Chapter Text
She was shaking, Junyou heard the tumbler in her companion’s hand clatter lightly against her teeth as she took another sip. The carrier glanced sideways at Ayana, before returning her gaze to the enormous window behind the Commander’s desk and the bay beyond.
Barely two hours had passed since the Siren’s retreated and Tirpitz returned; blacked-out but victorious. The base was euphoric, the atmosphere almost palpable through the staff and fleet’s collective relief. After the last of her orders were given, Ayana had withdrawn to her office, with Junyou in-tow, to exhale her own tension in private.
“You’re the Commander now.” Junyou stated the obvious, if only to calm the nerves of the woman stood beside her.
Ayana nodded, just slightly at first, then a little too vigorously; she was still coming down. “The Admiralty will have to accept my command without hesitation now. Everything fell into place… Even what I couldn’t account for.”
Staring at her own reflection in the window, she took a deep shuddering breath and peered deeply.
“And Bismarck performed well above expectations.” She added after a few moments.
Junyou gave a slight nod, unsure of exactly what expectations they were reviewing.
“Most importantly, you held your nerve. You won the day.”
Ayana nodded and took another long sip of whiskey.
“You’re right. I suppose it’s… Been a while. I feel worn out, I have to admit.” She blurted, cheeks aflush.
“Congratulations.” Junyou gazed out, first into open skies above the bay, and then down to the clear waves which depicted distorted reflections.
There were still some patrols dotted about out there; more to buy time for the docks to make space rather than overzealous caution; the maintenance crews were still overloaded, and would be for some time.
They both watched the horizon for a time. The silence was not exactly comfortable, but it was tolerable; a luxury neither ever readily turned down. In fact, it was a constant they had come to thrive upon over the past few weeks.
A dull thud. Junyou turned and saw that Ayana had dropped her now-empty tumbler to the carpeted floor; her hand trembling quite openly now from long-suppressed nerves. Junyou smoothly moved into place behind the officer and lightly placed her hands on her shoulders. She waited a moment and, when she met no resistance, began to slowly massage the taught muscles she found there. Gently at first, until she felt the woman shudder; then she let her fingers probe a little deeper.
“You’ve been distant lately.” Ayana said suddenly.
Does she ever switch off?
Junyou didn’t hesitate. “You never have to worry about me.”
There was no immediate reply, but the carrier knew it wasn’t over.
“You never talk about the past anymore.”
Junyou froze, her hands retreating to hover just above Ayana’s shoulders.
“I… We’re here now. I am here for you now.”
Ayana turned, and Junyou was surprised to find a playfulness occupying her features. Without a word, she leaned forward and kissed her carrier on the lips.
Junyou stiffened in mild shock as Ayana’s tongue prodded at her lips. She let her in after a moment and felt the accompanying warmth threaten to envelope her. A chill ran over her shoulder as the Commander pulled back; the ever-threatening discontent of separation. But she reconnected soon enough; peppering her subordinate with kisses, all over her face and neck.
“Do you mean it?” The question slipped out of its own accord between moans.
“I do.” The carrier murmured.
Junyou leaned back and then found herself being pushed down onto the desk. She didn’t put up any kind of fight. Soon a warm body pressed down firmly upon hers. Lips slick with saliva found the curve of her mouth again, locking into place. The tingle it sparked to life felt akin to their first time together, rather than the barren nights since. She found herself wondering how the woman above her could turn something so intangible on or off.
“Am I…” She gasped as their lips parted. “…Am I your…” Her voice trailed; the words needed to articulate her need not forthcoming.
Ayana pulled back. The carrier felt the weight of her gaze falling down upon her, though it spoke of no displeasure. Instead, there was a flicker of understanding there.
“You never leave my thoughts.” The words rolled off of her tongue softly, so naturally.
Junyou’s hands found her waist, then they glided up until they gripped her uniform tightly. A moment later she pulled her down on top of her with burning desperation; to feel, to hold and be held.
A high’s a high. Just that.
That was the cynic in her. That icy rhetoric was drowned out with each touch and caress; she felt herself slip away into fantasy; that this bond was beyond human machinations; that there was a bigger reason why it was her only respite between restless days and sleepless nights.
*************
Leander paced the hallway back-and-forth, a deeply worried frown creasing her features quite unnaturally. She paused as several fleet-girls appeared, walking out from the gaping maw of the maintenance bays. Looking up, her eyes raked the approaching the group in strained hope. No good; a group of Royal Navy destroyers passed her by, waving as they went. Leander forced a threadbare smile to her lips and acknowledged them. Then she reset to type, as had been the cycle for the past half-hour.
“Can we go now?” Ajax asked, her tone thick with resignation.
Leander paused to glance at her sister; Ajax was leaning against the wall and watching her with a unique mix of irritation and concern.
“You can go.” Leander murmured.
“Achilles is going to be fine. They’ll probably keep her in a day or two. There’s no point in waiting here just for an engineer to tell us what we already know.”
Leander turned away and felt a touch of guilt bow her head; she was well aware of Achilles’s condition after fighting off the Sirens. Nothing too serious, she just needed a little time to get patched up. No, that wasn’t why she was waiting.
As if by some dire miracle, Ajax appeared to suddenly become aware of the misunderstanding between them. A crooked smile bent her lips.
“Ah, so it’s not big sister Leander who’s worried. It’s devoted girlfriend-”
“-That’s enough.” Leander interrupted, the frayed state of her nerves giving her voice a shrill edge.
“Whatever you say. I’ll leave you to it.” Ajax shrugged, pushing off the wall. “But you shouldn’t worry. I’m sure she’s fine.” She added as she strolled away.
Leander watched her go and then began to pace again. Ajax was right; Brooklyn was as savvy on the battlefield as she was in the conference room. There was nothing to worry about; just a delay in the docks or a minor patch-up.
Nothing to worry about.
It certainly didn’t strike her that way when the Navy cruiser caught sight of her Union counterpart; her entire body tensed up for a moment, as if the possibility of a mirage existed. Then, as their eyes met and Brooklyn gave a wiry smirk, she went limp with the accompanying wave of relief.
It must have been apparent, because Brooklyn swept her up in her arms as they met, carrying her bridal-style. Several of the Union ships accompanying their squad leader began to cheer. Leander wanted to object, but she failed to emit more than a weak, incoherent mumble.
“Miss me?” Came the husky whisper, rumbling pleasantly into her ear.
“Put me down… Please.” It was barely audible; let alone the demand she had intended.
She was cut off from further protest by a firm pair of lips pressing against hers and stealing her breath away.
The Union ships continued to whoop and holler as Brooklyn carried her tongue-tied lover through the base, from the docks to the briefing halls; there, a number of the fleet were hanging around, waiting for companions, news or a debriefing. Turning to identify the source of the approaching commotion, Ajax spotted Leander, and with an especially sinister smirk lining her face, she began to point and laugh; riling up the rest of the fleet.
Leander melted deeper into Brooklyn’s arms, feeling her last sliver of modesty float out of grasp. She even spotted Duke of York, who had been conversing with Ajax, applaud politely with a rye smirk aimed her way.
