I generally try to keep ships with the same name as the same Azur Lane character. That's what I did for Ajax, but the verdict from Sev is that Indomitable will stay a carrier. I don't mind since it means less swapping over to the AL wiki in another tab lol
The flags of France and Britain, how they fluttered in the breeze-
The Italian and the Russian, and the flag of the Japanese!
For those of you not on the server:
The war is going poorly, and the British strike a deal with the Japanese. Two battlecruisers– Inflexible and Indomitable– are sent to reinforce Japan, in addition to cubes for strengthening the Japanese navy.
In exchange, all four of the Kongous are sent to join the fight against the Hun in Europe, when they're ready for it.
"Are you sure you can manage?"
"I can walk by myself, I believe."
A foreigner and a rear admiral slowly disembarked from a ship, the former watching the latter, fearing that he might fall. Thankfully, he seemed strong enough to walk on his own, although she kept a very careful eye on him. The last thing she wanted was her charge taking a nasty fall so close to their destination.
The facilities were not dissimilar from home, she thought. They were certainly workable if perhaps a touch smaller than what she was familiar with. She knew things would only grow stranger as they carried on, as they left a western-style harbor for a country that was anything but.
She hoped to know why Sir Pakenham had become so enamored with this country and their navy. Perhaps it was something in their national character: they were simultaneously flexible and inflexible if you'd pardon the pun. When the Western world came knocking, they proved remarkably flexible: they rebuilt their society to survive in the modern age, and they were blown about by the storm of modernity but did not break in the gale. At the same time, they were inflexible: Japan stayed Japan through it all. When lesser powers bent under the might of Europe, they stood strong.
Comparing them to bamboo felt a bit on the nose, but was it true, in a sense? Greater tensile strength than steel, yet capable of bowing in the wind. When they stopped by Hong Kong, she had observed the city with a telescope and saw work being done on mighty buildings, where every last inch of the scaffold was bamboo. Ancient scaffolding for modern buildings… it seemed quite fitting.
But maybe she was attributing too much mystique to otherwise normal people. The Japanese would be helpful in the fight, of course, but they wouldn't be some magic cure to their problems in Europe.
Of course, whatever help was coming from Japan would probably be hampered if the rear admiral who had done so much convincing got himself hurt. Inflexible kept pace at a respectable distance, not wanting anyone to get any funny ideas. She could see her sister getting off her own ship, two cubes held in an unremarkable suitcase.
Both of them were dressed in formal clothes, almost like the uniforms admirals wore, in hopes of impressing the Japanese. Their initial clothes were a bit… out there– a midriff-baring shirt or a gauzy dress with a meter-long trail, high heels, strange hair ornaments– and their current wear raised their odds of being treated seriously.
(They even had medals, there was talk of honors and such. A few pieces of brass on her chest might impress someone, she supposed.)
Fortunately for Akiyama, his fellow Commanders were very close by. After Indomitable presented the cubes, both she and Inflexible rattled off a few pleasantries Pakenham had hammered into their skulls, and then proceeded to shut up.
She tried to pay attention to the way the conversation went, lamenting that the cube hadn't given her language skills to go with the control of a warship. Akiyama explained the gist of things, with Inflexible giving a demonstration of her abilities when asked.
Akiyama held the cube and thought. He thought of the admiralty in Britain, the shipbuilding companies that made her, the scandal and embarrassment that surrounded her construction. A king (or perhaps parliament) maker before she even saw Japan.
The older Kongou, the corvette of the same make as the Hiei he had sailed on. Even older than that, he thought of the mighty mountain that named the ship, and then its namesake, the vajra imbued with divine power, a weapon that was indestructible, one that struck like unstoppable lightning.
Kongou-san, the warship. Kongou-san, the invincible mountain. Kongou-san, the divine thunderbolt.
Kongou.
Kongou came to be. One moment she wasn't, one moment she was.
Well, she was many things before. She was a ship, she was the version of that ship that resided in thousands of minds.
But now the perceived could perceive. Kongou stood before a crowd of officers, all looking at her with tremendous expectation. On instinct, her arm snapped up and she gave a crisp salute.
