Chapter Text
Akagi was a curious man. A very, VERY curious man. He had always been one to easily surrender to his curiosity whenever he was left to his own devices. Like that one time when he couldn’t help but wander into an unnavigated cave in the Sanctuary that ended up with him falling down a deep hole filled with water that he had completely mistaken for a puddle. While he was widely known for his unmatched intellect that was second only to his older sibling before he passed, he still had his moments of air-headedness that always kept him up at night thinking about it.
He trekked through the stone path as he reminisced about the past, and his mind wandered to that time he had dragged Kaga and his nii-san to the new branch of McDonald’s opening within the Sanctuary where he also had a chance encounter with the Yorktowns who were out on a quote-unquote, ‘Diplomatic Visit.’ That was also when he had the bright idea of inviting them to eat together for lunch that day… if only he knew that that would be the day his brotherly bond with that damned Grey Ghost would start.
“Of all the places, of course, my friendship with the hero started at a fast food chain…”
Jin Kimura, a Shipboy posing as a ‘Mere Tourist’ whom, frankly, shouldn’t even be walking around the residential area of the Kansen right now, took in his surroundings, the familiar Sakura Empire architecture that he had loved so much in his old home was present, the wooden stalls that wafted with the homely scent of Ramen, Sushi and many other mouth-watering Sakura delicacies and desserts invading his keen sense of smell, the sound of the ever so adorable little ones playing with their Temari, the hustle and bustle of Human Personnel and Shipgirls who are out and about to feel the sun on their skin. All of it reminded the Male Kansen of what he had lost... of what he had failed to defend from the thralls of the Sirens…
“… Nii-sama.” Jin wistfully muttered to himself as his eyes glistened with unshed tears, his chest clenching with longing… Oh how he wishes that he could return to that sense of peace one of these days…
“No,” Jin shook his head, “I can never rest easy with those vermins still running rampant.”
He, after all, had been appointed as the Flagship by his remaining Sakura Brethren. Everyone he cared for counts on him now as they did before. He honestly thought that the position of Flagship was not a title he was worthy of holding at the time of the great escape, insisting that Lord Musashi was a better fit for the role of leading them some time before they crossed the portal to the unknown alongside the other Kansen from the different factions of Azur Lane, now known as the secret organization “Riptides” to distinguish themselves from their new world’s established defenders.
Yet they put their trust in him, and he had been hellbent not to disappoint not only his countrymen, but all of the faction representatives, too, taking his place alongside the likes of King George V, Bismarck, and his friend Enterprise as a proud leader and representative of his own faction. It was never an easy endeavor, what with being one of only four people to spearhead the charge to clear the way for their exit from their dying world, requiring an enormous effort and dedication from his side… He could’ve asked Kaga for assistance, yet he knew that brutish, battle-maniac was worth more in firepower than brain work, but he never truly held it against his only remaining family…
“Tch, enough of the past, Jin, you’re feeling far too sentimental today.” The man chided himself out of his own episode.
His expression brightened as he saw a store selling trinkets like pottery, decoratives, many household items and souvenirs, yet what grabbed his attention the most was…
“Hello there, miss, may I ask how much do you sell this Kitsune Mask for?”
A small, feminine figure dressed in a black Kimono with Fiery Red patterns regarded him with an empty look with her red eyes as her ethereal, flaming aide danced around the shop.
“… 3,000 yen,” was her monotonous response.
The Male Kansen shrugged at the attitude before he fished for his wallet in his small bag and paid the appropriate amount. While not exactly rich, he’s quite well off because of his cheap lifestyle, so he could afford to lose 3k.
“Thank you, little miss.”
“Nn, come again…” She waved him off with an impassive note on her voice.
The Shipboy gave a respectful bow and turned to leave for his destination, before…
“Matte.”
It was the same voice that belonged to the indifferent shop owner, but this time, Jin couldn’t help but pick out the suspicion lacing her tone.
“What’s the matter?” Jin asked, already thinking of a million different excuses that he could give to the destroyer in case she saw through his front.
Shiranui narrowed her eyes as she gazed upon him with an intensity that wasn’t there before. “You’re certainly a new face,” The Destroyer remarked. “I don’t believe that tourists and civilian workers are allowed to walk and conduct business within the Shipgirl Residential Area of the Sanctuary unless-“
“-Given explicit permission from someone within the executive staff or Lady Nagato herself, yes, I am aware.” Jin cut her off as he reached for his bag. “I’m a freelance photographer looking for a job within the PR department of the Sakura Empire, Kimura Jin, nice to meet ya, miss...?”
