He may be a creature that belonged to the race that attacked us eight years ago but still—he is still mine!
PRESENT
Run, run as fast they could. There was no time to waste.
For the creature from the abyss chased from the rear.
Her wails were loud and clear, they took something from her. And they knew it is something important.
She had a saber on one hand and a wounded arm on the other. Despite the heavy bleeding she chased that one's back that took something from her.
"Gintoki!" She screamed the name of the one that's important to her.
As they arrive at the designated area. The small destroyer named Shinonome stood her ground together with the wounded battlecruisers Amagi and Akagi.
"You….You brat!" The abyssal empress screamed in fury as she slowly closed the distance between her and the shipgirls in front of her.
"Fire!" Shinonome yelled followed by a simultaneous roar of their primary guns firing.
The projectiles whistled as they approached their target. A faint white tracer followed from behind allowing the shipgirls to see where their shells are going.
The abyssal halted. Raising her saber diagonally before slashing her saber into the air and the projectiles that were coming at her were cut in half.
She knew. She knew the weaknesses of a shipgirl that summoned their rigging on land and fired their armaments.
She knew they have problems on taking out targets that are moving on land.
Not that she knew the reason why that is. At first she thought it was just a handicap but that does not appear to be the reason.
There is something unfathomable that's preventing them from properly hitting their targets on land.
With that in mind, the abyssal empress also made her move.
First she dashed towards the battlecruiser that had a short brown hair. She then leaned downward and burrowed the tip of her saber into the abdomen of the shipgirl penetrating its armor like it was made of paper.
The battlecruiser grunted in pain as she grabbed the abyssal's blade with her two hands and yelled.
"Now!"
It was a trap—
The small destroyer came to her peripheral view. On her hand is a small blade that had a jet black color. With a swift motion she angled the blade horizontally and aimed at the abyssal's neck.
The blade reached her neck and neatly tore the tissues and fibers that connected her neck together, spraying a deep crimson color fluid called blood into the face of the small destroyer.
"Akhhkkkk" The abyssal tried to speak but her blood was clogged on her throat.
As she kneeled on the ground, and tried stopping the bleeding the small destroyer dropped the small blade on her hand and walked in front of the abyssal. She then pointed her 120mm primary gun at the abyssal's head.
"How ironic." The small destroyer said, "You aren't even an abyssal anymore."
~o~
April 6 2049
3:30 P.M
Being enlisted in the Armed Forces is not all about blood and death. There are also dirty jobs as well. One of which is shitter cleaning, truck cleaning, weapons maintenance, and lastly—
"Corpse retrieval….."
A soldier wearing a white and yellow uniform attire sighed as he princess carried a female's corpse towards the retrieval truck parked at the road.
The female's body…or what's left of it was covered in blood and dirt. He couldn't even see the face of the small female anymore….no that is the wrong sentence—the female is missing its head. Her clothes were in taters and large cuts could be seen all over.
"That?" Asked a soldier waiting near the truck. He was holding a notepad on one hand and a pencil on the other.
The man carrying the body glanced at it once more. He took a long stare processing the words that he is about to say.
"Sixth ship of the Fubuki-class destroyers, Shinonome." He answered.
The man holding the notepad nodded and wrote the name of the shipgirl into the notepad before gesturing using the pencil on his hand at the back where an opened body bag was waiting.
In a fluid motion the soldier placed the body of the small destroyer on top of the body bag and pulled the zipper upward. He then let out another sigh as he knocked at the back of the retrieval truck twice indicating that all corpses are boarded before slamming the opened cargo door close.
"Man this is not an easy job." The soldier uttered as he sat on the grass and stared at the killing field filled of craters and vertical trenches.
The sound of the truck's engine rumbled and before long the sound of its wheels turning came to his ears.
"Care for a smoke?" Another soldier arrived and sat right next to the sitting soldier.
"No thanks….maybe next time though." The soldier replied.
The soldier that had a cigarette on his lip sat right beside the first soldier and stared at the field as well.
"So uhh, you know what happened here?" The smoking soldier asked.
"Dunno, all of the eyewitnesses were already deported for interrogation before we could ask any of them. Apparently the SS arrived first before us." The soldier answered.
The smoking soldier only uttered, "Hmm" as he watched the soldiers wearing black uniforms and red berets on top of their heads.
"Imperial Special Service Group. Who contacted them though?" Asked the soldier that had a cigarette stick on his mouth.
"Beats me, anyways I gotta go meet my squad leader because we still need to clean the blood stains on the main building. Good thing there are only six civilian casualties in this encounter." Spoke the soldier who sat first on the ground.
"Alright then, good luck cleaning those already hardened stains!"
The soldier that was standing nodded once at the seated soldier before turning his back towards him.
"Takizawa? Takizawa? Where are you? Yura is waiting for you at the University Entrance." Came a soft female's voice from the radio placed on his right chest.
The soldier named Takizawa removed the cigarette stick from his mouth and threw it in front of him. He then started stretching his arms before raising his body from the ground.
"Alright…time to clean the University Entrance."
~o~
Highway 11th, Hiroshima Highway
3:50 PM
A soldier seated at the back of the car let out a single deep sigh as he reloaded his Type 95 Assault Rifle. He has already exhausted nine of his magazines and he is about to empty his tenth magazine at the running Abyssal in front of them.
"Idiot! Turn left!" Shouted the soldier seated at the passenger seat.
The same soldier then turned his attention to the soldier seated at the backseat and said, "What are you waiting for?! Shoot her!"
The soldier armed with the Type 95 leaned his body out of the side window and pointed the barrel of his Type 95 at the back of the running Abyssal.
