy.

"You can't seriously be thinking of starting another war with Azur Lane?" Choshu asked, a flicker of wavering resolve in her voice. "You said we were just going to make things right; fix our mistakes."

"And what's more right than the Sakura Empire as the dominant power of the seas?" Mutsu replied. "Don't you fret, dear sister. With Wishing Well, our empire will be stronger than ever before. Not even the Sirens will be able to stop us."

"It doesn't have to be this way, Mutsu. There doesn't have to be more fighting." Despite everything, it was clear that Captain DeWolf was still not giving up on diplomacy. Where any other kansen would have started shooting, he pressed on with the only weapon at his disposal. "Everything I promised your sister is available to you as well. It's still not too late to turn back. I know we can't give you everything you want, but the two of you can still make a home here."

I liked to imagine that for a brief moment, that maybe Mutsu gave the captain's offer serious consideration; that she would abandon this path of hate and madness, and give peace a chance. Alas, the brief silence was likely just used to renew her own convictions. There was not even a flicker of warmth in her eyes as she drove the dagger into George's side.

No pained cry… no grunting. Just a faint hiss of drawn breath, and a gasp when the blade was pulled free. Like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut, King George V just crumpled to the ground.

Mutsu seemed content to just let her lay on the ground clutching at her bleeding wound. "Now there's no turning back," she stated plainly before moving on. Unfortunately, the next person in line was Enterprise. Mutsu took a firm grip on her next victim's hair and gave it a sharp pull. "I always imagined the legendary Grey Ghost would provide a bit more of a challenge."

"Why don't we take this outside then?" a defiant Enterprise replied.

"Tempting, but I've learned that honour is wasted on the Eagle Union." Mutsu paused to consider her options, and after a moment, she looked to her sister. "Come. It is only appropriate that the Grey Ghost's head be yours."

With a quick flick of her fingers, the dagger was spun about and offered out hilt-first.

"Choshu, please… you cannot do this," I pleaded with her. "You have made so much progress. You have made so many new friends, and not just other Sakurans."

"Silence! That is not her name," Mutsu interjected. Growing impatient, she shoved the dagger into her sister's hand. "Take it, Nagato, and end this kansen's life! She is the enemy, or have you forgotten everything that the Grey Ghost has taken from us? Friends… loved ones… comrades-in-arms… everyone you cherished. Dead. Because of her!"

Choshu said nothing, her eyes fixated on the knife in her hand, still slickened with King George V's blood.

I could see the fear and doubt in her eyes, though. I just had to keep pressing. "You know where this path leads to, Choshu," I continued. "You have walked down it before. Is that the kind of world that you wish to return your friends to? More war? More killing? The violence and hatred will not stop until somebody has the courage to say that enough is enough."

"Then Azur Lane can be the ones to say it, when they surrender to us!" Mutsu grabbed her sister by the arm and pulled her closer to Enterprise. "You are a warrior of the Sakura Empire: this is your duty! Kill her!"

I couldn't let Mutsu pull her sister back into her old life. If she started down that road again, I feared that she would be lost to us forever. She needed to remember everything she had found since coming here, something that would calm her and give her focus again. It was a long shot, but if my thoughts and feelings were being influenced by her memories, then perhaps I could use that connection, too. I focused all of my thoughts onto the most calming, pacifying thing I could, then lunged out and grabbed Choshu by the hand.

"This is not who you are! You have to remember!"

My words must have worked because I immediately found myself somewhere else. Rather than the dingy, creaking hulk of the Ark, I was surrounded by bright lights, a warm and bustling atmosphere, and the aroma of fresh meats and sweet tarts filled my nostrils. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see scores of kansens all dressed in elegant gowns and finery that shimmered under the banquet hall lights. I was back at the welcoming party and rather than Choshu's hand being held by mine, I saw the large but surprisingly gentle hand of Captain DeWolf holding mine.

"I'm sorry if I'm putting you in an uncomfortable spot by inviting you here," DeWolf said as he guided me out to the centre of the dancefloor.

"It's okay. I'm used to being stared at," I replied. It was a lie, though, born out of nervousness. Being the flagship meant being the centre of attention, but those were usually people who admired or respected me. The kansens here felt… different. Envious, perhaps. It felt like daggers from a thousand directions. "I've never really danced before, though, so… I hope I don't embarrass you in front of everyone."