"Kongou of the Kongou class, reporting for duty! I am a tool for the empire, the beacon that shall guide the navy to the future!"
As Mount Kongou loomed above her mountain range, she stood as the first of the Japanese Kansen. What a Kansen was, what Japan was… both were already there in her mind, almost subconsciously, and they fit into her spiel before she really realized she was saying it.
For a few moments, the officers were silent. They stared at her. Saw her blonde hair and blue eyes, and knew she was an import. The last, hopefully, as Japan grew into her status as a modern naval power, but inarguably foreign. She didn't allow herself to shrink under their stares. She didn't quail. If they needed Kansen, they'd take her, and that was that.
One of them was standing much closer to her than the rest, and he didn't seem disappointed. Fortunate. "Greetings, Kongou-san. I am Rear Admiral Akiyama…"
At least one of the admirals wasn't going to treat her like an animal in a menagerie. Looking at where everyone was standing, Akiyama had to be the one that formed her. Father? Or at least, a man vaguely like one.
She kept her composure and went through the usual niceties in Japanese. Perfect pronunciation, following each social cue like it was gospel. She already looked a foreigner, she certainly couldn't act like one. Honestly, if they spurned her for looks, they were the fools…
The admirals whispered to each other and their staff, before requesting a demonstration. She pulled out all the stops, regardless of the headache coming on. Flash morse code with her mirrors– fast as any professional, thank you very much– and controlling a supposedly empty ship… they realized her value.
However, it wasn't Akiyama who stepped forward when they came to Hiei with a cube. Was it… Ogasawara, who took the cube in his hand? She needed to attach names to faces quickly, yet she found herself totally transfixed by the process of bringing Hiei into being.
(Hiei sat right there, close enough to touch, but it didn't have Hiei. It was just a ship. The potential for her sister was there, in that keel and hull, but it sat there, dead.
Like a body without a soul, perhaps. A pile of meat and bone that should create a person, one that she was supposed to be sisters with. But there was nothing, not yet. As Kongou was shaped by Akiyama, Hiei would be formed by Ogasawara. The thought was more distressing than she'd like to admit.)
It was strange, watching the process from the outside, but it was also exciting. Her sister was coming home. Coming to be, whatever. A Kongou class of Japanese make.
She appeared in a flash of light. Hiei the mountain, home of the warrior monks who had made even Oda Nobunaga tremble. Hiei the warship, who fought with pride.
Her sister.
She stood tall and proud, helped by some significant heels, and she held a great katana in her hands. (Kongou had a western saber sitting against her hip.) Perfect dark-colored hair disturbed by two flawless ivory horns. A delicate charm made of red string hung from one. Even the British ships seemed a little surprised by that one.
Her sister, looking very near the part of a perfect Japanese lady. Closer than Kongou, at least. Jealousy was the last thing on her mind, though, not when she felt such pride.
"Kongou class Hiei, reporting for duty. Wherever you need to go, I shall guide you."
For the next while, they were separated by the pleasantries and greetings they got caught up in. They couldn't let emotion overwhelm them now, not when they were being scrutinized; letting their emotions run wild would only slow Japan's adoption of this marvelous naval power. Despite that, they kept on stealing glances at each other.
Thankfully, someone eventually thought to ask the two living battlecruisers what they'd like to do, now that they officially existed. They both had the exact same answer: "Can we visit Kirishima and Haruna?"
Unfortunately, their sisters weren't quite ready to go yet. Soon, but not soon enough to join them on their journey to Britain, at least not as part of the same expedition. They would meet for the first time on the shores of that foreign country, under royal oaks. Some small part of Kongou was excited to see the land of her making, but the part that longed for her sisters ached.
The hulls stood there, almost like Hiei's, with the exception of some tools and whatnot still scattered about. The decks had been cleared and the workmen sent home early so that Kongou and Hiei wouldn't be revealed to the public too early.
There was still that slightly disarming feeling about them, the sense that they should be more, that there should be a Kirishima and Haruna standing before her, but she had faith. Just as Hiei resided inside cold steel, so did her sisters. A heart that pulsed with steam would be paired with one that pumped blood.