It occurred to the Navy cruiser that none of them actually knew why there were cheering or laughing; after the trials of today they were all just looking for an excuse; a signal to unburden themselves of repressed nerves and tension. To open up and enjoy a rare victory; it warmed her soul to find herself as the centrepiece of that outburst, even if it was unwilling act.
Brooklyn carried her onward, glancing down every now and then with a grin that threated to break out into an irrepressible smile whenever their eyes met.
“Did you like putting on a show?” Leander asked as she was carried out of the base, no regard for formality of procedure after the day’s travails.
“I liked showing you off.” Brooklyn replied. “But you can carry me next time.” She added with a sly wink.
Leander felt her cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red, if that was possible. She pushed her face into her lover’s chest and felt herself quiver. Inside, she felt it pulse; something so tender and beautiful.
They returned the Eagle Union dormitory without any further disturbances. There they laid together until news of Colorado’s condition arrived, demanding Brooklyn’s attention.
************
Kiyonami stood on the beach and stared out to sea, still reeling. The tiny destroyer had been on the frontlines of the defensive perimeter when the main Siren fleet had approached, after the comm lines had been jammed again. The disarray hadn’t been so widespread today, but the fear and unease had been palpable all around, making her shiver and tremble as she unwillingly soaked it in.
It had been especially difficult for the Sakura fleet; their first full battle since losing so many in the Cook Islands. As much as Kiyonami loved Fusou, she was beginning to realise that the woman wasn’t a leader by nature, nor a solider by definition. She missed the fearless presence of Hiyou and Junyou most of all, she was sure everyone had in those anxious moments. Sendai was only one of them to carry a grim determination as they had all awaited the oncoming storm.
Then, as the enemy had drawn near, they heard a huge explosion from the distance; the mist that had been slowly creeping forward with the enemy offensive had dispersed in a sudden gust of wind. Within a moment, the encroaching eerily silent lines of the Sirens had fallen apart; quite literally, Kiyonami witnessed one drone simply sink into the ocean, as if its strings had been cut; its puppeteer suddenly having a change of heart and walking away.
The order to attack arrived; they had surged forward then, sensing that the momentum had swung. Thankfully it had; within minutes the invading darkness had been split apart and devoured by the Pacific South defence fleet.
Afterwards, without really thinking, Kiyonami had sought out Smalley, grabbed hold of her hand and led her here. They hadn’t let go of each other since, and the destroyer could see the same detachment from reality reflected to a lesser degree in her crush’s eyes; from the point of no return to here; tipping from death to life…
They were together again. Kiyonami decided that was the more important point as she tugged Smalley’s hand, pulling her closer before hugging her tightly, like a rock in the rapids.
Several other younger fleet members had joined them on the beach. Glancing around, Kiyonami saw several of her friends wandering around in a daze.
“The Sirens ran when they heard the name Graf Zeppelin echo from the heavens!”
Kiyonami turned to see Zeppy swoop onto the shoreline, her cloak swirling dramatically behind her. That was, until she twirled one too many times and it looped over her head, covering her face. The child slipped in the sand as she thrashed about in sudden blindness. Her hat came loose as she rolled back-and-forth between screams of frustration.
The sight seemed to bring everyone on the beach back down to earth; laughter sprung up as agitated footsteps ceased. Even Kiyonami couldn’t quite hide her giggles as she and Smalley helped the mini-carrier back to her feet.
“You chased them off, Zeppy.” She decided to indulge the Ironblood.
“O-of course!” Zeppy declared, regaining her footing and adjusting her uniform. “They knew their time had come.” She intoned grimly, pointing out to sea. “But not us…” She gestured to her companions across the beach. “…The defenders of humanity!”
She paused again, to strike another pose.
“We will live forever!”
They were all laughing now. After today, they felt it might even be true.
**********
Several days later, Junyou was gazing out of the same ornately-framed window she had been in the aftermath of the battle. Only now, the landscape she was surveying had been warped by a new, unsettling shade; a wall of dense white mist that covered the horizon, clipping the furthest edges of the bay.
“The scouts have confirmed that it’s surrounding the island. A complete ring.” A voice reported.
Behind the carrier, sat at her desk, Commander Ryoma idly twirled a pen between her fingers as she cast half-glazed eyes across several waiting reports. Sat on the other side of the desk, several officers and members of staff waited for instructions.
“Hmmm… No word on any of the probes?”
“None have returned.” An engineer confirmed. “No uplink or data feed. I think we can count them as lost.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Junyou noticed that Ayana didn’t look at all perturbed. A peek at the visitors told her that none of them seemed to even register the carrier’s presence; she was practically part of the furniture at this point. She turned back to the ghostly white occupying the horizon.
“None of those production models we set on auto-pilot made it out… Or at least, they didn’t return. We still don’t even have a clue what it is…” Another officer trailed.
“According to Tirpitz, it’s a mirror sea.” Ayana supplied.
“If that’s true then why haven’t we seen any Sirens?”
“If they could traverse it, I’m sure they would have by now. More time is very much to our advantage at this point. The maintenance bays are finally started to get some breathing room, correct?” She glanced at an engineer.
The man shrugged, and then after a further moment’s consideration, gave a half-nod.
“Odd.” One of the captains noted; stating the obvious, perhaps for a lack of any alternative.
“My guess is that they can’t fully control whatever those things are made up of. And I don’t think they expected us to take down that Oceana; it was quite different from the others upon review. I suspect they’re either trying to bottle us up; to cover over a miscalculation for now. Or they’re simply waiting to see what our next move is.”
“You don’t seem concerned.” A haughty-looking senior officer noted.
“I never am.” Ayana smiled gently. “Let’s just say I’m happy for the recovery time.”
There was further muted discussion. Junyou let it drift by her; empty words from frightened people.
“Make sure to brief yourselves on Tirpitz’s battle report if you haven’t already. As I mentioned, that Oceana showed significant deviations from models we’ve encountered before, and I doubt this will be the last time we encounter such abnormalities. The game is changing, ladies and gentleman.” The Commander stood, signalling the end of the meeting.
As her subordinates joined her, Junyou noted, through the reflection of the room, that one remained seated; a nervous-looking Analyst.
“So… We’re going to sit tight?” He peered up at Commander Ryoma.
“No.” She replied with a faint smirk.
Junyou felt a rueful smile grace her own lips, by now well-aware of when her Commander was going to keep her cards close to her chest and when she was going to play them.
After the meeting was formally adjourned and the they were alone again, Junyou felt a hand reach out, sliding around her wrist, fingers probing her veins. The carrier looked back over her shoulder.
“Do you remember? I said I would have a special task for you.”
“Yes.”
“Things have changed… Still, maybe it’s more important now.”
“What do you need?”
There was no answer for a few moments. Junyou felt the tips of Ayana’s finger slide from her wrist down to dig into the palm of her hand.
“Before that, I want you to answer a question. Will you do that for me?”