The soldier fired in short bursts managing to score at least twelve hits at the back of the said Abyssal. It was visible that the Abyssal staggered from his shots since she suddenly made an awkward looking right turn.
In a split second a hazy looking object came to his vision. He couldn't feel anything below his neck and then suddenly his vision dropped as if he was thrown off from the car.
No to be specific he was not thrown off from the car, his head was cut off from his upper body.
The soldier's blood spurted inside the car like a broken hose. The driver made a sharp turn avoiding the civilian car that stopped at the middle of the road. As he was about to overtake the civilian car a saber suddenly flew at the windshield—tearing a small vertical slit at the bulletproof windshield. The saber landed on the driver's throat pinning him at the headrest of his of seat.
The pain screamed all over his body as his blood started choking him. With both of his hands he tried pulling the saber away—with his hands away from the steering wheel the vehicle started moving sideways and the soldier seated on the passenger seat was unable to correct it.
Their vehicle made a sharp turn and rolled over its body instantly killing the soldier seated on the passenger seat when his head flew towards the hard bulletproof windshield.
The succeeding vehicle behind the tumbled vehicle made a sharp left turn, avoiding collision.
"Command, Hotel 5 has been eliminated!" Yelled the soldier seated on the passenger seat of the succeeding vehicle.
"Continue pursuit, Hotel 3. Reinforcements are already making a blockade at the end of the highway."
"Hotel 3 copies!" The soldier on the passenger seat shouted at the radio.
"Damn, how could that Abyssal ran 75 meters per second with just its two legs!?" Asked the driver in frustration as he made another sharp turn to the right.
"Stop asking and just chase after that Abyssal. Ken, where's the suppressing fire?!"
"The MG's barrel is already bright red—I am changing barrels right now!" Answered the soldier named Ken at the backseat.
The blockade that Command told them came to their view. A smile emerged at the face of the soldier seated at the passenger seat. It was checkmate for her, he said to himself.
The Abyssal halted at middle of the road and faced the blockade. Multiple assault rifles and tank barrels were pointing towards her.
"We got her! Like a cat trapped in a cor—"
Before the driver could finish his words the engine of the vehicle erupted in flames. After that the vehicle itself exploded killing the soldiers inside the vehicle in a great ball of fire.
The vehicle continued its momentum until it crashed into the side gutter.
The soldiers taking cover behind their armed vehicles gulped as they witness the last remaining pursuit vehicle erupted in flames.
They then turned their attention at the Abyssal that was standing in front of them.
She had a long white hair that was tied into a ponytail using a black scrunchie. She had these two bright golden eyes staring at them—it was filled with murderous intent. Her white blouse was stained with blood and her arms that were protected with jet black gauntlets were painted with a deep crimson fluid, it was dripping on the asphalt.
"Stand down and raise your hands into the air!" Yelled a soldier with a deep voice using a megaphone.
The soldiers that were lined on the road were having dubious looks on their faces whether the Abyssal understood the words that were yelled at her.
A smile emerged at the face of the Abyssal. It was not a simple smile that you would see on a person that has accepted defeat.
It was a smile that would make your legs rattle in fear. The soldiers felt it on their arms, legs—telling them that the Abyssal in front of them was not backing down.
"HA-HAHAHAHAHAHA. Come you little shits! Let's see what you cockroaches can do to me!" Yelled the abyssal with an intimidating tone.
The eyes of the soldiers that were positioned on the road narrowed—then the order to fire arrived.
All of them simultaneously pulled their triggers.
Type 95's, 50-cals, M240's and even the 120 L45 barrels of the Type 96 Main Battle Tank were fired at the Abyssal. There was not a single weapon that was not used to fire at the lone Abyssal in front of them.
They did not care about the highway, they did not care about the shockwaves that were coming at them because of the close proximity of the tank rounds landing in front of them. They did not even care about conserving ammo.
All that matters was to eliminate that Abyssal in front of them from this planet.
"Cease fire! Cease fire!"
"Settle down! Settle Down!"
"Cease fire!"
Multiple orders of 'cease fire' were issued at the soldiers. A large dust cloud blocked their view of the Abyssal in front of them. Even thermal-imaging scopes showed no sign of the Abyssal standing on the asphalt road—or what's left of it,
"HA—HAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHHAAHA!"
As the smoke settles down from their view that loud laugh erupted like a wakeup call. The soldiers returned to their firing stances and reloaded their weapons.
"Is that iiiiit?" Asked the Abyssal with a mocking tone.
The soldier that was holding the megaphone even stow away the megaphone so that he could focus on reloading his weapon.
"Now….It's my turn." Uttered the Abyssal as she crouched down to the ground and placed her hand on the asphalt.
"Prepare the AAR!" Yelled a soldier from the rear.
"Come my little ones! Time to show these cockroaches how we deal with pests!" The Abyssal was screeching in excitement…
Emerging from the ground are ten, six foot abyssals that were quadrupedal in nature. A large circular head that had two empty eye sockets could be seen at its face, their faces resembles the masks that were used by poltergeist plays. Right below the said masks are mandibles and a single tongue sticking out.
Its body was covered in spikes that were three inches long and two tentacles could be seen at its back resembling its tail.
The spikes on their body were twitching loudly emitting a sizing sound, similar to those of a rattle snake.
The hairs all over the body of each soldier rose up in attention. Some were even whimpering in fear when they saw these creatures that burrowed out of the ground.
"Now let's have a feast!" Screamed the abyssal prompting her minions to attack the barricade of armed soldiers.
Some managed to break free from their fear and fired their rifles. But the creatures have already overrun their position, killing those who weren't able to react quickly. Some of the creatures even pounced on top of the soldiers and proceeded to tear their face off from their bodies.
