Round three. Fight!
"Kako, what do you see?"
"Eight more are coming from Okinawa. We're moving to engage."
"Roger. Kaga, the abyssals are preparing for round three. What's our air support?"
"Dive bombers are en route ETA thirty minutes."
"Understood. I want the cruisers behind myself and Fuso with the destroyers upfront!"
Their small formation had been reinforced. The destroyers Isonami, Yunagi, Kamikaze, Mochizuki, Ayanami, and Murakumo made up their screen. They were joined by Akatsuki, Kikuzuik, and Fumizuki from destroyer squadron eighteen. Kinugasa, Isuzu, Tenryu, and Yura are their cruisers. Ise and Fuso are the heavy hitters. All of them have damage to some degree but with their blood boiling for a fight they can ignore it, for a time.
The abyssal fleet joined up with the new contacts and continued to retreat.
"What are they doing," Murakumo muttered.
"I don't know. Be ready for anything."
A minute later static blared through their radios along with a garbled transmission. "(Static) ed- (static) assi- (static) bomb- (static) fall- (static) ak."
"Repeat your last, over. Do you copy?"
"Kisaragi reporting! We've been attacked by enemy bombers and a surface action group! I've lost two destroyers already and Kaga is heavily damaged! We need immediate assistance!"
BOOM!
"That came from Furutaka's force," Ayanami shouted.
"Furutaka status." When there wasn't an instant response Ise felt her stomach sink. After an impossibly long ten-second wait, "Ise this is Kako! We're under attack! Furutaka got hit by a fucking torpedo! Enemy force consists of two battlecruisers, eight cruisers, and an unknown number of submarines! We're falling back!" Her voice was panicked and filled with fear.
"A portion of the enemy has broken off and is heading toward them!"
"Dammit, we can't let them through! Show the abyssals the might of the Imperial Japanese Navy! ADVANCE AND FIRE AT WILL!"
"BANZIIIIIIII!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Ise winced as four shells smashed into her. That battleship's guns have the range advantage. It's a good thing they're closing the distance.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Her guns roared their response landing two hits. Fuso's guns followed and landed a single hit. Recognizing its advantage it gave hand singles and the fleet charged. That clearly made it one of their leaders but knowing that and doing something about it are two different things.
"Ise what's the plan here? We can't just charge them."
"I know... Fuso! Take Isuzu, Tenryu, Isonami, Yunagi, Murakumo and stop that fleet detachment!"
"Understood," she curtly replied.
"The rest of us will delay their main force for as long as possible and allow the fleet to escape! Understood?!"
"Yes Ise-san!"
As the two forces moved out the main abyssal force advanced far more aggressively. They already had a numbers advantage and with their force split it was even greater. This aggressiveness forced Ise's force to kite away as they tried to delay their enemy. Destroyers would race in fire their guns and launch torpedoes then race out. The abyssals took evasive action to lessen the chance of getting hit by a torpedo. This slowed down their advance and bought valuable time for their fleet.
This continued for ten minutes and it was here that Ise noticed a complication. All of those ships are faster than her. The only thing she can outrun are the battleships. The destroyers' torpedo attacks have kept them at bay but they can't keep it up forever.
Fuso would have the same problem. They can't win this fight only delay the inevitable. If they stay and fight they'll be sunk. They can't run either; with their damage the abyssals would catch up and pick them off. If they don't do something Japan will lose half of one of its precious few fleets. They don't have the Kanmusu to replace heavy losses so it would be a huge blow to Japan's war effort. But beyond that Ise's friends would die, she will not allow that
"Fuso, your force is to fall back and cover the fleet."
"Understood, are you falling back as well?"
"My escorts are, I'm gonna buy you as much time as I can."
A beat passed.
"Say again Ise."
"...I'm going to delay the abyssals for as long as possible. I'm ordering you to fall back."
She was quiet for a second. "Understood. May the spirits watch over you, Ise-sama."
