Chapter 24- Wave-tossed
The streets of Kure were crowded today, Akagi noted. A small convoy had made it through the Siren blockade from Korea, bringing much needed food to the naval facilities and city. A long line of hungry people ran out the doors of a food distribution center onto the sidewalks, a few muted conversations occasionally drowned out by a military truck rumbling down the road. There was no civilian traffic- all fuel was strictly rationed and controlled by the government, chiefly the Imperial Army.
Akagi, of course, didn't need to take notice of the crowds on the sidewalk. As soon as people saw her, they parted and bowed as she walked past. She was not only one of the most famous of the Japanese kansen, but also the spitting image of a kitsune. Such deference was natural, and Akagi took it in stride. Humility was not a part of her personality.
She rarely bothered to come into the town. Takeda had banned the kansen from going off-base without an escort, but Akagi took no notice of such regulations. She agreed with the rule but had no thought of obeying it herself, of course. No, she simply had no real reason to leave the base for the most part. There was little recreation to be had in town that she couldn't find on the base and her needs were readily met by the IJN.
Today was different, however. She had a definite goal in mind. It was Kaga's birthday.
They'd had another fight yesterday, fortunately with words and not weapons. While Akagi certainly did not feel she had done anything wrong, she still wanted to make up with her sister. Despite their differences, they were still sisters.
She had just finished her purchase- a small but beautifully made hairpin- and was coming out of the shop when she spotted the shikikan. He was walking down the street, holding hands with two of the younger destroyer girls. Akagi ducked back into the shop. It wasn't that she was afraid of Takeda, naturally. It was just that she wanted to avoid the annoyance of dealing with his anger.
Yes, that was all.
The destroyers chattered excitedly as Akagi watched from the shop window. Takeda had forbade them from combat, only allowing them to participate in exercises where there was no real danger. Akagi approved, but even she had to admit that their concern was irrational. The appearance of the kansen was only loosely related to their age and combat ability.
Takeda walked past without even glancing at the shop, an indulgent smile on his face as the destroyer girls pointed out interesting people and places. Mutsuki and Kisaragi, noted Akagi. No doubt the other Mutsuki-class destroyers had wanted to come, but Takeda was strict about how many kansen could be off-base. That he was here, personally escorting the two girls, showed his soft-heartedness.
The kansen were warriors. They lived to fight, were born to seek victory in the heat of battle. Akagi wondered if Takeda really understood that. She was far from careless with the lives of her fellow warships, but she understood the necessity of sacrifice. Did the shikikan share her understanding?
Preoccupied by her thoughts as she walked out of the shop, she headed in the opposite direction Takeda had taken, back toward the base. She was so accustomed to having a path clear for her that she didn't even notice the soldier in her way until she bumped into him.
He had been standing with his back toward her, talking to three other Army troops. When they made contact, her whirled around, glaring at Akagi as she stepped back.
She glared back. "How dare you block my path! Even if you didn't see me, your companions should have. Why didn't you say anything?" The last sentence was directed to the other soldiers.
To her surprise, they didn't apologize or even show contrition. Instead, they met her eyes with defiance. The soldier she had bumped into, a lean man with a bald head and beady eyes, looked her over.
"One of the kansen, eh? You're here without your minder?"
Akagi's eyes widened with shock at his temerity. "Minder? I am Akagi, of the First Carrier Division! If you beg forgiveness now, perhaps I shall be lenient in your punishment."
"You know, for all your so-called power, you seem to do nothing but mock battles and lounge around in port," said the soldier, sizing her up. "Maybe you need a lesson in how to fight."
Akagi stepped back, instinctively trying to call up a fireball to strike the insolent fool down.
Nothing happened. She was too far from the ocean.
Slowly, it began to dawn on her that she might be in real trouble.
But there was no chance she would back down from a fight. She was no fool and, even though she had gotten a bit overconfident, had planned for such an eventuality.
Moving one foot back to balance her stance, she drew a knife. Even though she wasn't in her natural element, she was far stronger than a normal girl of her size would be. The scum in front of her would find her no easy prey.
Seeing her blade, his eyes narrowed. He reached behind his back and drew a bayonet that, Akagi couldn't help but notice, was quite a bit longer than her own weapon. Even worse, the other soldiers followed suit, producing bayonets that glittered in the sun. Whatever their faults, they clearly maintained their weapons well.
She took another step back, giving herself more room to maneuver. Mistaking her tactic for fear, the soldier lunged.
Akagi ducked to one side, her tails flicking away from the surprised soldier's bayonet just in time to avoid being cut. Her knife flicked out.
