2 March 1943
Location: Java Sea
Time: 1400
The sea stretched endlessly before them, calm and deceptively serene. Mo's detachment had been sailing westward for hours, the sun's reflection shimmering on the water as Mo's detachment patrolled the western Java Sea, there was a distinct change in the air. The seas had been calm since they shot down the wave of bombers, but now the horizon shimmered unnaturally. Something felt off.
Memphis, standing beside Mo, kept her gaze fixed forward. "Still no word from local weather stations. No storms reported."
Mo frowned, her tone soft but focused. "It's too quiet. After everything earlier, I don't like this."
Memphis gave a nod, her voice tinged with concern. "Weird thing is, I thought I didn't see any clouds earlier, but now… Look at the sky." The once clear expanse was darkening, slowly as if a typhoon loomed ahead. But this didn't feel like natural weather.
The rest of the group maintained their vigilance. Indomitable scanned the area, her normally steady demeanor slipping just slightly. "Something's wrong here... Jervis, what do you think?"
Jervis nodded, but her voice tightened. "Although it's possible for a typhoon to suddenly form, I don't see this typhoon to be natural…"
Suddenly, the sky fully transformed. Dark clouds surged overhead, and the sea shifted beneath them, once bright and sunlit, now churning and thick, black as ink.
For a moment, the detachment stood silent, taking in the warped surroundings. Communications jammed with static as the WW2 era radar flickered, showing erratic signals. They had unknowingly crossed into the Mirror Sea, an area under complete Siren control, distorting the fabric of reality.
The waters swirled unnaturally, and typhoons materialized with no warning. Massive icebergs appeared, looming like ominous sentinels. Mo recalled the academy lectures on the Mirror Sea, zones created by elite Sirens, where reality itself could be bent and manipulated. These areas were infamous for trapping fleets, overwhelming them with Siren forces, and producing nightmarish conditions that made escape almost impossible.
"We're cut off," Newcastle muttered, trying to adjust her controls. "This doesn't feel like the Java Sea anymore."
Amazon shifted uneasily, her experience from her previous mission resurfacing. "It's a Mirror Sea," she stated, voice grim. "I've been inside one before, during an escort mission. It's disorienting, and Sirens control everything. We're in their domain now."
Mo hesitated for a moment but quickly decided. "We'll follow the planned course and if we don't see the end of it, we reassess."
For the next several hours, the group pushed through the sea, navigating its atrocious terrain: massive whirlpools, sudden ice floes, and waves towering above their heads. The harsh environment was overwhelming, even for experienced kansens like Newcastle, Jervis, and Indomitable. Only Amazon had been through it before, her composure a thin veneer over her anxiety.
After five hours of fighting against the bizarre conditions, Mo could no longer ignore the truth, they were trapped. The Mirror Sea had closed around them like a cage, and there was only one guaranteed way out: defeating the elite Siren that created it.
"Everyone, listen up." Mo's voice broke through the heavy silence. "This isn't just a tactical zone. The Mirror Sea means there's an elite Siren nearby. The only way out is through her."
Memphis gave her a sideways glance, concern etched on her face. "I see.."
Mo nodded, though her heart raced. "If I recall correctly, it's in the academy files. Siren elites create these zones to trap and crush fleets. If we don't find her and take her down, we'll be stuck here... and Java will be left vulnerable without us."
The enormity of the situation weighed on them all. Facing an elite Siren was perilous, but the alternative, leaving Java defenseless, was far worse. Mo, determined but nervous, pressed forward. Her design purpose as a blue water ship, allowed her ship to navigate the treacherous waters with precision.
Just when it seemed like they would drift endlessly in the warped reality, a structure loomed in the distance, a massive tower rising unnaturally from the sea.
"Is that...?" Indomitable began, eyes narrowing at the sight.
Amazon nodded grimly. "Control Tower. It's where the Siren commands the Mirror Sea from. If we're going to end this, we need to go there."
Mo took a deep breath, her stomach twisting with unease. She had faced countless foes, but a Siren elite was in a class of its own. She could feel the malevolence radiating from the tower, a presence more powerful than any Crimson Axis Kansen she had faced before.
Suddenly, a bright light erupted from the tower, momentarily blinding them. Mo raised her hand to shield her eyes, her heart thudding in her chest. From the light emerged a figure, a girl with gray hair, tied into a ponytail, her yellow neon eyes glowing with an unsettling intensity. She wore a sailor uniform, her expression a twisted grin as she eyed Mo's ship like a predator.
"This is her," Mo whispered, her instincts screaming danger.
Before they could react, the girl leaped from the tower, summoning her rigging in midair, a monstrous construct shaped like a manta ray, sleek and deadly. Her voice echoed across the battlefield, a boisterous laugh that sent chills down their spines.
