Azur Lane received a call for help from their spies escaping from the Sakura Empire. They're currently hiding in the ruined sunken city, unable to escape. Prince of Wales ordered a fleet to set out for the rescue, including herself for the mission. Yamato Aegis also went on the search and rescue mission.
Today is very foggy, reducing the visibility of the naked eye.
[JS Yamato Aegis's front bow]
Javelin: "It's so foggy, I can barely see the front ship."
Laffey: *zzz* Taking a short nap.
Yamato: "If this fog keeps up, then planes shouldn't be able to scout our position. Not much longer till we arrive."
Javelin: "I wonder if Ayanami is here."
Yamato: "If they can deploy her here and there, then most likely she would be here."
Javelin: "If I see her again, I..."
Yamato: "I see them." Her radar picked up multiple ships ahead. "They got quite a blockade ready." Prepares to contact Wales and Cleveland on their current strategy.
.
Cleveland: "A blockade, it wouldn't be easy to break through that."
Wales: "Our priority is rescue. I don't want to take unnecessary risks to endanger them."
Yamato: "So far the scouting planes are still going around the city, meaning they still haven't been spotted yet."
Cleveland: "It won't be long till they are found. Any gaps in their blockade?"
Yamato: "There isn't, but there seems a thin line of defense at these coordinates."
Wales: "If we break there first, the fleet would come running in to cover it."
Cleveland: "Then we send a small task force through that line."
Yamato: "The fleet will distract the main line of defense, while the task force sneaks in."
Wales: "A good plan, as long they-"
Yamato: "The planes have gone down, we're out of time!"
Wales quickly issued the command of the fleet to prepare the attack on the main blockade. Cleveland gathers up Enterprise, Belfast, Yamato, Javelin, and Laffey as the task force. They use a large ocean-color tarp to cover their rigging and themselves ready to rush in when the cannon fires.
Azur Lane fired upon the Sakura and Siren fleet, giving away their position and sinking the mass-produced ships. The Sakura Fleet quickly recalibrated to guns at Azur Lane and fired back, with the Siren ship following the same.
With the major battle going on, the task force was able to run in without getting spotted. Upon reaching the outer edge of the sunken city, they all dropped their tarps.
Yamato: "Fog and an ocean-pattern tarp, we're practically invisible to the naked eye." Impressed with such a simple yet effective idea.
Traversing through the sunken ruins, the task force dived deep into a highly concentrated section of the fog. No one could see each other nor the splitting path up ahead.
Javelin: "Laffey are you with me?" Staying on the right-most path.
Laffey: "Uhn."
The two destroyers have gone to the other side of the split-way, while Belfast, Cleveland, and Yamato have gone to the other. Exiting the dense fog, Cleveland noticed the distant shells in the ruins.
Cleveland: 'Not good.' Speeding up to the combat zone, where their allies are fighting to be rescued.
Soon someone in the air crossed pathed with Cleveland, quickly reacting to each other presence. She side-jumped off the building towards Cleveland and slashed the water, missing Cleveland's feet. The force of the splash pushed the water up and both jumped a distance apart from each other.
???: "Takao!" Another Sakura ship girl arrived with the same uniform and rigging, standing beside her.
Yamato: 'Takao. These two are the Takao-class heavy cruisers. The other one must be Atago.' Sharing the same face with JS Atago (DDG-177)
Cleveland: "Worst timing possible..."
Takao and Atago were shocked to see an unknown Sakura ship girl standing on their side but remained combat-focused.
Yamato: "Takao and Atago are strong heavy cruisers." 'I hate to do this, but I'm most familiar with which sword style they might use and counter it.'
Everyone stood their ground, waiting for someone to make the first move while the battle raged on in the background.
Yamato: "Go on ahead. I'll hold them back."
Belfast: "But..."
Yamato: "I'm most familiar with their blades, this is a conflict between Sakura."
Cleveland: "If you say so, we'll come back as soon as possible. Let's go Belfast!"
Cleveland and Belfast rush to the side to pass them. Takao tried to intercept them, but a volley of 46cm shells was in between her and them. Creating a massive splash wall causing Takao to retreat back and block vision where the two light cruisers went.
Atago: "Wait!-" Before hearing multiple 127mm shells fired at her. She slashed down the important shells and narrowly dodged the rest.
Takao: "Who are you?!" Pointing her sword at Yamato. "Why did you betray the Sakura Empire!?"
Yamato: "I didn't betray anyone. I'm here to prevent you from interfering."
Atago: "What do you mean betray no one? Clearly, you're one of us."
Yamato: "Indeed I am a Sakura battleship, but not of the Sakura Empire."
Takao: "Lies! Who are you already?"
