2843/Hope for the Future (Kantai Collection-1)

Hope for the Future (Kantai Collection-1)
Date of Scene:	18 August 2015
Location:	Great Ocean - Northern Loop
Synopsis:	The Hikari fleet launches an operation against the Ya-class battleship. A new force briefly shows itself.
Cast of Characters:	Wo, Shigure, 637, 739

---

Wo has posed:
    The evening sea is peaceful, waves lapping playing an accompaniment to the cries of seagulls. Reds and purples of the rapidly setting sun are cast across a serene island, an isolated crag in the middle of the ocean. Yet, looking closer, not all is as calm as it seems. Smoke plumes rise from an anchorage perched precariously astride it, the dwindling light of the sky betraying still burning fires of the buildings, as well as the ships that were docked here for resupply and refitting. It is only quiet because the thunder happened hours ago. There is no sign of human habitation left here, presumably either evacuated or killed in action.

    The island is not completely unoccupied, though. By the time any response comes to this out of the way, conventional stop-over, salvage operations would have already begun. Abyssal Destroyers circle the piers like sharks, forming a defensive screen for the Wa-class transports that fire out tow cables, hooking into the ships in port - some smoldering wrecks, others mostly intact. Regardless, they're all slated to fuel the Abyssal's ends, just as they'll be depriving the surface dwellers of their war-making capabilities. That a few cargo and merchant ships also seem to have been caught in the crossfire is just a part of this war.

    Overseeing the operations, not in the water for once, is a certain Wo-class carrier. From a half-destroyed roof of what had been the main administration building, she surveys the surroundings, and the efficient operations going on below. It had almost become routine now, after the U-Boat raid had proven so successful - fleet daughter intrusions aside. She thinks back to conversations with Psyber, also, about how there might be a life after this one...but in times like this, that seems so far away. Alongside her, a stoic dreadnought also watches, glowing red eyes piercing from behind the freshly regenerated oni mask, still bearing the scars of its fracturing and welded back together. Perhaps becoming even more symbolic, in the process.

    "You think...she will app-ear," asks the carrier? This time, it had been this distinctive Abyssal battleship that had put forward the target area. Considering how little she actually spoke, normally, it had been surprising. "...she will," comes a confident answer, even if the Abyssal with Yamashiro's face is not certain herself how. They share some kind of connection, and she is counting on that to make that Destroyer appear. This time, she'll get her answers - and then eliminate the source of her confusion. On the other side, a Tsu-class light cruiser also stands, watching the skies with her unseen eyes, wordlessly - not even so much as a gurgle.

Shigure has posed:
    Shigure fusses with her rigging, the freshly rebuilt cannon tonfa being hefted in her hands, before she sweeps them back to the latching arms, letting the mechanism take over and return the twin cannons to their resting place on her back. "...Equipment checks... please ensure you are fully armed and refueled. Nagato-admiral has some support planned, but I want us to assume we are alone for this." she says to the other girls in her fleet.

    Her Fleet.

    A Destroyer is a flagship, holding command over Cruisers and Carriers. Shigure shakes her head to clear it out, then moves over to the ammo bins, pulling out 12.7cm shells and passing them to her Equipment Fairies to add to the magazine. Long Lance torpedoes are lifted out of their rack and slid into her thigh mounts, then she chest the magazine for her hand cannon, swapping it out for a fresh one before returning it to her hip.

    The Destroyer, once everyone's sounded off as ready, steps onto the launch platform, the mechanism activating and fitting her rudders, and topping up her fuel, before it sends her rushing down the ramp and out into open water.

    Either known or unknown, scout planes from the Fleet Daughters have been tracking the Dreadnaut's movements, off and on, since the incident the week prior, and their reports are leading a rather motley looking fleet right towards the site of this latest Abyssal aggression. "... Double Line, Carriers to stern. Cruisers in the center, Destroyers on point..." orders Shigure. "Escorts in the air, attain and maintain air superiority."

Kongou (637) has posed:
    Skating out shortly after Shigure is an equally lanky girl, though not as tall, with bulkier rigging. With a few motions, Akizuki falls into formation about two meters to Shigure's left and slightly behind, humming to herself as she inspects the two seemingly sapient turret-rabbits resting in the arms of her own rigging. After a few minutes, she presses all of her gloved fingertips together, "Inspection is finished~! New barrels are installed, Choujuucentihou-chan is ready!"

    The little animated turrets lift their flipper-like paws, eyes closing while they let out simultaneous, excited whirring sounds.

    "Hmm~," A second voice sounds out, entering the formation a few meters behind Akizuki. Hands tucked into the pockets of her short hakama, handheld guns hanging from their straps, Isuzu's eyes are closed while the radars on her headband swivel. Being an anti-air cruiser, the majority of her attention is likely to be focused on the air around the fleet while she leaves the surface contacts to the other ships with specialized surface radars.