Mo, her detachment at her side, prepared for battle. She summoned her own rigging, feeling the familiar power surge around her as she jumped from the deck, ready to face the elite Siren head-on.
The girl's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let's see how long you last."
___________________________________________________________________
2 March 1943
Location: Yokosuka Naval Base
Time: 1300
A soft breeze stirred the sakura petals, sending them fluttering gently through the air, blanketing the large Shinto shrine in a delicate pink. The ancient structure, nestled amidst the blossoms, stood with a regal air, its towering gates welcoming those who walked its paths. Akagi moved gracefully up the steps toward the heart of the shrine, her kimono brushing against the ground in a soft whisper of silk. The distant hum of the wind seemed to mirror her tired steps, but there was an unmistakable spark of excitement in her crimson eyes.
She could feel the pressure of her responsibilities weighing down on her as she ascended, but that weight was momentarily brushed off when she crossed paths with Fuso and Yamashiro at the shrine's main courtyard. The twin battleships were standing beneath a canopy of sakura trees, the pale petals catching in their dark hair.
"Akagi," Fuso's voice, soft and gentle, carried a note of concern. "You look worn out. Perhaps a short rest is in order?"
Yamashiro nodded in agreement, her expression matching her sister's worry. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. Even you must take care, or the strain will catch up."
Akagi smiled gently, brushing off their concerns with a wave of her hand. "I appreciate your advice, but I'm fine. There's still much to be done."
With a final nod, the three part ways, Fuso and Yamashiro watching with silent concern as Akagi made her way to the top of the shrine. The sakura blossoms swirled around her as she reached the towering double doors engraved with the intricate markings of the Sakura Empire. With a steady hand, she knocked.
"It's Akagi," she called softly. "I seek your audience."
The voice that responded from behind the doors was as calm and steady as a still lake. "Enter."
Akagi stepped inside the room, which, despite its simplicity, held an air of elegance. Tatami mats lined the floor, and the walls bore the minimalistic charm of traditional Sakuran architecture. The scent of sakura blossoms permeated the room, their branches slithering inside through an open balcony, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
Beneath the cascading blossoms, two petite figures sat, their presence commanding. Nagato, the leader of the Sakura Empire, and her sister Mutsu, the trusted advisor, sat with their Riggings equipped even within their sanctuary. The sight of their red-and-white garments contrasted with the serene environment, but their air of authority was undeniable.
Nagato, her expression unreadable, regarded Akagi with calm eyes. "Why have you come?" she asked, her voice measured and deliberate.
Akagi composed herself, masking her inner excitement and exhaustion, and spoke with practiced grace. "I've come to report the progress of Project Orochi, thanks in no small part to the resources we've acquired from Southeast Asia. The project is proceeding faster than planned."
Nagato hummed in response, a cold and distant sound. Her sharp gaze never left Akagi as she replied, "Let me ask you one more time, is this project truly necessary? We already have the Yamato sisters in production, a far more stable project."
Akagi's smile didn't falter, though inwardly, a wave of frustration simmered beneath her calm exterior. "The Orochi is vital. It's a decisive weapon that could shift the tide in our favor," she said, presenting the black cube. The cube, though ominous, radiated an undeniable power, one they desperately needed for the war.
Nagato's gaze lingered on the cube, her face unreadable. After minutes of silence inside the room, she spoke, her voice firm. "Very well. But with one adjustment, the resource allocation will change. The Yamato sisters will take priority from here on. Knowing the Orochi is ahead of schedule."
As Akagi tensed, Nagato stepped closer to the cube, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if sensing its dangerous potential. "Also, we need to be cautious with this. It is important to take a safe and stable path, even if it takes longer. Siren technology… it could bring disaster if mishandled."
Though dissatisfied, Akagi nodded, concealing her frustration. The decision was made, and she had no intention to argue further. As long as the project kept going, she was fine with a small adjustment.
Akagi bowed, accepting Nagato's decree and left the room. The winds outside seemed to mirror her inner turmoil, swirling the sakura blossoms into a fleeting storm. She walked down the steps of the shrine, her pace quickening, eager to retreat from the conversation that left her a bit bitter.
Inside the room, Nagato sighed, her calm demeanor briefly cracking as she stared out at the sakura branches swaying in the breeze. "Is this war truly worth it?" she muttered to herself, the exhaustion in her voice evident. What was meant to be a swift conflict to bring the Azur Lane to the negotiation table had stretched on far too long and too costly, with no end in sight.
Mutsu, who had been silent until now, turned to her sister with a bright smile, trying to ease the tension. "Don't worry, Nagato. We've always managed before, and we'll manage again."
Nagato's gaze softened as she looked at her younger sister, and for a moment, the burdens of leadership seemed a little lighter.