Author's Notes
Praise the motherfucking sun. \[T]/
On the 30th of May, a strange phenomenon occurred which threw the world into disarray again.
An island the size of a small country rose up from the depths of the ocean, and it exuded an Abyssal signature which was picked up by the various countries which surrounded the Pacific Ocean, and since a Beast of such an unprecedented size had never been sighted before, every country was scrambling to blow the warning horn and immediately raise the threat level to the equivalent of DEFCON 3.
Right now, Admiral Mako was sitting in Yokosuka's command center as her Coordinators surrounded her, and she looked at the large computer screen which was plastered to the wall before her, displaying the Abyssal Beast while she currently pondered just what they were to do about this.
Nagato looked up at the screen as she asked,
"We're not exactly sure what to do here, because the Abyssals haven't made their next move after this new Beast has surfaced.
And whatever it is, we're quite certain that it isn't affiliated with the Beast which killed the blue whale a few weeks ago.
Whatever this Beast is, it's different, and it's definitely larger."
Kirishima leaned in as she asked, a concerned glint being reflected in her bespectacled eyes as they revealed her fear at the thought of the morbid prospects which this development entailed, since no Abyssal Beast has ever been created to be this large before.
"So should we try to coordinate with the other naval bases to try and take it down?
I mean, for a Beast that's this large and outsizes even the Flying Dutchman, we certainly need no less than ten naval bases in order to take it down.
We'll require the assistance of the JASDF in order to bring it down, but to think that we'd have to fight another large-scale battle after the Battle of Twelve Navies…"
Mutsu noted,
"Well, it's positioned in the midst of the ocean, and we can get naval bases from the other regions to help out, because I know that this is something far beyond the capabilities of any one region to handle or defeat alone.
This Beast will take a while to submerge just as it took some time to surface, and we can try our best to emergency-sortie as many fleets as possible in order to engage it in combat before it escapes."
Nodding, everyone snapped their heads to face Ooyodo as she manned the radio station along with Musashi and was wearing headphones, her voice possessing a level of concern which was rarely seen from the light cruiser, who managed to remain level-headed in most dire situations.
"Incoming signal!
We're tracing it, and it…
It seems to originate from the Abyssal island-Beast, and it's hailing this naval base in order to open up a two-way communication channel!
Orders, Admiral?"
Everyone stood up quickly as the screech of chair legs scraping the tiled floor was heard by everyone while they crowded around the radio station and looked at the television set which was stationed above it, and Nagato watched the pop-up of a mystery signal being identified as,
'UNREGISTERED SIGNAL
ORIGIN: ABYSSAL
SECURITY: NIL'
As they managed to trace the origins of the incoming radio frequency back to the unknown Abyssal Beast, who was trying to communicate with them and them alone, asking darkly.
"Do you think that it could be a trap?
It's possible that accepting this call could infect our systems with some sort of virus, and we'd have to perform a full scrub in order to make doubly sure of this."
But Admiral Mako was silent the entire while as she heard her ship girls talk to one other and bounce opinions back and forth, hearing Akashi point out bluntly as it mirrored her views.
"Well, I don't think that they'd try something that's beneath them when dealing with us, since the new Abyssals are prideful and would probably say something like 'We do not need to resort to such petty tricks when facing off against trash' or something along those lines.
Besides, it doesn't hurt to try and answer a phone call in order to learn more about our enemies, am I right?
But the final decision goes to Admiral Mako, so as Ooyodo said, orders please, Admiral."
Before everyone turned to her, Admiral Mako considering the possibilities and the risks of trying to talk to the Abyssals, and how it might allow them to pull off a cyber attack should they accept this request.
On the one hand, their firewalls and cyber-defenses were cutting-edge ever since the Fairies helped to improve their technological defenses against any brute-force attack, so even if the Abyssals did try to hack their systems, the time bought by their defenses would provide them enough time to cut off the connection before any lasting damage could be done.
Admiral Mako then spoke up, a shadow clouding her weary and face as she gave out orders for her ship girls to follow.
"Wait for our cyber-security team to secure the connection, then accept the call and allow the military to monitor it, so that they'll be ready to intervene should anything crop up.
The second we detect anything suspicious coming through the call, we cut the lines and isolate our core systems in order to minimize the odds of an infection."
Yahagi turned away and headed out the door in order to carry out her orders while uttering a simple,
"Yes, Ma'am."
And she saw Nagato turn to her with a concerned look in her eyes, asking if this was for best when it could open the front door to allow the Abyssals into their systems and wreck havoc.
"Admiral, are you sure about this?
What if the Abyssals do manage to hack into our systems and bring everything crashing down before invading us?"
But Admiral Mako shook her head, looking up at the relatively huge red dot in the middle of the ocean on the television set and thinking out loud to herself.
"But those who occupy the Abyssal high command positions don't behave like how conventional Abyssal units would.
Whatever the reason is, they don't act or think like normal Abyssals do, since normal Abyssals wouldn't even bother calling us in order to get in touch and chat, and while the risk of a virus infection isn't out of the question, I don't think…
I don't think that they'd do such a thing, because unlike normal Abyssals who are cold, efficient and pragmatic to the point of being inhumane, they're affected by things like pride, sadism and the like."
Everyone turned to look at her as Admiral Mako continued her train of thought, thinking about how the Abyssals have been playing around with them as of late and how it was so unlike them to do so.
"They've been toying with their food by having Woxanne speak with us and warn us about the Flying Dutchman's existence while knowing that we were unable to do anything about its attack on our fleets at Mikura Jima Island.
That implies an insane amount of pride in the fact that, in their eyes, we can't stop them at this point, and as to the underhanded tactic of infecting our systems with a virus of their own making, I agree with Akashi when I bet they'd say something like…"
Admiral Mako's eyes became playful as she did her best to pull off a villainous smirk while she formed a tick with her thumb and index finger, holding it to her jawline as she spoke with a haughty voice.
"'Infecting their systems with a virus in order to cripple them before launching a large-scale invasion?
Hmph.
We have no need for such lowly and ungraceful tactics; our united offensive will crush them when the time comes.'
I think they'll say something crazy prideful like that, and the scary thing is that they actually have the firepower and manpower in order to back those claims up."
Nagato nodded in reluctant agreement, and it was then that Ooyodo received the notification that the channel was secure, looking up at Admiral Mako from her seat at the radio station as she notified.
"Admiral.
The preparations are ready, and we have our safeguards up in order to stop or at least slow down any form of an attack on our computer systems, so would you like to answer the call?"
She could hear Ashigara gulping nervously, speaking up defiantly in spite of her anxiety.
"Well, answer the call and get down to brass tacks, or hang up and piss them off.
I certainly wouldn't want to get on their bad side, so let's just get it over with."
Admiral Mako nodded while sharing similar sentiments, and Ooyodo punched in a few buttons and adjusted several dials while Musashi helped out with light activities in her recently-healed state, the speakers in the room whirring to life as they transitioned from grainy static into a clear channel with silence on the other side, Admiral Mako looking up at the small computer window as it displayed that squiggly line which showed the frequency of the voice on the other end of the line as it was currently a flat line to indicate total silence, along with the two simple words blatantly plastered on it to indicate the identity, or the lack thereof, of the caller,
'CALLER UNKNOWN'
Ooyodo then spoke into the microphone in a tone of mild disdain.
