"That doesn't look good," Kirishima mumbled as she watched the approaching storm. Her force is stationed off the West coast of Miyako-jima and comprises one battleship, herself, one heavy cruiser: Kako, two light cruisers: Tatsuta and Tama, ten destroyers: Hatsuyuki, Shirakumo, Isonami, Shigure, Harusame, Nire, Take, Kaki, Numakaze, Namikaze, and two destroyer escorts: Kunashiri, and Hachijo.
Taskforce fifty-five is stationed off the South coast of Miyako-jima and taskforce fifty-two is stationed off the East coast of Miyako-jima. Kaga and Hiryu are stationed a few kilometers off the North coast and can provide air support to any of the taskforces.
"Kaga-san, Hiryu-san abyssal fighters are approaching."
"Understood."
"Copy, vectoring now."
A squadron of Zeros fly over the fleet on their way to their targets while another squadron is in position to protect the fleet from abyssal air attacks. The squadron radios to their home carrier that there are two abyssal squadrons. The dogfight begins soon after and the abyssal fleet comes ever closer.
The fleet has split into three taskforces. One is closing in on taskforce Lighting, the second is closing in on taskforce fifty-five and the third is already engaging taskforce fifty-two. Kirishima launched her spotter plane to get an estimate on the number of abyssals heading for her taskforce. The spotter plane reported seventeen destroyers, four light cruisers, two battlecruisers, and a battleship and they were in standard formation.
"Destroyers, form two wolfpacks and take up escort formation. Kako-san, Tatsuta-san, Tama-san target those light cruisers. Destroyers, once the CLs are sunk you are to engage the abyssal destroyers. Kako-san, Tatsuta-san, and Kuma-san will assist. Kunashiri-san, Hachijo-san you are my personal escorts."
"Understood!"
"We'll do you proud Kirishima-sama!"
"What about the battlecruisers and battleship nya?"
"I'll deal with the battlecruisers first and then the battleship. If they are not sunk then send a spread of torpedoes their way."
"Understood, Kirishima-san."
"Understood nya!"
"Copy that. This is going to be fun!"
"You better leave something for us Kirishima-san!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"AHHH! Hey! Watch where you're shooting!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"I don't think they care about your protests!"
"They will pay for their insolence!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Kako, Tama, and Tatsuta focused their fire on the lead Light Cruiser. It proved to be surprisingly resilient taking multiple hits from 20.3cm and 14cm shells without flinching or slowing down. If it wasn't for the multiple holes in its hull it would have been impossible to tell that it had taken any damage at all. Kirishima found the same was true for the battlecruisers. Despite scoring multiple hits on the lead battlecruiser it didn't seem to be affected in any meaningful way. Apparently the abyssals have decided to give their battlecruisers far greater armor protection at the cost of heavy firepower. Most of the shells it fired at Kirishima bounced or failed to penetrate her armor.
"Since when do the abyssals armor their battlecruisers like second-rate battleships?"
"Oh, you have that problem as well? I thought it was a me thing. This light cruiser is proving to be STUBBORNLY RESILIENT!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"OW! You son of a bitch! Taste my 20.3cm guns!"
"And we're sure she's not an American in disguise?"
"I have yet to meet any American Kanmusu nya. So I don't know."
"HEY! It's not my fault being in battle gets me excited!"
"But, isn't it your fault for getting excited in the first place?"
"Uhhhh, details!"
"What does that mean?!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"Kirishima-san, the enemy force we have engaged is heading your way. We are in pursuit."
"Understood, Fuso-san. More abyssals are heading our way! Fuso-san is coming to assist us!"
"The more the merrier!"
"It's becoming increasingly obvious to me that you are an American in disguise."
"I am not an American! Don't insult me like that!"
"Kako-san, Shigure-san keep your mind focused. One mistake and you could be killed."
"Sorry, Namikaze-san," they both said.
Kirishima's guns thundered and disabled the battlecruiser's A turret. Seeing this she trained her guns on the abyssal's gun turrets and fired. She had the same results and completely destroyed its A turret. The battlecruisers realized their AP shells couldn't penetrate her armor and switched to HE. The shells ripped and burned her clothes, they knocked out AA guns and started fires that quickly turned into raging infernos. The heat left blisters on her skin, melted the barrels of her AA guns, and cooked off their ammo. Her crew fought to contain the fires but they are slowly spreading.
Kirishima knew the danger those fires presented but didn't let them distract her. She couldn't help her crew put the fires out but she could stop more from starting. She aimed for the aft guns of the battlecruiser and fired.
