Forged In Blood | Male Warship X Azur Lane

The Shackles Of Affection

I've been working tirelessly on a story setting in the Azur Lane Universe of course. Named The Shackles Of Affection. I'm very proud of what I've written so far of it! An Am excited to see if everyone finds it to be entertaining. As Such I'll take a segment of the story's deep inner chapters to give you an Idea of what you're dealing with. Oh! For those curious the main character of the story is Cowpens, a Light Carrier of the independence and Cleveland class of vessel. I decided he would be a man, and that any ship not yet in the game is also azured and a man to make the world around the story more alive, and lively.

---Enterprise Point Of View---

Jumping with everyone close behind doing the same, and landing around everyone, I like many others don't waste any time running to those injured, trying to ease them, or provide first aid desperately needed for some more so than others. Selfishly approaching my sister before anyone else, finding her cradling Lexington in her arms. I didn't get to ask if she was okay before she spoke with devastation in her voice. "They killed her... They torpedoed her seconds after it all started... We were ambushed... and S-She didn't even have a chance to know what was happening before she was-" Interrupting her, selfishly asking. "Are you okay" I couldn't do anything for Lexington now.. No one could... That is clear but I could still help her, if she needed it. Once more, not showing any care for herself, but instead for others besides herself, she asked in a voice of what could only be described as shame. "D-Did anyone else sink..." Unsure myself. I answer bluntly. I speak rather forwardly. "It's very likely." That seemed to put a look on her face of self shame. Rather swiftly speaking again.

"Are you okay?" Finally, only now answering my question. "Yes" Hearing that made me lose my moment of hyper fixation on her. Allowing me to focus on those around me again. Across the whole battlefield were those mourning, crying, and feeling the effects of those lost. It's very obvious to me that Lexington wasn't the only other ship sunk or killed. New Jersey is the first one beside my sister that I spot, helping walk Great Grandpa Texas, who's whole left arm was blown off from the shoulder. His right leg has a clear whole in it. Drenched in blood head to toe. His own or enemies? Both. Rigging torn apart, and many massive wounds across his body. The most notable a hole being dead center of his guts, exactly 380mm's in size. Her own rigging didn't seem any better, with wholes in her turrets from Yamato's guns and Amagi's. Even small caliber rounds littered her rigging, and blood dripping from a blown open shoulder and side from grazing shots of massive size.

"A-Are you okay New Jersey..." Texas weakly asks New Jersey as she spilled tears of pain. Despite being in a far worse shape then her. He had no tears. Only a look of gentleness and kindness in his weak eyes. Just arriving Kentucky. "G-Grandpa's... G-Grandpa's-" Interrupting his older sister's tears and sputtering of fears, he would grab both of them and hug them tight as could be. Swiftly shouting with tears of relief in his eyes, but yet still carrying fear for the two seeing their states. "Thank Neptune your both alive!" Followed by releasing them, and ripping off strips of arm sleeves of his fatigues to preform emergency repairs to the two. Across on my right side, Quincy was silently crying over the sinking rigging of an already fully sunk San Francisco... Her sister... With Destroyer Bush, from my squadron hugging her and comforting her through the tough time.

But what I think hit the hardest, was the biggest family here... An by extension via Hornet... a part of my own. A family who'd lost their youngest member and it's Newest addition. The Cleveland class family. Cleveland screaming in the outer distances as what could only be described as a grieving mother, who's baby had just been killed before her, eyes clamped tightly shut, and unable to preform even the most basic of words as she screamed and cried on her knees. Clutching her battered... Blown apart. Gutted, dismembered, and nearly unrecognizable corpse of her baby brother. No... of her baby boy... her only boy. He hadn't been alive no more then a Year... and like that he was already gone. For Denver and Columbia it was silent crying, alone from the rest of the fleet, yet with a look of what could only be described as boiling anger that had no means of escape, lastly Montpelier... Standing there just staring out at the path of distant destroyed planes and rigging of which was slowly beginning to slip beneath each coming wave, of which belonged to Cowpens.

Her look seemed to tell me she couldn't actually determine if she was in a nightmare, or if she was experiencing real life. She wanted to cry, and the tears existed in her eyes, but no matter what she wouldn't let a drop spill out. My eyes slowly fall onto the only Eagle aircraft in the pile of derby of which belonged to him. Watching as the F6F-5N, gifted to him by Hornet... One that belonged originally to her own carrier was finally slipping beneath the wave. In the moment I think about how Hornet will take the news... Then not being able to bear that idea. In the moment I ponder what it was that killed him... What could he have done to be so badly beaten... How long could he have been fighting for in that condition to constitute an enemy casting so much damage upon his very body. Hows... What's and Whys fill out my mind. All pertain to the man I'd called unfit for my little sister. A feel that still lingered with in me even now. "He never hesitated" Yorktown comments, likely about Cowpens. I glance back at her, listening with a gentle change of expression. "From the moment the fight broke, he didn't hesitate. He was terrified... You could see it in his eyes, he'd never been more scared... But that didn't stop him-" Whilst she continued, Matthews arrived in a walk, stopping beside me, listening to the speech about his friend.

"When they began the submarine ambush, he leapt in front of me and took everything so I wouldn't- *Briefly pausing* He developed a heavy list and caught partial fire. He was the first vessel... The first to charge into battle when everyone was pinned down to fight the coming carriers, everyone was to stunned to move up till then... He led them into battle engaging Kaga... Whilst I just..." She paused and went quiet after that. Rather blunt and rudely Matthews spoke without filter. "So, while he and the others fought to protect you, you sat here like a coward crying over a corpse." I glared over at him with a look that said not another word. Not interested in being shut up he spoke further now a bit pissed off. "You let not only my friend die like a fucking dog, but you allowed everyone counting on you to die."

"Matthews unless you want to be court martialed shut your dam-" Interrupting me, Yorktown spoke loudly. "He's right! . . . He's right. . . I was too scared and afraid to fight... Seeing someone as strong as me die in seconds made me cowardice, and I couldn't push through the fear and pain to fight, nor could I bring myself the courage to leave her side. Whilst the others who relied on me to protect them were dying, waiting for me to get up and help them, and needing every person they could to just survive, I was hiding." Instantly Matthews, with more anger in his eyes, then mourning, turning away and walking towards Cleveland to comfort his friends grieving elder sister. Allowing his anger to subside for the moment. I watch as he crouched down and tried to hug her, only for her to lay the side of her head atop his chest, continuing to clutch her brothers corpse. Screaming out her laid brother's name in pure pain from which came directly from her weeping soul. Spilling her tears over Matthews fatigues, spilling her tears unto the blood covered ocean. Spilling her soul unto the world to be seen. As a mother cradled what remained of her laid infant in her hands. A boy... but a year into this world. Taken from not only his friends. But from his loved ones as well....