Yamato: "My name is JS Yamato Aegis, sole ship of my class. Nice to be an acquaintance, Takao-san, Atago-san. I wish we could've met under different circumstances." Finished reloading her 46cm guns and held her tessen in a defensive hold.
Takao charged forward with a powerful downward slash, unknowingly to see Yamato's small smile. Her slash was quickly interrupted by the Tessen hitting her hands, stopping the downward force.
Takao: 'Nani!'
Yamato quickly slid onto Takao's side, keeping the Tessen on her hand's weak point.
She used her battleship's strength to squeeze hard as Takao cried in pain. Takao lost grip of her katana.
Yamato: 'Just like JS Atago's swordwomanship. She never faced someone with Tessenjutsu which gives me the advantage.'
Atago: "Takao!" Quickly rushing to attack Yamato.
Yamato picked up Takao's katana and countered Atago's slash. Takao stepped back and ready her guns, while Atago and Yamato crossed blades.
Yamato: 'Combat set, full anti-tank. Fly my Shinobi'
A mini RAH-66 helicopter lifts off from Yamato's back, quickly locking on to Atago.
Atago: 'Is that an aircraft!?' Unsure what it was, but it felt dangerous.
Firing its anti-tank AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Atago quickly dodged back, but the missiles followed and exploded.
Atago: "Ahh!" A short burst of pain, but she could still keep going.
Takao: "Atago!" Signaling of her attack. Firing eight 20cm shells at Yamato as Atago jumped backward.
Yamato quickly faced the shells prepared to intercept.
Yamato: 'Don't show your broadside and deflect.'
Using the Tessen in one hand and katana in the other to deflect the incoming shots. The 2 center shells hit the Tessen and one shell hit the katana sending them to the ocean beside her. The other 5 shells bounced off her side and didn't do much damage thanks to her thick armor.
The RAH-66 kept Atago busy with 20mm heavy shells and fired another volley of Hellfire missiles if she got too close to its battleship.
Yamato returned fire with 76mm and 127mm shells forcing Takao to dodge, since she didn't have her sword to defend with. She kept dodging until she reached the wall, only to hear a large boom. Time slowed as she watched the massive shell nearing her.
Yamato has been guiding her with smaller shells before trapping her with a single 46cm shell.
Takao unconsciously tried to raise her arm in defense, but it was no use as the 46cm shell slipped through and hit her chest. Knocking Takao's breath away as the knockback sent her back hitting the building behind her.
Yamato: "Oh my, maybe firing the main gun was a bit too far." 'One shell shouldn't kill her, hopefully.'
Atago: "Takao, are you alright!"
Takao was in a heavily damaged state, barely breathing. Atago wasn't sure what to do as Yamato came up.
Yamato: "Oh I'm very sorry. I didn't want things to escalate to this level." 'Did I hit a critical with that shot?' "Help me patch her up." Grabbing her painkillers and healing balm.
After patching her up, Atago thanked her despite being enemies. Takao is taking a nap to focus on her healing.
Atago: "May I ask what is your purpose here?"
Yamato: "Mainly to prevent you two from going after them. Somehow I overdid it. I'm sorry about that."
Atago: "I see... Why do you side with Azur Lane? You said that you are a Sakura battleship."
Yamato: "They aren't blind to who the true enemy is, yet here we are fighting each other while the Sirens continue to act behind the scenes. Don't you think it's strange why the Sakura Empire has access to mass-produced siren ships?"
Atago: "The thought did occur, but I'm not the one to question it much."
The sound of battle in the ruins quiets down and orders to retreat spread on the radio.
Yamato: "It seems the battle is over. It's better to take your sister back to port for repairs as soon as possible, also take back her sword." Returning Takao's katana, which Atago grabbed.
Atago: "Thank you." She picked up her sister on a piggyback ride.
Yamato: "Before you go, can you tell Nagato-sama I would like to have to chat with her before the Empire attacks Azur Lane again."
Atago: "It won't guarantee the meeting, but I will deliver it."
Yamato: "Thank you Atago-san, I hope we can meet under better circumstances."
The heavy cruiser sisters left the area. Enterprise, Cleveland, and Belfast have rescued Sheffield and Edinburgh from an Iron Blood hunting party. They're currently carrying out Sheffield, in a damaged state, even though she insisted she can sail back on her own. There was no word of Laffey and Javelin with them.
Yamato: "Where are those two? I hope they didn't run into another hunting party." Sailing by the unknown parts of the sunken ruins.
Soon she heard something coming down the foggy path. A lone Sakura destroyer emerges from the fog coming in her direction. The destroyer didn't notice the battleship at first.
Yamato: 'Fubuki-class... no Ayanami-class. She must be the one Laffey and Javelin have been talking about. Appears she's unaware of her surroundings. Running away from something?'. She thought about what to say or do before the destroyer noticed her.
. Edited 10/17/23