"This is Yokosuka, hailing the Abyssal Beast and Princess, state your identity and purpose of your call."
A hollow-sounding, yet cheery and eerily familiar voice chirped on the other end, addressing them with a level of camaraderie and spunk which no Abyssal to date has ever possessed.
[Aww, don't be so cold, Ooyodo-chan!
After all, we were friends once, right?
Well, I suppose we can rekindle our friendship even after all this time, if you want...]
Everyone froze up at the voice of Sakawa's Abyssalized voice being transmitted over the radio, and Admiral Mako whipped her head around along with everyone else in the room to check on Nagato's condition, considering her past with the dead-but-not-really-dead light cruiser.
Sure enough, Nagato had a dark look on her face as she folded her gloved arms beneath her bosom, and she lowered her head as an instinctive human reaction in threatening situations while her body shivered a little despite her best attempts to hide her emotions from them, either due to smoldering rage or trembling fear, Admiral Mako couldn't tell.
Sakawa spoke again, smelling blood in the water in the form of everyone tensing up as she introduced herself to the ship girls of Yokosuka.
[Well, after so long, I bet that there'll be new girls who've either been crafted or recruited from other bases, so allow me to reintroduce myself to everyone.
I'm the fourth Agano class Light Cruiser, Sakawa!
Nice to meet you all again! Pyan~]
Nagato shivered from the sweat which started to form on her skin, muttering darkly under her breath as a shadow formed over her face while Mutsu reassuringly patted her on the shoulder,
"I knew that she was Abyssalized by them, but to think that they'd allow her to retain so much of her personality…
Just what are they up to by allowing that?"
That train of thought was broken by hurried footsteps echoing in the corridor before Yahagi slammed open the door to the communications room, drawing everyone's attention to her as her normally-composed expression gave way to a rare occurrence of concerned panic, relieving a surprised Ooyodo of the microphone as the bespectacled light cruiser cried out,
"Hey, watch it!"
But Yahagi's expression was wracked with grief as she looked up at the CALLER UNKNOWN computer window and called out longingly into the microphone, Admiral Mako's heart breaking upon hearing the Agano-Class light cruiser sound like a lost child longingly asking for his mother.
"Sakawa, is that you?
Please, come back to us!"
But as silence reigned supreme in the stretched-out seconds between Yahagi's question and Sakawa's answer, in which a forlorn Yahagi allowed Ooyodo to snatch back the microphone with a slightly miffed but understanding look in her eyes, Yahagi's eyes darting as she scanned the flat line for any signs of activity on the other side.
And after some muted discussion as indicated by the barely-visible sine wave which was because of the Abyssal microphone picking up indistinguishable voices speaking up on the other end, Sakawa finally responded with a cheery voice which didn't fit the grave situation,
[Right, I asked Woxanne, and she confirmed your presence since you were in Yokosuka's active roster for a while, right?
Hi, Yahagi-chan!
Woxanne, come here and say 'hi' to everyone!]
Clacking steps could be heard before another voice spoke up over the line, definitely belonging to a Wo-Class as her signature voice intoned,
[Hi to everyone.]
The light cruiser's delighted chuckle could be heard over the speakers as it contradicted the tone of the conversation, and Yahagi's expression drew in a shaky breath, and Admiral Mako could see Nagato walking forward in order to stand behind the light cruiser before hugging her from behind as the Agano-Class light cruiser inhaled sharply in a sobbing breath as if struggling not to cry, Admiral Mako unable to see her expression as they faced the monitor, and Sakawa spoke up as she probably heard Yahagi's pained breathing after managing to contact a deceased relative.
[Aww, don't be like that, Yahagi-chan!
Tell you what, the whole point of me calling you today was to arrange a meet-up later today, where we can get in touch with each other after so long.
I'm not the only one who wishes to meet up with the ship girls of your naval base, much like how Yuubari's itching to meet Akashi-san again, and we have a little firebrand who can't wait to meet your 2nd Fleet.
Nagato-san, are you there?]
Admiral Mako looked up just as Nagato flinched a little from being called out by the light cruiser whom she had caused the sinking of, but she took a deep breath in order to calm herself before answering, her regal voice never losing its composure for a second and never betrayed any discernible weakness.
"Yes.
What is it you want, Sakawa?
Revenge?"
A bout of joyous laughter resounded through the speakers and caused some feedback as Admiral Mako cringed, but Sakawa calmed herself down enough to huff disbelievingly,
[Revenge?
You think I'd deign to call you for something as petty as revenge, when an army of tanks and a swarm of jet fighters storming your beaches and infesting your skies would do?
I'm sending you the coordinates should you wish to visit me as well as the list of invited ship girls, but then again, my island-turtle Beast Jasconius should appear on your map, since it's practically the size of a metropolis or even a small country, pya!
So I guess all I have to do is to tell you to visit the red dot on your map, teehee ~ !]
But Ooyodo spoke up again, now looking more concerned than ever regarding a security breach if they were to accept the invite, since it was an unknown computer file which could easily wreak havoc within their systems should it be accepted and opened without taking prior precautions.
"Riiiigght…
Not to disrespect you or your memory, Sakawa, but you must understand that we can't accept such a suspicious file for fear of some virus within it being unleashed upon us.
Besides, we know where you are judging by the colossal size of your Beast, and it's located way beyond the Safety Zone where an ambush can be easily sprung, so forgive us when we say that we're likely declining your offer, both the invite and suicidal sortie into Abyssal waters.
Admiral?"
She nodded and agreed with her light cruiser Coordinator, stating how the cons outweighs the pros of sending their fleet out to die as she took possession of the mike.
"I concur.
It was already a risk to accept this communication request, and if we were to sortie our fleets out to meet you on your own terms, there's nothing guaranteeing their safety when they leave the Safety Zone."
Nagato looked as if she wanted to retort, and Yahagi did that in her stead as she removed Nagato's arms and turned to face Admiral Mako, and she could see the shining tears streaking down Yahagi's cheeks as she begged Admiral Mako by threatening to get down on her knees and physically beg her Admiral, and was only stopped by Nagato and Admiral Mako as she composed herself in order to ask.
"Please, Admiral.
Even if you don't wish to sacrifice an entire fleet in order to comply with Sakawa's request, please sortie me, and me alone.
I want to see Sakawa, since she's my sister ship and I wish to see her again, even if she's Abyssalized."
She looked Yahagi in the eye, and she could see that even though the Agano-Class light cruiser was emotionally devastated by the news that her sister ship had now been converted into a high ranking enemy unit, her pained expression still shone with the determination to meet her at least once, even if it meant risking her life.
Sisterly bonds often motivated one to do such reckless acts out of genuine love, and when Yahagi was Sakawa's replacement in Operation Ten-Go, her fate was intertwined with her sister in more ways than one, and her cheeks were taut as she clenched her mouth as she looked to her Admiral in a desperate, yet respectful plea to go out there, even if she had to do so alone.
It was admirable, to see her laid-back and amiable light cruiser go so far for a sister ship.