Kongou took off one of her gloves and laid her hand against Haruna, the metal warm under her hands, thanks to the sun. "Soon. I'll see you, soon enough…"
What followed was a bit of a scramble to properly accommodate them. There was no way in hell they would be sleeping near the rank and file, so they would get nice, cushy officer's quarters. Then there was the matter of getting them proper clothes with skirts that went a little further than the thighs. Modified officer's uniforms– she wondered what the tailors thought of that– and western style formal wear and even some Japanese clothes…
Photographs were taken, reports were written, Kongou and Hiei showed off their powers as best they could before their schedule compelled them to set out for Europe. And well, that was that. The awakening of her sisters would be left to high command, the China Sea would left to the British ships, and Japan would carry on without them.
Hiei seemed to take it a little harder than Kongou did, or at least Kongou got that impression from their rapid-fire communication in Morse. They could flash their mirrors or use telegraphy as easily as they spoke with their mouths, so fast that no communication officer could dream of keeping up.
"Are you excited? To see Britain?"
"Of course. It's the land that made me. All of us were designed there, no?"
"I just think it a shame to part so soon… we didn't even have a party." Kongou laughed a bit there.
"We'll return the biggest party we've ever seen. All four of us. And we'll have earned it."
Kongou dreamt during the journey. She dreamt of two foggy, half-obscured figures, struggling to keep pace with Hiei and herself. Shades and specters lingered among their destroyer escorts, as defined as vapor. She dreamt of Mount Hiei wreathed in fire, something sacred and holy and beautiful burning because of some petty politician's power grab.
At the very least, when she woke up panting and covered in sweat, she was alone. Her presence on the ship already caused complications– she could more than carry her weight, but her mere presence shook up the sailors– and the last thing she wanted was to be seen as weak. An overemotional little lady, instead of Japan's finest.
That meant no asking if she could possibly be transferred over via bosun's chair so she might spend a night at Hiei's side. It wasn't strange to wish to touch her, right? They barely got in a few embraces in Japan, and while they would share a room if they spent a night docked somewhere, those chances were few and far between.
She felt an alien among her own crew. They grew to respect her with time, as she made their lives easier with her abilities, but the only person who was never shocked, who never stared, was Hiei. She understood what it was like, with those horns of hers.
That, and Hiei was the only person on the planet Kongou felt remotely comfortable touching in any way more intimate than handshakes. During the initial scramble to get housing for them, they had shared a bed; it was nice, to have her so close. The only other person in the world even remotely like her was right there, close enough to hold. However, that was off the table now, as they sailed.
Well, perhaps some of their crews would be willing to help such a thing come to pass if it meant they got to observe. Urgh. A happy benefit of the modified naval uniforms they wore was that every randy idiot on the ship didn't get a free look at her thighs. They already had certain thoughts about her because of her looks: blonde and blue-eyed was a remarkably exotic combination, for the Japanese.
At the very least, the officers were a bit more respectful. The ones who were already married or who had burnt up their youthful passion already… well, they were disagreeable in other ways. Judgemental, condescending, and more than a little annoyed that she traipsed onto their ship and started stirring up trouble.
No rest for the wicked, it seemed.
Hiei was a little disappointed to see their arrival had no grand ceremony, no pomp and circumstance. She understood the value of stealth, of course, but it seemed like the girl was just itching for a big party– she had even brought some sake all the way from home, just for that sort of circumstance. It was… sweet. Kongou hoped Kirishima and Haruna would end up as charming as Hiei.
Still, they received as warm of a welcome as war-weary Britain could manage. In fact, they received a welcome from three battleships. Hopefully, they'd stick out less in such martial company. Or rather, their ships were supposed to stick out less in such martial company.
Kongou and Hiei had been cordially invited, if they so pleased, to take some leave. Hiei's horns threw a bit of a wrench in things, but the British had already planned that any Kansen adventures would be as secretive as possible. They were cautious about the exact specifics of the program getting out, for obvious reasons.
