*Kure Naval Base – Military Naval District Quarters*
Three weeks passed… Osaka took every opportunity she had to spend time with Nagato, Zuikaku and especially with Fusou. It wasn't a surprise, because her gentle and sweet demeanor made her a good company to be with… Even so, she spent good time in the company of Zuikaku, as well as in the company of the Nagato…
So came a new day… today Osaka wears more of an informal apparel: brown shoes with white stockings, a red skirt and a white small sleeved shirt, complete with a black tie… Her brown hair gently floats in the morning breeze, as she walks about the military district. She's looking for Nagato…
"Hmm… Where could she be?" – Osaka wondered, as she casually took a turn around what seemed to be the entrance to the ship-girls quarters… A few ship-girls were indeed around, but none paid attention to Osaka, so she was able to look around the garden in front of the building… She casually sat down on one of the benches that oversee the entrance… the surrounding garden has a couple of trees to provide shade and many beautiful flowers grow in lovely rows on the most nearest patches to the entrance…
Suddenly she spots Nagato, coming out of the ship-girl quarters. She waves at her from the bench with a smile… At first Nagato hesitated, but then recognized Osaka and waved back with a smile of her own… She approached the bench and sat beside her…
"Almost didn't recognize you in that outfit. You look very professional." – Nagato states with a warm tone…
"Oh, this? It's a bit more informal I guess." – Osaka states with a giggle…
"Informal, you say? Could have fooled me." – Nagato regards with a smirk…
"So where's Zuikaku? Isn't she around?" – Osaka asks looking about…
"Zuikaku had to meet with the Admiral. I guess you're stuck with me." – Nagato states gently – "However, if you prefer someone else as company, I could just go get Fusou and…" – Nagato begins with a devilish smirk and a gentle tone…
"No!" – Osaka interrupts very embarrassed at the mention of Fusou, but upon seeing Nagato's smirk still standing and her brow raise questioningly, she immediately says – "I mean… Fusou is probably busy right now, and I wouldn't want you to go and badger her to come over…" – She manages with a smile and a stoic tone; tough her blush says otherwise…
Osaka loved the company of Fusou, but she abstained from asking "exciting questions", as Fusou had some "difficulties" remembering certain times, and the ones she could remember, would leave her in an emotional reck… The main topics of conversation with the gentle battleship-girl were more about "love-interests" and on how to properly take care of ones look… Honestly, Osaka didn't mind that, as she would get lost in conversation all day with Fusou when those questions came around (even if she is mostly shy around Fusou)…
"Speaking of meetings, how did you meet with Zuikaku?" – Osaka asked with a curious tone, not only to shift the subject, but also because of curiosity…
"That's the easiest question you've asked me so far!" – Nagato says after a brief laugh…
"Uhm… I meant after the war. After what happened between you and Missouri…" – she said with a more nervous tone of voice and avoiding Nagato's eyes… Nagato raised an eye-brow with a genuine look of confusion, so she had to clarify – "You said you lost her, when you had a talk with Missouri… remember?"