It was not just the creatures that were summoned that started feasting the helpless soldiers that weren't able to act, even the summoner as well has started eating a soldier who she pinned on the ground.
With her right hand she grabbed the soldier's arm and tore it off his body. Next she grabbed the soldier by the neck and pulled him closer to her mouth. She then tore the tendons and blood vessels on the soldier's neck spilling his dark crimson blood on the asphalt.
The soldier jabbed, elbowed, and held the abyssal away from his neck using his right hand but it was only torn away from his body like it was made of plastic.
"Annoying…" The abyssal muttered as she burrowed her left hand on the soldier's chest, penetrating the level 5 ceramic plate on his vest as well as his sternum that protected his heart.
"AhhhHH!" The soldier screamed in agony.
But the Abyssal didn't stop, she then grabbed the soldier's chest and crushed it like a tomato, spraying the muscles of the heart all over the place inside his body.
Instantly the soldier just stopped moving. He's eyes were already staring at the horizon—all the life that was within him has left in a split second.
The abyssal pulled her hand out of the soldier's chest and placed it on her mouth. She then started chewing on the muscles that she pulled out of the soldier's chest like it was chewing gum.
After that she licked the blood that was stained on her jet black gauntlet with an ecstatic look on her face.
She then returned her hand inside the soldier's chest once more picking out the muscles that formerly made the heart.
~o~
Unknown Apartment Complex, Hiroshima
4:50 P.M
"Is that so? That is good that you weren't there when the terrorist attacked our University." Spoke a gentle voice.
The tense muscles on his face relaxed when he finally managed to hear her voice after three hours of tense waiting.
"Yeah, the JSDF arrived suddenly and deported us away from the University. They asked us some weird questions and after that we were released."
With his head on the wall, Gintoki could only let out a relieved sigh. He's been calling Tae's number for over 72 times already for three hours but he couldn't contact her.
When Gintoki left Hiroshima University for good this time, news about a terrorist attack on Hiroshima University then started filling the social media like wildfire. Some even compared it to the recent terrorist attack on a simple convenience store in Hiroshima.
Filled with fear he called Tae's number wanting to know whether she was okay since Tae still had afternoon classes to attend to.
"Alright, call me once you arrive in your apartment okay? I'll immediately come over to cook you a meal to help you relive from the shock." Gintoki said while brushing his hair up with his right hand.
"Okay, I'll call you later."
Then the call ended with those words.
"Ughhh" Gintoki groaned as he slid his back on the wall until he was already sitting on the floor.
It was a close call, a really close call. Gintoki muttered under his breath as he looked at the number of calls that he has made just to make sure that Tae was okay.
Because of this he already expended this month's load balance in just a short span of three hours.
"What would've happened if I were there….?" Gintoki once more asked.
He then recalled his experience a few weeks ago before Hatsu accepted to live with him in his apartment. He remembered the inhumane actions that the Unitologist did to the civilians that were with him just to make things their way.
"Hatsu…." Gintoki muttered.
He then recalled the scene where Hatsu fought against the Unitologist. How they were butchered to death in just a short span of time. How she casually ate a man's arm in front of him.
"I wonder where she is right now…" Gintoki muttered once more.
When he arrived in his apartment room, Hatsu was no longer present. The living room was still packed full of empty beer cans and opened junkfoods. But his cabinet was open and one of his boxers has gone missing, with that in mind he concluded that Hatsu must've went somewhere.
Gintoki always wondered why Hatsu would leave his apartment room in fix intervals as if she was a university student. And by fixed intervals he meant during Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Hatsu would leave early while during Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, she would leave the apartment room during midnight.
Hatsu already explained once that she regularly gets out from his apartment room because she is still an Abyssal Empress and she still has a job to do, which is to "Defeat your race in the upcoming future" although this only made Gintoki anxious he still let Hatsu leave his apartment room and not bother her, after all she is just a freeloader and nothing more.
He could only pray that the time his race is defeated is still far away from realization.
Still—doesn't this mean that I betrayed my own race in favor of the abyssals that only see us as livestock?
Gintoki contemplated with those words and even now he still couldn't find the right answer.
"Maybe I should stop thinking about the future and focus at the things that are currently happening now." Gintoki softly says as he stood up from the ground.
As he was about to enter his room, a single knock came from the entrance. Gintoki wondered if he was just imagining things but then another knock came, this time it was basically banging on his door and not knocking.
With his dominant hand Gintoki unlocked the door and turned the doorknob clockwise before pulling the door inward.
Waiting behind the door is a beautiful woman that was as tall as Hatsu and was as beautiful as her. She had a long white hair that reaches her back, she wore a funeral style sleeveless dress and black heels. She also had a very pale skin and orange eyes which was odd.
Lastly—a tail was moving side to side at her back—
At that moment the unknown person spoke with a polite tone.
"Hi, my name is Pacific. I am looking for my sister who lives here."
Though, Gintoki did not know what the woman said to him since he couldn't understand.
~o~
It would've been fine in the first place if she finished the whole ruckus in just a couple of hours but instead it took her seven hours to finish what she started.
In the first place all she ever wanted was to let out some steam out of her head. But instead the whole Japanese Armed Forces was chasing after her. Not just the the Japanese Armed Forces but also the Special Service as well.
When nightfall came she was able to bypass the search parties all over Hiroshima and was able to retreat to the sea and wait for them to lower their search.
By the time 9:30 P.M came the perimeter near Gintoki's apartment was now cleared of any soldiers and it was now the perfect time to finally go home.