So Hiei and Kongou would accompany some British Kansen for a brief land excursion, while the fleet would swing up into the Irish Sea. They'd catch up via train while giving their crews a bit of a refresher course on plain old navigation. ("We don't want to foster bad habits. If they're too dependent on you, the ship will be useless if you're out of commission.")
The three ships in particular were Warspite, Queen Elizabeth, and Malaya. The first two looked quite British, the latter did not. Still, she stood proud, a wavy kris sword at her hip. Warspite also carried a blade, leaving Queen Elizabeth the only one without arms. Perhaps because of her royal name? Still, Kongou had heard enough reports to know Lizbet here was not some do-nothing royal.
Oh, they were also quite short. That was pretty notable. (She wondered what it would be like if Hiei came into being significantly younger. The admirals wouldn't have appreciated it all, but Kongou liked the thought of doting a bit. Well, she liked the thought when she didn't appreciate that Hiei was sailing into war as a grown adult just as prepared and mature as Kongou herself.)
Hiei's English language skills weren't quite as great as her Japanese. She could talk, but they had agreed Kongou was better prepared to make introductions. "Japan's Kongou and Hiei, here to render assistance. We're pleased to meet you."
Elizabeth stepped forward. She was the first of the British Kansen, Kongou's analogue. "We are glad to welcome you to the United Kingdom. The Admiralty is indebted to you."
Kongou bowed in thanks. "I cannot speak for Japan as a whole, but Hiei and I are here to repay our debt to you. Your cubes made us more than cold, unfeeling steel."
"You can thank Centaur in person when you reach Scotland. I'm sure she'd be elated." Warspite interjected.
From the look on Elizabeth's face, Kongou guessed there was something up with Centaur, but Kongou still wished to meet her. If the cube that gave Kongou life was generated by this Centaur, then she was something almost like their…
Hiei whispered into her ear, and Kongou spoke for her: "Ah, that reminds me. What are we doing on our leave? Hiei and I don't wish to cause you any trouble."
"We're going to Bath."
"Bath?" Kongou asked. Both she and Hiei were a bit confused. It was a very basic piece of English vocabulary, sure, but…
"A town called Bath," Elizabeth clarified. "Pakenham said the Japanese are fond of hot springs."
Honestly, Kongou wasn't sure how much she had really expected from England. It was the land of her making, of course, and she would like to meet her designer if at all possible, but neither of those things meant England had to be pleasant, or even like home.
Strangely, Kongou felt another thing bubbling up. "We'll see how it compares to an onsen." She had never been to an onsen, why was she feeling a sudden onset of nationalist pride?
The baths in Bath were so old as to name the city, which should have been their first clue. People had been using the site to bathe since Roman antiquity, centuries before the oldest surviving onsen in Japan. One point to Britain, she supposed.
The exact method of bathing was a bit different, depending more on their own preference, but there was something they had to do for the aforementioned bathing to pan out– changing. There was a room for that sort of thing, and the five of them were the only people on the premises, but there was still a definite awkwardness in the air.
Warspite and Elizabeth wore no small number of scars under that royal finery of theirs. Kongou was half expecting Elizabeth to panic or attempt to cover them up, but she held her head up high. It was humbling, a reminder that Kongou's apparent age advantage wasn't much compared to their actual combat experience.
(The three of them were all lean muscle and sharp instincts, under those polite facades. There was a tense atmosphere in the changing room.)
The hot water was certainly relaxing: Kongou and Hiei could feel their stress melting away after dipping in, and the British seemed to enjoy it just as much if not more. Warspite let out a sigh of contentment before she and Elizabeth rubbed at some of their scars. Old aches?
Malaya, on the other hand, seemed quite excited by the architecture. In fact, she had been rather excited to visit the city overall. She marveled at the aging decor, the pillars and arches and statues… for once, she seemed about her apparent age. An excited kid.
It was a nice excuse to let their hair down. "Is this the first time our officers have gotten out of hair?" Kongou mused.
"They let us sleep alone," Hiei remarked.
"Don't give them any ideas," Kongou said. "Pass me a drink?"
"Of course."