Her opponent staggered, dropped his bayonet, and clutched at his slashed jugular. Eyes widening in shock and sudden fear, he dropped to his knees as he desperately- and uselessly- tried to stop the bleeding.
The kansen's attention was not on him, however. The other three soldiers, seeing their comrade bleeding out, charged at her. Despite their anger, they were veterans and clearly knew what they were doing. The attack was swift but coordinated without undue recklessness. Akagi managed to dodge one blade, parried another, and then found herself with the third at her throat.
She froze as the soldier stared down his bayonet. His eyes were bloodshot and he stank of alcohol. There was no sign of reason or mercy in his gaze.
It was a really stupid way for a warship to die.
In a last-ditch attempt at escape, Akagi threw herself backwards, somehow avoiding his thrust. But one of the other soldiers was coming at her, and she was off-balance- she fell to the ground, tried to turn it into a roll, but she wasn't going to make it-
The blade stopped, inches from her throat.
Looking up, she saw Takeda, his features masked in fury, one hand encasing the soldier's wrist in a vise-like grip.
The shikikan stepped forward and, with an explosive motion, snapped the soldier's wrist.
As the soldier screamed in agony, his two remaining companions hesitated. Perhaps the sight of an officer's uniform had penetrated their drink-addled brains. Perhaps it was the sheer force of Takeda's rage that stopped them in their tracks. Regardless, they backed away and dropped their weapons.
"Captain!" said the older one. He started to bow, only to catch Takeda's knee in his face.
"Idiots!" snarled Takeda. "Scum!" He kicked the final man behind the knee, dropping him onto his back. "You would raise a hand against my kansen? She, who holds the hopes of the world in her hands?" He delivered a vicious kick to the man's ribs.
Doubling up in agony, the soldier tried to stammer out an apology. His words were drowned out by a shrill whistle.
Akagi followed the sound, her ears swiveling. A squad of Kempeitai military police ran up to the scene, eyes wide as they took in the still form of the dead man in a pool of blood and the three others who were stretched out on the ground.
The leader of the police stopped and bowed low. "Captain Takeda! What-"
"Have them shot," said Takeda curtly.
The Kempeitai widened his eyes in shock. "You don't have the authority-" He stopped as Takeda took a step toward him.
"Have them shot," said the shikikan quietly. "Or I will shoot them myself."
There was a slight pause. "Yes, Captain." He nodded to his men who swiftly started dragging the survivors of the skirmish away, ignoring their cries of pain at being manhandled so roughly.
Takeda turned to Akagi. She jumped to her feet, silently cursing herself for the blush she felt on her cheeks. To nearly be killed in such a manner- it was shame such as she had never even conceived.
"Akagi," said Takeda. His voice was now its usual level tone. "Please accompany me back to the base."
She avoided his gaze, giving the tiniest nod of assent.
Trying to maintain her dignity, she followed Takeda as he strode off, a slight stiffness in his step the only sign of the fury she still sensed inside him.
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Shoukaku was sitting next to her sister in the shikikan's anteroom, trying hard to remain still as the screaming from Takeda's office grew even louder. It was all Akagi, of course. She had never even heard the shikikan raise his voice in anger. What precisely was being said couldn't be discerned through the thick door as the room was built to be as soundproof as possible for security reasons.
Avoiding Zuikaku's eyes, she let her eyes wander around the room. Souryuu was working today at the small desk as Takeda's secretary. She seemed as unruffled as always, adjusting her glasses slightly as she read through her paperwork. The room itself was sumptuous by military standards- wood paneled walls, thick carpet, and a number of historically significant artifacts on the walls. Each of them had a brass plaque underneath. Unable to sit still any longer, Shoukaku stood up and walked to the nearest one. It looked simple enough. A telegram to the naval minister in Tokyo from- she blinked in surprise- Admiral Togo.
"In response to the warning that enemy ships have been sighted, the Combined Fleet will immediately commence action and attempt to attack and destroy them," Shoukaku read.
"Weather today fine but high waves," finished Zuikaku. Startled, Shoukaku turned to her sister, who had moved with uncharacteristic silence behind her. "This was how Admiral Togo notified the naval ministry that he was about to fight the Battle of Tsushima."
"The greatest victory in naval history," murmured Shoukaku. It was, of course, well before her time, but in her mind's eye she could see the Japanese battleships "crossing the T" of the Russian forces, the proud Mikasa serving as Admiral Togo's flagship. She felt she could hear the gunnery, the explosions as Russian battleships were sunk. Torpedoes in the water. Mines detonating in the dark.
Men screaming as they died in fire and water.
"It's just as well that we were awakened," Shoukaku said quietly. "We're no longer putting the lives of our crew at risk."