But before she could give her response, she heard Sakawa speak up over the intercom.
[Thank you for that, Yahagi.
But Admiral Mako, I understand that you might need some incentive to come out and visit lil' ol' me, who's been away from home for several years, so how about I up the ante by playing this card?]
Admiral Mako's head snapped back to the screen so quickly almost to the point of suffering from whiplash as a result, her heart stopping as a warning blared on the screen and everyone tensed up from something being detected at where the Abyssal Beast was at on the satellite map, said warning reading,
'ICBM DETECTED, ANALYZING…
ICBM MODEL UNKNOWN
CLOSEST MATCH: MINUTEMAN MISSILE
STATUS: ARMED
WARHEAD TYPE: HYDROGEN BOMB'
Sakawa's voice lowered in pitch as all the cheeriness was sucked out of it and was replaced with a matter-of-fact statement which left no more room for argument.
[I'll ask again, and this time, I don't expect a 'no' as an answer.
Visit us, or I nuke a coastal city to kingdom come and turn it into an uninhabitable wasteland.]
Admiral Mako could hear Musashi push away from her desk in order to gawk at the screen above her, hearing the battleship utter a disbelieving,
"To threaten the lives of millions…
It can't be…
She's insane!"
Sakawa's voice darkened like an eclipse which engulfed the world in darkness as all that was great and innocent was snuffed out of the conversation, Admiral Mako practically feeling the light cruiser's malice being physically transmitted through the channel as everyone recoiled from the speakers, shocked at how a voice, once so radiant and bubbly, could suddenly morph into one that was so vile, venomous and even hateful as Sakawa pointed out.
[Listen here.
I could have had my Beast surface in the dead of night, fire off several missiles and destroyed your entire prefecture in your sleep, but I did not.
Do you know why?
The strong have no need to resort to such petty tricks to wipe out the weak.
With my Beast's range, you are all insects that are dancing on my palm, to be crushed at my leisure when you no longer entertain me.]
Yahagi was the most shaken by this, still doing her best to maintain her composure as she gulped and asked everyone in the room with a trembling, somewhat disbelieving voice at how she was supposed to be related to the person on the other end of the line.
"Everyone…
Is this… who Sakawa really is?"
Nagato shook her head along with everyone else, although the Nagato-Class nameship did so more vehemently than anyone else as she leaned in close and held Yahagi's shoulders in order to comfort her.
"No, Yahagi.
I knew Sakawa personally when she was still in our base, the Sakawa I know would never threaten her own comrades and Admiral, and especially not her sisters, with the threat of death."
Sakawa's voice then morphed into a pouting one, a jarring shift in tone which kept them guessing as to just what this new Sakawa was like and which was her true personality, to be capable of sounding so menacing one second, and carefree the next.
[Mou…!
I'm Sakawa, through and through!
That's so mean of you, to say something so hurtful to a maiden's heart.
And as for that, I suppose I'll have you all attend this meetup without your riggings and weapons, I guess.]
Musashi pulled the microphone close to her mouth as she yelled, now looking enraged at how their demands escalated from a phone call to a meetup to a meetup without their weapons for self-defense, and how it was starting to slide into the unreasonable.
"That's absurd!
You can't expect us to believe that you won't try and sink our ship girls when you ask them to seek you out without their riggings in order to protect themselves!"
But Sakawa fired back with an enthusiastic retort which highlighted their true aim in their attempt to communicate, not fight with them.
[And like I said earlier, I could have crushed all of you without any resistance at anytime, yet I did not.
We only wish to talk to you all in order to get to know all of you better, and we've given strict orders to our units to not fire unless fired upon.
Please understand that lashing out and sinking you all when you're incapable of defending yourselves is an act of cowardice, and an act that pathetic is best left to the desperate or the cowardly.
Besides, because we've been apart for so long, I ca~a~an't wait to meet Nagato-san again, pyan!
And to my understanding, flying entire fleets to Hachijo Island and sortieing them from there can be accomplished by commercial planes when they're not carrying any battleship riggings and when the weather isn't terrible, otherwise you'd have to charter a Hercules plane in order to do so in the case of the former.
Am I right?"
Ashigara grimaced, looking at the screen as she took her turn to speak into the microphone,
"Yeah, and the reason why such a radical idea of quick-sortieing fleets hasn't been implemented yet is because of how easy it is to shoot the plane down when you crowd six ship girls into one plane.
You really think that we're so stupid as to put all our eggs in one basket and allow you to blow up said basket?"
And Sakawa's voice became somewhat tired of their shit, sounding like a parent who was trying again and again to convince their child that there were no monsters hiding under their beds, and that it was safe to sleep.
[No no!
Like I said, that's what the normie Abyssals would do, because it's only logical!
But we've given them the standing order that they were not to fire at the plane which would house all of you, because we, who are their superiors, want to meet with you and talk.
Besides, I understand you all to be smart enough not to delay or call this meeting off when I'm literally threatening the entire Japanese Peninsula with an ICBM.
Isn't that right, Woxanne-chan?]
And much to their chagrin, another voice sounded out in the distance, calling out as some activity was heard in the background.
[Yes, Ma'am.
We have a firing solution on Tokyo, and we're ready to launch anytime.]
Mutsu echoed everyone's sentiments by uttering in a dispirited tone,
"Oh dear."
Before Nagato stepped up and took over possession of the microphone, speaking in a strained voice which was struggling to remain calm in the face of countless lives being threatened as well as a deep-seated phobia rearing its ugly head in her mind as she ordered.
"Sakawa!
It's just between you and us, there's no need to involve anyone else in this!"
In which Sakawa dryly replied,
[Only if you visit us.
We just want to talk, and this is just an incentive as well as insurance such that if you try to attack Jasconius, we will be able to retaliate in kind.]
In which Musashi muttered darkly under her breath.
"Tch…
Fitting, to name your Beast after the sea monster who was mistaken for an island."
And Sakawa agreed with her by humming in a disturbingly radiant and sickeningly sweet tone.
[Mmmhmm ~ !]
Admiral Mako stepped up as she held Nagato's hand in a comforting gesture as well as to move the microphone towards her, speaking with a hint of defeat in her voice.
"Well, looks like you got us by the balls there, Sakawa.
When you're giving us the choice of a meetup versus annihilation via ICBM, I don't think we have much of a choice here."
In which Sakawa interjected in order to get another shot in.
[That was the idea.
And it worked! Now we'll all get to see each other again!
You could have accepted it earlier, and saved yourselves all this trouble and hubbub!]
Ashigara slung an arm over her shoulder, a harsh look in her eyes as she addressed Admiral Mako.
"Admiral?
A word, please?"
The question didn't seem to escape Sakawa's notice as she replied before Admiral Mako could relay the question to the Abyssal light cruiser.
[Sure, go ahead!
I've waited all this while, a little longer wouldn't hurt!]
Ooyodo and Musashi pressed a few buttons on the dashboard and entered punched some keys on the keyboard before the light cruiser spoke up,
"Alright, they're on hold, and can't hear us now."
In which Ashigara then jerked Admiral Mako towards her, leaning in close as her expression was livid, voicing her question through clenched teeth.
"What the hell, Admiral?!