A silent moment passed.
"W-What?"
She turned and found Ayanami staring at her in shock.
"If we stay here all of us will be killed. I won't allow that."
"Y-You can't go against all of them! You'll be killed," Yura exclaimed.
"I know. But all of you will be able to escape."
"We can't just leave you," Yura shouted, tears forming in her eyes.
"Yeah! you never leave a sister to die," Akatsuki shouted.
"This is not up for discussion! I gave you an order. I expect you to follow it."
She almost couldn't bear to look at them. Fear, denial, sorrow, anger it's all written across their faces. The destroyers take it the worst. Kamikaze, and Mochizuki, are silently crying. Kikuzuik, and Fumizuk have tears in their eyes but refuse to let them fall. Ayanami has wrapped her arms around herself to try and stop shaking. Akatsuki just looks lost like the idea of her dying hasn't sunk in. Yura is crying into Kinugasa's shoulder while Kinugasa gives Ise a solemn look.
"Alright... give them hell... Ise-sama," Kinugasa breathed out "Come on ladies. Lets not make this harder than it already is."
Eyes red from crying and faces twisted with grief they slowly sailed away. None of them dared look back, Kinugasa did. She looked her dead in the eye and slowly nodded. She turned and followed them away from the battle.
Ise wiped the tears from her eyes. She took a breath, steeled her nerves and faced the abyssal fleet. She cracked her knuckles and sailed to meet them. Her eyes held a steel determination and unknown to her they also held a faint blue glow.
"One vs a fleet, I like those odds. Come at me you abyssal bastards," she growled.
BOOM!
Her guns fired with inhuman accuracy and ripped a destroyer apart. With only one Kanmusu in their way the abyssals charged. Her secondaries blazed away cutting down another destroyer in a dozen hits. HE and AP shells slammed into her wrecking her superstructure and scaring her skin. A shell smashed into her face a mere inch from her eye. Luckily it didn't affect her accuracy.
BOOM!
Another salvo ripped a cruiser's legs off sending it crashing into the ocean while her secondaries forced two destroyers to retreat. Despite her best efforts, they're wearing her down and quickly. Five minutes in one of her turrets are jammed. Eight minutes in her skin is scarred and blistered from constant HE and AP fire. Fifteen minutes in another gun turret is knocked out and six of her secondaries are out.
More fire slammed into her; oil and blood are steadily pouring from her wounds. Her crew does all they can in a desperate attempt to keep her fighting and keep fighting she does. Her guns roar and her secondaries hammer out shells at a blistering pace. She sees two destroyers launch torpedoes and frantically tries to avoid them. A single torpedo found its mark. It slams into her and pain shoots through her body like a bolt of lighting. Initially, the damage didn't seem too severe until she started veering off course.
A quick check confirmed her suspicions it had damaged her rudder. She still had limited maneuverability but her fate had been sealed. As she prepared for a last stand she locked eyes with the fiery blue of an abyssal's and silently challenged it. To her surprise, it smirked and the abyssals backed off.
"You have a fire in you... I like that."
Her eyes widened and a full smile spread across its lips.
"What didn't think we could speak," another snarked.
"The basic ones don't, they're just slaves to our will."
"Enough. I am B-13 leader of this fleet. What is your designation," the now-named B-13 demanded.
She didn't answer.
"Hmm. I suppose it doesn't matter. The Japanese are supposed to be good with a katana." It tossed a sheath toward her, "Lets see if you live up to the expectations."
Ise drew the katana from its sheath and pointed it toward B-13 in a silent acceptance to her challenge. B-13 smirked and charged.
With a shower of sparks, their blades met. The force behind the attack sent small shockwaves up Ise's arms. B-13 jumped back and attacked; once more Ise met the attack and a small shock wave displaced the water around them. B-13 smirked and Ise knew she was in for a fight. A fight she knew she couldn't win. She couldn't completely steady herself with her damaged rudder, she was exhausted from battle and her wounds made it worse. If she died here so be it, her sisters are safe, that's all that matters.