    "I got it~!" a third voice sounds out, coming in behind Isuzu. Before Zuihou has even properly entered her formation position, she's pulling an arrow back on her bow and then releasing it. In flight, this arrow splits apart into a formation of aircraft, their yellow markings identifying them as Saiun recon planes, which bank and ascend, "My cute little scout planes are already on their way to relieve Chitose's Type 0~!" She lowers her bow, then, fiddling with the arrows still in her hip quiver, "Though I don't have any Tenzan... We're expecting an enemy fleet carrier so I only have Zeros and Suisei today." Leaning aside to call to the front, she adds, "So please keep me safe, as cute as they are, Suisei have a hard time hitting cruisers or destroyers~!"

Wo has posed:
    As any forward scout planes approach visible range, they would be able to confirm all the information, both from trailing the target Abyssal ship as well as the distress calls that had beamed out from this location, earlier. Much of the anchorage is damaged - mostly the maintenance and refitting facilities, which are burning from stored fuel oil and other volatiles, and little recognizable remains of the rubble. The dormitories and command structures seem the most lightly damaged, though a few blast holes from shells are inevitable, leaving bare the fortifying rebar in the gaping wounds in the buildings's sea-facing sides. The movements of the Abyssals are also apparent, especially the picketing Destroyers; if they notice they're being observed, they are too focused on their movements to interrupt.

    Yet, they do notice, or at least one does. The lead I-class, golden flames wafting off its hull, slows ever slightly in the wide circle it had been tracing, turning in the water to gaze at the scouts and open its mouth. It does not fire, but instead illuminates them with a blast of its radar, buzzing a call that is picked up by the commanding Abyssal capital ships on land. The Wo-class frowns slightly with the information on the radio, having hoped that perhaps the battleship's intuition was wrong, and that they could simply be done with this place and move on. Instead, it appears that they will soon have company. The Tsu-class finally vocalizes a gurgle, hefting a gigantically sleeved arm to ready her cannons -- a gesture that earns a stiff glare from the masked woman in tattered shrine robes, and is soon stood down from.

    "Let...them come," she speaks, in a deep and troubled voice, as she spreads her arms clad in rags that were once billowing sleeves, and actually increasing her radar profile. "Let them see... How futile, this all is." A foot clad in a curious piece of wear, half-geta clog and half-propulsion system, grinds slightly into the already compromised roof, threatening to shatter it, before she walks off purposefully to return to the oceanfront. The Wo-class carrier watches after her, as the Tsu-class - if she had a face - almost manages an atmosphere of worry. "She'll find - her answers," Wo figures, "...or sink the in-truders." She doesn't seem too attached to either option, but also rises from her seat to follow. The heavily armed light cruiser gives another troubled gurgle, then also leaves, casting another glance skyward first.

    As the fleet approaches the island, things would begin to become more intense. An unexpected darkening of the sky behind begins flickering with lightning, as a spontaneous squall kicks up. The weather forecasts aren't that bad, are they? With any luck it will blow by the battle harmlessly... Or maybe it's just yet another ill portent.

Shigure has posed:
    Shigure blinks, surface radar glaring toridly as the Abyssal Dreadnaught increases her profile. "... what is this feeling? My heart is racing, my breath is rapid..." she closes her eyes, no, it's not her imagination, and those cracks of lightning tell her what she already knew, deep inside. "... So this is what the pressure of a Super Dreadnaught feels like..." she muses softly, then turns her eyes up. She can't see the Dreadnaught fall unceremoniously off the roof, not from this range, but Chitose can't help but titter as her scout planes swoop around, trading off with Zuihous Saiun. The Seaplane Tender holds a few lengths of cable from her clenched fist, letting the planes angle in, and catch on little hooks at the lower ends, swinging back and forth for a few moments. "You did well my little Seireitei, rest now." she coos motherly, returning them to her rigging, then reloading her launch rails with Zuiun attackers. "I will launch my first wave after the Escorts are up, Zuihou... I'm counting on your Zeros." she says, smiling at the Carrier.

    Kuma is here too, looking over at Isuzu, before turning back to the task at hand. "Kuma isn't used to taking orders from someone else... but Shigure knows Yamashiro best, kuma." she says unprompted, nodding sagely to herself. "Lets do our best, Isuzu, kuma!"

    And then the rain comes, darkening the sky, and slicking down Shigure's hair as she skates alongside Akizuki. Something odd happens then... in that middling calm before the coming storm... a soft voice rings out across the water, as if carried on the wind. Shigure is singing! "I looked to the sky, as the rain had cleared. Amidst this crowded street, of people passing by, I, couldn't bear, this sadness before me, so, I didn't notice, a small, little joy."

Kongou (637) has posed:
    "Right~!" Zuihou lowers her speed slightly and unfurls an arrow, drawing it back into her bow with a practiced motion and aiming high over the other girls in the formation, "Zeros~... It's going to be hard, you know. A storm is coming in, but please do your best to protect us, okay?" She then lets the arrow fly. It passes neatly over Isuzu and Shigure, then shatters with light into a wing of six Type 52 Zero fighters. Inside the lead aircraft, the fairy pilot glances over her shoulder and flashes a thumbs-up before the aircraft bank and ascend towards the threatening clouds, while Zuihou reaches back to produce another arrow.

