Azur Lane: A Royal Navy Carrier

CHAPTER 43

THIRD PERSON POV

In the empire Sakura Kaga argues with Nagato about the Orochi project.

Kaga: (Annoyed) Do you want to cancel the Orochi project?

Nagato: (Annoyed, but speaks calmly) It's just a temporary pause for the project. With Akagi gone we can't move forward.

Kaga: (Fury) Who put that stupid idea in your head?

Nagato: (Annoyed, but speaks calmly) It's my decision and no one else's.

Kaga: You are very naive, without Orochi the empire has no future.

Nagato: Kaga, you should rest, Akagi's absence has clearly taken its toll on you, rest and let time heal your heart.

Kaga: (Fury) Nagato!

At that moment Nagato raises her voice as her patience was running out.

Nagato: That's my final decision, now I'm out of my sight.

Meanwhile at night in the Sakura empire, the high-ranking girls gathered at a sleepover to have dinner and discuss the current situation of the empire.

Ise: (Drinking sake at the window) This is starting to seem problematic.

Hyuuga: (Drinking sake) The Orochi project is put on hold and the mass production siren ships are not responding to us, we are indeed in severe trouble.

Atago: (sigh) I'm very worried about Ayanami and Akashi, I hope they don't feel alone.

Shokaku: (Putting the hot sauce in the air) This whole absurd plan was doomed from the beginning, we shouldn't have bet our destiny on something that we barely know anything about.

Soryuu: It's not as simple as you think, there are many government organizations involved in this so the majority voted in favor, don't ask for impossible things even though you're right.

Hiryuu: The Red Axis organization is not a monolithic alliance, we don't want Iron Blood to see how weakened we are.

Hyuuga: Why did all this happen? If the real enemy is the sirens, you know.

The girls continued drinking and eating without encouragement.

Meanwhile, near that place, Zuikaku and Takao walk through the beautiful place that is the Sakura empire, then they stop on a bridge and listen to the conversation of the Sendai-class sisters where they were very concerned about the precarious situation of the empire. .

Takao: How do you feel?

Zuikaku: I have already fully recovered, my sister is also fine, we can fight whenever she is.

Takao: That's good to hear, but the situation is not great, I'm afraid it's not just Sakura Empire... I'm afraid everything is being pushed towards a terrible end.

At that Zuikaku begins to smile and give her opinion very optimistic.

Zuikaku: In that case, it's up to us to change that terrible ending.

Takao is surprised by Zuikaku's words and then she nods with a smile, Zuikaku on the other hand remembers when Ayanami sacrificed herself to save her and she decides that such a scene she does not want to see again.

Zuikaku: I can't let them do all the work, we have to change too.

Time jumps into the early morning where Kaga dreams of Akagi's memories, she confusedly walks through the memory of her stepsister.

Kaga: This landscape? Why does it look so familiar to me?

At that point she sees Akagi and she yells at her to call her, but Akagi doesn't pay attention to her, then Kaga realizes that her body is transparent and she is just a mere spectator, then she, very surprised, sees that Akagi walks towards Amagi who is admiring the cherry trees.

Kaga: (Confused) Akagi-nesama?

Akagi: Sister Amagi.

At that Amagi turns to see her little sister Akagi, Akagi approaches Amagi and when Amagi tried to speak, she collapses along with an uncontrolled coughing fit, Akagi runs and manages to grab her sister to stabilize her.

Akagi: (Very worried) The cold afternoon wind is not good for you.

Amagi: I'm really sorry, today I felt very good so I came here to see the cherry blossoms, this may be the last time I see them.

Akagi looks at her with a very sad expression and Amagi continues talking.

Amagi: Even if I leave, my heart will always stay here.

Akagi: (Sad) Why do you say such pessimistic words? You will recover and one day we will fight together in the same fleet.

Amagi shakes his head to get Akagi to shut up.

Amagi: (Caresses Akagi's head) And my powers will be inherited by you and the new generations that come after me and you.

At that Amagi hugs Akagi and she rests her head on Amagi's chest feeling her warmth.

Amagi: And that way we will always be together.

At that moment Kaga misinterprets Amagi's words, so she begins to remember the first time they made contact with Observer.

Observer: At this rate, the Sakura empire... no, the entire world has no future. You need power, a power similar to gods (Summons a black mind cube) This black mind cube collects all forms of data and evolves.

At that moment the cube begins to glow and Kaga from the past gets on her guard to attack, but Akagi stops her.

Observer: Data is will and will is power, especially for beings like us...

Akagi just looks at her with hostility.

Observer: That is why the ship born by this mental cube will have great powers, to reanimate the past and generate the future you want.

Kaga: They're meaningless things! Don't believe her, sister!

Observer: I'm not lying that you can create whatever you want, she's even capable of reviving the dead.

Those words were a trigger to Kaga from the past that this is dangerous, Akagi also realizes that and she is also reluctant to believe what she hears.

Akagi: Just like my sister says, what you say is blowjobs.

Observer: Ara, how hurtful and unfeminine your words are.

Akagi: Even if she has the same appearance and the same memories, they are just a mere reflection, a simple copy without a soul of his own.

Observer: I protest! If the form and content is the same, that is simply real.

At that Observer approaches Akagi so quickly that no one reacts.

Observer: If it's not real? What is real to you? A recently repaired ship? A collection of rotten woodwork? ~Which will be your ship of Theseus?~ (Whispers in Akagi's ear) The only thing that matters to you is that Amagi is by your side.

Then Kaga's memory ends up returning to Kaga's dream in Akagi's memory, she looks disappointed with herself.

Kaga: So there is no place for me in my sister Akagi's heart... She doesn't even treat me as a worthy replacement for her... But I don't care... My sister Akagi's wishes are my wishes.

At that, Kaga's eyes shine with intense blue fire, after that memory she wakes up and turns on the lights in her room, then she pours herself a glass of sake and goes out to the balcony to drink, in her left hand she has the ornament of hair that Akagi bought her days ago and in her gaze she has dead, dull eyes, she is under the control of the sirens and because of that control they would force her to do something crazy.

TO BE CONTINUE....................................