"We hereby commit these lives to the deep, to be turned into corruption. Looking for the resurrection, when the sea shall give up her dead. and the life of the world to come, through our Lord. Amen." After speaking his words for the departed, Commander Thorson bowed his head and somberly departed the shrine, watched by Nagato, the Fusou sisters, and the rest of his combined fleet as he left the tenuously allied forces to mourn their war dead in their own way. He could just hear Fusou's silken voice as he left the shrine's pavilion for the rocky path back down to the base. "They're better off in your hands. Now I need to face my own sins… one of them at least."
Tennessee stood from where she'd been seated on her bed, worrying her fingers over nothing in boredom as night had fallen over the base and everyone else had decamped to the shrine. Upon realizing that it was Thorson himself who'd entered her 'prison cell', she brought her heels together and saluted. When the man silently drew his sidearm and racked the slide she felt compelled to speak, to let him hear her last words as long as she still had a chance. "I knew you would come to do this eventually. I made an unforgivable mistake and you have to clean up my final mess, but it's been an honor, sir."
"Shut up, Tennessee. I'm not here to listen to your monologues. I'm here to disappoint you… again," he told her with venom and discontent in his voice. Whether it was for her or himself was unclear. He walked up to the battleship, taking his Colt by the barrel and placing it into her hand. Her fingers tightened around the grip as Ares let out a mournful 'juuu' from the nightstand. "I don't know what it is you feel for me at this point, and maybe I don't have the right to say that I love you after everything I've done. But I can't bring myself to kill you, even though you probably deserve it. I know that much. So I'm leaving the decision in the hands of the only other person who can figure out what the right call is in this situation. I order you to do the right thing for this fleet and this war, then God will judge us both in the end."
"A-Andrew," she stammered in a whisper. "What are you-"
"I'm sorry I'm not quite the man you think I am. I expect your answer by sunrise, one way or another." Unable to face the proud battleship any longer with a straight face, Thorson turned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. His blood was pounding in his ears, and it didn't stop until long after he'd left Tennessee behind and reached the docks. For long minutes of rare solitude he stared out at the stars and ocean, wondering if he'd done the right thing. Back in the Union dormitory Tennessee sat on the floor, head on her knees, and wept.
"Ara ara, what brings you all the way out here all alone, Shikikan-sama?" Akagi cooed, causing Thorson to stiffen his body and Kaga to step forward and cut off her sister. They'd been escorted to the docks by Yamashiro and Fusou, along with Nagato and her full entourage. The shrine maidens were looking at Akagi with unvarnished contempt for her audacity. Kaga cut to the heart of the matter.
"I… we need to know where we stand, Commander Thorson. Should Amagi be laid to rest with the others or-"
"No, we will attempt to bring her back. But I don't trust either of you to do it," he stated with a shake of his head. Akagi's expression shifted from teasing to menacing on a dime, but Thorson walked away from them, leading the group towards the labs without giving her so much as a passing glance. A quick word to Yamashiro had her summoning Akashi away from the final work being done on the Sakura dormitories. The minty kitty went about revving up the conductive matrix and providing raw wisdom cubes for what was about to be attempted. Thanks to the conquest of the Sanctuary, Thorson was no longer lacking for raw, untouched material. The Commander explained his idea further as the small group of elite Sakura ships stood with him before the device. "Every time we've successfully brought a kansen back or saved a kansen from what seemed to be certain death, two things have been constant. The first is that the kansen's former cubes exhibit some sort of abnormality either in color, appearance, or both. The second is the use of a sister ship as a sort of anchor. We have both, but as I said I don't trust either of you to bring her back. I have no idea how or if the sister ship affects the resurrected kansen, and you're adopted anyway Kaga."
"I am just as much her sister as Akagi," the white-furred kitsune replied defensively. Thorson snorted.
"You can save those assertions for later, if ever. I have Akagi's shard in my body, so I'm going to try it myself. Akashi, if I start drowning end the process, would you?"