"I was once chased, half-naked, across a naval port by King George V. Trust me, I have no shame left with these people."

His words were comforting… reassuring. I found myself giggling for a moment, something that seemed strange. I never thought a foreign officer would make me laugh like that. He kept a firm grip on one hand, while his other arm tucked in behind the small of my back.

"I'll take it slow," he said as he pulled me in closer. "Just follow my lead and forget about everyone else. And don't worry if you step on my foot."

I tried my best to heed his advice and just focused on him, allowing the crowds to wash away like ocean spray, and the accompanying music to lull into a soft white noise. Without even thinking about it, I was soon swaying my hips in a slow rhythm along with him. A few times my foot managed to find the top of his, but if it bothered him at all, he made no mention of it.

"Is it… really okay for me to enjoy this?" I said, my voice low and spoken more into his chest than to him. "This doesn't make me a bad person, right?"

"If the situation were reversed, would you want your sister to be miserable?"

"N-no. Of course not," I instinctively replied. "I would want nothing but happiness for her. I would not wish for her to dwell on me… mostly. A little grief now and then wouldn't hurt–just so she wouldn't forget about me." I knew why the captain had brought up that hypothetical, and while it was easy to say that I would want others to live on happily without me, it proved harder to embody that virtue. "Is it okay if I stay with you? I don't know why, but I always feel… comfortable when you're close."

"As far as every naval registry is concerned, you're a free kansen, Choshu. You can go where you want, and choose who you are, and as long as I'm here, you'll always have a home at this port."

"I would like that, sir." With his comforting words drawing me in, I rested my head against his chest. I could hear his heartbeat through his coat. How could his stay so calm while mine felt so tight and frantic? For the former flagship of the Fourth Combined Fleet to be held in such a close embrace by a foreign officer, it would've been a scandal of the highest order back in the empire.

But when it was him, I didn't seem to mind so much. Was it wrong to think that maybe, just maybe, he was what I had been searching for all this time? My safe harbour from the storm?

"Get your filthy hands off of her!"

Reality came crashing back in a hurry to the chorus of Mutsu's incensed shouting, followed in short order by a swift kick that toppled me over. I was dazed for a moment, but after having jumped to and from memories so many times in such a short order I had grown accustomed to the disorientation. It was curious that, with such little time to consider my choices, the first calming thought that came to mind was Captain DeWolf. I would have thought my little sister would be the first person to come to mind. The captain and I have had some… memorable encounters, but most of them were about as calming as an oncoming torpedo.

With her patience at its limits, Mutsu shoved her sister before Enterprise. "Remember what we are, Nagato: we are kansens. We are born to fight, born to kill. War is what we were made for! Now carry out your duty, and take this woman's head!"

All I could now was pray that the memory was enough.

Choshu stared at the dagger in hand, the doubt in her eyes giving way to firm resolve. She raised the blade high… and then threw it to the ground.

"Nagato, what are you doing?"

"The war is over," Choshu replied. "We may have started as warships, but now we are human. That means we have the freedom to choose our own futures. I miss our friends, too, but we honour their memory by preserving the peace, not by seeking vengeance."

"You… you would turn your own back on the empire? On your sister?" an incensed Mutsu replied. "For these people? Th-these… these foreigners? They don't know you! They don't understand what we've had to endure!"

Choshu just shook her head. "No, dear sister. I fear it is you who no longer understands me, and when I look at you, I realize that I do not recognize you anymore. I don't remember you being so… so angry, so hateful. What happened to the Mutsu that would let me rest my head on her lap while she composed haikus by the harbour?"

I expected another furious tirade from Mutsu, but instead her temperament leveled out, and the two sisters exchanged a tense, silent stare. It was a realization that dawned upon them both, that despite all the time they had shared together, the currents of fate had pulled them in wildly different directions. Both sought to right the wrongs they had endured but where one sought to find peace in the turbulent waters, the other remained defiant against fate. I knew not which required more strength: to accept your failings, or to rage on against the dying light. There was a time where I thought strength meant to stand as a mountain, unyielding and unchanging against all that fate and nature would throw against it. Yet a river could carve through rock with no more effort than its own existence, following its own nature and a path of its own choosing.

Now the river stood before the mountain, and we all waited to see the response.

"Come home with me Mutsu," Choshu said, offering out a hand. "It's not too late."

With a shimmering flash, Mutsu summoned her rigging, and her answer came from the mouth of her cannons…