"Ha… I see…" – Nagato's expression sadden a bit… She crossed her legs and closed her eyes, seeming to be deep in thought… Osaka sighed figuring she probably asked something she shouldn't… but Nagato began to explain…
"Two years after the war, in 1947, I set out to "old battlefields" in a personal search…" – she began explaining in a stoic tone…
*flashback – 1947, Leyte Island, Philippine's*
Nagato wondered the beaches of Leyte, looking on the horizon… Her eyes seem to drift and lose focus; a feeling of terror seems to eat away at her… This place seems unfriendly for some reason… A Japanese Naval Officer comes to Nagato's side…
"Ma'am, we've extended the visit for long enough, we need to go." – The Officer tells her with a stern expression…
"There's a small village up ahead… I'm going there." – Nagato points to a small peak that forms a bit inland, jungle foliage covering the way in after the beach dunes end…
"Ma'am, please…" – The Officer begins with a stoic tone…
"Not up to debate, Captain." – comes the curt but strong response of Nagato, who begins to walk along the beach with determination…
The Captain merely sighs and walks back to a group of soldiers near a jeep, further back from where he and Nagato had just stopped… The jeep had American markings… A U.S Army high-ranking officer stood in the passenger seat, accompanied by the driver (an MP soldier) and two other soldiers in the back, both equipped with M1 Garand rifles (also MP's)…
Has he walks up; the U.S Officer speaks up…
"What does she want now?" – He states with a look of disinterest, clearly running out of patience…
"Sir! Miss "N" believes that a nearby village might know about some of our soldiers and sailors who may have gone lost in the island during the war." – the Japanese Captain states in his very accented English, trying his hardest to keep a stern look and a stoic tone…
"The god-dammed nerve of that woman!" - The U.S Army Officer responds, clearly frustrated… He stands up on the jeep and states – "Listen here "Tojo"! You tell that stubborn women to hurry the hell up, elsewise, I'm locking her up in solitary for wasting my god-dammed time!" – He retorts with clear frustration in his tone…
The Japanese Captain performs a crisp salute before chasing off after Nagato, all the while with the Americans in tow, cruising in their jeep…
Eventually they reach the village, in the middle of the jungle of Leyte… The dense vegetation can trick the senses of direction, but the presence of roads makes it clear that navigation has been established for some time. Several huts and cottages compose the village, with a small market were vendors come from other parts of the island to trade… It's bustling with activity, said market, as the fisherman just returned from a morning trip to the sea… Children play outside the houses, and people make their daily lives…
As Nagato approaches the village, a little girl spots her approach… Observing her way away, Nagato returns a curious look, only to be met by the little girl's accusing finger point and what sounded as a cry for help! She run's back into a hut…Meanwhile a lot of the children scatter around the village, the adults spot the cause of such commotion: it is the combined sight of Nagato in her very peculiar outfit and the Japanese Navy Captain that arrives after having to run to keep up with her… Immediately, the streets of the small village clear, with only a few dozen people holding their ground outside, mostly old folk, while wearing stern expressions…
The Japanese Captain catching up to her, finally says…
"They probably won't tell us a thing, Miss "N". Why do you insist on this endeavor?" – He asks…
"Hope…" – is all that Nagato musters, in a stoic tone, before resuming her march into the village…
Most old people ignore her, but Nagato can spot people looking at her from the windows of their huts, children clutching to their mothers, while man with angry expressions watch her every move, arms crossed…
Nagato even attempts to approach one of the men, but he shouts her away with – "Leave us alone, invader!" – Nagato, receiving such a response, backs away and resumes roaming around the streets of the village…
She passes the small market; people ignore her and continue trade with fervor… It is then that she spots something odd, a bit away on the road that leads away from the village… A little girl in a light-brown dress seems to be addressing a woman who kneels down in front of her… The woman, clearly young, wears a white miko uniform and a red skirt. Nagato couldn't make out the face of the woman, only that her hair was long, green/grey in color, done in twin tails. She seems to be comforting the little girl…
"She looks mean, and she came with a bad man." – The little girl said in between sniffles and what sounded as a distressed tone…
"They might not be that bad. Maybe they're not from around." – The young woman replied, holding a gentle smile while holding her hand…
"But…! But…! They're from Japan!" – The girl answered, getting more concerned as she said so…
"I'm from Japan. And you're not afraid of me." – The young woman replied with a smile, her tone ever gentle…
"But you're different!" – She proclaimed with visible concern, though her tone seemed more caring…
"Japanese!" – Nagato repeated in her head, as she heard them talk… She began to approach and reached out to the woman…
"Excuse me! May I have a word with you?" – Nagato said with a calm but loud tone, as she began to make haste in a walking manner towards them, while waving her hand to them…
The girl and the woman turned their heads towards the sound of her voice… and it was then that Nagato saw! The woman had green/gray eyes, like the color of her hair, and Nagato immediately recognized her…
"Zuikaku!?" – Nagato shouts in shock! She freezes momentarily, with a visible feeling of guilt hanging in her eyes…
Zuikaku for her part only gasped as soon as she saw who had called her… "I-I can't b-believe it…!?" – She thought – "It's really her!"