"You got it, Shikikan! Good luck, nyaa!" the supply chief wished him luck as Akagi and Kaga, under heavy guard and disarmed, were forced to watch and pray that Thorson knew what he was getting himself into. Amagi's cracked and swirling cubes were placed into one side of the matrix while Thorson stepped cautiously into the other. He nodded silently as Akashi loaded up the hopper between them with fresh wisdom cubes and initiated the activation process. Thorson hissed in discomfort as cold, brackish water filled the tank, doing his best to marshal his courage and deny the very human reaction to panic in a confined space steadily filling with water. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was the anxious, tense faces of kansen both friend and foe, as he took a deep breath and waited to see what would happen when the matrix activated with him inside.
Thorson figured that the process couldn't possibly be worse than the Mirror Sea, but the immediate bout of heavy nausea and sense of existential dread was a close second. The Union sailor managed to beat back the urge to vomit inside the enclosed pod, realizing with great relief that he didn't feel an increasing need to breathe. What worried him, however, was the fact that he no longer seemed capable of willingly moving his body. With nothing better to do other than panic, Thorson tried to focus on the quite active shard in his chest, which seemed to be reaching through his mind to grasp at something. He wanted to grunt in frustration, feeling like he was in a less-than-lucid dream and reaching for something just out of sight and mind, battling an illusion of control. He imagined himself swimming, hard, trying to escape the crushing pressure of the ocean depths as a soft, low voice like a siren's song became louder and clearer, calling to him.
The black behind his eyelids suddenly became a blinding white, and Thorson opened his eyes to find himself back among the floating Sakura petals of the Sanctuary. He stood on a stone path in the midday sun, facing a small shrine where a woman sat with her back turned to him. She was tall, even when kneeling. The entirety of her body, save for the back of her head and tall, fox-like ears, was obscured from him by a fan of brown-furred tails with black tips. They reminded him of Akagi's, before her shard had been taken from her and her power stolen. The woman spoke, confirming that she was the source of the voice that had called him there. "So we meet at last, Union sailor, the one my younger sister calls 'Knight'. That you brought them to heel is one thing, but I never imagined you would go so far as to pursue me here."
"Forgive me, but I don't exactly see the familial resemblance," he replied, not wanting to give too much away too quickly.
"It is true we are not of the same class, but Kaga is my sister in all but name," the mysterious woman who he assumed to be Amagi replied. "She was supposed to lead the Sakura after my passing, but it seems the fates have conspired against me. Events took a drastic turn during her retrofit-induced slumber."
"I don't care what happened to bring Akagi to power. What I care about now is keeping them and their loyal minority under control long enough to fight the Sirens. That's why I'm here, to convince you to return to the living and unite the Sakura. I can't do that and neither can Nagato," Thorson explained, taking a step closer as she did not make any threatening movement.
"I suppose I cannot fault your intentions, given that I did not myself accept eternal sleep once I died. Given what Akagi almost did, that decision seems to have been wise in more ways than one."
"You were worried for them," Thorson guessed, removing his shoes and taking the two steps to stand on the floor of the wooden shrine next to her. He looked down and found her face to be a vision of mature beauty, a more serene and composed visage compared to Akagi's.
"I was," she agreed, taking a sip of tea from a small cup held between her hands. "And you spared their lives."
"I told you, I need every ship I can get if the capability of the Sirens is to be believed. After seeing the inside of a Mirror Sea… Your sisters are powerful."
"And you believe that if I am returned to them they will be indebted to you and serve you," Amagi concluded, looking up at him for the first time. "Hmm, you are rather handsome for a Westerner. Perhaps that explains why Yamashiro and her sister fell into your bed so soon after falling into your arms. Don't be so surprised. You decided to visit me, not the other way around. I saw quite a bit. Yes, Lady Nagato has returned but you do not trust her ability to command the strongest among the Sakura. Indeed… I see why you decided to seek me out."
"I suppose there's no need to stand on ceremony then; you have the long and short of it," Thorson confirmed. "Will you join us?"
"You ask that having no guarantee you will be able to control me. What would happen if I took command of the Sakura and attacked your fleet?" she wondered, her voice as soft as a sakura petal.
"I don't have a guarantee, other than what I saw in those split seconds," he agreed with her. "But given what the Sirens did to your sisters and friends, I was thinking we could find common ground. You've seen how my fleet works, I suppose?" he asked, turning and leaning his back against the wooden frame of the sliding door.
"Quite the little harem you have, Thorson Shikikan, and very powerful too. It would no doubt be a devastating battle," she agreed. "But that is not a reason to serve you."
"No, it isn't," Thorson admitted, looking up at the false sky.