I know that we've been through tough scrapes before, but this is clearly a bait to kill us, and you're sending us to the meat grinder here!"
Nagato countered as she leaned in, an unreadable expression being plastered on her face as she darkly commented.
"I respectfully disagree.
In some twisted way, I see where Sakawa is coming from, and that the ICBM could be fired at any time to wipe us all out if they were really out to kill us.
They're toying with us because they've got the upper hand, and we have no choice but to play their twisted game before we even begin to plan our counteroffensive.
And at least with this, we can buy more time for the mainland as they evacuate the citizens to emergency shelters."
Ashigara turned away as she bared her canines and growled, but she had no counter argument for that and remained silent.
Admiral Mako leaned over to ask Musashi as the Yamato-Class battleship pressed on several buttons and listened closely to the headphones, asking her girlfriend about what the situation was like on the military's end.
"Musashi, how is the military reacting to this conversation?"
Musashi leaned over to push on another button before twisting a knob, sounding very tense as she tried to make sense of the seemingly chaotic chatter in the air.
"Sorry, Admiral.
The air's filler with army personnel and officers scrambling to call us as to what the hell's going on.
Others are trying to raise the alarm in order to evacuate the larger cities and prefectures around the country first, since we're under threat from a possible ballistic missile missile launch, although it isn't from the North Koreans this time.
Everyone else is readying the air force, army and navy in order to prepare for the worst, since they don't want to take any chances and risk human lives when we settle our affairs."
Admiral Mako grimaced as she considered their options, but she could only see one possible option for her and her girls.
But even as she hesitated to give the order, Nagato placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she chose to reassure her own Admiral this time, despite the concerns in her mind lining the creases in her muted scowl.
"Don't worry about us, Admiral.
An Abyssalized Sakawa wouldn't want to kill me this quickly, because as much as I hate to admit it, I believe that this is only one of many mind games she'll be playing with me, this one by pointing this ICBM at our homeland."
Admiral Mako could see that because of her past in which she went out with one hell of a bang, Nagato was hesitant to approach the island-Beast and be anywhere near an ICBM which was armed with a nuclear warhead.
But in spite of this crippling fear doing its best to paralyze her, she still wanted to do something about this, even if it was to distract the enemy and confront the one person who suffered the most from her biggest mistake.
"It's my fault that Sakawa ended up like she is today, and I'll confront my sins head on if need be.
I've mentally prepared for this ever since knowing of her continued existence as an Abyssal, so please.
Sortie my fleet and allow us to meet her."
Admiral Mako looked away, noting how they weren't the only ship girls whom the Abyssals wanted an audience with.
"But…
They said that they also wanted to meet other fleets, like the 2nd, and I'm not sure if they would agree to meeting the Abyssals."
But Akashi, who had remained unnaturally silent all this time, spoke up about how she had a rough idea about the identity of the other Abyssals.
"Well, it's not too hard to guess.
Yuubari would be extremely interested in seeing me again, Woxanne even said so.
After the Battle of Twelve Navies, she'd try to find time in order to speak with me face-to-face.
And as to the 'firebrand' comment, I guess that's referring to the Abyssal Amatsukaze leaving a trail of hell-fire in her wake a while ago as she ran at speeds which no ship girl or Abyssal could match, so it's not out of the question to think that it's our Amatsukaze who sank all those years ago.
Shimakaze would certainly want to see Amatsukaze again, and I really don't mind meeting Yuubari in order to learn more from her and about her."
Flicking her hair and keeping her hands in her pocket, she kept her cool even when everyone gawked at her for bringing up the taboo topic of sunk ship girls around their commanding officer, but Admiral Mako remained respectfully silent as she listened to Akashi verbally backing up Nagato's analysis.
"Besides, Nagato's right.
Given my past with Yuubari, my guess is that she'd choose to toy with me for the entirety of the Abyssal War.
Somehow, they still remember their ship girl pasts and specifically identify themselves as Sakawa and Yuubari, probably in order to implement some kind of 'best of both worlds' mentality, which explains the unusual presence of pride and sadism in their methods, which normal Abyssals lack but make up for in terms of sheer inhumanity.
To kill us at this point in time is in poor taste, because without us, they would feel bored during the rest of the invasion since there would be no one to torment and eventually break with their sick games."
Everyone gulped uncomfortably upon hearing that, and although Admiral Mako wanted to keep her ship girls safe from the threat, she had to allow them to confront the ghosts of their pasts, since it was clear that they couldn't outrun them forever.
Mutsu still voiced disapproval, mostly due to her own sister being sent out into the middle of enemy territory, holding Nagato by her left wrist as she asked everyone in a rare show of genuine concern which was now unfiltered by her demure and mysterious persona due to how personal it got.
"I still dislike the thought of you going out without any means of protection, Nagato.
Please, reconsider."
And Nagato's expression softened as the suppressed pain and ache in her heart which thirsted for some sort of closure by contacting the deceased light cruiser, and her voice was unnaturally reserved as she answered her plea with a question.
"And choose the alternative, which is to run and hide from my past and my mistakes like a coward until the end of days?
Mutsu, you know me better than that."
In which Mutsu's concerned expression fell apart, releasing her hold on Nagato's hand as stepped back, her forlorn expression looking crushed about her failure, yet understanding of her inability to stop her headstrong sister as she spoke.
"All too well, Nagato."
Nagato nodded before turning to Ashigara, and as the duo locked eyes for an instant, something was wordlessly communicated between them as the heavy cruiser sighed in exasperation and playfully punched Nagato's shoulder, speaking resignedly about the battleship's personal mission and how she had to be there as well.
"Fine, fine.
I'll ride with you.
Should worse come to worse, you'll need someone who can fight her way out of Abyssal-land with her two bare hands, and no one can do that better than a Myoukou-Class cruiser can."
Nagato broke out into something resembling a smile, quickly wiping it from her face as she turned to Yahagi, the light cruiser straightening her back as she stood at attention while Nagato looked down at her, ordering.
"Yahagi, sail with us.
You'll be replacing Abukuma, and I'm sure she'd understand, given the situation."
Yahagi's expression brightened as it seemed as if she wanted to smile at the order, but she suppressed her smile and nodded resolutely, the screen and the room's light being reflected on the streaks of dried tears on her cheeks as she replied.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Nagato finally turned to Admiral Mako as she looked respectful yet concerned, and the reason for the latter was likely because she feared that Admiral Mako's love for her ship girls would prevent them from sortieing at all.
She sounded uncharacteristically hopeful about their odds as she asked Admiral Mako regally,
"Allow us to sortie, Admiral.
It's the only option to find out just what the hell is going on by speaking to the enemy; we may never get a chance like this again."
And it took some consideration, but Admiral Mako finally relented as she lowered her head and closed her eyes, raising her right palm in order to flick it outwards as though swatting a fly with the back of her hand as she answered.
"Whatever.
Do as you will, but you do not have my permission to die.
Come back alive, at all costs."
The next few hours went by in a blur, and it involving a lot of being shuffled around, gathering all the invited ship girls to be sortied from Hachijo Island, filling out forms, waiting for the plane to be refueled and their boat slippers to be carted into the cargo hold.