She looked at the little girl and said – "Run home!" – And the little girl dint skip a beat. She ran down the road, passing besides Nagato, but in a long arc to circumvent her…
Zuikaku slowly rose from her stance… Her eyes wide with shock, her hands shuck with fear… Her eyes focused on Nagato, who was still holding her ground…
Nagato made the first move; she took a step forward and spoke up…
"I've been searching for you, Zuikaku…" – She begins with a down tone, her eyes displaying sadness…
"Never again!" – Zuikaku yells! She turns around and runs away, towards a path signaled by white gemstones… Nagato gets hit with confusion, as it seemed like Zuikaku was taking off on her! Was she really running away from her former comrade?
Nagato gave chase, following as best she could, up a little crest barely outside of the village, which the white gemstones on the ground signaled… Once atop the little crest, Nagato saw… An old house, made of wood and simple textile, sits in this lonely spot just outside… The sliding door seems closed, but a small opening has been kept… It was Zuikaku seeing if Nagato had followed her… Right as she began advancing slowly towards the house, the door closed fully…
Nagato stood in front of the door… She stayed silent, but on her feet… She could hear Zuikaku's anxious breathing… Like she felt endangered… So Nagato kneeled in front of the doorstep and spoke…
"I'm not going to hurt you." – Nagato said in a gentle tone…
"Go away!" – Came the insecure response from the outside of the door…
"Zuikaku, please! Open the door… At least… let me see you…" – Nagato asked, a gentle tone but with hints of sorrow…
No response came this time… Nagato waited for a full minute, still no response, but she heard movement from the inside… then the door slid open… It was Zuikaku, who after opening it, kneeled if front of her… Her expression seemed to be a mix of sorrow and anger…
"Zuikaku… I uh…" – Nagato began, with a troubled tone…
"Stop!" – Zuikaku yelled at her – "Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it!" – She answered with resentment…
"I'm sorry…" – was all that Nagato could muster… She understood Zuikaku's fear and anger…
"Why have you come? Why now? I've been living to forget… I don't want to remember anything else from the war…" – She said, with a somber tone, her look turning mournful…
Nagato couldn't bring herself to say anything… She wanted to… But felt like she shouldn't…
Zuikaku's gloomy mood turns to an aggressive look momentarily, as she swiftly reached for a stick besides the sliding door… Nagato had only seconds to react, and fell backwards on her back, said stick swung straight towards hear, near inches from her face… Zuikaku held it with a determined look and anger in her eyes…
"Leave me alone! I won't go back!" – She answers with determination and a look of fury…
Nagato's indecision to either speak up or move, made her angrier, and she swung up the stick up again, this time with intention to strike her! Nagato finally snapped to reality and dodge away, still falling to the ground after doing so…
"Leave!" – Zuikaku yelled, slamming the door shut! Nagato got up and began to walk away, but stopped after a few steps… She stayed perfectly still and quiet… She heard a "thump" coming from inside the house… And then she heard her cry…
"How did it get to this!?" – Nagato pondered, with visible frustration. She bit her lip, her fists clenched and her eyes watering up… But her "iron will", ever present, did not let her suffer out in the open… She resumed her march and returned to the village…
*A few hours later*
The U.S Army Officer had been forced to call up a squad of riflemen in a truck, to bring supplies and gear… They set up camp near the village, forcefully because of Nagato's stubbornness… The American troops weren't exactly happy to have to ditch their good bunk-beds for make-shift beds in a tent… Night was already upon them…
Also, she was called up, to answer before said Officer…
"Care to explain why we are wasting time here?" – The American Officer says with his expression visibly filled with annoyance…
"I found someone." – Nagato declared, her English only letting little evidence of an accent escape…
"And…?" – Emanates the indifferent response of the U.S Officer…
"I need time." – Nagato declared, preparing herself mentally…
"I had it with this!" – The U.S Officer replies, with frustration – "We've been searching for a full week! NADA! And now, at the end of this "endeavor", you finally found somebody, and you haven't brought the person to leave!?"
"She will take some convincing, Sir." – Nagato declared in a stoic tone…
"Fine!" – He retort's clearly angry – "You have 24 hours, after midnight! After that, we're leaving!"