"Fortunately Shikikan, I do not need to trust you. That you are here is all I need to know." With unexpected swiftness, Amagi stood and placed her hand just under the corner of his jaw, touching her forehead to his and bombarding him with more memories than he could process. He witnessed a lifetime of memories with Akagi and Kaga in an instant, and when the mental ordeal concluded he found her smiling at him.
"If you and Kaga survive this war, I would happily support your marriage to her," Amagi laughed, something almost like a giggle but more ladylike and dignified. "You would have to suffer Akagi for an eternity but… you may need to do so anyway."
"I would be dead otherwise. I'll handle what I need to," he replied coldly as she reached out and touched his uniform just above the shard.
"The things that you've seen with Hiryuu and the other carrier, Ark Royal, I had no idea such things were possible," Amagi told him, seeming truly surprised. He wondered just how good her control of her emotions was, what with how she could adapt and change on a dime. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was facing down a strategist even in excess of Kaga or Soryuu's capabilities. She continued slowly, as though speaking to herself. "That alone might be worth seeing for myself."
"There's enough power to bring you back, but I need your promise, your word to fight with me," he insisted, having no idea how he would leave that world if she refused.
"And what if I lie?" she wondered again.
"If you were going to lie, you would not have even suggested it," he insisted. Amagi smiled.
"I was thankful to be given even one life, to live a short few years until my time came. I did not realize the burden and gift I'd been given, the ability to change and make my own fate. You do realize the implications of Hiryuu's condition though, do you not? This is not the only war, not the only Siren war."
"Let's beat them once first, then we can worry about the others," he suggested, arms crossed over his chest. Amagi nodded approvingly.
"I will be casting you out of my soul now, Thorson Shikikan. Thank you for your visit, and I look forward to commanding the Sakura again," she hummed. "I will have to thank Zuikaku and Shoukaku as well. Their absence throughout most of your conflict was clearly intentional, and most prudent. Goodbye."
Thorson fell to one knee and clutched his head, feeling as though a migraine was about to split his skull open as the vertigo returned. He closed his eyes and suddenly felt cold again, collapsing to his knees in a soaking mess just outside the conductive matrix.
"Shikikan, Shikikan, speak to Akashi nyaa~! The others will kill Akashi if she allowed you to die being an idiot Shikikan and doing things only kansen should do!"
"How many times have I told you that I'm the only one who may call him idiot Shikikan?" Shiranui asked, floating nearby and commanding her spirit fires to dry him off as he stood shakily, clutching his head. "But today, you're an idiotic miracle worker. Our Empress, if you will, has returned."
"A-Amagi-nee? Is it really-" he heard Akagi gasp from somewhere to his side, followed by a composed, mature laugh and the wailing of a woman finally at the end of a journey she thought would destroy her to the soul. He figured Kaga would join in before long, and so he nodded to a shocked Nagato, composed himself, and made to depart the labs. Thorson halted as a voice called out to him.
"Thorson Shikikan, I shall find you shortly," Amagi promised. He nodded, replaced his cap, and left out of the nearest side door, unwilling to intrude on another private moment between kansen.
"Commander. Commander!" Thorson found himself blindsided almost immediately upon leaving the labs by a distraught California. His blood ran cold and his spine went rigid as she held him tightly and sobbed into his chest. He couldn't bring himself to ask her the question.
"You… you… you spared her life?!" the typically bubbly battleship wailed. "You really did, didn't you?"
"I gave her the choice," Thorson murmured, feeling his legs shaking as the temporary burst of adrenaline faded. "If she's still alive it's because she chose to live."
"She asked me to give this back to you," California said, letting go of him and offering him his sidearm. "I think she's going to stay where she is for now, but she made up her mind if that's the case."
"That's very like her," Thorson replied, wiping his brow with a hand before returning the Colt to its rightful place. "If the enemy has carriers they'd better watch out."
"Commander…" California sniffled, prompting him to hug her again. "It was really hard saying goodbye to Nevada and Okie like that. If I had to say goodbye to her too-"
"Let's not think about that, alright?" Thorson suggested quietly. "War is difficult enough. If Tennessee decides to remain where she is for some time, can I ask you to bring her meals?"
"Of course, sir. I know it would have been a very bad look to have me go see her before you made this call, but now, yes, yes of course, definitely!"
