Our Bonds

My head hurts...

What happened? I remember dropping from high above and there was this red light...

Where am I?

I'm looking at a clear, blue sky. There are no clouds or anything . It's just... clear and blue. And this surface... This is clearly water I lying on. It feels like water, looks like water, and even ripples when I move around. However, I don't feel wet. Rather, it's cold! Left and right, it's just water as far as I can see. Let's get up first.

Speaking of which, I feel like there is something on top of me, holding me down.

I raised my head and look.

Lying face down on top of my torso was Zuihou, still unconscious. I gently tapped her face,

"Hey. Wake up. Hey!"

"Mmm..." (Zuihou)

"Hey. Wake up!"

Zuihou eyes flutter open. She rubbed her eyes as she looked up,

"Huh? Admiral?" (Zuihou)

"Good morning sleepyhead."

I'm not even sure if it's still daytime or night already. Zuihou slowly got up into a sitting position,

"Where are- Ow!" (Zuihou)

Zuihou clutched her head in pain.

"Oww... I think there's a bump..." (Zuihou)

"Er... Is that so?"

"Yeah... Wait, that's not it! What was that?! Why are you outside? Weren't you supposed to be in the Command room?!" (Zuihou)

I was hoping I won't need to explain that... Lying my way out won't work this time. I can still try.

"I was worried about you guys. When that Abyssal did that force-push thing, I lost visual so I ask Enterprise to pick me up."

"Liar!" (Zuihou)

She hammered my chest with both fists. That hurts! I can't really move since she is on top of me.

"You were waiting somewhere near, won't you? There's no way Enterprise-san could have been that fast. I saw her took off midway and then you were overhead almost immediately. Why are you here? You know my evil clone is coming to get you! If you die... If you die..."

Tears flow down her cheeks. That's when I realized, what am I doing? I was so focused on my past that I failed to look at what I have now. She is right. I'm putting myself at a huge risk unnecessary. I could have just leave it to the girls. Now, I screwed up by exposing myself to the enemy. I still want to talk to the Abyssalsl Phoenix Princess since her true identity is the Zuihou which sunk a few years ago, but there are many way I could have done, like using the radio to communicate with her. I'm such a idiot...

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking straight..."

"Of course you weren't!" (Zuihou)

She slapped me. I deserve that.

"You stupid...! Risk-taking...! Dumbass!" (Zuihou)

She hit me a few more time, before lying on top of me and started crying out loudly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

I hugged her as she laid there crying.

----------------------------------------------------

"There's nothing here." (Zuihou)

"I still can't get her a hold of HQ or anyone outside."

After Zuihou calmed down, we got up and have been trying to find a way out. I can't contact anyone outside, and we have no idea where are we.

We have no choice but to carry on walking. Zuihou wanted to launch some planes to scout the area, but her quiver was empty. She panicked once she thought she lost all her planes. Took me some time to calm her down.

"Admiral," (Zuihou)

"Yeah?"

"Sorry... for just now..." (Zuihou)

"It's alright. I can take a few hits. And it's my fault too. I thought I could do the unthinkable."

"You really think you can talk to her?" (Zuihou)

"The Marshal Admiral has his own Hoppou which he tamed. I thought I could at least talk to her. Tell her I'm sorry."

"And you thought coming here was a good idea? You are not some shounen manga protagonist." (Zuihou)

"I know. My bad."

Something up ahead made us stop in our tracks.

"Admiral, That is..."

"Yeah... What bad luck..."

The blue water which we stepped on suddenly turned into a nasty shade of red. Even the sky turned red. There is sense of foreboding in the air as Abyssal Zuihou stood only a few metres away from us.

This is clearly something out of a D*rk S*uls game.

Was she waiting for us to show up? No. I don't think so. She wouldn't have known which direction we were walking. Then again, we were walking around blindly.

"Finally... found you..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Ah okay. She has also been searching for us.

"You so mean... Dropping on me like that.. At least, it's not as bad as sinking me..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"No! It's not like that!"

"Not only that... to think you replaced me so easily... Even though I loved you... You ignored my calls... I was crying for help... So cold... So lonely..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"I know you are angry but I need you to-"

"Shut up!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

She's fast!

The Abyssal Zuihou charge towards me, not giving me any time to draw my sword. I had to block with the sheathe.

Oohh. That's heavy. And those things look sharp! I definitely don't want to be on the receiving end of those claws.

I was able to block her claws from reaching me. She was aiming straight for my head.

"Get away from him!" (Zuihou)

Zuihou swung her bow down in between us. The Abyssal Zuihou jumped back and turned her attention to Zuihou.

