Part 4
(I'm... going to die...?)
The cases where the Fleet Girls were decommissioned were divided into two. First was relieved from duty, then releasing the ships uniform and disarming the armaments. At this level, they would return into an ordinary girl.
The other was sank. As a common case, if you returned in a state of a serious damage, kept fighting little by little, you would be sunk by being attacked by the Abyssal Fleet. If that happened, the corpse wouldn't rise and there would be nothing left, only the name of the dead would be listed on the official gazette.
Akebono was the latter.
Her body was going to sink. It's lightened because of the lost equipment, but there's almost no chance of floating. Her limbs were numb and exhausted, and it couldn't move no matter what. Her legs' main machine somehow still ringing, but doesn't make any sense since the floating power was lost, and unfortunately, she's not a submarine.
It's maybe a joke because her consciousness was clear. An ordeal given to the fleet girl in order to aware it's own death.
She vaguely thought.
(At the bottom of the sea... What... existed there... I wonder...?)
She didn't think it's heaven there. Because that's existed above her head. If it's the case, was it on the Imperial Palace Castle? [1] But, Akebono didn't believe in fairy tales, so she rejected it. The things that remained were the detailed sand and the deep-sea fish. Then the illegally dumped garbage.
She looked from the bottom of the ocean. It's pitch black. It's like it's not at the bottom yet. How dark was the depth of this ocean area? It would be a little excursion if this continued. Even though it's already over, the sea didn't let her to end it. How long it would take to death?
Akebono's eyes which were staring blankly opened wide.
(Ah...)
There were many blue eyes lined up in the water. Each one were about the size of a salmon. Rather than fishes, they looked like insects, and were swimming in swarms. They looked like they were watching the falling submerged Akebono while revolving and turning round and round.
Those pupils were Abyssal Fleets'. However, it weren't the glint of wanting to bite at the prey. Those blue weren't the usual blue. It's something gentle, that whispering and calling through inside of your head.
They were inviting.
They were calling an invitation to the sinking girl. They were neither eating her nor triffling with her.
It was a temptation.
Come here.
Come to our place.
Let's be friends.
Let's be friends. [2]
They were addressing her. She could only think so. The small and small Abyssal Fleets were calling to her to come to their side.
Akebono was afraid. She was terrified of dying very soon. According to a theory, Abyssal Fleets were said to appear and taking shape of the malice of the ancient sunken ships. It also included the Fleet Girl.
She once thought it's absurd. However, what about those guys who were calling an invitation to her there? And then within the Abyssal Fleets, why there was even humanoid-type? Were those guys former Fleet Girls?
She wondered whether she would be like that.
(I don't want to die... I don't want to sink!)
Akebono struggled. Her limbs weren't moving, but she struggled just with her consciousness. I won't become their friends. I am a Fleet Girl! A glorious destroyer belong to Yokosuka Naval District. I'm not cute, I have a bad mouth, I'm stubborn, and I'm clearly being disliked. However, I haven't cast away my pride. Like hell I would mind become something like the Abyssal Fleet! But, but, it's already...
Her body became heavy. The blue light eroded the inside of her head. The light spread——
She was pulled up.
"Haah!"
Ushio appeared on the sea surface holding Akebono's body and took a large breath. Her whole body was drenched because she temporarily cut off the floating power of her legs.
"Akebono-chan, please hold on! You're still alive, you know!"
Ushio slapped Akebono cheek, then pulled it sideways. Because of that, her eyeball moved slowly.
"Abyssal Flee... Ushio!? Why...!"
Akebono face wrapped in surprise. At the same time as Ushio felt relieved, tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'm relieved... Forgive me for mistaking you with the enemy."
"The fleet is...!?"
Then Kagerou who arrived next said while staring forward, "They've arrived in the safe sea area. Ushio, tow Akebono!"
Ushio grabbed Akebono arms. She pulled her with strength.
"Come here."
"Ushio... it hurts!"
"Please endure it."