"Thanks a lot, California. If you don't mind though, I think I need a moment to-"
"Everyone's in the onsen, Commander! They finished it just before the ceremony and almost the whole fleet is in there. Do you want to go?" she asked excitedly. "Maybe I can bring Tennessee some coolant."
"Authorized," Thorson allowed as they began scaling the steps to the dormitories. California cast a look behind them.
"What's going on down there?" she couldn't help but wonder.
"The future of the Sakura, and a family reunion long overdue," he replied. California looped her arm through his. "I suppose I'll have more negotiations before long."
"So, you worked your magic again, eh Commander?" she teased playfully. He looked up at the paper lanterns of the newly expanded Sakura dormitories.
"More like I convinced someone that the fight wasn't over."
"Sh-Sh-Shikikan!" Kashino stammered as she noticed him enter the onsen grounds. The busty cow-girl scrambled for a towel as Thorson tried to calm her.
"Sorry to intrude. I'll head somewhere else. There's a lot of space," he told her, looking out at the onsen. The place was bustling beyond anything he'd ever seen, with his Union and Sakura kansen watching over things from the pools or the covered dining area, their rigging out and not much else covering their bodies. He figured most of the Sakura fleet was there, with many of the kansen enjoying a bottle of secret coolant after the long process of constructing their new home away from home. Kashino twiddled her fingers and addressed him before he departed.
"I guess I shouldn't be so embarrassed. Did you really enjoy your coffee this morning?" she asked.
"Of course. You think I have the luxury of lying about something like that in the navy?" he asked. She tittered, causing ripples to move across the lantern-lit water from her impressive chest.
"I suppose not. Thank you for allowing us this. It feels like heaven."
"I'm going to get myself a taste of that heaven I think," California stated, slapping Thorson on the shoulder and removing her towel from her body as Kashino met her eyes and flushed crimson. "Oh, sorry sweetie. I didn't mean that."
"O-Oh… sorry, I should have assumed that-"
California stared at Thorson, who just shook his head and shrugged at her before walking on, figuring he was only complicating the situation as a man. The blonde battleship looked down at Kashino. "You ok?"
"Please, there's no need to concern yourself with me. I don't even know your name and-"
"California, nice to meet you! So I guess that little rumor about the Commander's coffee wasn't such a rumor after all," she observed.
"Oh no, oh no no no!" Kashino gasped in embarrassment, standing out of the water and holding her towel tightly around her. California draped hers over the supply ship's shoulders for a bit of extra modesty and pointed to the small hut containing the private baths.
"I'm from a state with plenty of ranches and farms. Come on sweetie, let's get that taken care of," she suggested.
Kashino looked ready to expire on the spot, but followed California nevertheless. "M-moo?"
"Oh my god you're adorable, Kashino."
"Commander, will you join us?" Brooklyn requested, seated with Azuma, Soryuu, and a blonde Sakura kansen that he wasn't familiar with. They were seated on cushions around a low table where maps of the Pacific and Atlantic rested. The four were sharing tea and coolant between them, and were in various states of undress. Brooklyn was wearing a bikini in red and blue, Soryuu sported her typical clothing, and the other two Sakura were garbed only in towels. "This is Sendai, the eldest sister of Naka and Jintsuu. And you're well acquainted with Azuma, by her telling."
"You mean the part when he gave me life?" the motherly kansen chuckled. "Yes, you could say we are. And before your protest, dear Shikikan, that Mirror Sea was all I'd ever known. It is where I was born and where I expected to die or live forever. Even this feeling of warm steam on my face is more than I could have dreamed. We are discussing the war. Would you care to as well?"
"Sure. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sendai. Would you mind if I ask which of your sisters you take after more?"
"Jintsuu's been a pain in your ass, I know," Sendai told him bluntly as he sat across the table from her. "Nice to meet you and thanks for not killing her, or Naka. Lot of us lost sisters in this war. I'm not like either of them, but hopefully that's obvious given my current company. And you need not worry, I follow High Priestess Nagato. She has allied herself to you, and so I am as well."
"That's comforting," Thorson admitted. "So what's the topic today?"