“Shiranui.”
He shrugged before attempting to ease her suspicion by pulling out a Fake Slip of Permission and a National Identification before handing it to the suspecting Shipgirl…
“(If this forgery worked on the Human Guards, surely it would work on her, too… Here’s hoping.)” Jin inwardly prayed, though he wasn’t exactly a believer of the divine, or rather, he used to pray to the gods, but no longer. The reason why is a long story involving the loss of a family member and a giant burning tree that represented their faith.
He didn’t like his chances and was NOT feeling optimistic at all. No matter how small, Kansen, like Shiranui, has sharper minds and instincts than your average Jane Doe. How does he know this? Well, the amount of times that a Destroyer had called him out on his bullshit no matter the excuse he gave can attest to this.
He wonders how Ayanami was doing in Hawaii with the rest of his friends…
“Hmm…” The Sakuran Merchant hummed in thought as she scrutinized the card that the suspicious photographer had handed her… Before she shrugged, and lazily passed it back to his hand, her face retorting back to its usual uncaring form. “Mhmm, seems real enough.”
... Okay, how, HOW in the Kitsune Pride Fuck was he not snuffed out by a Destroyer Kansen like many times before? What’s supposed to be a cause for inner celebration now had him and his not-visible nine-tails shaking on edge, because no way that could’ve worked.
Then again…
“If that is all, I shall be off now,” He bid his goodbye once more before hightailing it away from that place as fast as his feet could.
Miracles do happen. His good friend from the Eagle Union was proof of that sentiment. The Grey Ghost, the Kansen who just wouldn’t stay down no matter how much effort the Sirens had exerted to put him down for good, his willpower so great that it defies all logic and reason. He once beheld his strength firsthand when he alone saved him and a contingent of Sakura and Ironblood Shipboys from an ambush, taking on an entire fleet by himself without fear. Granted that he employed dirty tactics, it was still an impressive feat of martial and strategic prowess from the Hero of the Pacific, a title that was well earned in his honest opinion. It was as if his very presence inspired hope to those that sailed behind him. To put into perspective, he’s the kind of guy that the Samurais and Knights of old would want to be like, and that’s saying something.
Looking back, he was kind of a jerk to the otherwise patient man in their first meeting. Something he still held against himself. For showing such a condescending attitude towards the American, holding unnecessary grudges at a time when they face a threat greater than each other, he was genuinely surprised when he was the first to offer him any semblance of comfort when he held a cold, lifeless body in his arms-
“I’m doing it again, shit…”
Okay, maybe strolling into the Sanctuary was a bad idea after all, what with all the memories that resurfaced and the unpleasant emotions that stirred within him, but hey, Akagi was, again, a curious man, a VERY curious man, and no amount of correction, chastising, or grounding will ever dissuade him from following his adventurous and mischievous nature.
He let out a long sigh as he looked straight ahead, walking with no particular destination in mind currently, avoiding Shipgirls and Manjuus alike.
“Why am I here again?” Jin uttered under his breath. It was a question for the sake of being rhetorical; he knows exactly why he was here.
Right, he was here on a personal mission to see how this world’s Sakura Empire worked as a faction in Azur Lane. Their politics, leadership, capabilities, and vice versa. And today, he was quite giddy as if he had just struck jackpot in the lottery, for he was lucky enough to choose the exact day where Lady Nagato called for a meeting to discuss important matters concerning first and foremost, her precious Empire, and second, Azur Lane. He had been notified beforehand by Belfast that the executive staff of the Sanctuary had been planning a meeting from what he could gather on his side, though he hadn't given Jin a date of when this meeting will take place, so this truly was quite a stroke of luck that he will thank the cosmos for. Unfortunately, he was a tad too early in his arrival with nothing to entertain himself with before the time came for the meeting.
He could risk paying and playing on a booth, but he didn’t wish for local residents to ingrain his face into their minds and get too familiar with his look, so with only a camera that he had slung on his side and a Black Sony XB910N Wireless Headphone, he decided to fish out his phone from his pocket and turn on Bluetooth, swiping on the screen and parsing through his playlist and put the auditory device on his “ear,” before hitting the play button on Joji’s “Sanctuary” to set the atmosphere for his photography session.