Kagerou confirmed the towing process. Then once again looked forward.
It's not necessary to confirm it with a binocular telescope. A large armada of Abyssal Fleet. They were furious and mad because the sinking prey they've got were interfered with. She shouted to the surrounding.
"Run away! Deploy smokescreen!"
"I'll do it."
Nagatsuki volunteered. She cruised from left to right, spurting black smoke from the back of the smokescreen generator[3]. At the meantime, Sei Z (turn right one hundred eighty degrees simultaneously) was performed. They went away from the battlefield with Nagatsuki who carried the duty.
The Abyssal Fleet didn't follow.
"We did it, we did it! Ahahaha!"
Satsuki laughed happily. She clapped her hand as she was glad.
Kagerou was not happy to that extent.
"Ushio, how is Akebono condition?"
"All the armaments were lost. Her clothes were torn too."
A quick confirmation. Certainly, Akebono sailor uniform was tattered, and not even her trademark of bell hairpin remained.
"When we returned to the Naval District, you must enter the dock first."
"...Entering... the dock...?" Arare said.
They silently went to rescue Akebono. By now, the fact that the entire DesDiv were gone should be an uproar. No matter how you do think about it, it's a case where they would be scolded.
Kagerou thought while folding her arms.
"It can't be helped. If we entered the detention barrack and prostrated ourself, wouldn't they open the dock for us?"
Akebono, as she was towed, struggled.
"Idiot! You guys aren't involved! Because it's my fault, It's me who will get punishment!"
"Don't worry about it. Right, everyone?"
"Yeah. Akebono should depend on us a bit more," Nagatsuki said, while Satsuki laughing.
"Yeah yeah. You can even call me 'Big Sis', you know?"
"I won't lower my head to the likes of Mutsuki-class!"
"My little sister is stubborn, eh?"
"Because you're not prominent!"
The stubborn characteristic reply resounded, Kagerou chuckled.
At that time.
A water pillar rose far ahead.
Kagerou startled. 'Is that a mine explosion?' She thought for a moment. But there's no one in front of them.
She looked behind. A faint dull sound was transmitted from the other side of the smokescreen.
"We're being bombarded!?"
The fleet girls were trembling.
Those guys hadn't give up yet.
After failed to catch the convoy and outwitted by the destroyers, could even the Abyssal Fleet have no face? They shot relentlessly.
In the front, several water pillars rose.
"Kagerou, what should we do?"
To Nagatsuki question, she reflectively told her, "Run away. At any rate, those shells won't hit anything."
In accordance to those words, enemy bombardments aim could only be thought as shooting at the wrong place. Even in the advance direction, the water pillars were only showy and hopelessly inaccurate. If you took care a little, you could even evade.
Another bombardment. This time it landed in the rear.
"Where are they aiming at..."
Kagerou's face froze when she was about to say something.
(...They planned this!?)
They were put in between there.
Certainly, the Abyssal Fleet were coming to capture them. As that proof, the next shells dropped much closer than before together with the crumbling sea water from the water pillars that pierced the sky. The sea surface swayed unsteadily.
"Eeek!" Satsuki made a noise. She's bathed with water the most.
"Why I'm shot!?"
Kagerou also wondered. She checked back, but the smoke screen was still there. However, the Abyssal Fleet were firing accurately. How did they locate this position? She wondered.
"...It's Fire-Control Radar!" [4]
The fleet girls held their breath at Kagerou's words. Everyone were aware of the effectiveness of radar. Everyone had once thought that, they always wanted to have it easy by having a lookout by acquiring a radar. However, destroyers weren't equipped at first. Despite that, the enemy have it.
"...Is that true...?"
Kagerou said to Arare who raised the question, "I can't think of anything else! I'm sure the battleship-class..."
Suddenly, an Abyssal Fleet figure appeared from the inside of the smokescreen.