"Damn~ I haven't eaten anything." Marianna croaked as she walked inside the elevator and pressed the appropriate floor number. Although she said she hadn't eaten anything the truth is she has devoured almost 24 soldiers in just seven hours.
She could comparatively hear the soft acoustic song inside the elevator but she couldn't understand every word the singer was saying. To be specific it was a song that used a different language, a language that is different from Gintoki's.
But she didn't mind, her mind is clouded by the meal that Gintoki must've prepared for her return. How she yearned for a meal that's both sweet and sour at the same time.
As the doors of the elevator open a woman wearing a brown parka came to her view. She immediately raised her guard but it appears that the woman was of no threat for her.
Marianna gave the woman a bow and the woman bowed in return. In swift movements the woman entered the elevator while Marianna walked out.
The soft clutch sound of the steel doors of the elevator came to her ears followed by a ding chime indicating that the elevator doors have now closed.
With light movements, Marianna trekked along the hallway and into Gintoki's room entrance. A plain brown door that's almost six feet in height—Marianna placed her hand on the doorknob and rotated it clockwise, she knew Gintoki wouldn't lock the door if he arrives home first because he knew she will be returning home as well.
With all those days that she has lived together with him, she took some important notes to heart. Firstly, Gintoki is a strict person. Second, Gintoki has a thing with cleanliness in his apartment room. Third, Gintoki seldom drinks beer that is why he has a low alcohol tolerance. Fourth, Gintoki has a mother who he calls as Mutsu. Fifth, Gintoki is a hard working person, if his interest intertwines with the task in hand. Sixth—
The list could go on and this wouldn't be a 9,000 word chapter if we list all the important notes that Marianna was accumulated all this time.
With a smile on her face Marianna pushed the door inward like she always do and screamed—
"Gintoki, Where's dinner?!" to the top of her lungs.
The lights were on so Marianna concluded that Gintoki must've arrived already. She prepared a couple of excuses to avoid her daily scolding from Gintoki who now acts like a father rather than a guy that lives together with her.
Marianna then unsummons her long armored-heeled boots and placed her pale feet at the mat Gintoki specifically placed in front of the entrance so that Marianna would wipe her dirty feet clean.
Mischievously, Marianna only rubbed her feet twice before walking on the wooden hallway towards the living room.
"I wanna have a good shower. Gintoki sorry about the smell, I got hungry so I went to the ocean and ate som—"
"Oh Marianna! You took your time to get here that I almost starved myself. Here have a bite! I got this one from the meal you've been storing in here for a couple of weeks. Oh, don't worry I only took his left arm and left him to bleed at the balcony. If you want to finish what I started then go—"
A short black saber flew into the air in Mach 20 that the strong shockwave that was emitted when the saber's blade rested on the neck of the unknown woman tore a large verical slit at the wall facing the road.
Marianna's golden eyes glow in hued red. Her eyes were pinned at the woman that was holding a human's arm with a couple of bite marks on it. The muscles on the unknown woman's hand relaxed as she saw the murderous intent on Marianna's eyes.
A wet sound entered Marianna's ears. She lowered her eyes briefly and saw the arm that the unknown woman was chewing on.
The hairs all over Marianna's body rose in attention. Her murderous intent didn't last long however—
"G-Gintoki!" Marianna screamed as she hastily ran to the balcony.
Sitting upright with his back on the railings was the man named Toshiki Gin...or what's left of him.
His eyes were staring at the ground. Blood was pouring out of his left arm that was no longer present. His skin was already so pale that it had the same complexion as Marianna.
"No! No! No! No!" Marianna kneeled beside him and pulled him closer into an embrace.
He was fortunately breathing. He was uttering words that were very minute even for Marianna's sharp ear.
"ffff….."
"Don't speak. Gintoki I beg of you don't speak!" Marianna pleaded as she placed her hand on her back and grabbed a cord that had a sharp edge at the tip.
Marianna was trembling. She did not know what to do. She hasn't tended a wounded human before. Not this close to death.
"W-What are you doing….Marianna?" Asked a female's voice from behind her.
Anger filled Marianna's mind once more. She tightly gripped the cord as hard as she could to the point that her brain is screaming at her to stop. If it weren't for Gintoki' sharp wheeze she would've done something.
Marianna steeled herself once more. She then raised Gintoki' shirt upward exposing his navel. She then aligns the sharp tip of the cord on the navel counting from three before she burrows the edge into his navel.
He'll hate me for doing this….but his life is in danger!
With that single sentence Marianna thrusts the cord's tip on Gintoki's navel—only to be halted by a strong grip from the side.
"What is wrong with you, Marianna?! Why are you doing this? Would you just stop tormenting this human already and let him rest?!" Screamed the unknown woman.
Bulges were formed on Marianna's temples as those words hit her.
"He belongs to me! He is mine! He may be a creature who lives in the surface—he may be a creature that belonged to the race that attacked us eight years ago but still—he is still mine! You have no right to hurt him! You have no right Pacific, even if you are my own sister!"
Marianna's words that were filled with anguish and fury were thrown towards the unknown woman named Pacific. Confusion filled the mind of the Abyssal Empress named Pacific. Her orange eyes dilated as she stare at the Abyssal Empress that she called sister before all of these killings started.
The once proud abyssal that took the mantle to attack a habited island named Okinawa to mark the first battle in this war was now kneeling on the ground, holding the same creature that attacked them in the first place.
Weeping in pain….horrified as she watches the human sitting upright on the balcony—
The older sister watches in confusion as her sister tried stabbing her cord into the man's navel once more.
Having had enough, Pacific forcibly broke Marianna's right arm and threw her back inside the apartment room, slamming her back against the entrance.