    "If we know our enemy," Isuzu says, "We stand a much greater chance of victory." Her eyes finally open, hands leaving her pockets to grab onto the handles of her guns and bring them up, "I'll offer tactical advice, but this is Shigure's sortie. Even if what she says counters what I say, listen to her. She'll know what this enemy will try to do better than I could." A glance aside to Kuma, and she grins, "Just trust her. She's come a long way since that little destroyer hiding behind you all those months ago."

    Akizuki breaks from Shigure just a bit, giving the other destroyer more room to maneuver if needed while maintaining the Double Line. Behind her, Isuzu and Zuihou follow suit, widening the formation without scattering out of it. The director and radar on her headband rotate and the girl looks skyward with a little frown, "It might rain. The good news is it'll make it harder for carrier aircraft to work-- but that's bad news for us, too.." A glance aside to Shigure, "That's okay, though. We've fought battleships before, we have what we need!" Her head tilts when the other destroyer begins to sing, and she goes silent. Both Choujuucentihou-chan turrets flip up their paws, touching the tips together and staring as if listening with rapt attention.

Wo has posed:
    The battleship is unfazed by the drop, an air of invincibility - or inevitability - wrapped around her. The concrete where she lands is not nearly so lucky, pitting and crumbling, almost as if it had stopped the weight of something far heavier than she appears, even with the large guns to each side. To Abyssals, raw emotion can be a source of power - perhaps the 'weight' of her feelings is also being made manifest. Whatever the case, it isn't long before she is on the water, and the Wo-class carrier and Tsu-class cruiser are not far behind, even if they had the good sense to take what remains of the stairs. Their presence appears to bolster the spirits of the picket, if the increase in frequency and pitch of the buzzing and squelch from the Destroyers is any indication. Even among the lighter tonnage Abyssals, capital ships are rock stars - and that Tsu-class gets to hang out with them, so cool.

    A detachment of three Ro-class parts from their patrol to coalesce into a defensive front before their larger, and humanoid, counterparts. That is about when the darkened clouds above, that had been rolling in, finally break loose with their downpour. It's more of a drizzle just yet, giving the already perpetually sea-slick Abyssals' blackened metal even more of a sheen in what light happens to fall upon them. Yet, that is enough to already begin negatively impacting visibility for shelling - thank goodness for surface radar. As Isuzu says, though - inclement weather perhaps affects carriers and their aircraft the most strongly, and it is no exception for their side. The fairy that had been stowing away under the Wo-class' cape peeks out and shivers slightly, before being nudged back in with a gentle fingertip. A hissing intonation from the Tsu-class brings her attention; the fleet daughters weren't going to wait this out, of course.

    And so, she'll answer Zuihou in the only way that is proper: With a gesture of her staff, the toothed mouth of her flight deck hinges ponderously open, exposing the burning cauldron within for a moment, before the whine of jet turbines issues out. The fighters emerge soon after, if a bit less sleek and elegant in the motion than usual, given the storm that is kicking up around them, and begin their ascent. The Tsu-class readies her main guns, alongside the dreadnought, whom wastes no more time. Somehow, there is no telling how, Shigure's song is able to carry across the dull hiss of a storm at sea, faintly for now, but it causes a pulse of visible pain; those red, glowing vein-like tendrils coursing across her body. "...you..." She can't finish a proper sentence, as she places a hand to her masked face, and with radar support from the picket, begins the long-range shelling. "...stop!" Whom she is demanding this of, it's hard to say. It sounds...detached, and in not quite the same degree of reverb as her deeper rumblings.

    This is enough to cause a furrowing of the Wo-class' eyebrows, mindful of what had happened last time this ship had let her emotion get the better of her. She makes a silent decision on something - that maybe it won't come to.

Suzuya (739) has posed:
"You are not wearing that on sortie, Suzuya."

The teal-haired heavy cruiser glances from Kumano down to her shirt, and back. "You don't think Shigure will appreciate us wearing her face as we go into battle?"

"No, Suzuya, she'd be mortified! And so would I. What would even make you think I would wear something like this?" Kumano holds the T-shirt at arm's length, then sighs and sets it down on her bed. "Come on, let's get ready to go. We can't keep them waiting."

"Awww, you're no fun, Kumano..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

And that is how, through the rain, Suzuya and Kumano have come to skate along the seas toward the fleet of smaller ships. Rather than call out, Suzuya merely slides into formation, pausing to pat her hand on Shigure's shoulder as she goes. "Suzuya believes in you. Let's go get Yamashiro back."

Kumano gives an exaggerated sigh, but smiles as she skims up on the other side of the destroyer. "Don't worry, Shigure. Suzuya and I have come ready to provide all the firepower we can to back you up."

Shigure has posed:
    Shigure is singing, but as Suzuya and Kumano join the formation, she pauses, turning to nod to them in turn. "Mmmn, thank you both... Join formation, modified Double Line. Form up in the center line." she orders, but not before reaching up to gently place a hand atop Suzuya's. That's about when the first shells start raining down. Shigure turns and holds a hand up. "Brace!" though her voice doesn't raise in volume, it seems to project further. She then dodges aside, around the large plume of water from a massive battleship shell landing just between her and Akizuki. "... Aim for the escorts... Ya-class is mine." she states after reforming the line, her 10cm hand cannon firing shells rapidly at the picket line of Ro-class.