If you’ve been waiting for fallin’ in love~
Babe, you don’t have to wait on me~
‘Cause I’ve been aiming for heaven above~
But an angel ain’t what I need~
Jin hummed along the beat of the song as he crossed a small bridge and took a photo of the things he found interesting enough, making absolutely careful not to take pictures of people without their consent. He saw Shipgirls aboard small wooden boats being pushed by the yellow colored chicks, slowly sailing and passing under him, disappearing from view and reappearing on the other side…
“Boats aboard Boats… pfft...” Jin couldn’t help but let out a wheeze, he found little humor from the fact that these girls are sitting on a boat to avoid getting wet. He shook his head as he pressed on to find the next spot of interest… wherever that might be…
Soon, Jin crossed to the other end of the bridge then under a small Torii gate, before finally setting foot at the innermost part of the base, a section of the Residential Area on the foot of the mountain. Looking up, he could see the shrine at the top of the elevated land where Nagato conducts her rituals to satisfy the spirits and the Sacred Sakura. He took a right and walked along the paved riverbank before taking a left turn into the internal parts of the sector.
Honestly, there seems to be no end to the amount of vendors and food stalls on sight, he could even see a group of Little Destroyers with Feline features and a typical Japanese Kindergarten uniform flocking towards a shop that sells Taiyaki.
“TAIYAKI, TAIYAKI, TAIYAKI!!” The destroyers happily chanted together as they watch the cook do his job while entertaining the little ones.
He couldn’t help the smile playing on his lips as his expression softened to show his adoration at the small group’s jovial chanting, making him lower the camera on his hand as he watched the owner of the shop pack their freshly made snacks and distribute it to them one by one.
The group got into formation before taking a bow to offer the cook their sincere gratitude, “Arigatō gozaimaisu, Mister Nakamura!”
“Off you go now, little ones.” The middle-aged man joyfully sent them off as he waved his hand in the air.
And so, the little destroyer group dispersed from the scene and started running towards his direction, although one of them appeared to be falling behind as the others sprinted to wherever their destination might be.
“Wait for me!”
“Taiyaki, with extra bean paste!”
“Hurry up before they get cold!”
“Please wait for me!”
“Mutsuki, let’s go to the playground!”
“Don’t leave me behind!” She begged her group, but her pleas went unnoticed by her peers.
Jin dogded from side to side to avoid the stampede of excited destroyers coming his way, before a mortified expression crossed his face when he saw the last one who was crying for the others to slow down, stumble and sprain her ankle, sending her into a dangerous headfirst dive.
“(Not on my damn watch!)”
Jin’s eyes shone as he tapped into his hidden power to leap the distance between him and the poor destroyer while she was still midair, then sliding to his knees as he caught her in his arms.
“Gotcha!” He exclaimed, “It’s alright now… I got you…”
The Shipboy offered his comforting hand, caressing the back of the sobbing bundle in his arms as the group came rushing back for the member of their group.
“Kisaragi!”
“Oh no, sister!”
“Are you alright?!”
Words of concern were thrown around as he tried his best to soothe the Destroyer’s emotional turmoil.
“M-My Taiyaki…”
Jin perked up, and took a quick look around after hearing the shaky voice of the little Shipgirl, before his eyes landed on the dirt laden fish cake that landed on the side, figuring out the source of the little one’s sorrow.
“Hush now, little one, don’t cry…” Jin softly consoled Kisaragi as his paternal instincts kicked him in the gut hard.
Kisaragi’s sister then stepped up to introduce herself to the man, “Hello, mister, my name is Mutsuki, of the Mutsuki-class, these are my sisters…” Mutsuki then went on to introduce everyone to him, giving a curt nod at each of their greetings before he introduced himself to them.
“Thank you for saving my sister, Mister Kimura, as thanks, I would like to give you…” Mutsuki paused mid-sentence as she rummaged through her bag, before proudly presenting him a couple of lollipops.
“Tada! Please accept these as payment,” Mutsuki bowed as she extended her sweets towards him.
Jin chuckled, before he brought his hand up to gently push her offering down. “There will be no need for compensation, Miss Mutsuki,” Jin reassured them as he wore his friendliest smile.
“Really?”
“Yup, although…” Jin himself off as he looked back down at the childlike kansen who held his shirt with a vice-grip, burying her face on his chest as she quietly sniffled.
Oh his heart…
“Kisaragi?”
“Yes, M-Mister Kimura…?”
“Are you hurt?” Jin asked with genuine concern in his voice.
The destroyer weakly dipped her head amidst her small whimpers.