They jumped back and B-13 launched a series of brutal heavy attacks. Ise didn't try and block them she deflected them instead and in doing so conserved her limited energy. That didn't mean she was totally on the defensive. Since 13 was so aggressive in her attacks she left herself open to counterattacks. With the next attack, Ise angled her blade in a way that deflected the attack but left most of the force behind it. She struck with a quick slash that left a one inch deep cut in B-13's shoulder. B-13 used her attack's energy and spun away from Ise. Now Ise went on the offensive.
With a series of quick slash attacks, Ise looked to create a hole in her defense. With each clash, a small shower of sparks was created and Ise slowly felt her arms go numb. She had never seen a Katana until now much less trained with one. Yet, there's a familiarity with the weapon in the back of her mind. Her attacks are unconscious her body following what felt right, it was safe to say she was not in full control of her body at the moment. Almost like she was there yet at the same time far away.
Her next attack had more force behind it. When B-13 blocked she was slightly knocked off balance, that was all Ise needed. She closed in and slashed at her stomach. B-13 jumped back and Ise's Katana left a small cut in its wake. B-13 responded with a heavy over-head attack. Ise blocked it and the force behind the attack created a small thunderclap.
Ignoring the strain in her arms Ise pushed off the water's surface and shoved B-13 backward. They both moved to attack and when their blades met both were forced back with Ise stumbling ever so slightly. B-13 didn't capitalize on this, instead, she glared her flaming blue eyes filled with hate and frustration.
"What's wrong 13? To weak to deal with a crippled battleship?"
B-13 snarled, "I'll finish this right now."
"Really? Go on then. Show us."
She launched herself at Ise and her attack forced her backward. On the defensive, she blocked a series of lightning-fast slashes, quick jabs, and brutal heavy attacks. Her defense started to waver and small cuts started to appear on her body that quickly added up. On the next attack, Ise couldn't get her blade angled fast enough and the attack sent her spinning. She followed through and her make-shift counterattack caught 13 off guard. Her blade was knocked to the side and Ise followed that up with a heavy upper swing. This left her open to attack and 13 brought her blade back and sliced deep into Ise's stomach. She didn't have a chance to recover as 13 was on her again.
Forgoing any kind of strategy she hit Ise with heavy attack after heavy attack. Each time she knocked Ise off balance and each time she managed to block the next attack by the skin of her teeth. Her luck didn't last. The next attack knocked Ise's katana out of her hand and 13 moved to decapitate her. Ise raised her arm and blocked the blade which sliced into her arm where it got stuck. She delivered two right hooks to B-13's cheek in retaliation. 13 ripped the blade free and brought it down on Ise's head only for her to catch it with her hand.
13 headbutted her causing her to stumble, then she pulled out a knife and buried it in Ise's stomach. She kicked the knife further into her stomach and followed it up with a slash across her chest. Ise staggered back, grabbed the knife, and ripped it out of her stomach with a spy of blood. She dropped the knife and fell to her knees.
"Yeeeeees that's where you belong. On your knees before your new masters."
She could hear the smugness in its voice and it filled her with rage. She refused to die on her knees. She hissed in pain as she forced herself to stand tall. She smirked at B-13, "What did you say?"
"JUST DIE!" She exploded toward her and Ise stared death in the face.
"ISE!"
SLASH!
"AHHHHH!"
BOOM!
...
...
...
...
She opened her eyes. Her wounds flared when she tried to stand up. Powering through the pain she fought to get her legs beneath her. Finally, she shakily stood and found the abyssal fleet in disarray. One of the demons (as she named them) was dissolving into black ash. She could see a small portion of the fleet retreating lead by the other demon. They seemed to be leading the fleet and with one dead and the other retreating, it fell apart.