    Kuma grins at Isuzu, then nods. "Like I said, kuma. She knows best, so I'll follow her lead!" she replies, then all hell starts breaking loose. Her 14cm cannon rotates, elevates, then fires shells over in a high trajectory she she doesn't hit Shigure, raining them down on the picket line as well.

    Chitose, meanwhile, aims her launch rails up, adjusting a new pair of shoulder mounted ones as well, before pulling the release triggers, sending twelve Zuiuns fitted with torpedoes into the air to join the Zeros. They wobble and jerk in the blowing wind and rain, and Chitose winces a little as they try to fight through the inclemet weather. "Be safe my little ones... please."

    Shigure resumes singing, as the returned voice of Yamashiro struggles with Ya-class. "Will my feelings, and words reach you now? Will I be able, now, to truy protect you?" she smiles beneath her bangs, as they're matted down with rain. "Looking up to the sky, I thought, now, what could I do for your sake? Don't forget, always and surely. I, will be there by your side." Another weave, a minor faulter in her voice, but now she can see the tall beacon in white, blue eyes fixating on it. "That's the reason, that we're here. Feeling the same wind, and sharing the same time..."

Kongou (637) has posed:
    "That's right," Isuzu states with a nod, "She has her plan in motion already. We'll take care of everything else." While her anti-air emplacements elevate and open fire on incoming Abyssal aircraft, she glances over her shoulder, "Kumano, Suzuya, clean up the cruisers! Focus on that Tsu class-- if you can disable the enemy carrier, go for it!" She banks left as the formation starts to break into combat, "Kuma and I will occupy the enemy destroyer screen!" She lifts up her handheld cannon assemblies, turning sidelong, and opens fire with the 15.5cm guns in her left, directed at the trio of Ro class. A followup shot comes from her right arm a heartbeat later, using the first to home in her shots.

    "I'll keep pressure off Shigure!" Akizuki declares. While Zeroes, hampered by wind and rain, break formation to engage the Abyssal aircraft, Akizuki's fire director rotates, then locks. Her turret familiars squeal in excitement, clapping their paws together, then open fire without further hesitation. Machine gun fire from Isuzu is suddenly joined by the rapid staccato of 10cm anti-air flak guns, peppering the sky with air-burst rounds. Akizuki herself leans into a turn and closes on Shigure, tracing an evasive 'S' shape as she comes back around beside the other destroyer.

    "They'll be safe~!" Zuihou assures Chitose, drawing back her second arrow. Overhead, her initial wave of fighters breaks into a dogfight, trailing vapor with water pouring off the tips of their wings and gunfire flashing amidst the darkened sky. Zuihou hesitates only a moment before loosing her second arrow, unleashing a second flight of Zero fighters. These aren't to reinforce the pilots already in combat, but specifically take up an escort formation in front of and to either side of the Zuiun bombers, ascending with them.

    A shell from the Ya class hits the water immediately in front, jostling Zuihou, pushing her into a turn with a shout of surprise while she reaches for another arrow, "Please direct the enemy fire away, though~!"

Wo has posed:
    For the operational element, this was merely keeping the fleet daughters occupied until the Wa-class could finish their clean up. That is still primarily the plan. Yet, that certainly is not the real reason that this particular group ended up here. Perhaps with Shigure's feeling, this 'Ya-class' as she had become known, or perhaps 'Fu-class' would be even more accurate -- knew inside that some conclusion would have to come of it. This was the final lure to draw her out, and so far, with her leading the charge of her battle group, it is working. Yet, something about it causes another throb from within the battleship, pulsing as those visible lines across her exterior. That timid destroyer, now singing even in what should be a hellish storm of rain and gunfire, had gained the strength and will to become a leader. Perhaps -- if things had been a little different... What is she thinking, suddenly? The overbearing voice of a different song once again drums through her head, and she groans, her voice freshly deepened and echoing, "Sink..." This is followed by a fresh wave of shelling. Even having one go off nearby is dangerous enough - so no specific target is in mind, but those glowing red eyes are staring Shigure down from long range.

    In the sky above, already darkened by the oncoming night, the shapes of abyssal aircraft are sometimes lit up by bursts of lightning. The thunder of gun shells is joined by claps of the real thing, each time, as the seas get a little more choppy with the wind picking up. Their distinctive, aerodynamic frame suffers a distinct disadvantage - their maneuverability plummeting farther from their specifications than the tried and true planes at Zuihou's and even Chitose's disposal. They are designed to operate at a certain speed; falling below that becomes a struggle, and air parity is surprisingly easily achieved even against a full sized carrier's compliment. The bursts of radar-assisted anti-air fire busies them even further: One banks sharply to avoid a first wave Zero, only to stall momentarily and become easy prey to Akizuki's shots. The Wo-class is already preparing a second wave of her own, though. This time, it's dive bombers, judging by the singular payload afixed to the undercarriage of each otherwise quite similar plane. She remains surprisingly passive, though always keeping an eye on the battleship.