"Very well, Sir." – Her ever present, stoic response, yet again…
As Nagato turned to leave the Officer's tent, she was stopped by a question…
"Hang a minute, "kemosahbee"… Who's "she"?" – The Army Officer inquires…
"Zuikaku. The second ship of the Shoukaku-Class Aircraft carriers" – Nagato responds tersely, before leaving the U.S Officer alone with the Japanese Captain…
"Zuikaku, huh? Name rings a bell or two…" – the U.S Army Officer comments aloud…
"She was part of the 5º Carrier Division, sir. She was there… in the day of the attack…" – The Japanese Captain answered lowering his head, his tone somber…
"Ah! One of the "Crane Sister's" the Navy squabbled about… I see… So that's why she's being so goddam stubborn…" – the U.S Army Officer concludes with a devious smirk and a strangely delighted tone…
Nagato for her part simply walked about the camp… Some soldiers directed her looks of indifference, while others were more visibly annoyed…
"The bunk-beds really were high heaven for these guys, huh…?" – Nagato pondered… She mired the village from afar… Thoughts racing through her head… Suddenly, she decided to leave. As she approached the outer perimeter of the camp, she was stopped by a rifleman…
"Where do you think you're going?" – He asks with a skeptical look in his eyes…
"Back to the village, I must follow some leads." – Nagato answered with her stoic tone…
"That's gonna be a "hell no". I got orders for us to stay in camp at night. That includes you, "Jap"!" – He says in a tone with hints of bother, pointing to Nagato…
"The faster I run these leads, the faster we all go home. Isn't that what you want?" – Nagato inquires, raising an eye-brow with a stern tone…
The soldier first ponders her question for a bit, but finally answers – "Alright… Get going, but come back soon. Or else you know what the Colonel will order…" – he states with a devious tone…
*A few minutes later*
There it was… the old house atop the little crest, just outside the village… Nagato mustered all her courage, all her strength and advanced… She kneeled in front of the door again… Candles outside light the front porch… She took a deep breath and finally spoke…
"Zuikaku, it's me. We need to talk." – She said with a stern tone, trying to slow her breathing…
The sound of steps can be heard, approaching the front door… then they stop, and the door does not open…
"I told you to leave!" – Zuikaku answered crossly from the other side…
"Not until we've talked." – Nagato said once more, her tone both stern and stoic…
The door slid open, Zuikaku once more kneeled in front of her, this time, her wooden stick besides her, just in hands reach…
"What do you want?" – She said once again, her tone clearly filled with anger and frustration…
"To bring you home Zuikaku. To end the fight…" – Nagato answered, her tone growing gentler…
"There is nothing left for me "home"… I want to stay alone now." – Zuikaku retorts with a somber tone…
"Please Zuikaku! It's important we stay together!" – Nagato pleaded…
"For what!? So they can come for us again, and kill us off this time?" – Zuikaku retorted, frustrated – "No… It's best to not be remembered… that way, they'll forget us, and will finally be at peace." – Zuikaku concluded, crossing her arms and closing her eyes, a tone of melancholy as she said so…
"Oh yeah? Well to bad, because I haven't forgotten "Crane"!" – A sudden and furious response caught both off guard!
Zuikaku instantly shot up to her feet, grabbing the wooden stick, fear exuding from her expression! Nagato rose up quickly too! She looked behind to spot the perpetrator of said voice! In the dark of night, steps rang towards the house, the mysterious figure's silhouette becoming ever so visible as she neared the front porch…
First became visible a silver shine, from something being pointed at them… Nagato instantly took a step back! A gun! A Colt 1911 handgun was being pointed at them from afar… Then, a few steps latter, they could see in the dim-light the features of the perpetrator…
A woman, not much taller than Zuikaku, approached… Her dark black hair contrasted with her pure blue eyes, which had white stars in her pupils, her pearly-white skin becoming more obvious in the candle lights… She wore a light-blue knee long skirt and a light-blue shirt, with a black belt with a golden belt buckled which had the U.S Navy insignia emblazoned on it… She had a long simple grey jacket, wore black high-heel shoes with brown stockings… In her hair, around her head specifically, protruded what seemed to be communication's equipment… Nagato recognized that it was antennas for radar and Anti-Air early warning radar…
"End of the road, "Crane"! Time to put you down for good, you little bastard!" – The woman answered with audible fury and a piercing stare at Zuikaku…
"W-Who… W-Who are you?" – Zuikaku pleaded, stepping backwards now at every step the woman took towards her…
"I guess you deserve that much… Though I expected you to remember me…" – the woman answered, with a visible grin on her face – "Eight ship of the Essex Class Aircraft Carriers! I am USS Lexington!" – She declared with a thunderous tone, hinting at both pride and anger as she said so – "And you are about to be history." – She finishes in a cold and fearsome tone!