That standing figure was a Ru-class battleship. That figure was glaring at the vicinity, just like a queen who reign over this star. This woman was the one who performed the Fire-Controlled Radar shooting. There's a mixed obsession and grudge as if it was saying that it wouldn't lose the prey and would tear them off inside those deep blue pupils. The 16 inch triple gun mount turret main armament were directly pointed straight at them.
And then around her were a large army of the Abyssal Fleet.
The Ru-class battleship turned her posture and then howled.
The Abyssal Fleet were shouting in response. The war cry voices echoed under the cloudy sky.
The scared Arare covered her ears. The Abyssal Fleet scream shook fear. One of the qualifications for becoming a fleet girl was whether or not you could endure this howl. But no matter how good the characters were in the aptitude test, you would be seized by fear when you actually encountered it. It was also said that the upper echelons were considering artificial drug-induced resistance strengthening.
Kagerou somehow shook off the fear.
"之(No)-character movement!"
She shouted and emitted a flashing signal at the same time. Furthermore, she told Arare, "Communicate with the Naval District! We encountered a large fleet including a Ru-class battleship, and request for reinforcement or somehow tell them to dispatch it!"
"That... might draw the enemy attention..."
"It's fine!"
A simple radio transmission was like telling the enemy their position and telling them to come. Abyssal Fleet would gather more easily than insects coming to the insect-trap.
But that wasn't the case. It's a fact that that they were chased by a large fleet of enemy.
The 16inch shells were raining down, quickly changing the surroundings into a shooting training area.
The destroyers were running through the flooding water pillars. The bombardments were chasing after them relentlessly.
"Ouch!"
Satsuki twirled. She's even got hit by the fragments. The damage was not serious, but the close shot definitely would be increasing.
"Don't stop moving!" Kagerou shouted.
"Keep running to YokoBase!"
There's no need to say that to the whole DesDiv. The sea surface was noisy, and the atmosphere only carried the bombardment sound. Nevertheless, they didn't stop their feet.
"......!"
Arare's body floated because of impact. Nagatsuki pulled her.
"Are you okay?"
"......Thank you."
She looked like a knight who helped his prince. But of course, they couldn't afford to be composed.
Kagerou looked at the front and confirmed the rear. The distance was closing.
Bombardment pillars that made evading difficult were ahead on the course.
"Each ship evade at will!"
Everyone understood Kagerou's order instantly. Even as they were told 'at will', they weren't scattered. Everyone must escape while fooling the enemy. They practiced both the 之-character movement and dispersing movement. Just as if to say there's no other choice, the performed it perfectly. It's instilled inside their bodies.
Carefully and then boldly, everyone went through the water pillar forest.
Kagerou once more looked behind.
She gritted her teeth. The figure of the Ru-class battleship was bigger than before. It was getting close again.
It's still chasing them no matter what they do.
They couldn't escape no matter what. They couldn't raise their speed any more than this even if they wanted to.
They knew the reason. It's because they're towing Akebono. Akebono and Ushio's pulling speed after all were slow. Kagerou and others couldn't go full speed because they need to match their speed. There's no choice but to evade the bombardment by using movement.
She looked at Ushio with a side glance. Drops of water were dripping from her face. It's not seawater, but sweat. She was also towing with her whole energy.
Akebono who being pulled shouted.
"...Leave me behind!" She said while struggling.
"Release me! Isn't it fine for only you guys to run away?!"
Ushio looked behind and said to Kagerou, "The scrap is talking, what should we do now?"
"Because it's unusual, let's show it in the YokoBase."
Ushio grabbed Akebono's arm strongly. Akebono screamed.
"It's fine to leave me alone! If you guys alone, won't you be able to escape?! Because you guys are destroyers!"
Everyone ignored Akebono's word. Everyone concentrated at the evasion movement.
The Ru-class's battleship shoulders shone.
It landed rather close, Kagerou was almost overturned. The aim became more accurate, but that's not all. There's almost no interval between firing and the impact. The distance was rather shortened.
Nagatsuki sent a glance. 'If this continue, we will suffer damage, what should we do?' She seemed to ask.