“Ok…”
“If you could change any one thing about yourself, what would it be?”
Junyou's eyes twitched and narrowed.
Ayana chuckled. “Tomorrow, give me your answer tomorrow.”
*************
In the waning light of day that flooded her window, Junyou couldn’t help but reflect on how she came to be a shade of her former self.
She spent her days following Ayana around; no need of a bodyguard anymore and she was no assistant; just a shadow to someone relevant. After that night at the cemetery she had found herself unable to feel strongly about anything, even in misanthropic terms. There were only fleeting moments with her lover, and she couldn’t help but feel those surges came from the outside; injected into a lifeless body.
Kiyonami had gone. After the events of last month, it had been decided that the destroyer would stay with Smalley in the Union dormitory. She occasionally came by the Sakura dorm, but Fusou was always waiting to snatch her up and have her stay with the sister-priestesses. Junyou knew that Leander had told the battleship about the incident, and she couldn’t really blame her. Nothing else had happened; no official reprimand, and if Ayana did know about it, she hadn’t said anything.
Beyond that… She scowled at nothing in particular.
Hiyou’s box was open beside her on the tatami. She took the photo out and glanced it over without really looking.
Why do I remember you? Why can’t I forget?
Gradually, as her eyes honed in on the woman of the far-past, she found herself considering the question from the woman of her present.
A change. A choice.
It was such a flimsy and open question; she was sure that it was a trap. What could she say?
I want to be as I was made to be... More like Hiyou...
Why bother asking for the impossible?
To be worthy of your love...
Lately, Ayana’s touch faintly recalled the electricity of their earlier dalliances; sparks that fizzled in colour; the only reprieve from the grey that had saturated her life. She knew Ayana was making an effort, so why would that be the answer she wanted?
Her hapless deductions were interrupted by a knock at her door. The guest didn’t bother to wait for a reply, sliding the door open and stepping inside. Junyou glanced up and took her in; now this was the real sign of complete hopelessness; associating with Kaga.
“Look what I found.” The kitsune held up a slim clay jug of nihonshu along with two shallow cups.
“It’s probably dishwater.” Junyou grumbled.
“Either way, I spiked it with oil.” Kaga chuckled, strolling over and seating herself opposite her host.
As Junyou watched her pour them each a cup, she marvelled inwardly at the lack of hostility she felt. After their last confrontation, and what ensued, there hadn’t been any coming together or amicable mending of their relationship. Instead, as her transformation into a walking void was completed, she simply found the two of them drawn to each other. There was really no other explanation; they were still far from any possible definition of friends. But they were the only two of their kind.
“What do you think of this?” On a whim, Junyou handed Kaga the photo in her lap.
“What about it?”
“Do you think she looks like Commander Ryoma?”
“No.” Kaga replied, passing the photo back.
Junyou felt a surge of irritation at the former-carrier’s bluntness. But as was the trend nowadays, the feeling didn’t go anyway; it simply faded into the aether without consequence.
Kaga handed her a cup. Junyou took a sip and winced.
“Disgusting.”
“More for me if you don’t want any.”
Junyou sighed. “Getting drunk means I don’t have to listen to you.” She took another sip.
“That’s the spirit.” Kaga agreed, downing her cup before pouring another.
They stayed like that for a time. Nothing to say. No point in talking. Just drinking.
Junyou felt her mind slide; a welcome relief to the stark clarity of her current disposition.
A knock at her door jigged her back to the present. She glanced in Kaga’s direction, as if to ascertain that she was still there (unfortunately, she was). That was the only visitor she ever expected nowadays; Ayana never came here, nor did she send anyone to request Junyou’s presence; that wasn’t the nature of their relationship. So…
“Who’s there?” She called out.
The door slid open a foot and a head poked through the crack. Junyou made a semi-conscious effort to mask her surprise as Kiyonami’s doe eyes landed on her. Without waiting for another word, the destroyer hopped inside, closed the door behind her and then trotted over. She blanched as she spotted Kaga, who was now slumped against the wall, but kept going. She sat down next to Junyou and started rummaging through her backpack.
“I need help with my homework.” She looked up at Junyou expectantly, holding out several textbooks.
“She wants you to do her homework.” Kaga chuckled slowly.
“I didn’t say that.” Kiyonami frowned, looking between her two seniors. “I didn’t know you were friends.” She added, turning back to Junyou.
“We’re not.” The light carrier said, a little too abruptly for Kaga to ignore.
The white-haired woman pulled a face that soon contorted into silent laughter.
“She just won’t go away. Like you.” Junyou added belatedly.
“What are you drinking?” Kiyonami reached for Junyou’s cup.
“Something little rabbits shouldn’t touch.” She lightly slapped the destroyer’s hand away.
“It smells bad.” Kiyonami commented, her nose twitching.
“A sure sign that it tastes good.” Kaga interjected with a slur.
Kiyonami frowned at her once more before opening a textbook to a page with several annotated maps.
“Can you explain this to me? I’m not good with tactics… Or formations… I don’t understand.”
“I’m not sure you came to the right place.” Kaga laughed again.
Junyou glared her way, clearly disapproving of the implication.
“Yes, well, we all know that you’re not exactly an institution when it comes to tactical thinking.” The light carrier snapped.
Kaga just shrugged the comment off, pouring herself another cup.
“Don’t fight.” Kiyonami chastised them both with a whine.
“Now I’m sure you’ve come to wrong place.” Junyou told her, before downing her own cup and proffering it for a refill.
They settled down and got to work after that.
It became appallingly clear that Kiyonami did understand her assignment; Junyou caught sight of several pages of notes sandwiched between pages of her textbook in crisp, neat handwriting. Smalley, she guessed.
She really just isn’t going to give up. Any excuse.
She had sunken so far that Junyou couldn’t even summon enough pride to be angry. Even sat next to two people she would have gladly strangled six months ago; it didn’t stir much of anything beyond self-pity.
As they were finishing up, by now what Junyou was sure was Kiyonami’s second copy of this assignment, there was another knock at the door; a polite tap that could only signal one impeccable individual.
“Who isn’t joining us tonight?” Kaga sighed.
Junyou glanced down and met Kiyonami’s gaze; they both knew the score.
“Come in.” Junyou forced her tone neutral for the child’s sake.
The door slid open and Fusou stepped inside cautiously. Her eyes surveyed the room with an anxious gleam before latching onto her target.
“Kiyo-chan.” Her gaze flickered between Junyou and the destroyer. “It’s time to… Go.”
Kiyonami packed her academy-work, textbooks and hoppy away in her backpack and then stood up. She turned to face Junyou, hesitating for a moment. Junyou returned her gaze with passive eyes.
“Goodbye…” She stepped forward and Junyou saw that she was reaching for a hug. She shook her head sharply. Kiyonami pulled back, looking down at the floor.
“You don’t need to visit. I’m fine.” She whispered.
The child looked up at her, eyes fraught with a kaleidoscope of feeling.
“Jun-chan… I miss you.”
“Don’t worry.”
“…You don’t seem like you anymore.”