After that was an uneventful flight in which silence was maintained by the ship girls who ate their lunch without saying much as updates notified them of the entire Pacific Ring of Fire immediately jumping to DEFCON 1 and were ready to retaliate with missile defense systems.
And finally, a three hour trip into Abyssal waters where, true to Sakawa's word, no Abyssals engaged them in battle, although many had scouted out and tracked the 3rd Fleet's advance into their territory, ratcheting up the tension as the 3rd Fleet mentally prepared themselves for the execution which never came.
Since this was a personal mission, Nagato was the one who led the 3rd Fleet this time, in which their fleet consisted of Nagato, Ashigara, Haguro, Yukikaze, Amagi and Yahagi in lieu of Abukuma.
Nagato herself was quietly unnerved by the Abyssals which were sent to keep tabs on them as another Wo-Class peeked out of the surface of the ocean, her headdress clearly visible as she lifted her eyes above water level in order to stare at them, the 3rd Fleet having seen a dozen Abyssals do the same before this Wo-Class appeared.
The fact that the ship girls had split up in order to sail towards their respective areas had made her anxious about their worsening odds, and the fact that an island loomed in the distance didn't help matters any, Nagato remembering that satellite surveillance ball-parked the Abyssal Beast's size by estimating it to be about 10 kilometers in length, 6 kilometers in breadth and roughly five hundred meters in height, appearing far shorter than it really was since it was partially submerged.
That was… large.
Features were nondescript at this distance, but she could see the back of the behemoth that was was Jasconius (or would it be more appropriate to reference the leviathan in this case?) lazily blotting out the horizon and occupying this spot of the ocean as though unshakable in its belief that no force on Earth could force it to budge, unable to be fished out of the ocean and far too large to be contained in a fish tank or be put on a leash for man to domesticate.
Upon closer inspection, what appeared to be a vast and respectably-sized hill with gentle contours at its side was actually part of a giant, partially-submerged steel fin which belonged to Jasconius itself, and the Abyssals had formed a defensive perimeter around the Beast, requiring several hundred units to do so for a Beast of essentially biblical proportions.
And all of a sudden, all hell broke loose.
A pillar of flames erupted from atop the mountainous Beast's back, Nagato's eyes widening at the sight of a thick plume of clouds being formed as a missile warhead emerged majestically from the smoke and fire, aimed towards the sky and making its way up as the black projectile drastically accelerated while it shot up into the cloudy sky and left a trail of opaque, billowing smoke in its wake.
Its thrusters spat out incandescent flames not unlike a firefly taking flight with its glowing tail while the smoke which it emitted settled down on the Beast's back, rolling down its shell and into the ocean at a horrifyingly fast rate not unlike that of the base surge of a nuclear explosion.
Nagato turned to a panicking Yahagi as the light cruiser looked up in disbelief, asking no one in particular,
"What?
Why?
I thought we agreed to meet Sakawa on her own terms, so why is she firing her missile anyway?!"
Her voice became strained upon uttering her last words, and Nagato could hear a frenzy of activity back in Yokosuka as Ooyodo shouted into the activated radio, hearing Musashi speak hurriedly into another radio set in the background.
"Holy shit!
That Beast just lit up like a decked-out Christmas tree, and the air force are already on their way to intercept the launched ICBM, along with the JSDF readying their missile defense systems!
The military's doing their best, but we need more time to evacuate the civilians on the mainland should we determine that it's really targeting a populated area.
Nagato-san, you need to go and determine what the hell is happening, and fast!"
Nagato could hear Amagi respond in the place of the 3rd Fleet,
"Yes, Ooyodo-san!"
While Nagato looked away and got in touch with the mystery frequency which they contacted just now, raising her voice the second the connection got through and she was speaking to Sakawa.
"Sakawa, what is the meaning of this?!
You promised that you wouldn't fire your missile at - "
[I only said that I wouldn't aim my ICBM at the humans, and I'm keeping my end of the promise.]
Sakawa was sounding quite indignant at the accusation, and she huffed as she continued explaining how this missile launch was anything but an attack on human soil.
[This is just a demonstration, relax!
We're detonating the ICBM over the Pacific Ocean where no humans would be harmed, so just sail up to Jasconius's head, which is where I'm hanging out at, and we can see the fireworks together!
Just like old times!]
That last statement was a blatant slap to the face towards Nagato and was meant to rile up an emotional response, but she inhaled sharply and kept her temper in check as she silently disconnected the call, secretly fuming in her heart as she turned and gave her order to her comrades.
"We need to move.
Sakawa's told us where she is, and she said that this ICBM is but a demonstration and is going to be detonated over the Pacific.
But being our sworn enemies, we have to take their words with a grain of salt.
Amagi, ask the Coordinators to confirm with the JSDF if the missile is indeed headed further the Pacific, and if so, continue evacuations anyway while working with other naval bases to clear the Pacific of all ship girls.
Everyone else, follow me."
She tuned Amagi out as the carrier spoke into her radio, and as they sailed closer to the Beast, she could hear Yukikaze gulp as she asked warily about the sheer size of the Beast before them.
"Um…
Not that I'm doubting our capabilities, but can anything take this Beast down when it's a submersible island which can essentially rival the size of a city?"
Nagato, along with the rest of the 3rd Fleet, didn't answer because the answer was one which no one wanted to hear, and Nagato could see the reason why.
Countless 35.6 Cm Single Gun Cannons decorated the sides of the Abyssal Beast Jasconius, and there were countless modern missile launchers equipped for defense, like the Sea Sparrow and the RIM 66, all of which were previously stored within the Beast and were now ready to unleash hell upon its foes.
Machine guns and Anti-Air turrets turned the Beast's back into a steel fortress, and Nagato managed to discern countless Phalanx CIWS and French 100 mm naval guns in order to lay down a hail of white-hot lead if need be, and Nagato was quite certain that this Beast, if allowed the time to charge one up, was theoretically capable of wiping out a coastal city with a massive hyper beam, despite wanting to believe otherwise.
And to think that this Beast doubled as a fortress and was capable of transporting an entire city's worth of Abyssals, far more than what the Flying Dutchman was capable of…
Nagato sailed up as she saw that the the Beast's shield plates were shimmering in the daylight since its thickness did not allow all the light to pass through like it usually did when constructed on a smaller scale, and that was when the 3rd Fleet met the Abyssals who were guarding the outermost perimeter of the floating fortress within the bubble shield as the Abyssals seemed to have predicted their arrival, causing both sides to tense up for combat as this was a natural reflex which came to them when they met the enemy.
But a slightly more expressive Wo-Class's voice spoke up and cut through the tense battlefield-to-be with a clinical and no-nonsense tone, Nagato recognizing her from her lack of a Wo-Class headdress.
[There is no need for hostilities.
Let them pass.]
And although the Abyssals looked rather sullen about not being granted the right to kill the entirely vulnerable 3rd Fleet, they lowered their weapons subserviently and stepped aside, Woxanne shifting her body and allowing them to peek at the Abyssal 'A' imprinted on her billowing cape, the Abyssal carrier tilting her head towards the Beast as she spoke.
[We've deactivated a shield plate for us to sail through.
Shall we?]