The lack of oversight for reasons of their modesty meant they could smuggle a bit of Japanese booze inside. Elizabeth had accepted out of some sense of royal magnanimity– tribute paid, or whatever– and Malaya was curious enough to give it a try. Warspite had been hesitant, but Elizabeth said that was her stance towards all booze and asked them not to take any offense.
("The admirals don't let us so much as touch the grog…")
Honestly? It felt good, to sit and chat with people like her. Elizabeth had a bit of an ego on her, but she was determined to be a good host. Kongou hoped to really ask her about the specifics of combat when they were in a more formal setting. She was smart enough not to sour the relaxed mood of the baths.
"Was there some reason you were so excited to see Bath, Malaya?"
"The history!" Malaya said, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Warspite and Elizabeth chuckled like this was something that came up a lot. "We've been dropped in a country that's been inhabited for thousands of years! History has seeped into the hills!"
Okay, Kongou thought she understood what her deal was, and honestly, she kind of understood it, a bit. She had ideas of what Japan was: onsen, poetry, religion, art, all that… but she had never seen them, or had concrete interaction with Japan. Japan came to her secondhand.
Feeling indulgent, Kongou spoke: "Tell me a little more about Bath." Elizabeth let out a very unregal groan.
Malaya proceeded to go on a bit of a rant about the history of Bath, the Avon Valley, Shakespeare, Mercia and Wessex… the girl had clearly been doing her reading. "And then there's the Wife of Bath, who was the best character–"
Realizing her mistake, Kongou attempted to stop the deluge, or at least redirect it. "The Wife of Bath?"
"From the Canterbury Tales, you know?"
"I don't." (Kongou was interested. England, straight from the horse's mouth.)
"It was this poem, written around 1400…"Kongou realized that was still a few centuries shy of the Tale of Genji, but didn't say it. Point for Japan. "... about a group of pilgrims on a journey, all telling stories."
"And the Wife of Bath is best, why?"
"Because she's bold. She abhors double standards. In the fourteen-hundreds, she says that the thing women want most is sovereignty. Control over their own lives."
"Six hundred years and nothing changes." Kongou snorted, before lifted her drink. "To our admirals– maybe they'll learn to listen!" That evoked some smiles. Elizabeth lifted her own glass, highlighting a pale scale that traveled up the arm.
Hiei grinned. "And the Buddha's begging bowl next." Kongou burst into laughter, while their non-Japanese companions were rather confused.
"What?" Malaya asked.
"Ah, it's a reference to a Japanese story…. It would be like asking for the moon," Kongou said.
The British ships chuckled a bit. She supposed issues with command were there whereever you had structured militaries.
"Can you tell us that story?" Malaya seemed quite intrigued.
"Certainly," Kongou smiled. "It begins with a bamboo cutter…"
Fortunately for their schedules, they managed to limp onto a train before they all fell asleep, and with sleeper cars, they were a fair ways towards Scotland by the time they woke for breakfast.
At the very least, their military lifestyles meant they all managed to wake up at decent times, even if the first thing they did on waking was prepare some tea. Warspite and Hiei had spent a few moments trying to out-courtesy each other, each offering to make their own tea (Hiei's blend vs the British) but Warspite managed to earn the right to it.
Thankfully, that was the extent of the work they needed to do in the morning: some soldier had been let in and the secret of Kansen, and he was doing the cooking. There was something downright luxurious about it, having a full English wheeled out before them as they watched the country zip by through train windows.
The meal was incredibly extravagant for wartime, a display that impressed her as much as it made her think. Even if the meal was strongly English fare, it was from a wide range of places. Maybe the cheese was Canadian. The tea wasn't native grown, the fine china was probably an expensive import… This was the produce of a colonial empire, the work of imperial subjects from Canada to Ceylon.
Hiei was testing out her English skills, occasionally stumbling over her words, but the atmosphere was friendly, and any mistakes were met with gentle corrections and well-meaning laughter. She smiled so beautifully.
Kongou wanted her sister to be this happy forever. The only thing that could possibly make things better was Kirishima and Haruna showing up.
But that was a ways away. And their peaceful life together was on the far end of a war. They had to make it there.