Shock hit Zuikaku, as she froze in place, now unable to back away from the approaching carrier-girl… Lexington had her eyes locked on Zuikaku, her finger on the trigger! It seemed like the end! But Nagato had other plans, as she rapidly dashes in front of Zuikaku and blocks the vengeful sights of Lexington…
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" – Lexington demanded, clearly angry at the obstruction…
"I will not let you hurt her!" – Came Nagato's stoic but determined response!
"Who the hell do you think you are!? Get out of the way! NOW!" – Lexington states with audible fury, shouting the last part… Her hand steady's on target: Nagato in front, as Zuikaku is clearly behind her… Her fingers lock in position; she's ready to take the shot…
"You want to kill her? You have to go through me!" – Retorts Nagato, gritting her teeth as she finished delivering that line with anger and hints of stoicism…
"And just "who" are you exactly?" – Lexington demands, her frustration clearly exuding from her expression to her tone…
"Namesake and first ship of the Nagato Class of Battleships! I am Nagato!" – She answers with great pride, but letting her tone slip into an aggressive one, to try and dissuade her…
"YOU BITCH!" – Lexington shout's, holding the gun now with two hand's – "You're alive!? Well I'm not about to let that stand! First I'm gonna kill you, "Shot-Caller"! Then I'm sending the "Crane" along with you… TO HELL!"
Suddenly, a shout comes from the bushes behind Lexington – "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
The sound of guns being readied in the darkness spooks both Lexington and Nagato! Eight army riflemen's come out of the darkness, pointing there M1 Garand's at all three! The distraction actually works in Nagato's favor…
She quickly yanks away the wooden stick from Zuikaku's hands, and swings it swiftly, sending one end of it… into the left cheek of Lexington's face! The blow knocks her down; the gun goes loose and falls off to the side… Having successfully disarmed her, Nagato lowers the stick, as Zuikaku peeks over Nagato's side to see were Lexington is…
Very much on the ground, she fell to the right side, on her knees… She brings a hand to caress her left cheek… Her eyes first seemed locked in a state of shock, then she finally shifts them towards Nagato, now with unrelenting fury in them…
"You… You bitch!" – Lexington scowls at her, furious that she was humiliated in front of fellow Americans – "Your dead, you hear me? DEAD!"
She gets up and prepares to advance on her, even without the gun! But someone grabs her arm and stop's her! She looks back and yells…
"Let go before I hit you!" – Lexington yells as she struggles to get loose… But then she notices the one who's holding her, and her tone changes – "Missouri!?" – She asks in shock …
The one holding her down was a woman, who stood as tall as Nagato! Her silver hair shined a little in the dim-light, her skin almost as pearly-white as Lexington's, though not as much. Her eyes were a light-yellow with white stars on her pupils… She wore an Admiral's uniform emblazoned with golden and black details in the pure white of the garment (both on the jacket and trousers). She had an Admiral's hat, with details from the super-structure of her class on the template and sides of said hat, complementing all this with black high heels…
"That's enough Lexington!" – She exclaimed with a stern tone…
"The hell it is! I'm gonna kill her!" – Lexington exclaims while trying to get loose from her grasp…
"I should have known!" – Nagato's yell made Lexington and Missouri break their stalemate and mire her with shock – "You have a lot of explaining to do, Missouri!"
"Since when does she know you!?" – Lexington asks Missouri, while pointing to Nagato, her tone clearly filled with both annoyance and anger…
"Not relevant." – Missouri curtly answered – "What matters is I got her in time." – She answers, letting out a sigh…
"Yeah! In time to see me kill that bitch "Crane"! – Lexington scowls with fury in her eyes, as they lock on to Zuikaku, who immediately cowers behind Nagato!