“Where?”
“M-My feet...”
Jin nodded, before he heaved her off her feet and held her like a toddler, making her yelp in surprise before she buried her head in his shoulder. He then carried her towards the nearby bench, gently setting her down before getting on one knee in front of her as her sisters soon followed and stood around them.
“May I see it?” The Shipboy in disguise asked for permission as he kept eye contact with Kisaragi.
She weakly nodded as a response.
With her permission, he went on to carefully take the shoe off the injured ankle, and then sliding the knee length socks off her feet to reveal a spot that was visibly reddening from the sprain. It’s not that bad for now, but if this is left without proper treatment, it could lead to infection and other consequences that he will not name for his sake and the little girl in front of him.
He then took his handkerchief from the pocket of his jacket, before he carefully administered aid to the Shipgirl’s pain, earning him a soft whimper as he carefully wrapped and tied a makeshift splint on her foot. Luckily enough, the length of the fabric was just right to provide a temporary substitute to a proper splint.
The man turned his attention to the rest of the group, “Is there a health center nearby?”
All of them perked up as the kind man addressed them, but it was Mutsuki that would reply, “Um, yes! I know where Miss Amagi and the other sick Shipgirls always go for checkups, follow me!”
Words of approval were given to the eldest sibling from her younger ones, but amidst the sound of the Mutsuki-class’ praises, Jin had a passing thought.
“(Amagi? Getting check ups? I wonder why…)”
He shook the thoughts off and shoved his interest on the condition of this world’s version of his brother at the back of his head for now, there was still a little destroyer that needed his help.
With a carefully placed hold on Kisaragi, he lifted her into his arm one last time, and followed the bubbly bunch to their destination, although, the Shipboy could still feel the sadness oozing out of the pink haired cat girl. He knew the source, but it couldn’t hurt to ask just to be sure.
“What’s wrong, Kisaragi?”
“T-Taiyaki…” The Shipgirl who had her cheek pressed against his shoulder, meekly spoke, just barely above a whisper.
Heh… Cute…
As they passed by the Taiyaki shop, Jin made a quick right turn, much to the confusion of the group, but more so of Kisaragi as she quirked her head to face him. Realization soon hit her and sent the Male Kansen a wide-eyed look, which he returned with a benign smile before stopping in front of the Vendor.
The man in question piped up from whatever he was doing and addressed him, “Good day to you, boy, and I see that you’re carrying a sad Kisaragi on you, what seems to be the problem?”
“Good day to you too, Mister, and to explain; Little Kisaragi here is sad because she had sprained her ankle and dropped her Taiyaki. She struggled catching up to her siblings who were ignoring her pleas to slow down in their rush. She lost her balance in her hurry, and stepped on the ground awkwardly, which caused her injury.”
Jin called out the rest of the group, making them flinch, before they earnestly hung their head low and collectively apologized to their sister, “Sorry Kisaragi, we’ll slow down next time!”
Kisaragi was about to tell her sisters that it was fine, waving off their concerns, but Jin beat her to the punch and spoke first, “I’d like to order double of what she had earlier, boss.”
“Alright, two bags of Taiyaki with extra bean paste, coming right up,” the cook declared as he scrambled for the materials and ingredients to fulfill the order.
“But Mister Kimura-“ Kisaragi tried to protest, but Jin cut her off once more, shaking his head before he spoke. “Fret not, little one, my wallet is not gonna take a hit from this.”
He then turned to Mutsuki and the rest who wore adorable expressions of jealousy on their faces, a glint of mischief on his eyes paired with a foxy grin, “’Sides, you deserve it for being left behind by your sisters, no?”
“But-“
“Trust me, Kisaragi.” He placated whatever protest the destroyer tried giving, which was a success as she closed her mouth for good, sending what objections she had down the drain. He felt her comparatively small hands clench just a little tighter on the fabric of his shirt– a gesture which the man took as a good sign.
What was that about not letting the residents get too familiar, again?
Fuck it, out of the window now, because Mutsuki looks like the type that’ll talk about whatever he did for her sister in an exaggerated manner, but it’s not like he’ll come back to the Sanctuary after today’s rodeo… at least not soon enough.
“That’ll be a thousand, Kid,” the cook snapped him out of his inner musings with a polite smile on his face.
“Much thanks,” Jin replied with a tight smile as he placed the payment down on the counter and brought his free hand up to the paper bags containing the snacks, clinching them by the top before he held it to his side.