“Time to go.” Junyou shifted her eyes to Fusou. Kiyonami took the hint reluctantly.
The little destroyer trotted away. The relief was clear all over Fusou’s face as she ushered the child out the room, pausing to bow before following her.
Junyou glanced back her still-present companion, to find that Kaga was softly snoring; the jug beside her drained. The light carrier glanced to one side and noticed that her cup was empty as well.
She stayed in place for some time, the night slowly unfurling around her through the window.
A whisper brushed against her ear, but it was indistinct and soon wilted. Instead her mind was occupied by something else; her Commander’s question.
As the hours past an answer slowly formed; a cocoon in the back of her mind that unravelled rather than burst open; letter by letter her desire took shape...
I want to be useful again.
************
She had been rooted to the spot for several minutes; each passing second a reminder that everyone was watching and waiting. A terrible fear gripped her heart, it was of a kind that she had never felt before; it came from deep within.
Before her, suspended between two metal rods was her rigging; a thick half-belt of steel and carbon. It had been waiting for her, silent and sleeping in the depths of the storage bays. Now it awaited her with tentative hope.
“Go on.” Ayana whispered into her ear.
She took a half-step forward before paralysis set in again, an ankle trembling and her foot flattening. It had been so long, and it felt even longer through the prism of her memory.
Surely it was pointless; she should have never given this answer. Once broken, a wisdom cube could never be fixed; you would never be part of the fleet again. The waves were forever sealed away from you.
“Take up your mantle.”
Her Commander’s words were tempting, and she heard the call from the rigging suspended before her.
Come. Be feared again.
Her flesh alone felt so constricting; her lungs rasping against her frame, her hands twitching through emptiness. Glancing to one side, she saw a black rod with red ribbons held by a loop handing from her rigging.
My blade is gone. It sailed away through the night.
But there is still a weapon for me alone.
She sprang forward, spinning on her heel and leaning back into a metallic embrace. She closed her eyes and waited, breathing ragged and burning her throat as the sounds of minute mechanical adjustments filled her ears. Then it came…
She gasped aloud and her body spasmed as the slim bolts plunged into her waist. She lost all sense of gravity, of time and of place. There was only this joining between machine and its master; a reunion of purpose.
She waited for the surge. Moments ticked by, chipping away at fragile faith...
Nothing.
“No power output. Minimal reaction.” An engineer called out.
Junyou opened her eyes and focused on the figure before her.
“Find it. Inside yourself.” Ayana commanded.
Junyou bit down on her lip and probed her body, searching for a spark; the ignition.
She reached for the rod holstered at her side. Drawing it clear, she held it out in the palms of her hands.
Lifeless.
No runway. No engine. No roar.
Like me.
The fury only etched despair deeper across her face. All of a sudden, she could feel.
“This is your only chance.”
She felt Ayana step close. Looking up, she met those odd-coloured eyes and tried to find something to hold onto there.
A hand caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes. A tear spilled out before she could stop it, born of frustration and hate.
Lifeless.
She thought of Kiyonami; of all of her the pathetic attempts to…
She thought of… She thought of her sister.
Where did you go? Why did you leave me here? Why was it only you?
It wasn’t fair… No, the concept of fairness was for the weak.
It wasn’t acceptable; that she would fall apart because she was alone.
She. Would. Not.
Lips brushed against her own; insignificant, though the sensation revived her senses. She opened her eyes as Ayana pulled back, her gaze attentive and sharp.
“Significant wisdom cube reactions detected! Boot-up signal accepted!”
Ayana stepped back, a slow smile crowning her features.
Junyou threw the rod up into the air. For a moment it seemed to fly up and then dip straight-and-true; a fear of failure drawing across her throat…
I will not be bowed!
There. Its decent halted as it hovered. She threw her arm out, fingers dancing through the air.
The rod began to spin; a golden scroll unravelling, cutting through the dank of the maintenance bay in a shining ark.
She felt it emerge from deep within; the roar. She drew it clear; four miniaturised Ryuusei bombers gliding clear of their ethereal runway. They circled the room as the maintenance staff beneath them cowered in shock or stared in wonder.
“Stable core reading: 45% power reading established.”
Less than half, but she would find the rest of herself, she would claw it all back.
She glanced up and saw the engineer behind the terminal connected to her rigging. He was gazing at her in awe. She let her eyes bore into him and caught the shade of fear that pervaded his wonder. It stood in sharp contrast to the admiration that coloured Ayana’s features.
The carrier drank all of it in like the first gulp from an oasis in the desert; an indescribable taste that blended need and want.
“Now, I finally see you as you are.”
Part of the fleet once more, her eyes locked with her Commander’s, and she knew that another thirst would shortly be quenched.
Afterwards, when they had taken their fill of each other and laid tangled together on standard-issue wool sheets, Junyou felt it again; what she had been searching for all of this time. It was close, she could see it in her lover’s eyes. She felt it through her touch and then, she heard it reverberate through her voice…
“I have a task for you.”
***********
They worked together, slowly and methodically, to clear the grave. Junyou clipped at the ivy that had wrapped itself around the pillar, while Kiyonami weeded the ground before it that would soon be emptied and then filled.
Next, Junyou took up a short spade and dug a deep but small hole. She put the tool aside when she deemed her work deep enough to go forever undisturbed.
Kneeling down on the grass, she looked up as Kiyonami held the metal box of memories, its deformed shape made all the more apparent by the earth that would frame it. Junyou reached out to take it but her companion didn’t let go. She glanced up and met the destroyer’s gaze; fractured with a torrent of feeling.
“It’s time.” Junyou told her firmly.
“P-please…”
“There is where it was always meant to go. It will do no good elsewhere.”
Kiyonami lowered her head in defeat. She knew the truth.
Jun.
Junyou turned and saw her, lounging with her back against her own grave. She wore no patches; both eyes regarding her with something Junyou couldn’t put words to.
“This is the last link. If you bury it… I don’t think I can…”
“I know.” Junyou told her.
“Is this how you thought your life would turn out?”
“I thought you would be burying me.”
“Couldn’t have done it. I’m not as strong as you.”
“You don’t have to lie to me. I hold to no illusions; I know which of us was the greater.”
“Forget it. You have a choice, Jun. You’ve already changed for the better.”
“You know that I can’t be you. No one can.”
And with that she lowered the box into the earth.
Kiyonami sniffled back tears as Junyou filled the grave, finally giving it an occupant.
Junyou stood up when she was finished.
“Don’t go… Please!”
She looked down and found Kiyonami pressed against her; arms wrapped around her waist and face pushed into her stomach to hide weeping eyes. Odd, she could barely feel it.
“I have a mission.” She told the child.
“You’re not coming back, I know it!”
“Not here.” Junyou silenced her, pressing a finger to her lips as the child looked up to implore her.
“I don’t want to lose you! Jun-chan, don’t go!”
She let child cry for a while, holding her close. She was devoid of anything to say to ease her fears; too focused on what was to come. She ruffled the girl’s hair after a few minutes.