"I-Ise," a weak voice called out. She turned and her heart fell onto her stomach. Karukaya had pushed her away and her stomach was cut open by 13's attack.
"No... no, no, no, no, no." She raced to her side and placed her hands on her stomach, "Got me... g-good... didn't it."
"Why are you here? I ordered you to retreat," Ise whispered.
"Saving you, you big dummy. Besides... I didn't want y-you to d-die." Karukaya whimpered and tears ran down her cheeks. "It-it hurts Ise."
"I know, I know. I'll make it better."
"P-Promise?" She looked at Ise with fearful eyes and she teared up.
"Promise."
A beat passed.
"Well, well, well. Isn't this just heartwarming."
Her head snapped towards the voice and her eyes narrowed into slits.
B-13 casually sailed toward them. "I didn't expect that little bitch to show up and save you. Not that it matters I'll just kill you both. But how to do it?" A sinister smile spread across her lips. "Oh, I know. I'll cut your legs off and make you watch as I torture your friend. And when she begs for mercy I'll cut her throat open and make you watch as she chokes on her own blood. Ohhhhh it will be... beautiful."
Ise snarled like a lion, "Get past me first."
B-13 scoffed, "Please, you can't beat me." She darted towards them. Ise grabbed the knife and charged her. Once they were close enough Ise hurled the knife at her with an impossible amount of force. 13 easily deflected it but had to take her eyes off Ise for a second and that was all she needed. In that second she moved so that she could use B-13's momentum against her. As she swung her blade Ise garbed it and pulled it passed her. She then kicked 13 in the back making her stumble as she tried to stop. With this window, Ise grabbed her katana and met 13s next attack where they locked blades and stared each other down.
13's eyes widened and she pushed away from Ise. "Impossible," she whispered. "You will die by my hand!" Their blades met once again. They held the blade lock trying to overpower the other. Ise kicked 13 in the stomach and went on the attack. Her attacks are quick and precise never allowing 13 room to breathe or the chance to counter. As she slowly pushed her back her eyes started to burn and a pressure built at the back of her head. She ignored it all that matters is that 13 dies.
As the fight continued 13 became more and more desperate to regain the initiative. Ise didn't bother with defense as she kept pressure on 13 never giving her a chance to attack. In an attempt to knock Ise off balance she put all of her force behind her next block. This batted Ise's blade away and 13 aimed to end the fight right there. She went for a heavy over-head attack yet Ise casually batted her blade away and sliced her stomach open. She followed with a slash across her chest and to her head. She stumbled backward and Ise ran her through with her blade. She twisted it and ripped it out of her chest and watched 13 collapse to her knees. Her guns trained on her head and fired.
BOOM!
13's body collapsed and slowly disappeared into ash. Ise sighed and sheathed her katana on her hip. She rubbed her eyes as her vision flickered in and out of focus while her head felt like it was splitting open. Exhaustion hit her like a battleship and her legs felt like jelly. Her eyes landed on the prone form of Karukaya and she forced her exhaustion aside. She hadn't sunk yet and from what her DC teams told her she wasn't in any immediate risk of doing so.
"ISE! KARUKAYA! You alright!?" Fuyo and Sanae raced up and froze.
"No, but she needs help more than I do. What's our status?"
"We've got the abyssals on the run. Fuso has ordered the fleet to return to Sasebo immediately." Fuyo answered as she and her sister supported Karukaya who is still unconscious.
"Alright. Who gave the order to rescue me?"
"Fuso."
A/N
Hopefully that sword fight was decent. I know nothing about sword fighting so if its terrible, sorry in advance. When it comes to the honorifics I know nothing about them because I'm not from Japan. That's probably easy to figure out. If you speak Japanese please let me know if I screwed them up. From what I found -Sama is used for someone you admire or respect at least that's what Wikipedia says.
I will see you next Tuesday! Maybe... might be a day off I don't know.