Kid? KID?! HE’S 25, GOODNESS FRIGGING DAMN IT, HE’S NOT A KID!!
Well, technically, he’s much, MUCH older than that, original hull and all other technicalities considered, but ‘Kid’? Hell to the no, he’s a responsible adult that will not be talked down by the likes of someone who was comparatively an actual ‘Kid’ in his point of view!
Proper comeuppance shall be administered for the audacity of this weak and pathetic vermin-
“(Woah, pull the reins of your high horses and hop off your saddle, Akagi, I thought we agreed to drop this part of our personality?)” He apprehended himself mentally before he gave a customary bow. He then turned to the destroyers and intimated them to lead him on as their jealousy had been forgotten in favor of a bubbly expression at the prospect of leading a man.
How they derive joy from such a trivial task, he doesn’t know, but children will be children he thought…
Although Mutsuki herself was actually in the age range as he was, her original hull was finished somewhere in 1926 if his knowledge of Naval History serves him right. The Akagi, meanwhile, was far too busy piecing itself together by that period, and that was before he was refited into the carrier that everyone knew and loved.
Ain’t that a fun historical fact?
Shaking his mind off of the momentary exercise for his brain, he took in the sight of the area’s layout once more; wiide, paved streets branching out into narrower ones which separated all the traditional looking Japanese buildings and stations with similar architecture, some irregularities could be seen on the path’s pattern that will lead towards small plazas or open areas, biggest of them all is a wide path entrenched between two small hills, lined up with giant red Torii Gates built over it.
Ah, that, he knows exactly where that leads…
“(I wonder…)”
He pushed the thought at the back of his mind for now as he returned his attention to the task at hand; dropping Kisaragi off at the Health Center.
It was a rather quiet walk to their destination that took about 3 minutes, before Mutsuki ordered the group to halt.
“We’re here!” She happily declared, to which he gave a nod of affirmative, but before he could move further, he felt a tug from the injured girl.
“Mister Kimura… I-I can walk on my own,” Kisaragi spoke, her voice dripping with endearing shyness yet her gaze burning with determination to prove something.
Jin deliberated for a moment before he finally relented to Kisaragi’s request, “Mutsuki, dear, can you help your little sister from here?”
“Of course, Mister Kimura, we’ll take care of it!” the destroyer in question joyously declared as she raised him a thumbs up and a silly grin.
He let out a sigh, before motioning for her and Mikazuki to come closer to receive their sister, before he carefully set Kisaragi down on her own feet, eliciting another soft cry as her sisters flanked her.
“Here, hold your sister’s snacks for her, and accompany her inside, okay?”
“Okay, thank you so much, Mister Kimura!” Mutsuki was the first one to give her gratitude before the rest happily followed and gave their own word of thanks.
“I’ll be off then, toodles little ones, and do be careful out there.” Jin dipped his chin before he turned around and made his way out of the scene.
“Sayonara, Mister Kimura!” They all waved their farewells, to which he responded with a wave over his shoulder.
Now, with all of that done, the thoughts he had earlier made themselves known once more, that giant path that would lead towards somewhere familiar… At least familiar to him and Kaga...
“I wonder if someone’s home right now…” Jin pondered out loud as the soles of his shoes thudded across the surface of the street. He walked in slow and small strides to give himself more time to familiarize himself with the Shipgirls’ home, even catching one of the many petals falling from a cherry blossom tree, feeling its familiar texture by caressing it between his fingers, before laying it flat on his palm and raising his hand before him to let the wind carry it away.
“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” His ears picked up the sound of a shrill voice, before his instincts took control of him and weaved to the side just in time as a figure blurred past him. Snapping his gaze towards the back of the mysterious stranger in a rush, he saw a brunette girl wearing a white and black flowy outfit reminiscent of the features that a crane has, with a red dress worn beneath.
Crane, Brunette… Ah, Zuikaku, how can it be anyone else?
“Hundred yen says that she’s late for a training session with Takao.”
At that, he let out a sharp exhale of amusement. It would seem that some things remain the same despite being in another world; Like how much of an untimely blockhead the youngest of the Crane Siblings are.
See, there was this one time where he had made his ineffably rock-headed kouhai swing his sword for exactly one-thousand times before he made him run laps around Pier 39 at San Francisco in front of hundreds of cheering sailors as punishment for oversleeping and being late for his scheduled swordsmanship class. Then, he would make him do strength exercises, much to the amusement of Shoukaku that would tease his brother to try to derail him from counting the amount of repetition he had completed in his push-ups, making him lose count amidst his weariness and frustration, which then prompted Jin to make him start over.