Filled with fury in her heart—Pacific's orange eyes glowed brightly as she grabbed the human by the neck and slowly raised him into the air.
"You—how dare you sullied my beloved sister…" Pacific growled as the man slowly chocked, "I will end you here…I should've eaten you fully rather than leaving a part of you in one piece."
If he weren't here in the first place her sister wouldn't have turned this way. She wouldn't have turned soft against these creatures that attacked their kind eight years prior to the Abyssal War.
Pacific couldn't forgive this filthy surface walker. She couldn't forgive their kind…she couldn't forgive the kind that mercilessly attacked the city of Uller deep in the Marianna's trench.
Pacific's hunger for revenge boiled inside her. Saliva slowly seeped out at the edge of her lips as she watched the man named Gintoki struggle ever so slightly. In fact, the man—in her eyes, was already dead.
"I am still hungry, Marianna. You wouldn't mind if I finish what I started wouldn't you?"
At that point, Pacific's vision suddenly flipped upside down. Confused, the Abyssal Empress turned her eyes to the side and saw a jet black gauntlet painted with her blood.
Her pitch black blood—the same blood that the queen, flowing inside her body.
Her vision was then covered in darkness as a wet sound of a fleshy object fell into the ground entered her ears, it was then followed by a sharp scream of the man's name.
"Goddammit…Goddammit! Gintoki don't worry. I'll fix this! Trust me!" Screamed her sister in despair.
Pacific heard heavy footsteps walking away from her and before long she couldn't hear her sister's breathing anymore.
However—
"Tsk, Abyssal Princess Moro…" Infuriatingly spoke Pacific.
"…What is it my Empress?" Asked a voice in her head.
"Mobilize your horde. We are chasing after my sister." Answered Pacific with a cold tone.
"By your sister….are you perhaps referring to…Empress Marianna?" Asked the voice once more.
Pacific fell silent as she pondered at the words that were used in that question. With a rough tone she answered—
"No, she's no longer an Abyssal Empress."
~o~
9:30 P.M
Nagasaki Naval Base
One could only dream what it feels like to have a vacation after working in the maintenance building for almost three years nonstop. This particular person had to make custom ammunitions for her comrades, repair shipgirl rigging, do some personal favor, and a lot more.
It was a god send for her when a second Repair Ship was summoned by her superior. Unlike three years ago, there are now three shipgirls inside the maintenance building.
—and thousands upon thousands, upon thousands of maintenance personnel fairies all over the maintenance building which was now refurbished into manufacturing shipgirl ammunitions as well.
On one particular section of the maintenance building is a basement where Research and Development are being made. A girl wearing a long lab gown that had an unusual pink hair snickers loudly as she places a liquid dropper on top of a green bucket.
Inside this green bucket is a blue colored liquid named Formula A. This blue liquid is highly viscous similar to corn starch mix with water. It does not easily mix with known liquids like seawater since its composition is similar to automotive oil. It also emits a foul odor similar to mustard gas which was toxic and commonly used during the First World War and was banned after.
With a gas mask on her face she then leaned her head above the said blue liquid and drops a single droplet on the bucket.
The colorless droplet fell into the blue liquid and dissolved. The woman that had a pink hair then took a metallic spatula from the silver tray behind her and started stirring the liquid inside the bucket.
After six counterclockwise turns the woman then pulls the metallic spatula from the bucket and observed the liquid.
The blue color was now gone and was now replaced by a luminous light green liquid. Slowly the woman removed the gas mask and placed her nose near the bucket's rim. She then inhales—concluding that the poisonous odor of the blue liquid was now gone.
The next thing the woman did was wounding her left hand using a scrapple. A horizontal cut could be seen at the palm of her hand. Gently she placed her wounded palm into the bucket and let it stay there for about a minute.
After sixty seconds the woman pulls her hand out of the bucket and saw something that will make other scientist scream in envy.
"HE—hehehhehehehehehehehhehehehe." The woman let out a wicked laugh as she saw the wound on her palm missing.
No, missing is not the right term. The wound on her palm was healed…
"I did it!" The woman screamed throwing the gas mask into the air.
This woman then rushed towards the exit and started slamming her hand on the metal door.
"I did it! Open up! I've been locked here for a year already! Open the fuckin door!" The woman screamed in max volume.
An audible flick could be heard from behind the metal door. A bright smile surfaced at the face of the pink haired woman. Soon after the metal door opened backwards revealing another woman that was at the same height as her. This woman was wearing an orange maintenance personnel jumpsuit and a yellow helmet on her head. On both of her hands are greasy gloves which appear to be fresh.
This woman had a dark greenish hair and was facing the pinked haired woman with a tired look.
"I did it, Yuubari! I did it~!" The pinked hair woman kneeled on the ground as she wheezed in happiness.
"Good. Now go to the Shipgirl dormitory building already and get some rest. I've prepared a meal for you at your office. Also, your partner Asahi will be waiting for you at Admiral Goto's office around 19:00 hours tomorrow to report your progress. Now get out of here, you smell very bad." Yuubari spoke as she pulled the weeping pinked hair woman up from the ground and escorted her out of the RD bunker.
As the pinked haired woman walked towards the surface, Yuubari entered the RD bunker and checked on the bucket where a bright green hued liquid could be seen.
Yuubari had a look of amazement on her face. She still couldn't believe that Akashi did it on her own. In the first place Akashi has been locked here for over a year because she barged in Yura's detainment building to help Yuugumo's detachment fleet out of there, stating that Yura's detainment building would only make their mental health get worse. Akashi was still two years old at that time and by two years old it basically means that she was two years old after she was summoned on 2047.