    The Tsu-class, acting as the vanguard of the formation, moves to the head of the group of Ro-class destroyers, just slightly off-center, and beneath the arcing fire of the oni mask-clad battleship. They begin surging forward at full steam: Weaving and twisting as best they can to avoid the incoming shells harassing them. At one point, a 15.5 cm shell streams in towards one of the Destroyers - and its glowing, fixed eyes almost have the doe in headlight look, before the Tsu-class slips over with one of those massive gloved arms, absorbing it. The structural damage takes out one of her own guns, but she still has another row, which level at the second wave Zuihou is launching. The Destroyers, freshly comforted by the protective 'big sister', extend their 5-inch cannons, and open fire mainly on Shigure's supporting cruisers. That weird singing destroyer on the other side, they instinctively know, 'belongs' to the battleship.

    ...

    Right about that time, several waves of fresh contacts come up on radar, which though it can detect them through the rain, enough signature drop out occurs that their nature remains a mystery. Visual confirmation is slightly easier to obtain, especially for any aircraft that can actually spare the eyes. Distinctively Abyssal shapes moving through the mists, and making their way towards the combat theater. Did they have more reinforcements nearby? That would definitely be bad. Unseeable given the conditions, the Wo-class that had maintained a detached atmosphere is the one to first react to the report by the screening flagship I-class. "...didn't call - for help," she says, with just the faintest hint of anno

Wo has posed:
    Right about that time, several waves of fresh contacts come up on radar, which though it can detect them through the rain, enough signature drop out occurs that their nature remains a mystery. Visual confirmation is slightly easier to obtain, especially for any aircraft that can actually spare the eyes. Distinctively Abyssal shapes moving through the mists, and making their way towards the combat theater. Did they have more reinforcements nearby? That would definitely be bad. Unseeable given the conditions, the Wo-class that had maintained a detached atmosphere is the one to first react to the report by the screening flagship I-class. "...didn't call - for help," she says, with just the faintest hint of annoyed confusion in her usual monotone. This was supposed to be this battleship's showdown. What gives?

Wo has posed:
    Two distinct groups emerge, each backed with a Ru-class battleship, and astonishingly, another Wo-class carrier. Another remains veiled in the mists, for now...though is similarly dreadnought-sized.

Suzuya (739) has posed:
"Ne, Shigure," calls Suzuya softly as Kumano falls back into formation. "I know this is personal for you, but don't hesitate to call for help if you need it, okay? We all miss Yamashiro." Suzuya gives the destroyer a smile before cutting speed just enough to skate into her place in the formation.

As soon as the Abyssal ships come into view, both cruisers reach up to their hair accessories, pulling put a small pin. The pin is thrown forward, and a pair of recon seaplanes expand out, soaring into the coming storm. "Now then... let's see what you can see!" Of course, they see the incoming Abyssal ships quite soon, and both cruisers lift their arms to prepare to fire. "Ready, Kumano? On my word.... fire!" A series of explosions sound as the cannons on her arms and lets open fire, arcing shells toward the destroyer closest in to the formation.

The brunette nods solemnly, taking careful aim. "Of course, I've come amply prepared to make sure Shigure's first time leading sortie goes well!" On the order to fire, she takes a deep breath. "...TOOOOooooOOOOooooOOO~!" Cannons open fire, with Kumano's focused on the Tsu-class.

After the first volley, though, the seafoam-haired cruiser speaks up, "Ah... Suzuya sees something really bad up ahead." The recon seaplane buzzes back over some of the reinforcements, fairy worriedly glancing out the window. "At least two Ru-class battleships and two Wo-class carriers!"

Shigure has posed:
    Dodge. Weave. Use your speed and never take your eyes off your target. Shigure's mind echos with the soft, but firm words of her mentor... the same woman that now fires at her with such reckless abandon. Shigure increases speed to Flank, pushing her engines to the full as she tries to get within the traversal range of those cannons. "Maintain fire... If we must retreat, we will do so, but not before we try." she radios to the rest of the fleet. Something makes her heart skip... another pressure and another voice echos through her mind, the elder of the pair. "... F-Fusou-san?" Confusion washes over the Destroyer's face. No, it can't be, just mind playing tricks.

    Kuma nods and banks out, aiming her 14cm shells into the picket screen, though she's giving it a good spread, more trying to suppress than do actual damage. She weaves just as well as the smaller Destroyers, not giving the Abyssals a clean shot to take her out. "Hmm!? New Enemies? This could be bad, kuma!"

    Chitose closes her eyes, redirecting her remaining scouts to the new contacts. "Confirm. Two Ru-class, at least one Wo-class... and another unidentified class. Battleship." she radios. "Plus escort... Flagship, orders? Should I keep my Zuiun on course for the current group, or redirect them to assault the new fleet?"

    Shigure closes her eyes, then refocuses on Yamashiro. The radio call earns a response: "Keep their reinforcements from joining up. We need more time."

    The destroyer then resumes her song. "You always protected yourself, just as if, you were always waiting, for someone else." She banks out wide, pushing her speed until she's in range of oe of those Ro-class... and with a sweeping roundhouse, kicks the thing in the side of the snout, launching a torpedo point blank into the open mouth. "Please don't be alone, with your grief. Please don't flee to some far away place." She pivots in place, lowers herself down and pushes forwards towards Ya-class again. "Instead of doubt. I choose to believe. Even if a wounded, refuses to now heal. Let us look now for, what we have lost. One day, some day we may just find it."