It may sound cruel, but he knew the limits of a Shipboy and figured that it was moderate work for a determined brute like Zuikaku, if keeping up with the renowned Grey Ghost as they swept Siren ships after Siren ships to hopelessly push their way to salvation was a feat to go by.
“Stop, stop, STOP.” He lightly hit his head three times with the heel of his palm in a forceful attempt to reroute his brain away from the bad memories. He couldn’t care less if there were people staring at him as he exclaimed.
It was irrational of him to forcefully oust it from the forefront of his mind, knowing well that it would always come back to haunt him once more in sleepless nights like many times before.
Yet what else could he do? He could talk to Kaga about it, but it wouldn’t quite help since Aoto Kimura was pretty much suffering from the same thing as he was without knowing how to deal with it other than repression, and he already was doing the same thing. On the note of his brother, he recalled a topic of conversation from a recent visit where his brother had told him that he had just been employed as a bagger in a supermarket just 5 minutes away from where he currently resides.
“Ah, Kaga the Baggah, it certainly has a nice ring to it,” He jested to himself before snickering like a little kid.
Jin told him not to stand out much before he set out to live on his own; he hadn’t expected him to take it to heart, truth be told. For all that idiot’s many, MANY flaws, an itchy trigger finger being one of them– alluding to his nature as a former Battleship, Kaga is a loyal subject and a loving brother in his own hard-ass ways, so who was he to deny the simple request of living on his own after all that he had done for his flagship?
As far as he was concerned, Aoto deserved time for himself, and that he should be spared of the mishaps that entail his nature as a curious adventurer any further. Besides, it’s not like he was still the condescending, codependent, arrogant shit-hat that put down those he deemed inferior to his level while forcing the glory of the First Carrier Division down the people’s throat, hell no. His time living in the ruined remains of San Francisco with the other Sakura Empire refugees has humbled him to reflect on his ways, and with the help of the senior Shipboys among the Eagle Union, adopt more tolerance for the lesser and help them better themselves through his mentorship, imparting wisdom to those willing to hear him out while he practiced a more independent way of life, relying on himself more than those around him.
He was not ashamed to admit that the Americans had an influence on the way he lives now, mostly with his choice of fashion. Seeing as how much the west had reshaped the Japanese over the years, he saw it fit to adapt to the new environment, so he discarded his original brown Kimono in favor of a more “Average Contemporary Tokyo Resident” look, if that made sense.
He sported a black lightweight hooded overcoat that hung just above knee length, choosing to keep it unbuttoned to reveal a turtleneck of a matching color beneath. He also wore a red scarf that had a small, golden emblem of the Sakura Empire pinned on it around the base of his neck and close-fit black pants, finishing it off with a black rubber shoe of the Jordan’s model with red soles and a pair of fingerless gloves.
The shoes were a birthday gift from Cleveland, another one of his close friends within the Eagle Union and an avid NBA fan, given to him on a birthday trip to Hawaii which was about a year ago now.
In Jin’s opinion, he looked a little too flashy to remain inconspicuous despite the mostly dark colorations, but somehow, he doesn’t stand out as much as he thought he would among the Shipgirls and their… “creative” preferences. His outfit, simply put, was an honest attempt to modernize the outfit that he was born with, making something new yet familiar at the same time. He thought it was a nice try, despite a lot of missing details here and there, it will do for now as he’s not really introducing himself as “Akagi” anymore… at least not actively.
With that aside though, Jin took a turn towards the path that would take him towards the First Carrier Division residence, his steps as slow as ever. He brought a palm up to his forehead as it started flaring up in pain, his mind suffering a sudden stream of memories, good and bad.
“Nii-san, is my presence really necessary for this?”
“Hai, my dear Akagi, we both must attend the ceremony this day."
A man with nine brown tails wearing a red Haori admonished a man of similar features beside him for his whining as they passed under a torii.
“What does Nagato-dono wish to achieve by ‘appeasing the gods for good luck’ anyway?” Akagi whined, “I could be training my precious kouhais in the arts of Carrier Combat and NOT let that damn white-haired mutt put too much of his influence on them.”