The Abyssal War has been going on for over four years already. And about a year ago, Yuubari could still remember how Akashi let an Abyssal Empress escape capture. That was also another reason why Akashi was prisoned here for almost a year.
Curiously, Yuubari walked towards the bucket and took a scalpel that was freshly used. Yuubari vaguely remembers what Akashi has been doing in this basement for over a year but according to the reports that Akashi has been sending via email—if she could remember correctly, the fluid that Akashi and Asahi are working on for about two years already is called Repair Formula 23-41-AA.
With that in mind Yuubari then slit a vertical wound on her left palm and soaked it with the bright light green liquid.
The main purpose of this fluid was to help wounded shipgirls heal their wounds faster so that they could be sent into the front lines quickly as possible. Back then the Combine Fleet which was a special branch of the IJN which is composed of Shipgirls such as herself, were quite few back then.
Specifically there are only 23 shipgirl in total on November 22, 2046 and by June 3, 2047 there are around 56 shipgirls in service. These shipgirls would sortie every day and would only get rest, if and only if, they are heavily wounded in battle. Back then the Combined Fleet would just tend the wounded shipgirls normally. If a shipgirl loses a limb or two she would be immediately put out of action.
Everything changed when Akashi was summoned. She then introduced the 'Repair Docks' to Admiral Goto, to help the wounded and limbless shipgirls back into action. Admiral Goto hesitated when the Repair Docks were introduced but with confidence on Akashi's part she purposely dismembered her own arm and entered the Repair Dock.
Within a single day her dismembered right arm regenerated like a lizard's tail. Admiral Goto immediately rallied all the wounded shipgirls.
Within a week all shipgirls were back in action—however, there is a downside with the Repair Dock's that Akashi invented.
Firstly, the time it takes to regenerate lost organs and heal wounds depends on the severity. For example, it will take a whole week to regenerate both dismembered right arm and left leg. While minor cuts and burned skin only takes a single day to heal.
Something must be done to hasten the healing and regenerating process. And thus—
Yuubari pulled her hand out of the bucket and saw the wound on her palm, gone. She had a similar look on her face as Akashi—gleeful.
~o~
Akashi arrived in front of the Shipgirl Dormitory entrance and greeted the female employee seated on the reception area. The female employee happily waved her hand at Akashi.
"Ah~ I didn't saw your face here before. Are you new here?" Akashi asked as she leaned her body forwards into the employee's face.
"Eh? Ah, well this would be my first job in the JSDF. I am really happy working with the shipgirls!" The female employee loudly announced.
Akashi then turned her eyes into the employee's name tag and pronounced it in her head.
Yorimura? Yoshimura? Damn I need to reeducate myself with these modern Kanji's. But then again if you read it normally, wouldn't her name be called Yoshinomura?
"What is it, Akashi-san?" The employee asked curiously having seen Akashi intently staring at her.
"No-no, I am just having a hard time reading your name using today's Kanji…."
The employee lowered her head and stared at her name tag. She then rubbed the back of her neck and spoke with an embarrassed tone.
"Pardon me, Akashi-san. But this isn't really Japanese….umm how should I explain this…? I am a Chinese immigrant, so um…you pronounce my name as Fie Xing Ma." The employee explained with a polite tone.
"Ah—I am terribly sorry for not reading your name properly…" Akashi bowed embarrassingly.
The employee did not mind since this happen almost every day with the ever flowing shipgirls that are going in and going out of the Shipgirl Dormitory. Today there are around 76 instances where she was called Yoshinomura-san instead of her real name which is Fie Xing Ma. But it didn't bother her, after all seeing the Destroyer Escorts call her that way has made an impact on her.
Akashi's yawn made her shook her head out of her imaginations where Destroyer Escorts are calling her Yoshinomura-san all day. She bowed her head once more and said, "As always. Thank you for your hard work, Akashi-san!"
A flushed look emerged out of Akashi's face as she bowed as well and walked towards the elevators on the left hallway.
Fie Xing Ma stared at the back of the first Repair Ship of the Combined Fleet. That sturdy small-petite shoulders of that pinked hair shipgirl named Akashi were the ones responsible for saving dead, wounded, and immobilized shipgirls in the Combined Fleet.
Without her—Yuubari won't be able to replace her and Asahi would have a hard time managing things because she was formerly a battleship and not a full-fledged repair ship.
Without her, things won't be as easy as today.
Fie Xing Ma had the most important job in the Combined Fleet. She may not be a combatant that could kill a land based abyssal nor a shipgirl that can sink a sea borne abyssal. Fie Xing Ma is a normal human being who works as an employee that writes down the names of each shipgirl that goes in and goes out of the shipgirl dormitory.
As of now there's only a few information released to the public regarding what and who these shipgirls are. Not much has been given to them despite the fact that they have been protecting the people for over three years now.
And it is Fie Xing Ma's job to give these shipgirls the gratitude that they deserve in this world that knows so little of them.
~o~
With a heavy sigh, Akashi fell into her soft bed for the first time in twelve months. It was dirty and smells like shit but she didn't mind, it is her dirty scent after all. As the dust particles settles down, Akashi turns her head clockwise and stood up once more.
She then approached a small notepad that was nailed on her personal cabinet that has been catching dust for twelve months. There is a single note written, in which it says: Top priority save Shikinami and Yuugumo, ASAP!
It reminded her of Yuugumo's detachment fleet that was sent on the Suwanose Channel.
A small detachment fleet composed of six destroyers was suddenly attacked by a fleet of three abyssal light cruisers and two battleships.
All six destroyers were sunk but were later recovered by I-1's ten submarine type shipgirl recovery fleet.