Nagato tersely nodded back as she noticed that the launched ICBM's smoke had dissipated into the air and the missile itself flew beyond the clouds and likely into space, sailing in the direction of Jasconius's head as the 3rd Fleet and their Abyssal guide sailed through a deactivated shield plate which would allow a 10 meter diving platform to fit through easily, which allowed them to get close to the Beast in the first place.
In the meantime, she looked up in part awe and horror at the fact that how no matter how far or fast they sailed alongside Jasconius's flank, it never seemed as if they were any closer to approaching the Beast's head, which was larger than any man-made structure or vessel.
Even her warship counterpart's length paled in comparison to the colossus that was Sakawa's Beast, and Nagato couldn't help but feel a chill run up her spine at the sheer size of Jasconius, named after a sea monster which was so unfathomably large, it was mistaken for an island.
She took the chance to ask Woxanne out of idle curiosity,
"So, how long until we get to Jasconius's head?"
Woxanne responded, still pretty much a dead fish in terms of personality with her flat voice.
[Estimated time of arrival, sixteen minutes.]
Nagato nodded, and Woxanne's estimate was rather accurate as Nagato, Woxanne and the 3rd Fleet sailed around another gargantuan fin and allowed them to witness the head of the Beast, a turtle head being partially submerged in the ocean as Nagato estimated the head's size to (at least) be about four times the size of a Mount Rushmore head stone carving, and even the Beast's flesh was made from jet-black Abyssal steel.
Woxanne lifted her flattened palm towards some kind of elevator which resembled a Persian Wheel as it traveled upwards along the side of Jasconius's head, the Abyssal carrier speaking up and becoming unusually polite in order to form a pale imitation of an air stewardess whose mannerisms were learnt from the viewpoint of an observing alien.
[Please head this way, and sail up to the elevator troughs.
Keep your hands and feet within the trough, and please stay clear of any moving parts.
We'll be at our destination shortly, thank you for your patience and understanding.]
Nagato did as she was told (because what was the alternative?), but upon hearing Ashigara grouse about the uncanny friendliness of Woxanne in her attempt to mimic human behavior,
"Damn, that is creepy when you see a Wo-Class try to act like that.
I mean, an Abyssal Princess, or even a heavy cruiser could have done a better job, but could they have gotten anyone else other than an emotionally stunted Abyssal to greet us?"
She heard Haguro's timid,
"I-I agree."
And Nagato couldn't help but grunt in agreement, feeling the ocean under her wobble shakily as the Persian Wheel started moving and carried them upwards, granting Nagato a breathtaking view of the ocean from a bird's-eye view as her fleet rose in altitude along the side of the Beast's head.
She heard Yukikaze's excited squeal beneath her as well as a few excited gasps, and Yahagi uttered just loud enough for the 3rd Fleet to hear her strained voice,
"I think I'm gonna be sick…"
As well as Haguro's anxious attempt to reassure her junior by giving some advice.
"U-Um, Yahagi-san, don't focus on how high up we are, try to focus at the horizon instead!"
Nagato instead turned to look at the steel shell which blanketed and formed the last of many defensive layers to protect the Beast's insides and the Abyssals maintaining its innards, inhaling sharply at the fact that her mental calculations estimated at least fifty meters of steel, concrete and what seemed to be fiber-reinforced plastic, which made it essentially a living fallout bunker which could surface and submerge anywhere in order to launch ICBMs anywhere it desired.
True, it was even more limited in its ability to go anywhere than the Flying Dutchman was simply due to its sheer size, but being a big target wasn't an issue when it could go underwater and its missiles could cross entire continents, which made its terrifying reach nigh-impossible to escape from.
Finally, Nagato reached the crown of Jasconius's head as she saw the one ship girl which she wanted to see again as an Abyssal, but had always feared what the meeting would be like since she expected Sakawa to play the blame game by flinging accusations at her, and there was very little she could say in order to defend herself.
And there she was.
Sakawa stood up in the presence of the 3rd Fleet as the Persian Wheel elevator's incline plateaued after reaching the top of Jasconius's head and transformed into a travellator, allowing them to shift from the water trough to said water channel which ran parallel beside them, allowing them to sail towards the pond and meet up with Sakawa as Woxanne followed closely behind, and the fact that there were more Abyssal units closely guarding Sakawa didn't escape their notice.
Sakawa looked more or less the same, with her Agano-Class sailor uniform and skirt now created in an alternatively-colored image of its original color scheme, and Nagato could remember her two ahoge sticking out from the crown of her head.
What she didn't remember was how bloody tall Sakawa was, now standing a little over a head above Yahagi and was significantly more well-developed as a woman and nearly rivaled the Kongou-Class in terms of apparent age, Yukikaze echoing this sentiment amongst them as she looked up and asked incredulously,
"Uh, has Sakawa-san been juicing on growth supplements and milk while she was away?"
And earned herself uncomfortable chuckles from her comrades in response.
Her purple hair had now been bleached white down to the roots, but she retained her original haircut as her hair was still sticking out the back and was fanned outwards in order to form something resembling a Chinese Abacus bead when viewed from behind, and her eyes were a signature Abyssal red.
All the parts of Sakawa's uniform which were originally white were black and vice versa, and her red skirt and black thigh-highs with garters remained the same color since it complemented the Abyssal color palette, with black heels tailored for adults cocooning her feet while black gloves adorned her forearms and hands.
Her sailor collar was ivory-colored just like her snow-white skin and hair, and she sat on a chair with a tea table filled with scones, tea and confectioneries that were stored in porcelain culinary and tea sets which looked as if they were ripped out of Victorian England, the table and chair legs kept afloat on a sizable pond via floats atop the Beast's head with small channels leading to said pond.
But what got Nagato's attention was the glowing circular, blue-white colored arc-reactor on her chest right where her fatal injury was, right above her cleavage and below her collarbones.
Sakawa's face lit up upon seeing them, and Nagato felt a mix of relief, anger, sadness and fear, the last of which was regarding her uncertainty as to how Sakawa would behave towards her, mentally bracing herself against the possible accusations and the blame which would fly her way, mostly because she deserved it.
In fact, it wouldn't be incorrect to say she wanted Sakawa to be angry at her.
Instead Sakawa greeted,
[Ohaiyo!
It's so great to see you again, Nagato-san!
And although I don't recognize some of you since you're relatively new faces, hi anyway, pyon!]
Sakawa's Abyssal voice sounded more hollow than Nagato remembered, and it was the fact that she wore the same face and possessed the same cheery personality as it contrasted with her Abyssalized form, which made it seem like Sakawa was attempting to mimic her old personality and was achieving a very uncanny effect while doing so, clearly trying to suppress something within herself while doing so.
Hurriedly and excitedly gesturing towards the floating chairs which were placed around the similarly floating table in a ritualistic circle, she was obviously eager to start talking to them after such a long period of absence, Nagato sailing up to and sitting herself down on one such chair as she felt its inner mechanisms adjust itself to support her weight while Sakawa wore a radiant smile, speaking up.
[I have so many questions for you all!
Is the Admiral on her way to creating her ship girl harem?
Yahagi, how many of our sisters are now in Yokosuka?
What do you think of my kawaii little Beast, hmm?