"That's not going to happen, "Lex". She's not an enemy." – Missouri states sternly, as she approaches Nagato…
Nagato stayed on the defensive, her arms slightly outstretched to block any who could try to approach Zuikaku. She could feel the cold of panic induced breaths on her back, Zuikaku being mere millimeters away from being completely pressed against her back, with her right hand on Nagato's right shoulder… Nagato herself had a steel resolve! No one was going to lay hands on her friend!
"It's alright. We won't hurt you." – Missouri tried to reassure Zuikaku in a gently fashion…
"S-Stay away from me!" – Zuikaku answers terrified, from behind Nagato…
"I will not let you hurt her!" – Nagato reaffirmed, both to Missouri and to Lexington, her tone stoic and filled with determination!
"ENOUGH!"- Lexington's yell came out of nowhere!
Nagato had only a few seconds to react, although it was too late! She was rammed and shoved to the ground on the left by Lexington, who now towered over Zuikaku who fell on her knees upon being stripped of her cover! She swiftly and savagely grabbed her by the collar of her dress; Zuikaku vainly grabbing her arms, as if trying to escape, only to be lifted by Lexington who brought her eyes up to hers. A malicious shade of satisfaction seemed to exude from her eyes, although she gritted her teeth in anger, which very much scarred Zuikaku…
"I have you now, "Crane"!" – Lexington hissed to her, with a dark and very spiteful tone!
"N-No! P-Please…! D-Don't hurt me!" – Zuikaku begged with tears in her eyes, as Lexington lifted her left hand and closed it into a fist…
"This is for Enterprise!" – She yelled, as she pulled her left arm as back as she could, the strike now impossible to be stopped…
Zuikaku closed her eyes; she flinched as she prepared for the punch… She no longer felt in control of herself, and she shed tears, as she sobbed, awaiting Lexington's punishment to knock her out…
But Lexington did not strike her… she held her fist back, miring Zuikaku, who sobbed and mumbled for mercy, crying in her hands… It was so tempting… "Just hit her already!" – A voice in Lexington's head yells, but she kept still… She couldn't bring herself to hit her… Lexington dint feel it was out of mercy, nor pity… She came here to kill the one who hurt her best-friend and senior… Yet she couldn't…
It ended with Lexington easing the tension on her left arm, lowering it… Missouri and Nagato seemed to sigh almost in unison as she did so… Then she let go of Zuikaku's dress collar… She watched as Zuikaku fell back to the ground, on her knees and her hands as well, head hanged low, still sobbing…
"D-Don't hurt me… I-I… I don't want to die…!" – Zuikaku pleaded; frightened that she was only set loose to be struck at her enemy's leisure…
"Tchh… What a disappointment…" – Lexington professed with a heated tone – "I thought you'd put more of a fight, "Crane"…" – She says, in a pose that demonstrated dominance, though her anger still emanated from her eyes…
Zuikaku very slowly raised her head, tears still streaming down her face, fear still very much present in her expression… She had no answer to the carrier-girl, who had much more strength then her… Her eyes had a frightful shine to them, as if she was still pleading…
Then Lexington snapped and stomped one step towards her, raising the back of her right hand around the front of her, taking aim! Zuikaku dragged herself back a bit, and flinched once more, whimpering as she did… Lexington's rage was immense! She had her arm again tensed up, there was Zuikaku cowering before her, and yet… She can't bring herself to do it.
Lexington huffed furiously! The steady sounds of her huff's made Zuikaku's whimpers grow a little bit, like a bomb was about to go off, but the explosion was taking too long… And once again, she lowered her hand…
"That's enough!" – Missouri shout's, as she gets in front of Lexington and block her path – "She's not an enemy and this isn't the "War"! Cut it out "Lex"!
Nagato rushed to the side of her friend, embracing her… She needed to shield her, to protect her… Zuikaku very slowly returned the embrace, but her hands shuck and she cried as she pressed herself to Nagato, almost as if begging her to protect her… Nagato looked towards the American ship-girls with anger and said…
"You need to get the hell away from her, right now!" – Nagato curtly and angrily retorted, her eyes exuding wrath! Missouri and Lexington were both surprised by her next statement – "Because now I won't be trying to stop the fight! I'll start it!" – She snarls at them!