If it weren't for I-1's hard work and determination on recovering all sunken shipgirls the Combined Fleet would've received its first batch of shipgirls that were lost in battle. She was very fortunate for I-1…..and also that Abyssal Empress that spared all sixteen shipgirls that were present on that channel.
"Fuckin…..prick…" Akashi swore as she remembered the mocking face of that Abyssal Empress. How she almost popped I-1's neck like it was made of jelly and how she singlehandedly defeated all six veteran destroyers in an hour.
To be honest, Yuugumo's Detachment Fleet that was composed of six destroyers were no push overs. All six of them were part of Admiral Goto's [FIRST BATCH] indicating that they've been summoned first and were the first ones that fought the abyssals during the later parts of the first year of the Abyssal War.
Shipgirls like; Kazagumo and Yuugumo of the Yuugumo-class, Oboro from the Ayanami-class, Shikinami of the Fubuki-class and Wakaba from the Hatsuharu-class.
Akashi sighed once more as she places her hand at the lower tip of the paper and ripped it out of the notepad's wooden holder. Behind that said paper that she just tore off is a plain white sheet of paper. With her right hand Akashi then crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it on a filled trash bin that she has not taken out for almost twelve months.
She then sat back on her bed and stared at mirror that was reflecting her face. Her pale looking face and ruffled hair that hasn't been washed for a long time was roughly reflected. Large black bags could be seen underneath her eyes and her skin's former glory now shrouded in elderly skin.
"Ugh, I need a good rest…" Akashi groaned as she removes her top uniform and unhooked her bra releasing the tensed muscles on her back.
A knock then came to her door. It was not just a simple knock however—the person behind it was basically banging the door like a matter of upmost importance is upon her.
Akashi took a towel from her cabinet and wrapped it around her upper body to cover her bare chest before placing her right hand on the doorknob, giving it a clockwise turn and pulling it inward.
Fie Xing Ma was breathing heavily in front of her. Sweat buds could be seen on her forehead and she was very pale. Her legs were shaking badly and her clothes were in disarray like she didn't have the time to fix her clothes.
"Th Th Th Th Th Th Th Th Th —!" Fie tried speaking.
"What? What's wrong?!"
Out of concern Akashi grabbed Fie by the shoulders and shook her once to snap her out of it. She then lowered her head to the point that their eyes could meet.
"Fie! What is wrong?" Akashi asked once more.
"There an Abyssal Empress at the lobby!" Fie screamed as she grabbed Akashi' slender arms.
She could feel it, Akashi could feel the surging feeling of fear from Fie's hands. Akashi gulped once as she pulled Fie into her room and let her sit on her dusty bed. She then closed the door and kneeled in front of Fie.
"Calm down! Alright calm down." Akashi spoke as she examined her closely.
Fie was still shaking violently. Akashi wondered what this girl has seen on the lobby. She still couldn't believe that there's an Abyssal Empress on the lobby—let alone bypassing today's night patrol around Nagasaki Naval Base both in sea and land.
There are also sensors all over the base that would detect abnormal thermal emissions indicating that an abyssal is present. If what the employee is telling the truth then there is no doubt that the base has been raided without them even noticing.
"Tell me, what does the Abyssal Empress look like?" Akashi asked calmly.
Announcing the presence of the Abyssal Empress to the top brass is important but at the same time she needed to know the appearance of the Abyssal Empress first.
"W-what do you mean what does she look like?" Fie asked with a shaking voice.
"Please Fie, I need to know!" Akashi grabbed Fie's two shaking hands and asked her in requisition.
Fie looked at Akashi's green eyes once more and steeled her emotions to remember what the Abyssal Empress that she saw looked like.
"W-well for starters she looked lik—"
"Akashi!"
The door of her room basically flew pass Akashi and was thrown out of the room via the small window. The strong force that was applied on the door bore large cracks on the walls around Akashi's room.
"Help me!" The unknown voice screamed.
Standing in front of her is a woman that was around 182 cm tall and wore clothes that were both stained in mud, red fresh blood, and a jet black fluid. This woman had a pale skin and a white hair, she also had this intimidating look supplemented by her bright gold eyes. These eyes were staring straight at Akashi. These were the eyes of the thing that Akashi despised the most.
"Marianna…." Akashi spoke with a heavy tone, remembering the name of the abyssal that sank all six veteran destroyers and the very same abyssal that spared 10 submarines and 6 destroyers from permanent death by allowing them to retreat back to safety.
The abyssal was not alone. On her arms is a man with a dismembered arm. He was around 19 years old by Akashi's examination and looked like a college student. He had a black hair covering his eyes and a very pale skin almost resembling the abyssal that was carrying him.
"Help me!" The abyssal spoke once more, "Please help him…." She continued, her voice wavering, "I can't lose him. Not him…Not him….Please help me save him!"
Akashi's eyes widens as she realize that the abyssal in front of her was in fact not carrying a corpse for her to feast but rather a man who's faintly breathing and is standing in front of death's door.
~o~
The rain outside the abandoned ammunitions storage building was loud enough that it practically nullified the loud sound of Akashi's equipment from being heard from the nearby patrols.
She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe herself that she is now helping an abyssal running around this vital naval base in the southern part of mainland Japan. Akashi was not alone, beside her is the Chinese employee that worked at the Shipgirl Dormitory's reception area, Fie Xing Ma.
Fie Xing Ma was helping Akashi remove the chains that were wrapped around the bar handles of the tall metal doors of the ammunitions building. Akashi was holding the right handle while Fie was holding the other. Both of them then simultaneously pulled away from the center revealing the insides of the abandoned ammunitions building.
