《Red Castle - (Kancolle / Isekai / Semi Self-Insert)》


 Awakening

    "Say everything on your mind. Don''t ever hesitate to tell someone the things you love that are in your heart. Because for us fleet girls, tomorrow is a luxury, but never a guarantee." ¨C Akagi


    When I opened my eyes, I stood on a sea of glass stretching as far as I could see. Purgatory was weird. I found myself sailing like an ice skater in the middle of a calm ocean. It felt right, as if I had done it all my life. But did I remember dying? There was some sort of accident on the highway as I drove to work, so I must have been killed¡ªunless this was a dream.


    I could smell the ocean air and feel its warm breeze caressing my face. It was wonderful. There was also joy in sailing, a feeling of freedom I didn''t realize I was missing. The shackles of my old life fell away as I smiled and closed my eyes. But soon, I couldn''t ignore the other oddities beyond finding myself standing on top of the ocean.


    "Instead, perhaps this is Yomi-no-Kuni," I sighed, my mood shifting to confusion, looking down at my attire.


    When I woke up this morning, little did I know that I would find myself standing in the middle of the ocean wearing a traditional Japanese archery or Kyudo uniform. It included a black muneate, or protective chest piece, a white blouse, or keiko-gi, and a short red pants skirt, or Hakama. A beautiful yumi or bow was in my left hand, and a yugake or padded glove covered my right. Or that I knew the names of each piece without knowing a lick of Japanese.


    According to one of those family DNA sites, I had about eight percent Japanese ancestry. No surprise, Mom loved explaining how great-grandpa Takeo, after trouble with the Imperial court, met and fell in love with great-grandma Jeanne in Paris around the 1900s. Still, I shouldn''t know the language.


    And I was pretty sure the Japanese underworld wasn''t so wet.


    Frowning, I ran my fingers over the arrows in my yebira, or quiver. For a moment, I saw a hangar full of Mitsubishi A6M Zeros, Aichi D3A dive-bombers, and Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers. I had no actual knowledge of military history. Still, somehow, I knew these were Imperial Japanese aircraft from World War Two.


    Then, a tsunami of memories flooded my brain. I clenched and unclenched my fist while lowering and raising my aft elevator. The impossible seemed too real to ignore. As much as I tried to overlook the flight deck strapped to my arm and another on my waist, something else had been burned into my soul.


    "My name is Akagi."


    This made no sense. How could someone be both an aircraft carrier and a girl? This couldn''t be real. Then, a sense of impending doom gripped my heart as new visions of American aircraft diving out of the sky filled with killing intent assaulted me.


    Instincts took over, and I began to maneuver, trying to evade the phantom dive-bombers before finally coming to a complete stop. Rubbing my chest, I looked around in confusion. Where were the others? No carrier sailed alone. The sea should be filled with girls¡ªships¡ªincluding a cheerful destroyer who loved to dance and others silently weeping as they lined up to shoot...


    "Torpedoes," I whispered, rubbing my side. "Oh, poor Maikaze."


    Then, memories of my sinking started to overwhelm me, and I began to panic. Who was I? Where was I? Where was everyone? How did I get here? What happened to my mom and dad? My sister, no, I didn''t have a sister, but I did.


    "Amagi," I cried softly, remembering a girl who used to laugh with me as we were being built in Kure Naval Arsenal. Then, that horrible earthquake where she was lost to me. But there was also Kaga, my friend and stoic companion of Carrier Division One, who I knew underneath that icy cold exterior was a wonderfully warm person.


    An unnatural alien cold clenched my heart. Eerie voices filled my ears, telling me to surrender to the darkness. I knew that feeling. Slipping into the void would be easy, just to sit back and wallow in pain and anger. However, panic attacks were nothing new, and that strangely familiar feeling anchored me to this world. I took a deep, cleansing breath, forcefully pushing away whatever that was.


    Breaking down and freaking out wasn''t going to help, no matter if I was the ghost of the Japanese carrier Akagi or a Sales Analyst. Perhaps my human life wasn''t all sunshine and unicorns, but I wouldn''t succumb to whatever that was. Frankly, it was pissing me off.


    Momentarily setting aside my carrier/human dysphoria, I noticed that my conflicted feelings seemed to churn up the waters as dark clouds drifted off in the distance. Sailing into the sudden squall, I hummed a familiar song. Still, I changed the lyrics to rough seas as they never bothered me anyway. It felt both refreshing and cleansing. Something told me that being here might be a second chance.


    But for the Japanese carrier Akagi or myself, I didn''t know. I needed to keep moving forward. My last memory as a ship had me sailing in the middle of the Pacific. If that was the case, where to go? My fuel supply wasn''t endless, but I had plenty, depending on the direction I wished to travel. I even had aviation fuel for my aircraft and, worst comes to worst, ammunition to defend myself. But thankfully, we weren''t at war with anyone. At least, I hoped so.