"Don't get... in my way!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Abyssal Zuihou swung her claws wildly at Zuihou. As she dodged, Zuihou swung her bow at her Abyssal counterpart.

Both sides parried and dodged one another's attack. Zuihou kept her eyes on her opponent's claw as she made split second decisions on whether to parry or dodge an attack. Abyssal Zuihou was doing the same thing. She dodged some attacks and parried some with her left hand. While the giant claw seems to slow her down, Abyssal Zuihou was using her other limps to react accordingly.

However, her attacks were wild and uncoordinated. It was like watching a final boss scene from an anime.

This is no time to watch! I need to stop them!

Abyssal Zuihou started thrusting her claw towards Zuihou.

"I was the first! I loved Admiral more than anything in the world!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"If you love Admiral, why are you trying to kill him?" (Zuihou)

"I want to take him with me!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"You don't know anything!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Abyssal Zuihou swung her claw at Zuihou as she jumped backwards.

"If Admiral didn't give the order to continue the mission four years ago, Shigure and I wouldn't have sunk!" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Shigure is here too?! So she turned into an Abyssal too?

"Admiral was the first one... to make me feel human. He was... the first person to treat us as humans. I was so happy... but in the end, you didn't care about us! It was your fault! It was fault that I sunk! If it wasn't for you... I wouldn't have to be so lonely..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Black liquid flowed from her eyes...

"Zuihou..."

"Stay away from me! I hate you! It's your fault! Why... must I suffer?"

She fell to her knees as purple cracks started to appear on her body. What is it this time?

"I wanted... to take you with me... Even though I hate you... I still love you..." Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

She started bawling her eyes out. This Zuihou is the same. They can change their moods and emotions at the drop of the hat. She was emitting a lot of bloodl.u.s.t before. Now, she is just like a normal, heart broken girl.

I sheathed my sword and walked up to her. I had planned to help Zuihou fight her off, but that's not necessary anymore.

I crouched down in front of Abyssal Zuihou, and embrace her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did four years ago. I'm sorry for causing you to sink. I'm sorry you had to suffer like this..."

I can feel Abyssal Zuihou's claws digging into my skin as she gripped onto me tightly while crying. But I don't feel pain there. Instead, my chest hurts. My heart feels like it's being torn apart from within. This Zuihou... She loved me from the beginning... She trusted me...And because I got c.o.c.ky, I made her suffer...

"I actually wanted to take you with me. But I don't think that is possible." (Abyssal Zuihou)

Her voice! It's not the typical Abyssal voice. She sounds like just like Zuihou now.

"Hey, Admiral. Can you do something for me?" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"What is it?"

As I looked broke off from the hug, I noticed cracks forming on her face.

"What's happening? Why are you-?"

"Looks like I don't have much time left..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Her eyes look tired. Her body went limp and she fell to the floor.

"No. Not like this! I finally met you! I still have so much to say to you! So much things to apologise for!"

"You don't have too... I knew from the start... It wasn't your fault... I just wanted... to blame someone... I know... I'm not normal... I shouldn't... be here... These memories... I want to keep them... So please..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

She took my hand and guided it to my Nambu pistol in my pocket.

No. Not like this...

"Take it..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

"No. Please. There has to be another way..."

"Just... do it..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

I forced my fingers to grip the pistol as I pointed it at where her heart is...

Abyssal Zuihou placed her claw on the pistol, tendrils emerged from it and a connection was formed with the pistol.

"You should be... able to shoot me now..." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

My hand shook uncontrollably as I try to press the muzzle against her chest... My vision starts to get blurry...

"One last thing... Even if it's a lie... Can you say that you love me?" (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

More cracks formed all over her body. Her left hand went limp and shattered went it hit the floor.

I know I have to do it...

"I love you, Zuihou. And that's truth. U really love you."

"Ehehe. I'm so happy. Goodbye, Admiral." (Abyssal Phoenix Princess)

Tears dropped from the corner of her eye,

"Goodbye... Rest well..."

I pulled the trigger...

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"Oh. You are back. It's been so long. Where have you been?"

The voice in my head answered,

"Huh... Is that so?"

The voice spoke,

"I mean, you suddenly showed up back then and started telling me stories of what happened before you sank with Zuihou. Of course I would have been afraid. I can't believe it either. I was the only one that can hear you too. Turns out whatever you told me was true. So I believe you."

The voice asked another question,

"No. Admiral has eyes on Zuihou. I'm a bit jealous, but I just want to be by his side. You understand, right? You are me after all."

I heard a laugh,

"Will you be staying this time?"

The voice replied,

"I see. Come back when it's raining. Admiral's pampering feels very good. See you again, Shigure-san."