"We were discussing your almost inevitable deployment to the Atlantic, Commander," Brooklyn told him. "As well as who should remain behind or come with you. Should we proceed through the Panama Canal or through the Indian Ocean and the Suez? How many carriers should we bring given the prevalence of Ironblood wolfpacks? How can we make contact with Royal High Command without sailing right into the thick of the war? Light topics."
"Quite," Thorson chuckled in agreement. "To say nothing of the Sirens."
"The great unknown," Sendai agreed. "Even Azuma doesn't know much."
"I'm very sorry, Shikikan. Over the last couple weeks I've found common cause with dear Suruga more than anyone else. I don't think I am cut out for frontline combat. Papers and charts are so much more pleasant."
"I have a lot of guns, some of which are attached to rather questionable brains," Thorson joked. "Don't sweat it, Azuma. You aren't under my direct command anyway."
"What do you think, Commander Thorson?" Soryuu asked, her fingers steepled in front of her mouth as Brooklyn took a sip of her beverage. "Would you risk the Atlantic?"
"I'll have to one way or another. If we go through Panama we can resupply in friendly territory and we'll have some cover for a portion of the crossing. Problem is the kansen. I know the Union doesn't have any submarine kansen, and I'd know better than most. But you Sakura do, including that… yeah, that one. Little troublemaker she is. Enterprise! Can you please?"
Many looked at the center of the onsen where Iroha and Hammann were engaged in a mortal struggle, or at least as close to a mortal struggle as two ridiculously cute and small kansen could achieve. Enterprise saluted before giving him a rather favorable view of her stern as she waded into the depths of the pool along with Hiryuu, who was similarly naked. The rabbit looked over at her Midway counterpart as they held their respective charges up from under the armpits. "Thanks Enty."
"I don't think we're that kind of friend, Hiryuu. Or did you forget about killing my sister?"
"Yeah, so let me at both of them!" Hammann demanded. Enterprise didn't budge.
"No. Commander's orders."
"I haven't forgotten, by the way," Hiryuu told her somewhat regretfully. "But she got us back more than a few times in other timelines. I already said I was sorry, and I am. That's all I can give you and the Horny Maru."
"Hey, what's up?" Hornet called from the sidelines, hearing her nickname. "Need any help with the tykes?"
"You're good!" Hiryuu told her, slinging Iroha over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "You're not the only one who had to bury someone, Enterprise. But if arms' length is how you wanna play it, then that's fine by me. Sorry about your own sister, kitty. It wasn't me, if that helps."
Hammann responded by blowing a raspberry at Hiryuu. Enterprise chucked her away from Hiryuu, the cat screaming before splashing down closer to where many of the Union kansen were soaking. Thorson waved appreciatively to her and she responded in kind, satisfied that the water and her long hair were concealing her more private locations from him. "We have a long way to go," Thorson remarked to his fellow strategists.
"If the worst of your problems is a submarine and destroyer going at it then I wouldn't worry much," Sendai observed. "But you might know things I don't. What about the Pacific?"
"Assuming I do end up in the Atlantic, which direction I go is up to people who get paid a lot more than me," Thorson admitted. "But I'll hopefully have a seat at the table; make sure your side is treated like allies instead of POWs."
"I think our side will find that acceptable if the Empire is allowed to survive," Soryuu added. "But I can make no guarantees. Without us, the Union Navy will easily win the conflict."
"We will make sure that your perspective is made clear to the Admirals. Admiral Nimitz has proven a reasonable man regarding kansen issues," Brooklyn assured her, adjusting her seat a bit as California walked over to them with a tray of glasses.
"Sorry to interrupt, but it'll have to go in the fridge unless you drink it now. Iced milk anyone? Straight from the tap! It's really damn good."
"Oh… by the gods," Soryuu groaned, holding her head in her hands. Sendai looked at California silently, but Azuma held out a hand and accepted one of the glasses that were already coated with condensation on account of the ice within.
"Mmm, that is quite creamy. Thank you," Azuma told California as Brooklyn followed suit. It was good that she made her move when she did, as the eternally hungry Yuudachi was on the scene shortly thereafter. Shigure and Yukikaze were with her, the partly animalistic destroyers equally desirous of milk. In a second the platter was swiped clean, the girls running away with their ill-gotten gains stark naked as they giggled and shouted. Thorson spared them a single glance.
"Can someone explain to me how those three managed to become some of the strongest destroyers in the Pacific?" he requested. The women around the table shrugged.