“I will not hear another insult towards Kaga from your mouth, Akagi, you two are supposed to be comrades in arms and are expected to act as such, so whatever gripes you have with him, I strongly advise you to put this foolishness to rest.” The elder sibling snapped his stern gaze towards him as he regarded his younger brother with an ominous smile.
Jin flinched before he snapped back to reality, finding himself under the shadow of another gate. He shook his head and continued marching forward, this time with a visible crease on his face as his vision narrowed in frustration and pain.
“(Make it stop…)” He pleaded in his mind before another scene played in his head.
“YOU DAMNED BASTARDS!! I WILL RID THE OCEANS OF YOUR FILTH FOR THIS!! I WILL MAKE EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU FEEL THE PAIN OF A THOUSAND DAMNED SOULS AND THE RAGE OF A THOUSAND SUNS FOR THIS TREACHERY, THAT IS MY PROMISE!! ALL OF YOU WILL PAY!! I, AKAGI, WILL MAKE SURE OF IT!!”
The Carrier yelled, a bitter concoction of pain, sorrow, and hatred lacing his voice as he cursed the assailants of the murdered man in his arms, uncaring of the cries of his people as the symbol of their faith burned behind him, showering the Sanctuary in its ashes that fell like snow as it collapsed from branch to branch, until there was nothing left but the charred base of the Sacred Sakura.
“Akagi…” A man with white hair called out as he approached the grieving kitsune and stood just a short distance behind him. “Kaga has been looking all over for you…”
He wiped the tears from his face as he stood from his kneeling position besides one of the many graves that they had dug for the deceased victims of the Siren surprise attack, before turning to face him.
“He should have figured out that I’ll be here… How is the evacuation going?”
“Well enough, everyone on the island would be aboard the mass produced models by 0600,” the Hero spoke, not meeting Akagi’s gaze as the visor of his cap cast a shadow over his eyes.
He noticed the hint of frustration and guilt on the Eagle Union Carrier– if the pursed lips were anything to go with, and the Fox-boy couldn’t help but point it out.
“What has gotten you so upset, Ghost?” He inquired, coming off sharper and standoffish than he would have wanted.
“… I’m sorry… I should’ve gotten here sooner…” Enterprise gave an apology, which was wholly unexpected for the Japanese man.
Akagi sighed, his eyes glistening with unshed tears once more as he swallowed the lump on his throat and grit his teeth moments before he finally replied.
“It was not anyone’s fault that my brother now lies dead and buried… Do not feel obligated to apologize, damn it…”
It was true, no one else is to be blamed for the death of Amagi nii-sama but the Sirens themselves, so why Enterprise is apologizing for something he could not have controlled at the time perplexed him. Yet at the same time, Akagi understood where he was coming from somewhat, if only he had arrived sooner then maybe, just maybe…
Before he knew it, Enterprise outstretched his arms and gave him a little comforting head rub, the sensation of his callused hands against his scalp was not expected, yet he found himself basking in it more than he should as the waterworks ran freely down his cheeks.
“You’ll be given plenty of time to grieve, Akagi, but first we must bring these refugees to safety.” Enterprise said as he retrieved his outstretched hand from petting the poor soul.
Akagi– after the sob fest that he had shamelessly displayed in front of his ‘hated’ rival, rubbed the wetness off his eyes and composed himself. He dipped his chin then started walking past the American Carrier before stopping at a distance behind him where his voice would reach the man.
“… Thank you for that, by the way… I owe you one.”
The Grey Ghost acknowledged his shaky words of gratitude with a nod, before the Kitsune did the same and went on his way to his people and assist his fellow Sakura Kansen with the evacuation efforts, his eyes puffy but burning with determination, a flame that was stoked with the desire for vengeance… no, not vengeance, never vengeance, he shouldn’t pursue such foolishness if he wishes to keep his own hide safe…
So no, not 'Vengeance', 'Justice'.
For the man he held dear, for his slain countrymen, and for their grieving loved ones, he will pursue those responsible for that day’s tragedy… for a world without the fear of war and turmoil… for a world that’s fair and just, he promised to his people that justice shall be served no matter the cost, whether it be by his own blade or otherwise.
… Hah, when did he become such a devout follower of justice, he doesn’t know.
But here he is now, a man on a mission, threading through a different yet strangely familiar world, with memories being repressed and a fighting spirit left shattered after he got a taste of what peace feels like... He had a feeling that it wouldn't be long now before the years of enjoying peaceful times ended, but is the world ready for the existence of the Male Kansen?