"Save for one," replied Zuikaku. Shoukaku turned to her, puzzled. Zuikaku gestured toward Takeda's office. "The shikikan will always be with us."
Shoukaku nodded, unsure. She was far more skeptical of their senior carriers than Zuikaku, but even she had wondered occasionally at Takeda's caution. Of all the ships, Zuikaku was the most loyal to the shikikan, tirelessly defending him when the other kansen criticized his strategy. She would even confront Akagi, though always showing the deference the First Carrier Division expected of their juniors.
The shouting from the other room suddenly stopped. Then there was a crash, followed immediately by the door flying open.
Both of the young carriers snapped to attention as Akagi stalked out of Takeda's office, holding her head high. Her face, Shoukaku noted with shock, was bright red, her eyes red as if she had been crying.
Akagi, crying? Impossible. Shoukaku shook her head to clear it of such nonsense.
Without sparing them so much as a glance, Akagi continued past them and out of the anteroom. If anything, she slammed the door harder than when she had left the shikikan's office.
Souryuu, who had stood up when Akagi appeared, sighed with obvious relief that Shoukaku wholeheartedly shared. Whatever Akagi was angry about, she wouldn't take it out on them. Well, not right now, anyway.
"Souryuu." Takeda's voice was a bit louder, a bit colder than his usual friendly tones. "Are Zuikaku and Shoukaku here?"
"Yes, shikikan."
"Have them step in, please."
Souryuu looked at them, one eyebrow raised.
As she followed her sister into the office, Shoukaku felt a chill run down her spine. She had been so relieved at having been spared Akagi's wrath, that she had forgotten to worry about why the shikikan had called them in.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Takeda nodded at the two carrier-girls as they came inside, willing himself to be calm. He had managed to keep his cool as Akagi had raged at him, though his patience had been sorely tried.
She had been thoroughly humiliated, had needed him to save her from the situation her pride and carelessness had put her in. But Akagi would never admit that to him or anyone else. Instead, she had tried to salve her wounded pride by by blaming him. At one point, she had insinuated that he had set the soldiers on her to teach her a lesson, an accusation so foolish that even she had realized it. She had dropped the subject almost immediately, but Takeda decided he'd had enough. He had peremptorily ordered her to be confined to quarters until further notice.
That was when she burst into tears and threw the glass ashtray at him.
Her tears had surprised him far more than having to duck to avoid the projectile. She had almost immediately stifled them, but he knew he had seen them.
He was still pondering this as Shoukaku and Zuikaku cautiously entered the office. Both of them paled at the sight of the shards of glass scattered around.
"There was an...accident," said Takeda. "I'll have someone clean it up in a moment. Please, have a seat."
They complied, both looking at him searchingly. Whatever they saw increased their nervous fidgeting.
Sighing, Takeda sat down at his desk.
He tried very hard to avoid having favorites among the kansen, but the girls of the 5th Carrier Division had earned his respect and, he had to admit, his affection. They were hard-working and brave, but such could be said of most of the kansen. There was just something about Zuikaku's fiery passion and Shoukaku's quiet stoicism that had impressed him. They complemented one another well and their devotion to one another was, for lack of a better word, adorable.
More than once, he had sat and listened to the mournful sounds of Shoukaku's flute as she played in the evening. It was the perfect accompaniment to a peaceful night, silence and sound intermingling in a dance that one could only hear, not see.
He dreaded having to send them into battle.
"The Americans are coming," he said, forcing himself to speak.
Their eyes widened. "Here?" said Shoukaku.
"Here." He leaned over his desk and handed them their written copies of the orders Souryuu had typed for him. "They should be in California now, and a large contingent will be sailing across the Pacific within a few days."
"That's a long journey," noted Zuikaku. "The Sirens will never let them cross unopposed."
"Which is why we will be supporting them. Specifically, the First and Fifth Carrier Divisions."
"Oh," said Shoukaku faintly. "That's not going to be easy."
"Ships do cross the Pacific even now," said Takeda.
"In ones and twos," pointed out Zuikaku. "Not a full fleet. Not without heavy loss, at least."
"Which is why we need to link up with the Americans quickly. I was planning on making Akagi my flagship-" Takeda stopped himself. The words had slipped out before he could stop them.
The two carriers tried to hide their shock, but the way their faces slipped into total blankness gave them away as surely as if they had gasped aloud.
"The flagship has yet to be determined," he said after a short pause. "I may have to detach Akagi and Kaga at some point. They, naturally, have my full confidence. You are both excellent ships, but could use a bit more seasoning. So if we do need to separate, I will be accompanying you."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Takeda regretted it. The reasoning was sound, but entirely unnecessary. He was the shikikan. He didn't have to explain himself.