“It’s time for me to leave. They’re waiting for me.”
“You’re my friend.” The child sobbed.
“True friends. Maybe the only one.” Junyou whispered.
Kiyonami looked up through her tears.
“And true friends trust each other, don’t they?”
The destroyer nodded reluctantly.
“So, do you trust me?”
“O-of course…”
“And so, that means we’re true friends.”
Kiyonami gazed up at her for a few moments, unable to offer any argument. She hugged the carrier tightly before letting go.
“I’ll see you again, I promise.” Junyou murmured as she stepped away.
She glanced back and saw the child nod, still wiping away her tears.
As she left the cemetery, she spotted Kaga stood before her sisters’ graves. She looked up, the ghost of an old grin writhing across her face as Junyou passed.
“Wreak havoc, Warrior.” She said, lifting her tattered mask into place.
**********
She had forgotten all the hustle and bustle that preceded launch; prattling officers and checks upon checks upon checks. Thankfully, due to this being a special operation under Commander Ryoma’s direct command, she was spared the worst.
In the docks, she was once again connected to her rigging. Though this time there was additional equipment being loaded and prepared for her. Ayana was on-hand to oversee preparations personally. She strode over to Junyou as an additional quarter-backplate was being carefully slotted into place on her rigging by several engineers.
“This is the sensor unit I briefed you about, fresh out of R&D. It will be taking all kinds of readings and recordings inside the mirror sea. It also provides a boosted signal for your comm and data uplink, even after you pass through out of radar perimeter. Added to that, it will provide your rigging with an additional power supply. Finally, there is ejectable unit containing a sealed hard-drive with all recorded data. Don’t be alarmed if it ejects within the targeted zone, there are numerous parameters, and the safety of at least one record of the data you’ll be collecting is paramount to the mission’s success.”
Junyou nodded, frankly less than interested.
“Do you have any questions?”
She shook her head.
“Well then…” Ayana reached out and took Junyou’s hand.
The carrier could feel the Commander’s fingers tremble.
“Remember what I told you; according to Tirpitz, anything can change once you enter the mirror sea. You may see memories come to life or warped depictions of the present. You may even find your mind altered. It is imperative that you remember your objective; proceed to the centre of the mirror sea and protect the sensor pack at all costs. Once we have sufficient data, we’ll call you back home. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“If the comm link is disrupted and you find yourself unsure of what to do or suspect that your mind is being manipulated, I want you to focus, just like we discussed. Focus on a single image; I want you to remember me…” She leaned in close, lips brushing against Junyou’s ear. “…Remember that I love you. And come back to me.”
She sold it well, Junyou reflected. And she wanted to believe it… Perhaps that would be enough.
Ayana pulled back, all business again. She scanned her soldier’s face, looking for any doubts or unanswered questions.
Satisfied, she stepped back and saluted. “Come back safe.”
Junyou returned the salute.
Their eyes met one final time before Ayana turned away and swiftly exited the bay, not bothering to watch the carrier go.
“Ready for launch!” An engineer called out.
Junyou felt the lift beneath her lurch on it rails before a steady decent ensued.
***********
She reclaimed another shade of herself as she glided across the waves; A simple act that relinquished something so natural. Next came the skies; she launched several scouts to peel through the expanse before her.
She pressed forward for a while, receiving regular check-ins through the comm from an operator.
“Approaching mission target zone.” She informed base-command as she came within a few hundred metres of the misty wall that now curtained their island from the ocean.
- Understood. Command: Proceed with extreme caution.
She skirted the mist as she came closer and sent her scout planes plunging within. Instantly, she lost all contact with them; it was as if they had never existed. No mark within her mind upon which to focus and connect.
Turn back.
It wasn’t a choice. Besides, as prickly as her instincts were right now, underneath was the anticipation of an awaiting enemy. Maybe Kaga had been right, mercy had burrowed down within her, but she had none to spare for the Sirens. Her fingers twitched against her palms; the calm before the kill wilting, growing restless and driving her on.
“I’m going in.”
Just inside the barrier, she was practically blinded. Alarmed, she considered sending out more scouts, but decided against it; she suspected they wouldn’t fare any better.
“Command, can you still read me?”
“The uplink to your sensors is deteriorating rapidly. What’s your...” The operator voice trailed off.
“Command? Can you hear me? You’re cutting out.”
- Yes… Clear… We’re receiving… Data but… Garbled.”
Junyou kept moving forward, now at a slow glide. The distinct sense that something was wrong grew alarmingly as the transmissions continued to chop up.
“There’s nothing here to see. What are you getting?”
- We’re… I don’t… I can see you… Command:…
“What is it?” The carrier snapped. “Speak up.”
- …Commander… Do you… You copy? I repeat: Remember…
Junyou came to a halt, her eyes narrowing as they peered through the mist, the comm line almost totally giving out. She could still hear the odd word buzzing faintly in her ear, but at this point she could assume that she was on her own.
Something came over her as she pushed forward again; a familiar sense of time and place. She could almost reach out and pluck it from her memory, but it drifted and swayed before her, leading her on.
The fog started to clear and she saw shapes emerge…
Sasebo.
A pier emerged, slicing low through the fog and protruding into the water. A figure stood upon it.
Junyou paused as she reached the tip of the pier, looking up as a woman looked down upon her.
Moments passed. Nothing.
“Don’t you remember?” Junyou asked her, trying to quell the desperation that fluttered in her chest.
The woman just looked at her. Silent.
Junyou glanced to one side. Light seemed to shade out the rest of the bay as her eyes crawled across it. She saw it then, the steel skeleton of her former life. Junyou pointed. The woman followed her line of sight.
“You are the wrecked one.” Her voice was raw, as if recently unearthed. “While you rotted away here, your sister ship sank, dragging my husband to his death. But you… You just waited here… Listing and sinking slowly…”
“I had no choice.” She gritted her teeth and looked down into the water, a warped reflection staring straight back.
“Has time changed you? Are you able to do what you could not before?”
She closed her eyes tightly. Something burned inside, her chest hollowed out.
“Then all is as it was.”
“We waited together.” Junyou murmured; something rising, threatening to tear her apart seam by seam.
“Not together. I grieved alone.” She scowled at the carrier of steel, and then the one of flesh. “Begone. I have nothing to say to you.”
She opened her eyes and looked up into the clear sky that bloomed overhead; an overwhelming desire to fly away seized her.
I want you to remember me…
She knew the past. She knew the loss, but she remembered the bond. It hadn’t been born of malice and remorse…
…Remember that I love you.
That was proof. That was…
The only image that came to mind was of them laying on a bed together; Ayana’s back turned to her, and though Junyou reached out, there was no reaction. Just cold flesh. Unmoving.
Another lie. Another betrayal. All of a sudden, the clarity was overwhelming.
But the burning was doused, because she knew the truth; that she had used Ayana as much as the officer had used her. Their relationship had always been about lust and hunger. That had been the need. Sometimes that was enough. It had been for them.