BOOM!
Her shells penetrated the turrets and cooked off the shells and powder bags inside the turret. This started a chain reaction that spread to the other aft turret and the explosion that followed destroyed half of the abyssal's rigging. Despite the catastrophic explosion the abyssal was still afloat, although, it was combat ineffective with only a single twin mount operational. Kirishima turned her guns on the second battlecruiser but it had fallen back and was using the battleship as a shield so Kirishima fired at the battleship and immediately took evasive action.
Ise-san was right when she said she was technically a battlecruiser, although, she prefers the term fast battleship. Terminology aside she still has the armor of a battlecruiser and although it was strengthened during her refit she is not willing to take that kind of risk.
Kako, Tatsuta, and Tama had finally managed to sink the first of four light cruisers as it finally succumbed to the immense amount of damage it had taken.
"If those other three light cruisers are as tough as that one was..."
"We can knock out their guns," Tatsuta said. "It's not as good as sinking them, but it will save time and ammunition."
"That is a brilliant idea. Why didn't we think about that sooner?"
"Because sinking abyssals is preferable compared to rendering them combat ineffective."
They aimed for the next cruiser's fore guns and fired. Some shots went wide some went long and others fell short but most of them found their target. The 14cm shells from Tatsuta and Tama failed to penetrate the turret armor but Kako's 20.3cm guns disabled its B turret. The light cruisers focused their fire on Tama sending thirty-three high explosive shells her way.
"Nya! This is bullying!"
"Hey! Don't pick on Tama-san!"
"Come on Kirishima-san! We want to help!"
"Shigure-san! Take your destroyers and bait the abyssals into an engagement!"
"Understood Kirishima-san! Come on girls!"
"Harusame-san! If the abyssals take the bait move in to assist!"
"Understood! Leave some for me sister!"
Tama continued to avoid the endless barrage of high explosive shells to the best of her ability. The problem is those three light cruisers have a high rate of fire and a muzzle velocity of nine-hundred and eighty meters per second. It takes around fifteen seconds for the shells to reach her and in that time a single cruiser has another two salvos in the air.
"NYA! This is not good! AH!"
A dozen high explosive shells hit her hull simultaneously. The shells destroyed most of her AA guns leaving her with practically no defense for air attacks. One of her main guns was disabled and three separate fires were started. She turned hard to port and avoided a second salvo but this turn put her in the sights of a third salvo. She avoided most of the shells and the three that hit did minimal damage.
While Tama fell back Kako and Tatsuta continued to fire a hail of armor-piercing and high explosive shells at the already damaged light cruiser. Tatsuta had started two fires and Kako has put dozens of holes in its hull but it refuses to go down. Kako's next salvo slammed into its broadside and thick black smoke erupted from its hull. It rapidly lost speed and heaved out of line but its guns are still firing.
Tatsuta's next salvo started a fire near its funnel. As her guns loaded she noticed the torpedo launchers on the abyssal's sides. The unrelenting fire from Kako had blown away their armor protection leaving them exposed. Hitting the launchers would be difficult as they are not a large target. Her first salvo largely missed. Her second one was better but none of the shells hit the launcher. The abyssal apparently realized what she was trying to do and started to take evasive action but with it rapidly losing speed it couldn't do anything. Tatsuta's third salvo landed near the launcher and started a fire. A smoke screen rapidly appeared around the cruiser and soon Tatsuta lost visual contact. Since the cruiser stopped firing Tatsuta targeted the next light cruiser.
Tama had fallen back and since she no longer posed a threat the two remaining light cruisers switched their fire to Tatsuta. Twenty-four high-explosive shells are sent her way. She dodges all of them and returns fire but with the number of shells constantly on the way she can only fire sporadically. Kako fires as quickly as possible but the durability of those cruisers would make it impossible for her to sink even one of them in a reasonable amount of time.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"Oh, that's bad."
Great plums of water exploded upward off her starboard side. When the wall of water cleared she could see the still smoking guns of a battlecruiser.
"Now there's a battlecruiser shooting at me. You just had to make this interesting didn't you. Kaga-san can you send a squadron of torpedo bombers our way?"
"Hiryu-san can. What is the target?"
"Enemy battlecruiser, it's not very happy with me at the moment."
She dodged another salvo but instead of firing at the battlecruiser she continued to fire at the light cruiser. Tama also rejoined the battle and added her firepower into the mix.
