Unstable Loyalties

Chapter 37

At the Azur lane base...

Enterprise sighed, rubbing her eyes as she leaned back. Managing the Eagle Union was hard. Sure, she had people to help, but still, ever since the loss of High Command, things just weren't the same. They had not heard from Lightning for some time now and the reason was apparent when Avenger returned, passing Enterprise a message stating that Lightning had been capture. Given Lightning's sense of foresight, she must had written the message beforehand and instructed Avenger to give it to Enterprise if her cover was blown. Then, a few days later, Bismarck and Yamato had vanished, no doubt captured by Sirens too. Without the exact coordinates of the Siren base, they could not rescue the shipgirls. Enterprise closed her eyes briefly. 

Lightning, please, be strong, return to us. We need you... she thought. She heard a knock on the door and spoke, "Enter." The shipgirl walked in and Enterprise saw that it was Prince of Wales. 

"Any news?" Enterprise asked. Prince of Wales just shook her head and Enterprise sighed. 

"We do not have the means to locate the base. Even if we did, we can't reach it as only some of us possess the means of flight," The British battleship spoke, "If the three of them are to escape, it will be on their own. We should increase patrols near the rock formation, that is the place that Bismarck and Yamato were captured. If they escape, there will be a high chance of us finding them there." 

"Very well, " Enterprise nodded.  Prince of Wale just dipped her head, getting ready to leave the room. 

When she reached the door, she paused for a moment before speaking, "Stay strong, Enterprise, do it for Azur Lane." Enterprise just nodded before dismissing Prince of Wales. Lightning... please return...

Tirpitz and Musashi were sitting on the top of the cliff, watching the waves crash against the rocky shore below. After both their sisters had been kidnapped, they had gotten to know each other and became good friends, pulled together by a twist of fate. Musashi did not know much about Lightning, but from Tirpitz's description, she was a good person. They both missed their sisters so much, and both hoped that all three would get out of this situation easily. Musashi bowed her head. Sakura season was on its way and every year, she would watch the sakura blossoms fall alongside Yamato. 

Would they be able to do it again this year? She turned to look at Tirpitz, the lone queen of the north. Tirpitz missed her sister badly. She used to rule the northern seas, with her sister ruling the Atlantic in the past. that solitude... it took a toll on her. She wished for someone else's comforting presence. Bismarck had provided that, but now she had been captured and Tirpitz could feel the cold loneliness seeping back into her bones. She sighed. People thought her to be cold, uncaring, but that was just the surface. Beneath, she longed for warmth and comfort, just like everyone else. We miss you, sisters...

Essex and her sisters were training. Though their skills were still sharp, their minds wandered. Lightning had only been with them as a sister for a short time before leaving. Now she had been captured and the news hit them hard. They loved Lightning as they loved a sister, and they worried for her. Essex knew that Lightning had suffered this before and now, she had to go through it on her own, knowing that she had to escape by her own means. Well, the two battleships were with her, but they knew that they had to escape on their own. It was just so... dangerous. Lightning had known the dangers, but she still went. She was just so stubborn... Essex shook her head, sighing. Shangri-La turned to her, looking worried. 

"Thinking about Lightning?" she questioned. Essex just nodded. Shangri-La sighed. She had been working late into the night, trying to get a fix on the Siren base's coordinates, but to no avail. they all missed  their sister, hoping, every night that she would return to them safely. Yet as the days dragged by, they feared that they would never see the golden-haired girl again. 

Back in the Siren base...

Lightning's skin was cracked in some areas, oozing bright red blood. Devastator had used a whip on her the previous day and the pain was so intense, Lightning feared she could not take it. Yet she still endured, until Devastator decided to move on the the battleships. She felt so guilty for dragging them into this, regret opening a dark pit in her. She suffered through it all silently. By now, she wished that she was numb to all this but everyday, she still felt the pain, saw the blood. Watched as the two battleships got tortured before her very eyes. She had kept silent, saving her strength for a single opportunity that would allow them to escape. 

The chains were slowly weakening and Lightning knew why. She had managed to sabotage one set of chains that the Sirens used when she had arrived here. By a stroke of luck, they used the chains on her. Once the chains broke, she could free herself and her friends and they would escape. She just hoped it would be soon. Most of their energy had been drained and they were barely clinging on to life, Bismarck especially. Devastator had taken pleasure in torturing Lightning's closest friend, injuring the German severely. 

Lightning felt a tear run down her face as she stared at Bismarck's limp pale form. She was alive, but just barely. They could not take much more. although only a few days had passed, the rage that devastator unleashed on them was enough for a year. It was hard to believe so much had happened in just a few days. Lightning raised her head, staring at the ray of light filtering in from the tiny window. They would escape soon, Lightning would make sure of that.

Another chapter completed! Finally! Hope you liked it!

~Lightningstar out