    Should she get close enough again, she doesn't stop, but circles the Battleship quickly, trying to avoid those cannons, and any grabbing arms. "The most precious thing to me. It's not a very special thing." she looks into those oni-masked eyes. "It's even with this everyday life... you continue to look to me, who cluches these feelings."

Kongou (637) has posed:
    "Understood," Isuzu shouts over the storm, breaking off from the Ro and Tsu class formation to form up with Kuma. Raising a turret gun, she gestures, then pulls a hard turn. Only one of her 15.5cm gun turrets has an opportunity to fire, directed at the leading Ru class of one formation, but this is mostly a distraction. It's the torpedo launcher on her hip that is the actual attack, spewing four steel fish into the water while the girl leans outboard of her turn. She spares a glance skyward, her anti-air mounts swinging away from the initial Wo's air forces in preparation for aircraft from the newly arriving fleets.

    Akizuki banks opposite of Shigure, dividing the Fu class' attention between two high speed destroyers. Sizzling in the rain, the gun barrels of her port side Choujuucentihou-chan trail steam and the little familiar ceases fire, dipping its head and batting at the gun barrels for a moment, eyes squeezed shut. Once it's satisfied, it lifts the guns again and resumes the anti-air barrage. Akizuki herself swings her torpedo launcher down, taking aim while shifting her direction once again into an opposing arc. Her guns are occupied firing at aircraft, but this is her primary anti-ship arsenal! Mounted to her back, the 5-tube launcher fires each torpedo singly, one at a time dropping a fan of Long Lances into the turbulent seas. Her target: The Tsu class cruiser, with the fan spread out across the Abyssal warship's projected course.

    On the back line, Zuihou draws up a new arrow with red fletching, taking a breath as another shell bursts in the water close by, showering her with fragments, "Hah~!" She raises the arrow and nocks it, drawing it back and aiming in a different angle. This arrow, once released, separates into the red-tailed Suisei dive bombers, ascending with a sharp bank towards the new formation of enemy warships. Her fighters are already occupied, escorting Chitose's bombers and engaging Wo's own fighters, which means she can't afford to escort this latest wing. However, with incoming bombers, a trio of Zeros break out of the furball and ascend in a sharp spiral, pursuing the Abyssal dive bombers.

Wo has posed:
    The Tsu-class had brought this upon herself. When she took the lead, with her loyal destroyers astride her, it was always going to become her responsibility. For a mere 'light cruiser', however, it seems she is surprisingly resilient. This might be partially owed, as she suddenly picks up steam, to the red glow that seems to form around her. She gargles something incomprehensible, indirect hits from the duo of Suzuya and Kumano, from her playing protector, causing her to momentarily list sideways in the water, before she rights herself. That's just in time for torpedoes from Akizuki to fan towards her. Rather than allow the destroyers in her command to potentially succumb, she tanks it - consumed momentarily in the explosion - before she comes out the other side, still up but with her massive glove-like arms shredded on one side, as well as the outer 'shell' that functions as her flesh, dripping congealed oil. Perhaps, most jarringly, the headpiece is cracked. A twisted, scarred face can just barely be seen beneath, staring out with one piercing, red eye. The destroyers take personal offense at this, judging by the feverish gurgling, and begin to launch their own torpedoes towards the two heavy cruisers, in turn. The other destroyer is a bit too close to their battleship to risk retribution.

    The air battle above has continued on in parity for a while, a numbers game that seems to be coming out to zero sum - which is just as well for the surface ships, most likely. The combination of anti-air fire has kept the numbers manageable, and the weather has brought them onto even more of a level playing field than Zuiho's air superiority force. It is, however, a situation that is about to become a lot more complicated: These 'new' Abyssals that just appeared, while it might be hard to see with the low visibility...something isn't 'right' about them. Yes, even more 'not right' than usual. Their formations drift along almost robotically, like the floating corpses they resemble. There is no buzzing chatter amongst them as a rudimentary language. They appear guided by something even more otherworldly, at a glance. The Wo-class carriers, their glowing eyes completely empty, except for a brilliant blue flame in one of them, hinge open their flight decks. The familiar Abyssal craft are replaced by higher specification, spherical fighters - the kind normally reserved for airfields and similar princess-class and demon-class Abyssals. But even more troubling, as they scream in, they open fire indiscriminately, seeming to be tearing up the more familiar Wo-class' fighters just as eagerly as they are going for Zuiho's adorable zeroes and Chitose's seaplane bombers.

    The Wo-class with the standard fighters finally has a facial expression - utter shock, as she simply stares as her fighter wings are being ripped up by the dreaded meatballs of doom. When the shock stares off, she sends direct radio messages to the two other supposed Abyssal fleets, but gets only static in return. This shouldn't be happening - friendly fire is a thing, but this is deliberate. She desperately calls back the dive bombers she had just produced, before any more losses occur. The main line of destroyers that had been supporting the evacuation of the Wa-class transports are the next in line, coming under fire not from the fleet daughters, but by their 'own' Ru-class. The shells splash into the water around them, pressuring their organization, while they struggle with the decision of whether to return fire. The two groups continue steaming forward, all the while, appearing to be moving to meet with Kuma's intercepting detachment, though the pair of battleships have already re-trained their cannons.