While this was happening Shigure and her wolfpack of destroyers are trying to bait the abyssal destroyers into an engagement and so far they haven't taken the bait much to Shigure's annoyance. To rectify this problem Shigure and her destroyers closed in. They continued to get closer and closer and then faked a torpedo attack. The reaction was instant. Ten destroyers broke away and engaged them. Shigure started to kite away along with the rest of her wolfpack.
Harusame had been watching anxiously as her sister got closer and closer to the abyssal fleet. She felt disappointment every time the abyssals refused to take the bait but also relief. Now she sweatdropped as her sister rapidly closed in on the destroyers and showed no signs of breaking away.
"Shigure-san is crazy!"
"If those light cruisers turn their attention to her..."
"My sister knows what she's doing," Harusame defended. Then she whispered, "Sister, please... I hope you know what you're doing."
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"The abyssals are engaging them!"
"Come on! Shigure-san is counting on us!"
"I hope she leaves some for us!"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
"AH!"
"Nire-san! Are you alright!?"
"I'm soaked!"
"She's fine!"
"Where did those shots come from!?"
"Abyssals off our port side! It's the fleet Kirishima-san told us about!"
"NOW!? Talk about bad timing!"
"Do we have any idea on their numbers?"
"...No."
"Greaaaat. Sister! Abyssal reinforcements have arrived!"
"They just had to ruin my fun didn't they! Active smoke generators!"
A smoke screen engulfed the destroyers and while the abyssal destroyers kept firing their accuracy dropped heavily. They broke off their pursuit a few seconds later and rejoined their formation.
"Fuso-san what is the size of the abyssal fleet?"
"Two battleships, two heavy cruisers, four light cruisers, and eight destroyers. It should be noted their cruisers are surprisingly resilient."
"Really? Kako reported this fleet's light cruisers are 'stubbornly resilient.'
"Hmm, interesting."
Eight kilometers behind the fleet a squadron of torpedo bombers bearing Hiryu's markings roared across the sky. Six zeros provide top cover while the rest of their squadron flies ahead to intercept any enemy fighters in the area. When they arrive at the target area they find no enemy fighters, so they begin to circle. When the torpedo bombers arrived Hiryu ordered them to target the battleships instead of the battlecruiser. The squadron split into two attack groups and picked their targets. Both groups are met with a hail of flack as they close on their targets. The battleships start to take evasive action as the bombers drop their torpedoes. The first battleship is hit twice while the second is hit three times. The bombers turned and headed back to their home carrier while the Zeros moved to intercept incoming abyssal fighters.
The first battleship didn't seem to be affected by the torpedo strikes but the second battleship continued its hard turn to starboard. One of the torpedoes had jammed its rudder. Fuso, Kinugasa, and Yura focused their fire on the crippled battleship. Armor-piercing and high explosive shells slammed into the battleship's hull. Fires were started and a small fireball rose from the abyssal as one of its secondary guns was destroyed. Its course took it away from them so Fuso switched her fire to the second battleship while Kinugasa and Yura retargeted the cruisers.
"Kinugasa-san are you sure we're not engaging battlecruisers?"
"They're light cruisers Yura-san. Although, you would be forgiven for thinking they are battlecruisers with how resilient they are."
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Kinugasa didn't flinch when six high explosive shells hit her. She turned her guns on the offending cruiser and fired. Four of her shells found their mark and disabled on of its guns. Kinu and Yura quickly followed up with their own salvos. Unlike Kinugasa's armor-piercing shells their shells didn't have a tendency to over-penetrate and caused severe damage.
Kinugasa aimed her guns at its conning tower counting on the thicker armor to arm her shell's fuses and she wasn't disappointed. The fuses were armed and half of the cruiser's conning tower was destroyed. It fell out of line and slowed to a crawl. A massive explosion sealed its fate.
CRACK! BOOM!
"Fuso-san! The storm has arrived!"
"I see. Sink the abyssals before they enter the storm."
"Look!"
A large storm cloud had engulfed taskforce fifty-two and the abyssals they were fighting.
"Ise-san, do you copy?"
...
...
...
"Ise-san respond."
...
...
...
"Ise-san! Are you alright!? Sister, can you hear me!?"
"Calm yourself Kako-san. They can deal with whatever the abyssals are throwing at them. If we want to help them we have to sink the abyssals in front of us first." Fuso watched the storm with concern, "Be careful Ise-san."
A/N
Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't happy with the first draft of this chapter and had to rewrite it.