    Decisions, decisions. Let''s assume my location was in the middle of the Central Pacific, near where the Japanese fleet had an awful day in the summer of ''42. Traveling to Japan wouldn''t be too much of an issue, but that country was not my home, no matter who I managed to turn myself into. Midway Island, if it existed, would only be about forty to fifty nautical miles south-ish. But it''s a barren rock. San Francisco was too far, so perhaps Hawaii would be a better choice.


    Looking at my charts, we sat roughly 1,200 nautical miles to the northwest, so theoretically, only a little over two days'' sailing time at a comfortable speed that wouldn''t strain my engines. Or I could be totally wrong and run into the Aleutian Islands or the Australian coast. I wouldn''t be terribly upset if I landed on a Mexican beach somewhere.


    The irony was not lost on me wanting to sail into Pearl Harbor. However, I imagine I now looked more like a Japanese woman than an aircraft carrier¡ªat least, I thought I did; hard to tell without a mirror. Slipping onto a beach and walking around Honolulu would be fine, too. I could do some shopping, but oh right, no money. Maybe find a phone and call my parents? How do I even explain this to them?


    Hi Mom, it''s me. Sorry, I disappeared on the way to work. I''m in Hawaii. Yeah, weird, I know. Can you buy me a ticket home? Oh, by the way, it seems your daughter has turned into a Japanese aircraft carrier.


    Dad was a bit of a miser, but I could probably convince him to lend me enough money to buy a ticket home. Although I have always been anxious about the numbers on my bathroom scale, exceeding the weight allowance of an aircraft was never a worry. Likely, they wouldn''t allow me to fly without a driver''s license or any other type of ID. Can you imagine the fit I would give the TSA and their metal detectors? Or how about those body scanners? Would it show a girl or a ship?


    I had no plans to shoot my fellow countrymen, but I also had no desire to be sunk again. I wanted to see if I could get someone on the radio, but it would only end in tears if it was still 1942 or even a few years later. In the meantime, I had my radio officer monitor any traffic and maybe even get a fix on a Hawaiian radio station.


    Oh yeah, that tsunami of memories made me realize that besides navigation charts, I had a crew, lots of them, too. I could sense them walking around, doing whatever sailors do on a warship. It made sense; a ship cannot function without them, although there were towns with fewer people than I held inside my hull. But they were adorable, little fairy-like girls in uniforms speaking only one word, "Hey," which somehow I understood.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    While deciding upon my destination, I also had a conversation with the Captain but realized as we spoke that this wasn''t Aoki Takijir¨­, my Commander during Midway. I still have memories of the crew not allowing him to join me in death, but somehow, he still managed to leave a small part of himself on the bridge. They all did. Although the crew probably have all moved on, their memories are part of who I am now.


    Darkness wrapped around my shoulders when I finally changed course toward the Hawaiian Islands. Between talking to the Captain and other officers, I had been sailing in figure eights for most of the day. Why? It gave me a little practice at ship handling. I remember doing that, but I needed those few hours to find what I could and could not do since I was more than just a ship. The only thing I hadn''t done was launch some aircraft off my deck, but that could wait until morning.


    Now, traveling the seas on a dark night, you would think would be peaceful, but it''s not without its problems. No, I wasn''t afraid of sharks or anything like that. I''m a warship, for goodness'' sake, but other things hunted the deep. So, it shouldn''t surprise anyone that the thought of submarines trying to get a peek up my skirt made me just a little uncomfortable.


    Would a US sub shoot a spread of torpedoes at me without saying hello? I had no idea but didn''t want to make it easy for them, so I started to zig and zag a little. I''m unsure if it helps, but it made me feel better. However, there was a silver lining to sailing at night. The stars confirmed my location, and after several course corrections, I continued toward the Hawaiian islands.


    My first night passed without incident as I sailed under a moonless sky. Thoughts of my past filled me with sadness as I thought of those I had lost, both crew and ships. Did I sleep? No, I''m not even sure I need it anymore. This was a good thing; being introspective finally allowed me to shake off the remains of that icky cold feeling. As darkness lifted, I realized my choice of destination ended up being good; sometime during the night, an angry storm snuck up on me from the west. But unlike that small squall late yesterday, this one felt unnatural.


    The next day at least began bright and clear. If nothing changes, I will be sailing into Honolulu Harbor sometime tomorrow. And as much as I tried not to worry about it, I needed a plan once I arrived. If I could find a quiet spot, I could make my way to a small harbor and use the ship''s boats to drop off a few scouts and see what''s up with the world.


    Hawaii was full of Japanese Americans and tourists, so I wouldn''t stand out¡ªprobably. Who knows what my appearance looks like now? Maybe a shower and a change of clothes, although finding a deserted tropical beach sounded appealing. Blending in shouldn''t be an issue if I didn''t look like I walked out of some comic book.


    Also, there was the issue of food. I don''t remember eating much as a warship, but the human part demanded calories since it was doubtful I could just stroll down into the galley for some fresh fruit. It was also unlikely to find a place with some cooked meals in the middle of the Pacific.