Wo has posed:
    The Abyssal shell of Yamashiro is being assaulted, almost as certainly as if Shigure had opened fire on her. Abyssals, at least the standard fare, are beings of raw emotional power - whether the destroyer was counting on this fact or not, it remains the same. Her actions continue to confound her impulses to destroy, as a second voice continues to cry out in her head. The last time - the chorus of Abyssal voices had won, in the end, and the pain wracking her body, she knew, would end if this 'Shigure' also ended. With the pressures surrounding her now, she - isn't certain. That singing, that terrible and yet somehow comforting singing. "What are you -- doing," she seethes, her large guns coming to a stall as she reaches her powerful arms up, clenching the sides of her mask, cracking it anew. "I don't...want, to remember...! The past - is only pain!" And yet there is a warmth that upwells. This close, it is likely she could reach out and crush Shigure easily with her own grip - and yet, she doesn't. Could Shigure's plan be working? The question is if they have the time...

    Even more pressure will soon be applied, it turns out. That unrecognizable, but ominous shape, meanwhile, has divided its company from the main force. It appears to be the only one with some degree of agency to them, and anyone following radar would see it approaching where Shigure is currently doing her best to snap the battleship out of it. Something causes the masked ship to tense up even more, now, as she stands upright, a more familiar voice calling out, "Sis-ter...?" Indeed, the shape that emerges, it turns out the loyal hound's nose for intuition was on the money. A pagoda mast ornament, twisted into a horned crown not unlike the other battleship's, except perched on the opposite side, is the first detail to emerge from the sea mist and smoke, before a ghostly visage of Fusou emerges. She had been the elegant elder sister in life, but now there is nothing but a steel expression, as she stares down the other 'Fu-class', and then Shigure in turn. "Weak," she intones, with not even the raw emotion of her counterpart, and not about to let some singing get in the way, begins to transform into a Leviathan.

    "Sis-ter...?" The characteristic reverb is still there, but her voice has grown softer, but confused. What had happened to her big sister, Fusou? And why is so much suddenly flooding back into her heart? As the unmasked newcomer reaches full size, she levels all guns at Shigure - and coincidentally, anyone that might be close. "Goodbye." A final, pulsing heartbeat courses through Yamashiro, as Shigure's last bit of singing filters into her mind and soul, and the vein-like lines shatter like breaking chains. She reaches her own Leviathan form in a fit of despair, standing up against her own flesh and oil-blood as the explosions report, probably showering Shigure with the same blackened ichor. Afterward, the deadeyed Fu-class continues staring forward passively, as her sister ship slumps against her, crippled, before being cast aside.

Shigure has posed:
    Shigure's song, that final verse: "Something that I've not, put into words for you yet. Something I have not had the courage to tell you yet." as she watches the turmoil under that dead shell. "Is that from the very first day I met you." the Destroyers face twists a little, and tears roll down her cheeks, as she finally says the one thing she never got to. "I. Have. Loved. You."

    It's then the other Fu-class comes up. Shigure grits her teeth, and is about to swap up to Ocean Fit-Out in a display of recklessness... when Yamashiro steps forward and takes those shells at point blank range. "... Y-Yama-shiro..." she watches the giant collapse forward, coughing up that oily ichor of blood, and being showered in debris and more of that sticky oily substance. More tears streak down her face... "No... no!" she nearly loses it, but Isuzu's voice on the line breaks the spell of despair before her Abyssal nature can take hold. "All ships... retreat at best possible speed. Rendezvous pint Delta." she says, watching as Yamashiro is tossed aside, and sinks quickly beneath the waves. "... I'll come back for you... I won't let history repeat." she murmurs softly to herself, before turning tail and fleeing at flank speed.

Suzuya (739) has posed:
"Suzuya always hates this part... hurts to see them keep fighting like that. So gross!" It's not just the slimy appearance of the dripping ichor that draws her statement, either. There's a hint of sympathy on her face as well. "Kumano, let's--wa!" The water explodes around her as those torpedoes streak in, though fortunately she seems to have escaped that barrage with only a bit of minor damage. A quick glance at Kumano tells her that the other cruiser is in similar shape.

But then, bad things happen. And when bad things happen involving the Unlucky Sisters, they become Really Bad Things <tm>.

"Is that Fusou too? And fighting each other?" Suzuya bites her lip, then blinks in surprise as she feels Kumano's hand take hers and squeeze it tightly. "S..suzuya wasn't going to cry or anything, you know." She still wipes her sleeve over her eyes, though.

"It's unbecoming a lady to be so shy about your feelings, Suzuya. I know this is hard, but..." It wasn't -that- long ago that the two of them were rampaging as twin Ne-class Abyssals, after all.