"It's ok. Will give you some space." – Missouri answered in a calm tone, lifting her hands in an apologetic manner. Then she grabbed Lexington's arm and pulled her away outside, while telling the riflemen – "It's alright! Stand down!"
Nagato watched as the riflemen dispersed and most of them left down the path towards the village, while Missouri and Lexington stood together in front of the house just a few steps away from the path…
She felt Zuikaku place her head on her shoulder, as she pressed herself to her…
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Zuikaku…" – Nagato whispered as she gently held her in her arms…
"Y-you were right…" – Was the response that was whispered back, in a very startled tone – "W-We… n-need to… to stick together…" – Zuikaku finally whispered, almost dragging the sentence, has fear was still very much affecting her…
"We're going home, Zuikaku. We're going home…" – Nagato said as she helped her up…
They left the house towards the village, in each other's arms, while two riflemen marched in front of them and Missouri and Lexington following behind them, though Missouri made sure the "Blue Ghost" followed a bit behind her at all times…
*Flashback end*
"Wow, sounds like Lexington is no joke…" – Osaka says with a surprised expression, feeling a bit taken aback at how Nagato spoke of the whole ordeal…
"Yes, she is something alright… But at least I'm glad that everyone walked away from there that day…" – Nagato concludes with a stoic tone, though she was still deep in thought, like she was when she began to recount such episode…
"So do you stay in touch with Missouri?" – Osaka begins in a curious tone…
"Sort of…" – Was the only thing Nagato said, before making a disgusted expression at the mention of Missouri…
"Hey, you two!" – They suddenly hear, from a bit of distance away! It was Zuikaku who cheerily waved at them as she approached…
Nagato returned a wave back, while Osaka got up and ran towards her, to catch her in a hug! A move which was not unwelcomed, has Zuikaku happily accepted the embrace…
"Someone is happy to see me today." – Zuikaku said after a chuckle, Osaka then letting her go, simply smiled and walked beside her…
Both got back and sat beside Nagato who watched them with a smile…
"So, were you two waiting for me?" – Zuikaku inquired…
"Yeah, kind of… But Nagato took the time to tell me about how you met after the war." – Osaka stated with a gentle tone…
Zuikaku immediately tensed up and seemed to scoot away from the two… Osaka was confused, while Nagato let out a chuckle of her own…
"Oh Shi… I dint mean to…!" – Osaka said with a very embarrassed expression…
"Y-You told her!?" – Zuikaku asked in a much shaken tone to Nagato…
"Well…" – Nagato began a bit embarrassed and shrugging her shoulders, though she had a grin on her face as she did…
"God, I hate that girl." – Zuikaku stated with a mortified tone, alluding to Lexington of course…
"I'm sure she wasn't all that bad. Lexington and you had some story during the war, right?" – Osaka asked, a bit embarrassed, scratching her cheek with one finger…
"Yeah right! It took a looooooooong time for us to actually get along…" – Zuikaku said as she turned her head very flustered…
"You mean you tangled again?" - Osaka inquired very enthusiastically – "Please tell me, please!" – She begged as she got right in front of her, her hands interlocked in front of her as she said so…
"N-No! I…I…" – She answered, still very much flustered. She looked to Nagato who was now laughing and said – "Goddam you, Nagato!" – but she sighed and finally conceded – "Fine… I guess I can tell you about what happened next…"
"Yay!" – Osaka celebrated with a jump and throwing her arms up. She then settled besides her to listen to Zuikaku, while Nagato smiled, seeing Zuikaku having eased up and being a bit more confortable…
*Author's Note*
Wow! This was a big chapter. Thank you for all the support and views. I swear I wanted to make more chapters come out, but I felt like this one was too good of an opportunity to pass up! So here you go guys: one big chapter, with two surprises: the revelation of how I picture Missouri (because I dint exactly left one in the first chapter) and the entry of a character who will appear a bit more in the story: the mean "tsundere", Lexington. I picture her like this because of the story she has with Enterprise (having a nickname similar to Enterprise's, because they served along each other temporarily, so Lexington was dubbed "Blue Ghost") and how she was one of the carriers involved in Zuikaku's sinking. I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all in the next chapter ;)