Hastily the abyssal behind them then entered and walked towards the dusty table placed at the right side of the empty hall. Akashi—with her clothes drenched by the rain—then ran towards the opened entrance and closed it with the help of Fie.
"It's okay. It's okay. I found Akashi—she will help us Gintoki, do not worry. Do not worry a single bit." The abyssal started caressing the man's head gently.
She then glared at Akashi who was rushing towards a dark lit room. A few moments later a bright beam of light glowed pass over Fie's head and then it disappeared, followed by Akashi's head peeking out of the room.
"Come. Put him here!" Akashi called in Japanese.
Akashi was unsure whether the abyssal understood her but based on how hasty she was on carrying Gintoki towards her, she assumed the abyssal understood her in a way.
After the abyssal entered the dark lit room, Akashi took her spotlight and pressed the on button before placing it on a hanging hook above a dirty bathtub.
"Come here, Fie!" Akashi called.
Fie peeked her head beside the entrance and faced Akashi with a wary look.
"Take this bucket and fill this up with water. Clean water is preferable okay?" Akashi ordered, giving her a small rusty bucket.
"U-Understood." Fie replied.
"Marianna…." Akashi called the abyssal's name in which the abyssal turned her attention towards her, "I need to return to the RD building to recovering something. Stay here for the meantime and don't do anything unre—"
"Just hurry and go!" The abyssal yelled at the top of her lungs in Japanese.
Dumbfounded by the words that the Abyssal replied, Akashi was unable to move before the abyssal urged her once more to go.
Akashi ran out of the abandoned ammunitions building. She ran as fast as she could, despite the heavy rain, towards the RD building to recover her newly developed Repair Formula.
The soles of Akashi shoes were covered in dirt as she entered the small entrance of the white tiled maintenance building without any care about the dirt that she has left on the white tiles.
Some employees were throwing glances at Akashi as her heavy steps echoed around the building as she moved towards the basement where she was imprisoned for almost a year.
As she trailed on the stairs to the basement bunker she met Yuubari along the way and was yanked-still before she could step foot on the basement bunker.
"Hey-hey, where do you think you're goin?! " Yuubari asked with a confused look on her face.
Having had her arm pulled, preventing her from entering the basement bunker, Akashi had no choice but to lie towards her partner.
"Ah well, I forgot my tools at the cabinet here so I have to go and retrieve them."
"What are you talking about? I've sent some of my fairies to deliver your tools to your shop since you were in a hurry to get back to the Shipgirl Dormitory." Yuubari replied, instantly crushing Akashi alibi.
Akashi was spooked; she had no counter for that one. Yuubari was staring at her with a confused look. She was really intent on keeping Akashi out of the basement bunker.
"You're hiding something aren't you?" Yuubari cautiously asked.
At that moment all of Akashi's hair stood up simultaneously. She was now on a very delicate spot where a single wrong word uttered at the wrong place would endanger her.
"Yuubari…."Akashi spoke with a serious tone.
"W-What?" Yuubari was startled by Akashi' sudden change in attitude to the point that something deep inside her was making her feel wary of Akashi.
"The truth is…." Akashi paused.
Yuubari leaned closer and closer to Akashi as she waited for her to answer.
"Admiral Goto is waiting for you at the Sortie Area." Akashi deadpanned.
Yuubari leaned back and sighed softly. She then pats Akashi' shoulder before turning around facing her back towards Akashi.
"Say it directly. You don't have to lie to me, you know? Alright, do what you want in there and remember to close the door and turn off the lights." Yuubari spoke as she walked on the stairs to the topside.
As soon as Yuubari's back disappeared from her view, Akashi hastily went inside and looked for the bucket where the Repair Formula was stored. Unfortunately for Akashi, she couldn't find it.
"Where is it?! Where is it?! Where is it?!"
Akashi opened every drawer, cabinet, as well as the lockers—but her effort was futile. There's no sign of the Repair Formula, Akashi began sweating heavily knowing that if she can't find the Repair Formula sooner or later, there's a risk that the Abyssal would start attacking the base.
In the first place why is she even helping the abyssal? She asked herself that question. But she couldn't find the answer for that question.
Akashi looked for the Repair Formula once more and stumbled across a cylinder that was 12 inches in length placed on the table right next to a bunsen burner. Akashi walked towards it and lifted it horizontally from the table. She could see thumb marks at the side of the small slit at the middle of the cylindrical object. The right thumb mark seems to be pulled downward while the left thumb was pushed upward.
Following the signs, Akashi placed her thumbs at the thumb marks and followed its pattern.
The cylindrical object let out a sharp wheeze and then a bright green fluid started oozing out of the opened slit at the middle.
Judging by the luminescent and odor, Akashi knew it was the Repair Formula that she was looking for.
Akashi then traced the thumb marks at the opposite direction, closing the middle slit shut. She then stood up and started running towards the exit.
"Ara… Why are you being hasty, Akashi?"
Standing on the exit with her arms crossed was a pinked haired shipgirl that reaches her thigh. She had this look on her face that gave Akashi a mild cold sensation on her back. Her voice was so cold that Akashi unknowingly took a step back.
It was a shipgirl enlisted in the Imperial Guards. The captain of the SSO, currently working part time in the Combined Fleet—And Admiral Goto's second wife…
"Yura…." Akashi spoke with a fleeting tone.
Akashi knew she was in trouble. Whenever Yura is around, there's bound to be trouble. And most of the time that trouble includes blood and death.
"Yuubari told me about the success of your experiment. Mind if I ask to take a look at it?" Yura spoke as she entered the room with soft movements.
Yura then gently closed the basement door behind her. The sound of the rain outside the room were not heard ever again.
Chapter End