Kagerou was forced to make a decision.
Her head became hot, her field of vision narrowed. A number of plans to survive that came to her mind disappeared.
What about smokescreen? It's meaningless for them because of radar. Running away to all directions? Everyone would be crushed with that number. Surrender? I have never heard that they would let us live.
Was there anything? Any good method? What a destroyer should do?
"...If it's the case!"
She continued, "Prepare for surface action!"
Everyone was surprised. The one who was surprised the most was Akebono.
"Haa!? What are you thinking about!?"
Kagerou pretended that she didn't hear that and gave instructions.
"We will hold the Abyssal Fleet here! It's the same thing that Akebono did. This time, it's our turn."
"Are you serious!?"
It's needless to say. Kagerou was serious.
She really intended to fight and stop the Abyssal Fleet.
Because Akebono did it, they also have to do it. They couldn't afford to expose the unsightly figure of their ally who fought with all of her power to the enemy.
Fight with the Abyssal Fleet and send back the heavily damaged Akebono to Yokosuka.
Even though destroyer outward appearance was small, their heart that valued their friends were second to none. If someone needed help, they would dive into the storm of enemy bullets, and if someone was heavily damaged, they would take them home no matter what. They would certainly oppose the enemy who hurt their friend and they would never abandon their friend, no matter how difficult retreating was. Kagerou thought so, and she believed from the bottom of her heart.
She absolutely would perform it even if it's absurd and reckless. She was willing to hurt herself.
If you ask me why, I have no choice but to answer.
Because we are Fleet Girls.
Because we are the honorable Fleet Girls!
Kagerou said, "We will support Ushio and Akebono evacuation at this place. Nagatsuki, Satsuki, Arare, all of your lives, I take it!"
"I understand." Nagatsuki was the first to reply.
"It's a great honor to fight for a consort ship."
Then Satsuki said, "Understood! I can be cool, right?"
Arare nodded as usual and said only minimal things.
"...Roger that."
After hearing everyone's reply, Kagerou expression became brighter.
"Thank you, everyone."
Then she told Ushio, "Ushio, bring back Akebono to YokoBase. First of all, put her in the dock and have her eat delicious food. Absolutely, okay?"
"Yes."
She couldn't see the usual timidness of Ushio. Kagerou was convinced that 'This girl will be fine.'
"Wait! I'll fight too! Ushio, release my hands!"
The towed Akebono shouted. Ushio answered her, "It's no good. Akebono and I will escape."
"Not a chance! I'll fight!"
"Didn't you hear what I said?!"
"I didn't hear it! I'm gonna fight! Because I can still fight! Let's fight together!"
"What you can do with that shape!?"
"If you fight, won't Kagerou and other die!? I don't want everyone to die! I don't want everyone to disappear!"
"It's absolutely impossible!"
"Ushio you idiot! Everyone you idiot! Aaah!"
Ushio tightly grabbed and pulled Akebono who was crying.
Kagerou confirmed both their figure and engraved it on her eyes.
Great Watatsumi god, Sumiyoshi great gods[5], Poseidon and many other sea gods whose names I didn't know, please watch over those two to Yokosuka.
One is timid and the other has a bad mouth, but they're very, very good girls.
Then she shouted, "Turn around!"
She gave a signal of the Z-sei (turn left one hundred eighty degrees simultaneously). Turning around, the Fleet Girls faced the Abyssal Fleet armada.
The Ru-class battleship scowled. Was she angry because the destroyers were coming? She wondered. Destroyers were ridiculed as tin cans because of their low defense power. Naturally, a battleship shot with their secondary armaments without using the main armament to chase them away. But now, whether to show respect or overwhelm with great power, it was pointing the main armament toward them.
That strength and the feeling of intimidation.
She'll try it. Akebono was often fighting against such monsters.
Kagerou swallowed up her fear and locked it. These guys, she would make them sink at all cost.
"Accelerate, full speed! We won't let even one ship go through!"