Oh, tell me, tell me!]
She heartily scarfed down her snacks while the 3rd Fleet remained silent, keeping their heads low and their hands to themselves as they looked as if the delectable treats before them contained vile poison, since they were clearly very uncomfortable about eating food which was offered by the enemy for fear of what it could contain.
Ashigara, however, managed a dry retort in response to the last question, remarking.
"'Little', hmm?
It does seem quite… well-developed in size."
Sakawa giggled like a schoolgirl upon hearing that, and gave a thankful little nod as she responded.
[I'll take that as a compliment, and say thanks!
And I suppose since you answered a question of mine and made me laugh, I guess I'll answer a question of yours.
Ask away!]
Nagato heard Ooyodo speak into her radio, using a encrypted frequency to speak to them as Sakawa lifted an eyebrow at the detected incoming radio wave, but couldn't make sense of it since she was the enemy.
"Everyone!
The 3rd Fleet has made contact with the enemy, and is now engaging in conversation with the enemy and buying time for us to shelter our civilians from the ICBM!
As we speak, the launched ICBM indeed seems to be flying towards the heart of the Pacific Ocean, but the Americans are the ones who're now panicking in full-force, please standby!"
Haguro raised a shaky hand, and Sakawa lifted her chin in the heavy cruiser's direction to give her permission to speak, in which Haguro managed to squeak out her question whilst forming a shaking finger pointed in Sakawa's direction.
"U-Um, what's that thing on your chest, Sakawa-san?"
Looking down at her own cleavage and observing the bright, bluish-white glow of the steel circle which was located within a steel rim of sorts to insinuate intricate machinery within her heart, Sakawa lifted a hand to her chest as she looked back up at the 3rd Fleet and answered.
[Oh this?
It's an arc reactor.
This bad boy here is a two-in-one and performs both the task of our human and ship girl hearts, to burn fuel as well as to pump blood and fuel throughout my body, with some sort of self-contained reaction chamber in the middle.
I didn't follow Yuubari-chan's explanation about this thingy inside me, but I trust it to keep me alive!]
Nodding awkwardly, Yahagi chose to answer one of Sakawa's questions, looking quite uncertain of what to make of this situation as she had a painfully forced smile on her face.
"Ah, Agano and Noshiro are in Yokosuka now.
They wanted to come with us today, but because we couldn't bring our riggings with us, Admiral Mako wanted to play it safe by sending only me out, and I'll share my memories of this meeting with them later.
I'm sorry about this, but…"
Sakawa shook her head, clearly not minding the fact that she couldn't meet all of her sisters, and as per their unwritten Q&A session rules, Ashigara then took her turn to ask a question, leaning in with a dangerous expression as she did so.
"You were working on a land invasion campaign, weren't you?"
Yukikaze, Amagi and Haguro twisted their heads to turn and look in her direction as they weren't in on the loop, but as Nagato placed a comforting hand on Yukikaze's shoulder, she knew that they somehow had a suspicion about this after the Battle of Twelve Navies, where the introduction of human-based naval and aerial vessels of war was likely a precursor to land vessels being created, turning this into a full-blown world war.
Sakawa perked up upon hearing that, shrugging as she helped herself to the tasty snacks on a nearby Amagi's plate and answered nonchalantly.
[Yes.
That was the decisive answer you were looking for, yes?
What took you so long to figure out?]
Ashigara inhaled sharply as her expression became taut, but Nagato chose to interject at this moment, breaking their chain-slash-rule of answering questions before getting an answer in return as she pried.
"Sakawa.
You can't be serious about destroying everything we've worked for.
Not when we've come so far, we can still - "
[You've come this far, and so have you, and you, and you, and you and you.
I was left behind.
You remember, don't you, Nagato?]
Nagato pulled back as though physically scathed by the accusation which came out of nowhere, the Agano-Class Abyssal's expression contorting in a rictus of fury as everyone drew back at the sight of Sakawa emitting a menacing red aura while her arc reactor brightened in response to her emotional outburst, barely keeping her temper tantrum under control as she inhaled sharply, taking several deep breaths before she forced her cheeks apart into a forced smile and seethed.
[Well, it wasn't all bad.
I've seen convinced to see things from a different point of view, and I must say, mankind looks far from worthy of being saved by now.]
Amagi spoke up, bringing up the point of how mankind had moved on from the sins of its bloody past for the most part, and they just needed the time and chance for them to prove themselves.
"Look, Sakawa-san.
It is true that mankind has erred in the past, but they're capable of so much more that we need to allow them more time to see the error of their ways…"
But Sakawa shook her head, looking as if she were referencing something else as she spoke with a bitter tone in her voice.
[No, not that.
You don't realize just how depraved humans can be, bringing others down whenever they can't elevate themselves to the level of superior beings.
Do you really believe that even when you win this war, the humans would ever leave you alone without fearing a preemptive strike from a dissolved ship girl navy who overpowers them, and that they would stop in their crusade to wipe you all out based on that unfounded fear?
I think not.]
Sakawa relaxed her posture and gave a more heartfelt grin, although what she had to say was far from pleasant, and hinted at more nefarious powers that were at work behind the scenes.
[Besides, do you think that mankind's hands are clean during the entirety of the Abyssal War?
We've been capturing and reviving ship girls since the First Decade of this war, and we were able to hear some very interesting tales of how the Admirals treated them back then.
Quite the numbers game they played with your lives, since you all were at a harsher disadvantage in terms of quantity back then, which led to everyone being a whole lot more expandable, yes?"
Nagato huffed as she folded her arms and leaned back, but she didn't bother denying those damning accusations.
Because they were true.
During the First Decade, they determined the worth of every ship girl strictly based on their ability to contribute back to the cause, so if a gun were to be pointed at an Ikazuchi and a Yukikaze's head and an Admiral was forced to choose in terms of performance, he was always expected to choose Yukikaze all of the times he was asked.
Morally dubious classified procedures like modernization were researched with the best of intentions, and their sacrifices, which would never be memorialized, helped to pave the way for the strongest ship girls to be created and modernized in order to fully bring out their potential.
It was cruel, but necessary.
[Ah, 'needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few', or something along those lines, right?
I bet that's what you tell yourselves before you go to sleep, right?]
Nagato blinked at how Sakawa had predicted her thoughts, and Sakawa now broke out into a fit of sincere laughter as she teased.
[Ah, Nagato-san, you're so easy to read.
Your pride, compassion and leadership-oriented mind makes it even more so, since you want what's best for everyone, or least as many people as possible.
Don't worry, that's quite a sound reason to justify their sacrifices, and this way, you can say that the ship girls who got stronger can now protect more ship girls in their stead.]
Nagato winced, since this was also another way of justifying their sacrifices, but she remained silent as a way of defending herself as Sakawa continued.
[But then again, there's so much more that you don't know.
You really think that mankind would stop at modernization alone, what with a race of super-warriors who can conveniently be healed and revived via a miracle bath?]
Haguro blanched at the insinuation as she leaned in and asked, disbelieving of the wild accusation which was directed at mankind itself.
"Y-You mean…
The humans have experimented on ship girls, is that what you're saying?"
Ashigara snorted, looking skeptical about these accusations which had no weight behind them since it came from the mouth of the enemy, snarking.
