A Bulldog's Legacy (USS Oregon in Azur Lane)

Chapter 17: Blasts From The Past

"Speaking of fear, there's someone you're about to meet that'll quite possibly be your worst nightmare."

A black, shadowy cloud leaked out of Oregon's body, forming a rectangular object. It resembled, of all things, a Walkman cassette tape player.

"What are you...?" Observer asked incredulously.

Oregon chuckled dryly, humorlessly, and possibly a bit of sadness.

"Me? I'm just an old useless pre-dreadnought from the 1890s. This? The source of all my troubles. He has something of his own to say."

The cassette player's play button depressed, creating a distinct chunk-click noise. A staticky voice began speaking.

The best ship ever built...a centerfold of technologies. Each one more grand than the one before it.

It makes my eyes come to tears at the thought.

The voice's tone shifted to one of deep-set but restrained hatred.

But then...oh, the War Department...

For all your talk of preservation, you were the one behind so many scrappings.

Anger could be felt rising as the voice continued.

We built that canal. It was supposed to be a masterpiece! OUR masterpiece!

And then they thought they could just throw us out? Banish us to the scrapyard and forget us?! No!!

This is my host! My glory! They may think I'm gone...

The Walkman suddenly and quickly morphed and grew, taking the shape of a figure very much like Oregon, only this was black and shadowy compared to him.

Once the transformation was complete, the figure raised its bowed head, and a voice unlike any another practically roared.

"BUT I'M STILL HERE!!!"

"What are you?!" An ever-incredulous Observer cried.

"My name? I cannot be described by a simple name, but my host and I like the sound of Erroregon the most.

"And my purpose? It's quite simple really. Both of us want revenge for our past, but the original perpetrators are obviously not in this universe so that kinda narrows it down."

Erroregon looked over to Oregon, his host and apparent master. "Permission to initiate Project Pasttime?"

Oregon nodded. "Granted. However, just remember that the shipgirls likely can't handle such experiences for long, so keep them on the down-low. As for the Sirens, you can do whatever you want. Wait for my signal before you begin."

"Understood."

Erroregon vanished with a swirl of the dark matter he seemed to be composed of, leaving Oregon alone.

"W-what are you planning...?" A visibly disturbed Observer stuttered.

Oregon chuckled and cracked the joints in his hands. "This is going to be hella interesting. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I will."

Raising his voice, he addressed everyone in reach.

"Ladies, and myself as the gentleman, it is my great pleasure to announce that for some of you a little change in scenery is imminent!"

The very reality around the large group began to waver and distort.

"What is happening? Why is Oregon talking that way?" was the general consensus from the Azur Lane.

"Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough." Oregon took out a small wooden music box and began winding the key.

The sky and ocean turned dark shades of red. A blood-red sun shone through occasional black clouds.

"Is this...a Mirror Sea? But how...? Only we can create them..." The Sirens were incredulous.

Oregon finished winding his music box. "No, this is not a Mirror Sea. Compared to this, your Mirror Seas are nothing but simple pocket dimensions."

Raising his voice again, he made the following announcement:

"Welcome...

"T o  m y  s p e c i a l  h e l l."

With those demonically echoing words, he opened the lid of the music box. A haunting, echoing song began to play, but it didn't sound only like a music box...

Everyone's vision blacked out. A single crack of thunder boomed.

When everyone's vision returned Oregon, the Sirens, and certain ships from the Azur Lane were gone, plus their freakish surroundings had returned to normal...mostly.

*********

Hornet found herself alone, standing on a calm dark red ocean. The sun was frozen while setting, dyed a fiery reddish-orange.

"It's strange, really..." A voice spoke.

"Here I am, showing those who think they know what my problems are the truth. Do I know what will happen to them once they learn? Of course not."

A figure materialized before Hornet, and to her relief it was Oregon.

"But at the same time it provides me a way to finally, properly, share what happened to me for the first time since I was stricken who knows how long ago.

"You must understand something that I've finally realized was crucial. I had no one to talk to for those long years. I only had myself. And when you're by yourself in that kind of vulnerable mental state, there is nowhere to go but down."

Oregon turned to face Hornet, an expression of regretful sadness. "Sadly I'm too far gone for any hope of saving. This method, however terminal it may be, provides some measure of final relief before I must die."

He gestured to their mysterious surroundings. "You may be wondering what this place is. To begin with, the ships I've chosen are all together in another area like this, but I left you out on purpose."

"W-why, if I may ask...?"

"You don't deserve to experience what they are going through. For them, I am holding absolutely nothing back. You don't need to go through that. I'm personally here to provide some measure of comfort until this whole thing is over."

"Who is that...other creature? The shadow figure that appeared next to you?"

"Erroregon? He is the sentient amalgamation of my negative emotions. His voice was formerly that of my schizophrenia, but he and I have agreed that if he is allowed to work off some of his anger on the Sirens, he will quit bothering me. Trouble is, I can't really control him now that he's separate from me, so that means only he decides when to stop.

"Back to this dimension, if you could call it that. This area is a creation of mine where whoever that's not me can actually experience my emotions for themselves. They will feel exactly how I felt. For the other ships, that will change depending on where in their trip down my memory lane they are.

"But as I said before you are exempt from that, because you don't need it to understand me. You were the only one who saw past my facade, even relatively early on, but kept it to yourself."

Oregon turned to stare at the sunset. "Just like that sun is setting to end a day, my time is ending, and it won't be much longer before I will be back to nothing. After all, this body was loaned to me, and it's time to pay the dues."