Cold steel, dead flesh; she pulled herself up onto the pier and stepped forward. She paused momentarily, both shocked and not shocked to find the woman’s features as indistinct up close as they were at a distance; her face seemed to shift like the surface of a pond; details only half-remembered or never truly known.
I always knew. I was only ever willingly fooled.
“You cannot save anyone. Only die.” The woman whispered; her voice threadbare.
But it echoed in Junyou’s ear; growing louder and louder; hissing and spitting.
She reached out and grabbed the woman by the throat.
“You cannot change the past.”
She pushed down on the windpipe and felt her hands strangle an existence.
“You cannot change who you are.”
Lifeless, the body dropped from her hands. It crumbled to the wooden floor and seemed to fade from view. Junyou looked down at her hands; still and cold. She remembered… It was not… The memory was hard to let go of; it papered over so many cracks, but those fissures inside were open now; raw and tender; fuel for the fire.
She stepped forward and forced herself to keep moving. Soon the planks of the pier faded and gave way to the murky waters of the mirror sea once more. Anger reignited inside, but she felt oddly detached from it, as if she were being split in two with each passing moment. She held onto each half with fumbling hands.
She kept moving forward. After a few minutes the mist began to thin noticeably. She slowed again and scanned her emerging surroundings; a dome-shaped enclosure of mist where pieces of the sky could just barely be seen through the haze of the roof.
“Hey Jun.” Her comm buzzed to life. “I was just thinking about you, about the last time I saw you. Do you remember?”
Forever reeling. Forever scorched by fury. Junyou ignored the babbling.
As the mist cleared, she sent out two Reppuu fighters to glide alongside her.
Wreak havoc, Warrior.
She narrowed her eyes; instinct over thought. Spotting a shifting silhouette to her right, she bombed forward and sent her fighters zooming ahead.
Gunfire raked the waves, slicing up into the mist and scoring its target.
Junyou found the remains; the corpse of Hiyou floating on the water. She laughed out loud; the sound spilling from her throat, spewing disdain and bile. Rage heeded her call; she blew it to life slowly as she laughed, letting it bloom from her fractured core. Letting it consume everything within her. Letting go.
“You’ll have to do better than that.” She sang. “Why didn’t you use the child, wouldn’t that have had more of a poetic impact?” She continued to taunt as she glided around the open space like a figure skater, her fighters twirling with her between bouts of gunfire that peppered the misty walls.
“Come out, Siren. We both know I’m not leaving until I gut you and all of your little friends.” She decreed, beginning to enjoy herself as the hunted turned hunter; the palpable mood of the ocean shifting and beginning to teem with anxiety.
Fear. I will teach them.
Junyou came to a halt as a figure emerged on the opposite side of the open water. It was a woman; she wore a slimmed-down sailor uniform that mocked the original by its skimpy proportions. Her eyes were wide and coloured by a sickly-yellow, radiant even at this distance.
“I told them. Ol’ Purifier warned them…” She called out. “There was no point in- Woah!” The Siren threw up her arms as Junyou’s fighter dove as her, guns blazing.
The bullets glanced off of Purifier’s forearms harmlessly. Unfortunately, that meant she didn’t see immediately the Reppuu’s kamikaze charge straight into her.
She held her ground, just. But then Junyou was upon her, a hand sweeping downward with vicious abandon; her sharpened nails slicing across her eyes and blinding her. The Siren flailed wildly, but Junyou was too quick; ducking underneath her swinging fists as she sent a piercing blow between the Siren’s ribs. Purifier went momentarily limp, just before a fist crashed against her chin, spinning her off-balance.
Junyou pulled the Siren back, slamming her elbow into her neck and then her face. She just about to allow herself a moment to gloat before the kill when she felt something behind her. She swung around, just in time, dragging Purifier with her to absorb a shell at point-black range. She was forced back, losing her balance as the Purifier she held disintegrated, only to reveal another one now stood before her with a cannon raised.
“Two heads are better than one.” She grinned.
Junyou felt the clammy touch of death. She was off-balance from the blast and there was no way to evade at this range…
The point of a katana suddenly emerged from Purifier’s stomach. She paused in her taunting to look down at it, much the same as Junyou. The silver point disappeared. Then there was an imperceptible blur around the Siren’s neck; a neat beheading.
Purifier’s body toppled forward, following her head into the water; her matter seemed to crumble and fade away even as what was left of her fell.
Revealed, standing behind her, was Hiyou. She slashed her blade down once, a flicker of gore rippling the water, before sheathing it.
“Four eyes are better than two.” She quipped.
Junyou stared at her for a moment before sighing.
“Do you know how I know it’s really you and not an illusion?”
“How?”
“Because no one would ever replicate your awful sense of one-liners.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” Hiyou snapped.
“Why eyes?”
“She said heads… I said eyes… I wear an eyepatch.”
“Then it should be three eyes between me and you.”
“This is for show, remember?” Hiyou lifted her patch to expose her left eye.
“How would she know that?”
“I-it doesn’t matter!”
“And why… Just why do you wear it?”
“I’m not getting into this again. You either have style or you don’t.”
“Were you this stupid when you were alive?”
“Were you this mean when I was alive?”
“Yes, I was. And why were you talking to Kiyonami about me? She said you were babbling away in her dreams, asking her to harass me in your place.”
“That’s none of your business. Besides, I kept trying to talk to you but I guess you had better things to do than listen to the ghost of your awesome sister. Too much moping on the schedule, was there?”
“Hardly, I was living in a non-stop party after you left. No more dumb ideas to clear up after.”
“Sure, sure. Are you friends with Kaga now?”
“No!” Junyou shrieked, despite herself.
“I thought so. You didn’t put poor Kiyonami through that did you?”
“…Only once.” Junyou muttered.
“She’s just a kid, Jun. She doesn’t need to see real misery like that.”
“Oh, shut up. You weren’t even… You’re just making it up.”
“No, I was haunting you. I’m a ghost and I was haunting you. And you just ignored me ninety-nine percent of the time. And you shut me out, I might add. And then you buried me. Thanks.”
Junyou rolled her eyes. “So…Are you a ghost now?”
“I’m not sure. After you went to my grave, something changed. I don’t really understand…”
“Shock.”
Ignoring her snark, Hiyou drew the extra katana belted at her waist clear.
“What’s this?” The elder sister asked.
“Our ancestors called it a katana-”
“Yes, yes. Very funny. Where did you get it?”
“Found it when I came after you.”
“Does a superfluous piece of eyeware come with it?”
“No. Those are only available to unique people.”
“They sure are.”
Hiyou pulled a face and tossed the blade over to her. Junyou caught it expertly, casting an eye over the sheath.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it!” Hiyou snapped with a grimace.
Junyou flicked the blade a few inches clear of the sheath with her thumb. It only took one glance at the gleam of the metal to know it was hers. Still, she drew it clear and admired the blade reborn.
“Thanks… For bringing it back to me.”
“So what now?”
“I don’t know. I thought you would know.”
“I-”
“Wait, I just realised how ridiculous that sounded. Sorry.” Junyou cut back in with a smirk.