The two girls exchanged looks. He fervently hoped that they wouldn't spread any rumors. Akagi was an important leader among the kansen, often as much as Nagato despite the battleship's greater prominence. The last thing he needed was for her authority to be questioned.
Perhaps-
"We'll be sortieing as soon as possible." Getting the two out of port was the best way to stop any gossip. Once at sea, they would have far more important things to worry about. "Shoukaku, at present you will be my flagship."
Akagi was not going to like this. But right now, the last thing he wanted to deal with while in combat operations was her disrespect.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Akagi forced herself to slow down. She knew she was showing far too much emotion already- the reactions of the kansen she passed on the way to her quarters was proof enough. Atago and Takao had nearly tripped over their own feet as they scrambled to clear her way.
She knew she was being irrational but that just irritated her more. She managed to slow her walk to a more fitting pace and focused on her own emotions.
Why was she so angry with Takeda? Certainly, she resented his attempts to dictate to her. She would follow his orders for battle, but he was not her master. That wasn't all, though.
More than anything, she was angry with herself. It was not a pleasant realization. Akagi knew she wasn't perfect, but she also knew her own value. Before she had been awakened as a kansen, she had been in the forefront of the battle against the Sirens. After she had been awakened, she knew it was still her place to lead the others by both example and command. They needed her.
Today, she had needed someone else. Try as she might to pretend otherwise, if Takeda had not intervened, she might have died in the street at the hands of a common soldier.
That was what frustrated her more than anything else.
Still trying to sort out her roiling emotions, she almost didn't notice the middle-aged man in civilian clothes reading quietly on a bench. But even as distracted as she was, one glance was all she needed to stop cold.
She bowed. "Admiral Yamamoto."
He looked up, surprised. When he saw Akagi's face, he smiled and stood, marking his place in the book carefully. "Akagi. It has been far too long since I have seen you."
Akagi felt some of her frustration and anger melt away as she smiled back at the former commander of the First Carrier Division. The affection and respect she felt for him was mutual. He made it a point to visit her when his duties brought him to the base.
He was the closest thing she had to a father.
He took her hand gently. "Come, sit." As she slowly sat down on the bench, he studied her. "What's wrong?"
"Am I so obvious?" She looked away.
"To me, perhaps. I have the same feeling that I had when I sailed you into a storm. Except that for once, I feel as if you are tossed by the waves."
She stiffened. Ronin- a person of the waves. "No storm could cause me to lose my way."
"Maybe not one in the sky. But one in the heart- that is a different matter."
Akagi was silent for a long moment. "He is a fool."
The admiral didn't need to ask to whom she referred. "He is your shikikan."
"I don't need him." She knew he would see through the lie immediately, and so he did.
"A ship needs a captain. And a captain needs a ship." He tilted his head back, watching the clouds drifting across the blue sky. "You are proud, Akagi, as you should be. When I commanded you, I knew you were not just a ship. Your awakening has only confirmed my belief in you."
Despite her best efforts, she couldn't quite stop her eyes from tearing up again. "I-"
"You know, we did not choose Takeda solely for his ability as a naval commander," said Yamamoto.
"What do you mean?"
He leaned back. "When we first began working with kansen, we found that not just anyone could truly command you. There is something special needed, something that isn't here-" he pointed to his head, and then to his heart "-but here."
She shook her head. "I don't understand."
"Yes, you do. Perhaps not in your mind, but in your soul." His voice was gentle, but firm. "You are skilled at keeping your pride from ruling your head, but not so good at keeping it from ruling your heart." He stood up. "I apologize, but duty calls. Please do not hesitate to call on me."
Akagi, her emotions still not in check, nodded. "Thank you, Admiral."
With a parting smile, Yamamoto left, tucking his book into a pocket of his coat.
It wasn't until the sun was beginning to set that Akagi finally went to her quarters.
A/N: I'm not sure whether the concept here is entirely canon, but I'm operating off the idea that if the ship-girls are too far from the water, they lose a good chunk of their "powers". Ah, you say- what about the air battle in the earlier chapter? Well, I'm going to say that they were close enough to the Pacific that they were able to fight. It's a bit of a stretch, but Emerson did once say that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, etc. I'm half-joking- I don't think Emerson was referring to writing fanfiction about ships becoming cute girls- but I'm writing this for fun, both my own and yours. Please allow me my little irrationalities- I promise I won't use them for deus ex machina or other evils.
A quick word regarding the characters- I sometimes feel Akagi gets the short end of the stick, characterization-wise. I want to try and show how she got to the point she is in the game (as a playable character, more than the various stories, though I am taking those into account). Hopefully she will be a bit more sympathetic- and interesting.