"Yeah, right.
You lost me there.
We're the ones who protect them from the Abyssals, they wouldn't dare to run the risk of riots breaking out amongst us ship girls and ruining their chances of victory should the public… know of…
Oh."
Sakawa's grin grew knowingly as Yukikaze leaned in with widened eyes, asking incredulously.
"I-Is that true?
I don't want to believe it, but given the fact that mankind had the benefit of anonymity back then, along with people like Akashi with ominous pasts, I can't help but suspect…"
But Ashigara chided as she tried to convince everyone, including herself, with her own words.
"Oh please!
I bet this is another one of her mind games to try and get us to doubt the humans which we work with.
If it's false, it'll waste our time as we doubt and investigate our allies with no results to show for it.
If it's true, it'll destroy our relationship with the humans pretty much permanently.
Either way, the Abyssals profit from this."
Sakawa bobbed her head as she lifted an eyebrow in order to acknowledge the heavy cruiser's points, commenting.
[Well, you have a point there.
Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't.
But the fact that we have access to the corpses of ship girls who came before you and can revive them in order to acquire their knowledge, and that the First Decade was kept under heavy wraps and allowed mankind the benefit of anonymity meant they could do this and that to you, who knows…]
It was then that Woxanne leaned in to whisper something else into Sakawa's ear, the Agano-Class light cruiser's expression perking up as her eyes widened and she mimicked fanning herself with both her hands as she squealed.
[Ooh! Ooh!
It's time for the fireworks!]
Just as Ooyodo shouted into the radio before her voice was drowned out by the static and incessant whirring noise,
"Girls, the ICBM's hit the ocean!
Brace foasfkreeascmpacasd - "
Nagato's eyes widened in shock and a fair bit of unadulterated fear due to her well-hidden trauma, but no amount of mental and emotional preparation could prepare her for what came next.
A white spot illuminated the horizon, an incandescent glow which rivalled the intensity of the sun itself, causing everyone to shield their faces and eyes from the light of imminent doom as she heard Yukikaze shrieking while ducking underneath something, likely the table.
But the only one present who wasn't outright panicking (including the Abyssal bodyguards, who looked uncertain about their prospects of survival) was Sakawa, who was now moving on to drinking her cup of tea as she reassured everyone around her.
[Oh don't worry!
The shields will protect us from the brunt of the explosion.
Just don't look directly at the light of the explosion since it'll outright blind you, teehee!]
Nagato barely heard that as flashbacks to the day of Operation Crossroads began flowing back into her paralyzed mind like a Pandora's Box of suppressed traumas bursting out from its little contained corner of her psyche in order to haunt her
- a fine day just like this, which ended in a fireball illuminating the horizon -
"Nagato!"
"Nagato-san, are you alright?!"
- The roar of the underworld reverberated throughout her entire body and resonated throughout the ocean, causing every atom within her to tremble from realizing how small she truly was in the grand scheme of things, even as a capital ship since she was easily eclipsed by the fireball which manifested before her very eyes ohgodohgodohmygod-
[Whee! Praise the Sun!
Oh my, Nagato-san.
You don't look so good down there…]
She was trembling, and it was beyond her control as she found herself on the ocean, supporting herself with her hands on the sea as she struggled to breathe, her heartbeat pounding away like a jackhammer as her body failed to respond to her mental prompts, unable to focus on anything as immobilizing panic and traumatic fear overcame her, and the light was almost engulfing them even at this distance as she was unable to stop the hyperventilation which was starting to set in
- The heat was not unlike that of a furnace of Hell that was cranked up to maximum, able to outright vaporize all who were within its immediate kill radius as it seared off parts of the steel which her entire being was composed of, the deafening eruption in the extreme distance now rising and ballooning into the signature mushroom cloud which the world knew today.
She was feeling quite sick from being bombarded by the alpha, beta and gamma rays which were being emitted by the nuclear explosion in spades, and her insides felt as if they were churned up and cooked from within.
And her internal structures, translated into her steel bones in her current ship girl form, creaked from the intensity of the explosion as the radioactive fallout settled down upon those who remained, much like the curtains which fell upon mankind during the End of Days HelPhelpHELPhElpheLPHElphELp-
Everything was a mess in the wreck that was her mind, and she was unable to say anything as her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish gasping for breath, a cold sweat involuntarily breaking out and glossing her skin as she saw Sakawa's shadow looming over her along with the titanic mushroom cloud which blotted out the afternoon sun and provided some shade in its final moments, hearing the Agano-Class whisper into Nagato's ear in order to be heard over the boom of the nuclear explosion, which had faded into the background after the crescendo which was the nuclear explosion died down and was now soft enough for her to pick up Sakawa's words.
[I've waited for a long time in order to show you this sight, Nagato-san.
And as a great man said when he laid eyes upon the same, albeit smaller-sized, sight we see before us today, he said this.
'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'
You will all see the light, Nagato-san, and eventually, you'll be consumed by it.
But don't be afraid.
This world will be consumed in a sea of fire, as righteous retribution for what they did to us as well as to cleanse this filthy world for those who deserve it more, Nagato-san.
One day, you'll understand where I'm coming from.
One day, you'll join us in the light.]
The traumatic flashback and panic attack was too much for her to deal with as she struggled to look up after managing a few shaky breaths, and she saw the gargantuan mushroom cloud, which was about thirty kilometers tall and rising, stood tall and unyielding in the distance and was now colored a crimson red tint by Jasconius's strained shield plates after they protected them from the brunt of the hydrogen bomb detonation, a shadow being cast over Sakawa as she leaned forward to look down at her.
And the Abyssal light cruiser looked outright devilish in Nagato's eyes as her blood-red eyes and her blueish-white arc reactor shone in the darkness, clearly enjoying watching Nagato squirm and writhe on the surface while in the midst of a traumatic flashback, and the fact that she had a serene smile even after a thermonuclear explosion, which should have at the very least triggered something in her past, made it all the more jarring to the immobilized slow battleship, wondering in genuine fright as her eyes widened innocently and her expression contorted in fear.
'Is this really the Sakawa I know?
Who is she?
What's going on anymore?'
Amidst her attempts to right herself and regain her bearings in the presence of her enemies, she could hear Sakawa speaking to someone (probably Woxanne) in a disinterested tone, having been thoroughly entertained by Nagato's reaction but now had no more plans for the 3rd Fleet after the main event.
And since the standing orders were to not hurt a hair on them…
[Get them off of my Beast.
I don't care if you dump them off the side, but we need to dive before the humans recover and sortie ship girls and planes to take us on.]
There was only the monotonous reply of,
[Acknowledged.]
Before she was manhandled by unknown forces while various familiar voices made their discontent very clear at the rough treatment, barely connecting the dots in her mind while she was hyperventilating to realize that she was being lowered back into the ocean via the same Persian Wheel elevator which led up the side of the Beast's head, Yukikaze fitting into the trough and kneeling beside her with a wracked expression on her face, the Kagerou-Class's reassurances working to some extent as Nagato's training came back to her and she willed herself to focus on her comrade's soothing voice.
"It's alright now, Nagato-san.
It's over now.
It's all over…"