“Well.” Hiyou eyed her pointedly. “Why not ask that commander of yours to send in the fleet?”
“I guess I’m already where I’m supposed to be… I’ll try, but I wouldn’t…” Her voice trailed as she stared at her sister; it was harder to hold back with each passing moment.
“What?” Hiyou drifted in closer.
All of a sudden, she found herself crushed into a fierce embrace.
“J-Jun…”
“Shut up. Don’t say anything. Not a word, I mean it.”
Glancing down, she saw Junyou’s head pressed against her shoulder, face hidden from view. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around her other half.
They stayed like for a few moments, until a dark shape flickered in the corner of Hiyou’s eye. Looking up, she more shapes verging on the mist.
“You remember how to use that blade?” She whispered.
Junyou sighed. “I can never forget.” She murmured as they parted.
For what felt like the first time in an eternity, the two Sakura blades were drawn in union; keen edges shining brightly, a promise of a swift end to the oncoming Sirens.
**********
They had been turned away from the base. The Admiralty had been prepared; a line of guards armed with electronic rifles, trained on them from the moment they came into sight. Leander had tried to reason with them, but even the head-secretary was barred from the base for the day. Further proof, if needed, that Kiyonami’s concerns of something underhanded being afoot were true.
Now the little destroyer was sprinting towards the beach. She had no idea of what she was going to do when she got there, only that it seemed the obvious place to go. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her friends in-tow, along with a few curious stragglers their group had picked up to-and-from the base.
Leaping off the last step down, she could immediately feel the heat of the sand, even through her shoes as she sped towards the shoreline. In the distance, she could see what had once been the serene white walls of the mirror sea; now churching with shades of black and grey, as if a storm were rolling around inside.
“Wait!” She heard Smalley call after her.
She reached the shoreline just in time to see a lightning bolt lance through the mist; the accompanying flash and bang momentarily stunning her. Smalley was on her a moment later, but she too was taken aback by the commotion across the bay.
The others arrived shortly after another bolt. Kiyonami glanced over her shoulder and saw Leander, Brooklyn and Yamashiro amongst others. She also noted the presence of Zeppy and Kaga with some surprise; she couldn’t recall when either had been swept up into their group.
“What’s happening?” Leander asked, stepping alongside the destroyer and surveying out at the horizon.
“I don’t remember anything like this happening during the last battle, when Tirpitz was inside.” Brooklyn added.
“Makes sense.” Kaga noted. “Tirpitz was cold.”
Brooklyn gave her an inquisitive glance.
“There a storm brewing in there. No guesses as to who’s at the centre of it.” The former-carrier continued, gazing out to sea, something long-dormant stirring in her eyes.
Kiyonami looked on, worrying eating away at her insides. She felt the truth of Kaga’s words. With the absence of her toy-rabbit, she reached out for Smalley’s hand and held on tightly as the storm rolled on.
************
Her fingers slowly dug into the padded armrests of her chair as her eyes were blurred by the six huge monitors that dominated the command room; each showing various displays; heat maps, visual feeds and various charts and readings. She barely registered them, nor did her ears heard any of the numerous operators stationed all around her at their consoles.
They had lost contact over fifteen minutes ago and a hard decision was awaiting her.
Glancing up, she could see that most of the monitors were still lagging, barely updating, if at all.
“I want an update on the comm line.” She called out.
“There too much disturbance. We’re getting flickers of a signal but there’s been no response from IJN Junyou. If she can hear us, it’s not anything coherent.”
“And the sensor?”
“The main uplink has failed. We’re still getting diagnostics in spots. It’s still active.”
Ayana looked up as one of the monitors, enlarged to dominate the centre of the far wall. It showed a digital top-down map of the mission zone. She could she a blip that marked Junyou, but the marker was jumping from spot-to-spot, the readings lagging and out-dated. Looking to the right, she saw another monitor that was displaying Junyou’s status; so far it was within parameters. It was above predicted power-readings, actually.
“We’re now five minutes away from predicted mission completion.” An operation called out.
“Can we access the ejection unit?”
“Yes.” Came a reply after a few moments.
Ayana glanced back at the map; other blips were appearing and disappearing rapidly around Junyou. There were no solid readings but it could be safety assumed that the carrier had made contact with the enemy. And their numbers were growing…
How long before they break through?
A bead of sweat ran down into her eye. She wiped it clear, very aware that everyone was looking to her for a decision at this juncture; the room growing tenser by the moment.
“Do it. Eject the module.”
“Ejection signal sent…”
Ayana held her breath for a moment.
“Signal received. Sensor module ejecting… Tracking…”
She tried not to exhale too sharply. The relief was like a like cool breeze across her face.
“Can we activate the failsafe?” She asked, keeping her voice level.
“Failsafe mechanism is responding.”
“…Hold for now.”
Looking back at the map, and the Sirens swarming there, she couldn’t help but feel the inevitable stalk her; the weight of her command; they had awoken the sleeping beast, now they had to follow the contingency. It was the right call, it made sense… Just…
I am not heartless.
“Keep it primed.”
************
Junyou’s blade swept down, slicing through a Siren drone from shoulder to hip. As the corpse parted, she was already spinning around, her katana lancing out to run through the torso of another drone.
Enough time for a quick glance; she saw that Hiyou was dispatching Sirens with equal efficiency. Above them, the sisters’ fighters tore through the swirling winds in rampaging circles, gunning down Sirens before they could get close to the spinning silver blades. There was a time for finesse and a time brute strength; now came the moment that demanded a lethal mix of both, Junyou reflected as she observed the killing ground they had created for another split moment.
Though they would surely be overrun in time, Junyou knew that she was in a groove now. She felt electric course through her veins as she sliced the cybernetic arm off an attacking Siren, before twisting and reversing her blade, then thrusting it back to disembowel the same foe.
The surge, the rush was so overwhelming that she barely felt a build-up of heat against her lower back. Something small was launched up into the sky moments later from the sensor pack. She ignored it, so inconsequential now was the world she had left behind.
So many more fell before her as minutes passed, but there were no sinking chains of fatigue; only the drive to erase more. Above them, the sky roared in tandem with her, lightning forking down into the ocean and the current flowed through Junyou and her sister, even as it fried every Siren in the vicinity.
The rains swept in next to buffet against next wave of emerging drones, grim-faced and bleach-skinned between the throbbing artificial enhancements that laced their bodies.
Let them come.
Junyou grinned as she met her sister in the middle of the shifting dome. Their eyes met and Junyou saw the same elation reflected there.
Finally.
It was here, in an ocean of illusions that she found the truth; an enemy she could fight, a divide that demanded violence and swept away indecision. And by her side; someone who understood.
She grinned and slid into stance. Hiyou did the same. Together, they stood against the tide, as they always had. Always another enemy…
Let them come.
Come they did; wave after wave to the slaughter. So engrossed in the killing she became, that she missed Hiyou’s plight until it was almost too late.
“Jun!”