If this goes on, they would be hit head-on. The enemies were overwhelming, but, so what? It's a destroyer job to do it's best. It's the spirit of Fleet Girls.
"We're within torpedo firing range!" Satsuki shouted, but Kagerou shook her head.
"Not yet! Make sure for certain hit!"
Water pillars were around. Kagerou proceed while avoiding them.
The water pillars vanished. Beyond that were the sea monster, the massive Abyssal Fleet.
"All ships, aim carefully!"
She waited until the last moment before shouting, "Shoot!!"
The torpedoes discharged together with the compressed air. After diving once, it ascended to the adjusted depth, then went forward fiercely.
The torpedo spreaded in a fan shape. Those warheads would certainly blow anything in one-hit. Those were powerful enough to break any Abyssal Fleet into two and sink them instantly.
Suddenly, the Abyssal Fleet made irregular movements.
They're firing shells to front of themselves. The sea surface was in disarray.
The torpedoes exploded, many water pillars rose.
"It hit, we did it!" Satsuki raised a cheer.
However, Kagerou was still staring at the front. Something was strange, what did they they do? The water pillars disappeared.
There's a figure of the Ru-class battleship which remain undamaged.
It's not only the battleship. Neither the light cruiser nor the torpedo cruiser were damaged. They're coming towards them as if to sneer at Kagerou and others.
"...The fuse is too sensitive...!"
Kagerou groaned. The torpedoes which were moving just under the sea surface were caught in the waves, she misunderstood it as hit because the fuse exploded. Those water pillars were rising in the front of the enemy.
She felt that the Ru-class battleship laughed. This woman knew the torpedoes' flaw. She also knew that destroyers with no torpedo were powerless. Every single gun barrels were aimed there, aiming to blow them away.
Arare raised a voiceless scream. She almost overturned because of a close shot.
Abyssal Fleet's attacks were merciless. The more you damage your opponent, the more you will concentrate on firing. It seemed to say that, if you survived because there's no hit, it would surely hit with the timing.
So the 'understanding' Fleet Girls didn't chase too far. They're looking and choosing for the last-minute timing to retreat.
But retreat was impossible. Akebono and Ushio absolutely have to escape. They have to fight against this many numbers until the end.
Kagerou and others were destroyers. If you got hit twice, you'll be at the bottom of the sea in the spur of the moment. Because there was a limit to the loading capacity, there were no cool things like the emergency repair system. On the other hand, they carried torpedoes.
They have shot those torpedoes just now. And the Abyssal Fleet bared their fangs.
The Ru-class battleship howled. It's a war cry with conviction of victory.
They attacked Kagerou with the premonition of instantly sinking.
"Kuh......!" She gritted her teeth.
At that moment.
Kagerou heard it.
It’s not just she herself. Nagatsuki, Satsuki, Arare, and perhaps the Abyssal Fleet surely also heard it. A loud voice that piercing through. A cheerful voice that blew up the cloudy sky.
Panpakapa~n.
TL's Note : [1] 竜宮城 lit. Dragon King Palace but it can be read Imperial Palace Castle.
[2] In katakana, to indicate that the Abyssal Fleet aren't capable of fluent speech.
[3] 煙幕発生缶, idk what is that, something like smokescreen emission tube/can or whatever it is :/
[4] 電探射撃, lit. Radar Firing/Shooting, but since it's kind of weird, so I decided to use Fire-Control Radar instead
[5] Owatatsumi (Great Watatsumi) is a legendary kami (god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese Mythology. More info here.
Sumiyoshi daijin/ookami (Great Sumiyoshi gods) is the another name for the three Shinto gods, the Sumiyoshi sanjin, and regarded as the gods of the sea and sailing. More info here.
As for Poseidon, well, I guess it's unnecessary for me to explain.
TL's comment : Well, yeah, that's it. I apologize if my translation is somewhat unclear, since I'm translating this using machine translation. (
See you in the next chapter!
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