"There are some things that simply defy explanation, Shikikan," Azuma presumed. "I have not known them for long, but they are quite cute. I'm glad to hear they are equally skilled in combat."
"A mystery it will stay then," Thorson agreed, returning to the maps. "I should ask Ark Royal about the Royal Navy. As far as I know Akagi led a campaign to drive them from the Indian Ocean, but if we went that way we could rally whoever is left… maybe."
"That is certainly something to consider," Brooklyn agreed. "So far as we know, India remains under Allied control."
"In the end it'll be up to us to follow orders and make the best of it I suppose," Thorson mentioned, looking over the table. "Is there anything else I should know in the here and now?"
"I don't think so, Commander Thorson," the lapine carrier told him. "We're all still getting a feel for this new life. The onsen helps."
"Will you be going in like that?" he asked her with a chuckle. She adjusted her glasses and glared at him.
"I will change when you depart."
"Well that's my cue then. It was a pleasure, everyone. Brooklyn, are we ready for when Captain Stevens arrives? And the Admiral?"
"Yes sir, I've finished the after action reports, though they read more like a fairy tale than a military document."
"Then it's a damn good thing the top brass was there to witness Midway… hey, Brooklyn?"
"Hmm, what is it sir?" she asked cordially.
"Does it strike you as odd that after Admiral Hawkins died the OSS never managed to get in touch with me?" he asked.
"Well when you put it that way, sir, of course it is. I cannot imagine the late Admiral was the only one to know about this place, not to mention it's no longer a secret within the Union. They absolutely could have gotten you a message if they wanted to," Brooklyn stated with confidence. Thorson's mood darkened.
"Let's hope it's just because I have 'enemy' kansen serving under me. If it's not that… I don't want to think about what that could mean. Have a good evening everyone. You can go get changed now, Soryuu."
"You can't just-" the carrier insisted as Thorson stood and walked off towards the secluded area of the baths past the end of the fence and lanterns.
"Hey sis, you think I should try to ride his pony?" Hiryuu called out to Soryuu as she watched him go. The older sister sat ramrod straight and refused to look at her, sipping her beverage instead. Hiryuu looked at the Union kansen who'd also heard her and shrugged. "What's with the angry looks? Haven't half of you boned him already? I just wanna see what all the hype is about."
Thorson had just barely made it around back of Akashi's pride and joy, the rock waterfall that separated the main bath from the dimly lit, private area, when circumstances called him back to the front. With a quick wave at Cleveland, Downes, Cassin, Houston, the five Asashio class sisters and Fredrick Miles, all of whom appeared to be as naked as the day they were born, Thorson shook his head and turned back towards the lanterns and fencing to see what all the commotion was about. The source became obvious rather quickly, as the entirety of the Sakura forces looked up at the covered wooden structure where he'd been relaxing just moments before. Standing there were Akagi and Kaga, along with a very happy looking Nagato and a most serene Amagi. She seemed to sense his presence immediately, turning to her right and waving him over gently with a grace that was momentarily interrupted by a light cough.
"It looks like you're all about to put on a bit of a show, though you may be overdressed for the onsen," he remarked with a hint of a smile. "Very nice kimonos though."
"Thank you, Thorson Shikikan," Amagi replied gently. "As if being reunited with my sisters was not enough, you provide us with a fully functional onsen? It's rather nice to be back among the living. And you're here now, which means that we may begin."
"Ah, begin what exactly?" Thorson asked from where he stood near the edge of the main baths, Union and Sakura kansen alike looking at him and Amagi as she closed her eyes and smiled.
"This, of course," she tittered, withdrawing a paper and bamboo fan from her sleeve and assaulting Kaga and Akagi's heads with full and sudden force. Amagi was so swift that she'd gotten in a couple of hits on each of them before the two younger kitsune could even react, raising their hands above their heads and cowering as Amagi demanded they remain put. "Don't you dare think about running after what you've done! Did you honestly think that what you were doing would work? That I would approve of you sacrificing everything for a false promise? You should pray to the gods every morning, afternoon, and evening that your enemy proved to have a greater sense of honor than both of you, you stubborn, foolhardy girls!"