How would they react once they find out that he and his brethren are being a bunch of wusses hiding among the general populace while the Shipgirls and the Navies all around the globe break their backs off in the struggle against the invaders?
Would they be welcomed, or will there be animosity?
“Questions for another time, Jin, we have somewhere to be.”
Right, as he pushed that line of thinking away, he had reached the end of the wide path, looking ahead, he saw his home… well, home away from home, that is; a typical Japanese mansion fit for a feudal noble, a courtyard with maple trees and a small pond that has a sizeable population of khoi fish swimming about.
He traced the line of stone tiles in his steps that connected to a small, wooden staircase that leads up to a roofed terrace area, only taking three steps before he stopped before the sliding door. He then fished for the mask on his person, taking his time to scan the details of the mask; one side was mostly a shade of white while the other half was red in color, both sides sporting a red ribbon knotted into a flower-like shape. On the white side of the mask, it was marred with intricate lines of gold and a single red one just above the eyehole. On the red side, it sported the same gold linings, but the only difference was that it had two white lines; one over the eye and one under. Right in the middle was a white, four petal flower bordered with a golden star shape, with black triangular patterns on each of the eight tips.
It was a great mask and he was genuinely impressed with how it looks. Just one look at it told him that the craftsman behind the Kitsune Mask knew exactly what they were doing with it.
It fit his favored color palette just right.
After a deep inspection of the artwork he held on his hand, Jin finally turned the mask over and put it on to hide his identity and pulled the hood of his coat over his head, hiding important features that will give him away once he returns back to hiding among the japanese population.
He carefully slid the Shoji door open, making as little noise as possible as he set foot into the living room, carrying his feet and putting as little of his weight on it as he could. He had completely forgone the common Sakura practice of taking one's footwear off by the entrance as he sneaked around the quiet house. There was a coffee table in the middle of the living room flanked with two pillows on all sides, enough to accomodate a family of six, while on the sides pressed against the walls are drawers of varying and portraits hanging on the walls. To his right was the way into the kitchen, which had cupboards containing food and beverages hanging above the sink and counter where the stove lies. Walking past that, Jin found himself walking up a flight of stairs that led to a small hallway with the bedroom over to his left and the shower to his right.
He walked up to the door of the bedroom and brought his hand up to push another sliding door aside… finding nothing within.
“All clear, I guess…”
Jin let out a sigh that he had unknowingly been holding in, his shoulders sagging as the anticipation died. He allowed himself to advance regularly after ascertaining that the house was currently vacant of any presence. He took one last look inside the room that was probably shared by the family, taking in the sight of varying framed images of four people, possibly memories of the current occupants which warmed his heart as it reminded him a lot of good times. He then made his way out and slid the shoji close behind him. He made his way back down and found himself sitting on his rear on one of the pillows in the living room, letting his back rest against the side of the table with one leg stretched straight and the other bent upwards with an arm lying on top, relaxing in the familiar yet glaringly different environment.
“I thought I'd be whipped with bad memories by now, but apparently not," Jin remarked as a small smile played on his lips.
This trip had surprisingly been therapeutic despite his expectations. Some things ARE different, and if it wasn't true before, it is solidified as fact now. It gave him hope for the chance that things would be different this time…
His heart felt... warm...
A warmth that he hadn't felt in a long time now...
The familiar sensation must have stirred something deep within the recesses of his mind as he closed his eyes and let the scene play out before him.
"Nii-san, I'm home!" Akagi cheerfully announced as he took a long drag of a familiar scent.
"Is that Ramen, Nii-san? Please tell me it is!"
"Oh, Akagi, you're back, and yes, it IS your favourite for today, treat it as a reward for a job well done for the entire week, my silly little brother~" 'Amagi' said as he walked out of the kitchen to greet his younger sibling.
"Uwah, thank you, Nii-san, you're the best, hehe~" Akagi happily hugged the eldest of the Amagi-class before he rushed towards the dinner table.
Jin jerked a tear out from the brief memory, before he wiped it off and opened his eyes back to the present.
“... I'm not celebrating just yet, though, there's still much to be done if we truly want a happily ever after…”
He resolved to himself before he stood up and made his way to the exit, closing the entrance behind him, he then made his way into the light of the sun, feeling lighter than usual as he walked out of this quick trip home with his mind more in peace with itself. It would seem that a quick detour turned out to be the right call to make after all.
Looking at his phone, he saw that the time of the meeting was upon him, so he started walking with hurried steps to begin his hike up the shrine.