Chapter 3: Sins of past lives
The last day of the calm before the storm. Yamashiro was up earlier than normal today – everyone was. The grand decisive battle was upon them, and no one was really themselves anymore.
Like Yamashiro. Her thoughts dwell for the first time on not just Fusou-nee, but on the purpose of their existence. Thoughts raced in her head as she made her way from the dorms to the cafeteria. She knows they were made to fight a mysterious enemy that arose from the seas and subjugated the Americas, on top of limiting all human seafaring to within sight of a coastline a decade ago, and that the upcoming liberation of the Philippines was vital on many levels. Tactically, it would be the first major transoceanic landing operation. Strategically, the Philippines would serve as a staging ground for future trans-pacific operations. And for humanity, this would be a rallying call to rise up against the scourge, together.
"The pride of the fleet rides on the operation, as well as its future. If we loose, what will happen to the fleet. We may be disbanded. I may be split from nee-sama. I don't wanna be split from nee-sama. But what if nee-sama sinks? I will never let that happen to nee-sama agai…"
The blast from a trumpet broke her chain of thought. The flag was being raised. She turned to it and stood at attention out of protocol.
"Strange. Why is the Zulu flag being raised instead of the state flag? That man probably wants to raise morale – as if that helps," thought Yamashiro as the ensign rose slowly. She pivoted on her right foot to continue on to get breakfast as soon as the flag reached the top of the mast when she saw someone standing on the pier. The black uniform with white lapels and sleeves, plus long black hair tied in a braid made her identity clear: it was Shigure.
"Shigure, what are you doing there? Come. Let's have breakfast," Yamashiro called out. Shigure stood there, unmoving.
"Geez," Yamashiro thought to herself as she went up to the pier. She grabbed Shigure and spun her around to face her. "Shigure, come on; I heard breakfast's pretty good…"
Again, her chain of thought was broken, but this time by the sight of a tear rolling down Shigure's cheek. Her eyes, puffy and unfocused.
"Yamashiro… I promise… we will make it through the strait… we will make it to Leyte… we will meet the Kurita fleet, together…"
"Calm down; snap out of it," shouted Yamashiro as she shook Shigure out of her trance. Shigure's eyes finally focused on Yamashiro's as she burst into tears.
"Yamashiro-san, I'm sorry, I didn't know what came over me. I only wanted to watch the sunrise, then I saw the flag and the memories came back to me. I want to get everyone out of there. It will not be like Guadalcanal, Vella Gulf, or Leyte Gulf, where I stood helpless as those I loved sank. In this new life I can change fate. No one will be abandoned, not under me…"
"Shigure, now you understand what I feel towards Fusou-nee. I also left her behind that night – we both did. We pushed forwards in the name of duty, but it was wrong. I never forgave myself for that…"
Shigure looked Yamashiro in the eyes to see her normally cold glare replaced with something – something she only ever showed to Fusou. A warmth, a compassion, one with a faint yet undeniable undertone of melancholy, a sign of epiphany of fates shared. Between her and Fusou, it was sinking together that night, and between her and Shigure, it was one of love, loss, and abandonment in the name of duty. Shigure tightened the embrace as she pushses her face into Yamashiro's bosom, and in this embrace they stood motionless under the warmth of the rising sun.