But when the 'Fu-class' Abyssal begins to change to Leviathan form, both cruisers know what's coming before the command is even given. "Cover fire, ready!" "Enemy forces locked in. Preparing to fire!" Both cruisers begin to skate backwards, still holding hands as all guns fire, laying down a barrage of shells to dissuade any ships from trying to pursue Shigure and the others.

Kongou (637) has posed:
    A second Fu class, unmistakably the dark reflection of the name-ship of the Fusou class, given the known identity of the first. Isuzu turns sharply in an evasion, eyes turning towards the two battleships as they have their exchange. And then the sudden shift to the colossal Levianthan form, proof right there that this newcomer is more powerful than a few destroyers and cruisers could handle without significant firepower backup or a lot of luck. She shouts out orders, drowned out by the deafening report of the newcomer's guns and the shriek of steel and emotion from the younger's demise, shielding her face from spray, rain, and debris from two titans clashing, however briefly.

    "Tch..!" The orders are relayed via radio, Isuzu instinctively taking charge of the formation, assuming an emotional breakdown from the currently assigned flagship. To her relief, moments later, the order is confirmed and reinforced by that self-same flagship and Isuzu breathes a little sigh of relief. At least Shigure is able to maintain her composure, even after that...

    Akizuki, while covering Shigure, had kept enough distance that when the two colossi clashed she was relatively safe from the fallout, save some shards of steel and congealed oil splattering across the sea around her. Her starboard-side Choujuucentihou-chan squeezes its eyes shut, wiping at them with its little paws, splattered with oil. When oil touches the two turret-bunnies' smoldering hot gun barrels, they both light on fire. With squeaks of alarm, the turrets suddenly eject their literally-on-fire cannon barrels from their heads with jets of steam.

    Without skipping a beat, Akizuki reaches into her leg satchel, produces new barrels, and slots them into place. A device on her rigging's bridge tower lets out a triple *thmp thmp thmp* and charges burst, filling the air around her with smoke as she reaches for Shigure, attempting to grab the girl before she makes her retreat.

    Overhead, air parity is disrupted by the sudden arrival of more abyssal aircraft. Almost immediately, the furball becomes utter chaos as a two-way engagement becomes three-way anarchy. Two Zeros spiral out of the sky in flames, disappearing into the stormy sea, while a third crash-dives until its engine fire goes out, leveling off and making low and fast for the mother carrier. The zeroes escorting Chitose's Zuiun bombers break off from their assignment to join the dogfight, replacing rapidly depleting numbers. Higher up, the four Suisei dive bombers suddenly bank into a steep dive, pulling out at the last moment above the colossal Fu class still standing while dropping their cargo. Only then do they make back for the carrier, one already peppered with holes from an opportunistic Hellcat. Seconds later, it erupts into flames and banks out, spiralling down as well.

    "I don't like these new Abyssal planes!" Zuihou complains, turning herself into retreat as well.

Wo has posed:
    The Leviathan of the ghost of Fusou is quite intimidating, even if she hadn't just blasted her own sister ship at close range and sent her back into the ocean. Cold and dead eyes stare down Shigure, even as she's making her retreat, stating in a lifeless monotone, that still somehow retains an elegant manner, "You cannot run forever." Was that a taunt, or a statement of fact? Given the state of things, she remains standing impassively as the both heavy cruiser's shells land. She does not visibly flinch even as craters open across one leg, instead readying her cannons to fire again. "Sister...stop, please," pleads the now fully cognizant Yamashiro, and even though her form remains large, her body has begun to visibly splinter and break up, as she struggles to remain afloat. She once again summons enough strength to stand up and wrestle with her sister, only to get thrown down again, causing the already turbulent sea to rumble and ripple out from her. "Shigure...run," she gasps out, before she finally begins to sink. "I'm - sorry..."

    The combined effort of the fleet and what's left of Yamashiro is enough to keep the Leviathan from getting off more full-sized shots off at the retreating forces, though. So there is at least that. The 'new' Abyssals turn their empty attention next to their own kind, which is thoroughly confusing to them, but at least the Destroyers have enough presence of mind to begin firing back, even if their 5-inch guns are like gnats hitting the Ru-class windshields. A devestating wave of those spherical, horned craft, this time loaded with bombs, rips apart the column of transports trying to make their escape with salvage in tow, as well as a good number of the destroyer screen. The Wo-class radios on an open frequency, her voice still in monotone, yet somehow accusing, "What...did you do. Fleet...daughters. How..." Is that also a tinge of betrayal in the last? But she has no time to truly wait for a response. It's time for one last surprise, even if she hadn't intended on it, as their next target seems obvious.

    As the fleet steams away at full speed, they would see a few curious things. The Tsu-class and remaining destroyers regroup around the Wo-class that *isn't* trying to shoot everything that moves. Twisted steel rises up from the depths as something begins to form around and below her, eventually the fragments self-welding into a full-sized aircraft carrier, the fresh seams pulsing red-hot. On the deck, full-sized Abyssal jet aircraft rise up from the elevators... All the while, Yamashiro finally lapses beneath the waves, but an odd glow permeates the waters there. And then the storm blows in with newfound ferocity, concealing what might happen after, as well as cutting off radio traffic.

    ...to be continued?