Slicing open the chest of a drone, Junyou spun around and saw Purifier, returned to the battlefield. She held Hiyou aloft by the throat, the latter’s katana bouncing helplessly off the former’s now-augmented arm-length gauntlets. She made eye-contact with Junyou, across the water, and winked.
“Third time's the charm.” She quipped.
Junyou sped forward, disembowelling another drone who tried to obstruct her. She launched a Ryuusei bomber in another kamikaze charge, but Purifier held Hiyou aloft to ward it off. Junyou skied the bomber at the last second, narrowly avoiding her sister. But she kept the bomber linked, an idea forming from the screams of its tortured engine.
A piercing bleeping sound began to emanate from her sensor pack, and as she cut through the waves, a voice crept into her ear…
*************
“Failsafe activated. Detonation imminent!”
Ayana nodded firmly to herself. It was the right call; they would wipe out the immediate Siren threat and could recover the data later. All it would cost was one Light Aircraft Carrier. What Commander worth her salt wouldn’t make the same call?
Just one carrier. Not even a true member of the fleet anymore.
Junyou understood the necessity of sacrifice; she would understand this. She would know…
I gave her what she wanted; life after death.
Her hand reached out to the console beside her and took hold of the microphone hanging there.
“Open a channel to IJN Junyou.”
“We can’t reach her-”
“Just open it.”
“Direct line open!”
Ayana took a deep breath
“This is Commander Ryoma. I’ve activated the failsafe mechanism in your sensor pack…”
**********
“…An armed warhead. It will detonate shortly… I’m sorry, Jun. I hope you… I know you will understand. Goodbye.”
Another dagger plunged into her back. What did it fucking matter anymore? Just more killing power for the final blow.
Junyou leapt forward and knew her sister felt the on-coming attack. Like poetry in motion, she picked that moment to plant her feet against Purifier, savagely twisting the arm that held her before she kicked-off the Sirens body.
Hissing in pain, Purifier let Hiyou go, flinging her off to one side.
Junyou felt a rush of pride at how in-sync they were. How they just knew.
It was worth dying for. All over again.
“Nothing you’ve got can stop me. I’m going to keep coming back!” Purifier screamed in glee as Junyou flew towards her.
The Siren threw up her arms and spread her feet, ready to block the sweeping slash that Junyou was lining up, while priming herself to catch the carrier and counter-strike.
Junyou twisted in the air, throwing her sword forward as she killed the engine of the Ryuusei still climbing above them. It caught Purifier off-guard, the flying blade slipping through her grasp and lancing through her eye, exiting through the back of her skull. Still, she barely flinched, so focused on her kill.
“Not this time.” She growled, catching Junyou as she barged into the Siren. “Now I’m going to make you watch as I take your sword and use it to slice your dear sister up. Failed again, huh?”
But the Siren’s gloating was cut short as she felt Junyou’s hands grab onto her tightly, pinning her arms down.
“What are you..?”
“Sweet dreams.” Junyou gave her a maniac grin.
They both looked up to see the Ryuusei fall, the bombs sliding clear to dance in the air.
“Jun!”
She was allowed a quick glance at her sister, and though she saw the despair there, she knew that she had finally accomplished what she had intended all those months ago.
A worthy sacrifice. To protect something loved so dearly.
The wind roared and whipped around her.
Sunlight bloomed all around them as the storm vanished, along with Hiyou.
Wait for me.
She reached out and grabbed her katana, embedded in Purifier eye. She twisted the hilt and saw a gash of pain converge with the fear that contorted that last sickly-yellow eye.
The carrier bared her teeth.
She looked up and saw it.
Salvation came crashing down.
**********
The mirror sea seemed to be caving in, giving way to a dome of swirling grey-black, laced with crackling sparks of lighting; a self-contained storm that roared its defiance against world around it.
“What’s that!?” Zeppy cried out, pointing towards a tiny object that flew out of the roof of the storm, only visible by the stark contrast of the sun-drenched sky above.
The little carrier focused on the object as it thrustered away into the distance. She threw out her arm, launching faint imprint of a scout-plane into the sky. It wasn’t a tangible vehicle, like the elder carriers could produce even without their rigging, but it was strong enough to lock onto the object and track it.
Suddenly, a gust of wind struck the beach with startling force. It was as if a typhoon had manifested in the bay. Everyone threw their arms up or hunkered down, clinging onto each other to avoid being blown away. Then the winds lifted as abruptly as they had descended; within a moment, all was still.
The first to fall, the first back on her feet; Yamashiro cried out. “Look!”
Kiyonami looked out to sea and saw two figures locked together. Even at this distance, she knew without a doubt that one of them was Junyou.
“Jun-chan!” She screamed, wading into the water.
An ice-cold chill ran all over her as she saw the bomber hanging in the sky…
Smalley and Brooklyn pulled her down as an explosion bloomed out from where the eye of the storm had been seconds before. Within a moment the explosion doubled, rocking the entire bay.
All of them were pushed below the waves, dazed until Brooklyn lifted both of the destroyers clear.
On her feet, Kiyonami seemed to reorientate all too quickly; it was the total silence that that marked the aftermath of the explosion, granting grim clarity.
She’s gone.
There was no trace of the struggle that had contorted the ocean. The horizon, clear and unobstructed, stretched out into forever.
“She did it…” Leander gasped. “Just like Tirpitz… The mirror sea and the Sirens… Gone.”
She should have been crying, the little destroyer knew it. Shock had hollowed her out, there was nothing inside to pour out. All she could feel was the lap of the tide as is it reasserted its endless pattern.
“J-Jun-chan…” She mumbled.
Even Smalley’s arms, as they wrapped around her, felt abstract and empty; a sensation from another time or place. Not now. Not here.
She’s gone. She was my friend. She’s gone.
She began to tremble. She couldn’t do anything else.
“Kiyonami…” Smalley seemed to talking from across a great distance.
Something tapped against her shins. Looking down, she saw Junyou’s sheathed katana floating before her. Smalley let go of her as she knelt down to fish it out of the water.
Taking hold of the hilt with both hands, she drew the sword clear and held it up. The sun gleamed against the jagged edge of the blade; broken and distorted once more, but still fearsome.
She sheathed the blade and held it tightly to her chest, a strange substitute for Hoppy; one that spoke of things to come more than days past.
Unable to face the emptiness of the ocean any longer, she turned to find Smalley watching her; a hint of concern pulling her normally passive eyes. Dishevelled and touched by the moment, she looked more beautiful than Kiyonami could ever remember.
“I said I hated her…” The Union destroyer began, her words shaking.
Kiyonami stepped in closer.
“…But I didn’t mean it, really. I didn’t...”
“She was hard to understand.” The Sakura destroyer admitted. “But I felt it sometimes… Like she loved…”
…And hated...
“…More than most people.”
Smalley’s arms drew her in and she returned the embrace, resting her head against the taller girl’s chest. It was a relief to have someone there; a pillar in the enveloping void of grief.
Still, as they stood against the gentle tide and felt as one, old words flowed through Kiyonami’s mind; they wouldn’t let go…
Love is pure. And then, Love is poison.