Thorson did his best to remain neutral, his hand over his mouth as the Sakura looked on in shock and several of the Union kansen cheered Amagi on. Akagi continued to try to hide and dodge Amagi's blows, but Kaga seemed resigned to her punishment, which did eventually cease. When Amagi was done a dead silence, interrupted only by the splashing of water, fell over the onsen as the carriers nursed their bruises. Thorson was sure they'd have bumps for a day or two, and it was more than apparent to him that Amagi's actions were first and foremost intended to re-cement her position as commander of the Sakura kansen. Behind him he heard Hammann grumbling that they deserved more, but Amagi was not done with her performance.
"I hope that you will find that sufficient for now, Thorson Shikikan. Thank you," Amagi offered, taking both of her sisters into her arms and hugging them dearly. "Go get changed, you two. You should mingle again. Bear with the shame, it is the only way you will regain your place in the fleet. Akagi, I will be watching you closely. Akashi, is there any sake on this island by chance? I believe Thorson Shikikan and I should speak to one another with candor."
"It has not been pasteurized yet, Amagi-sama," the minty kitty explained, an extraordinarily smug expression on her face at the treatment of Kaga and Akagi. Shiranui looked no less pleased, a rare smile on her face as her friend pleaded to Amagi. "Akashi is working with a shoestring budget, nyaa!"
"We'll have to see what we can do about that, but I prefer the stronger flavor anyway. If you would?" Amagi requested, sending Akashi and Shiranui off to the small, adjacent brewing facility that Thorson had definitely not signed off on. The elegant battlecruiser looked down at Thorson as the kansen of the combined fleet began slowly returning to their awkward but relaxing mingling. "Thorson Shikikan, could I trouble you to wait a moment? I feel I am overdressed in this kimono, as you pointed out, not to mention the steam."
"As you wish," he said, waving towards the women's changing room. "I have plenty of time… I think."
Amagi smiled slightly at him. "I understand your meaning, at least with respect to the war. Tonight though, perhaps we can engage in a bit of leisure. I'll not be long."
True to Amagi's word, she did not spend much time in the changing room, returning to the onsen even before Akagi and Kaga. Thorson's brows shot towards his hair as he got a look at most of her body, tall, lithe, and clad in a white bikini with red stitching that just barely kept her breasts contained in addition to riding high on her surprisingly wide hips. It was a different look from her kimono, to say the least, with her thin, ornate sash proving to be the most conservative aspect of the attire. Sheer white fabric completed the look, hanging from her arms and midriff. "I apologize for the wait, Thorson Shikikan. I see Akashi has prepared glasses for us. Mmm, for sake brewed on a military base this smells quite good."
"I'd say that outfit more than makes up for the wait," Thorson couldn't help but remark. She smiled behind her hand before taking a sip.
"Mmm, it's been so long since I tasted sake. I'm glad you approve. Between your… exploits and the onsen, I figured something between my traditional attire and nudity was appropriate for a meeting such as this. Is it too distracting for you?"
"It would be best if I don't answer that. Damned either way," Thorson chucked, tentatively taking a sip of the clear alcohol. "Huh, that's very different."
"Your first time sampling sake? I suppose that makes sense," Amagi reasoned, stretching out slightly on the cushions and making no attempt to hide herself from him. She knew many kansen from both nations were watching her as well, and she allowed her eight tails to unfurl behind her, easily larger than her body itself. Thorson saw the process as very similar to his own ships and their rigging, and it was clear from the tails alone that Amagi was on equal footing with Nagato in terms of power and prestige. She looked at him with confident relief. "Ah, that's much better. You don't mind the extra fluffy bits do you? And you're quite right about my question, Thorson Shikikan. I will take the motion of your eyes as your answer. It may not look it, but I'm rather old compared to the other voluptuous maidens you've taken to bed from the Empire. So I thank you for the compliment. Now then, shall we discuss the terms of our alliance? That is why you brought me back, is it not?"
"One of many reasons," Thorson agreed, holding out his cup of sake and tapping it lightly against hers. "Your help with Kaga and Akagi would also be appreciated."
Amagi's eyes dropped to her own glass, watching the tiny ripples on the surface of the sake as the sounds of innocent destroyers splashing about in the water under the watchful eyes of cruisers and battleships soothed her ears. For just a moment, more seemed right in the world than wrong. "Yes… yes, my one-tailed sisters. How the mighty have fallen."