    But for now, launching some recon aircraft would help calm my nerves and provide me with some fun.


    "Ippan Shihanki,"I commanded aloud, and the whole ship came to life as I started to turn into the wind.


    My flight crew had already armed and fueled my combat air patrol earlier, so I wasted no time setting my feet. I pulled an arrow out of my quiver and notched it. Taking a few deep breaths, I closed my eyes and took aim. The release felt so natural that it made me smile. With a whoosh, the aircraft launched into the air, followed by a second and a third. While most modern ships would use a catapult to launch their floatplanes, my bow worked just as well. Spotting aircraft would make life easier by ensuring I didn''t run into any atolls.


    While I launched another flight of Zeros, fairies on my bridge and deck began scanning the waves. Although we didn''t stay at General Quarters long, I planned to maintain a CAP throughout the day. My pilots weren''t the only ones I put to work; this wasn''t a pleasure cruise, no siree.


    As some of my Zeros hunted the sky and others for periscopes, I shook the rust off the crew that had accumulated since 1942. We conducted all sorts of drills, especially damage control procedures. Meanwhile, the gunnery officers checked and double-checked their guns. By the afternoon, the fighter CAP moved further out while the anti-aircraft gunners filled the sky with 20mm, 12cm, and 25mm rounds. It was then time for the torpedo and dive bomber crews to practice take-offs and landings.


    All in all, a very productive day.


    "Hey, hey," the air boss shouted, but I had already spotted the Zero circling to come in for a landing. It was the last of those I had sent out to scout. While I might have lacked S¨­ry¨± reconnaissance aircraft, my fighters were more than capable with their long-range capabilities. Impressively, instead of using radio communication¡ªthough that worked too¡ªI could see what the fairy pilots saw through their eyes if I concentrated.


    I sent them in three directions. The first headed towards the storm, which only remained long enough for me to take a quick look before I ordered it back to base. The second group flew over Midway, still a rock but not the heavily fortified one from my war memories. So, it didn''t look like I went back in time; it appeared abandoned, with no signs of life. It also felt off, like my choice of sailing west toward Japan; I knew passing over the island was a good thing.


    Finally, two Zeros searched the leeward Hawaiian Islands but found very little. More rocks, as expected; nothing lived out there, but strangely, there were no boats¡ªpleasure, fishing, or otherwise. Kauai and the other larger islands would be in range tomorrow. I could easily have a mimosa on a beach by lunchtime if I increased my speed a little.


    The radio was of no help. Still no music, just creepy static and, occasionally, voices calling out¡ªsome in pain, others trying to talk to me. Yeah, that''s a hard no. Spooky radio stuff never turns out well, but I hesitated to turn it off entirely.


    When the sun rose on the second day, I was close to panicking again between the weird radio signals and the lack of signs of humanity. Maybe this was indeed the afterlife. The storm, which seemed to follow me throughout the night, didn''t help. Thankfully for my sanity, my scouts came to the rescue a few hours later. A cheerful little fairy voice announced over the radio, confirming that humans were on Kauai. Immediately, I began to look at the island through their eyes.


    Coming in from the northwest, the view was primarily of massive volcanic cliffs covered in green. Heading north around the island, the pilot found a highway. Although it was still a little dark, sure enough, far below were homes. I also noticed the numerous cars on the road, all traveling east in a hurry. What was happening? Not wanting to cause panic by flying lower, I recalled the Zero, increased my speed, and headed there myself.


    The island of Kauai was a beautiful place. Tropical, green¡ªsomewhere I would want to spend a long vacation on the beach enjoying the sun. All along the coast were cute little houses; I imagine quite a few could be rented for a summer. The sandy beach was also inviting, but I didn''t want to get my tabi wet.


    Okay, so sue me; damp and sandy socks I didn''t need. Instead, I continued to hug the coast while coming up with a plan to unsummon my flight deck and the rest of my rigging. My thirty-seven thousand tons would definitely crack pavement otherwise. In theory, I just needed to become more girl than ship. Well, according to my fairies, anyway.


    "Where did everyone go?" I murmured to myself; even the cars seemed to have vanished.


    "Hey, hey, hey," a fairy on my shoulder replied.


    "Yes, they could have been evacuated because of the storm. Strange though. Anyway, I''m going to head toward that marina."


    The slips were pretty empty, so the idea that everyone evacuated had merit. I wouldn''t want to be on the island when that angry storm rolled in.


    "Hey, hey," a fairy pointed to port at a few ladders, but I wasn''t sure I could pull myself up.


    "Oh nice, a boat slipway. That will work."


    Reducing speed, I began to creep along, keeping my wake down to avoid swamping the docks before coming to a complete stop. Unsummoning my rigging in a swirl of light, I successfully stepped onto the concrete. The Akagi has landed.


    "Hey, hey."


    "Yes, yes, very funny. So I am a magical ship girl, too."


    My bridge was full of comedians.


    Thank goodness I didn''t buckle the ground, so I continued walking through the marina and toward the street beyond. Everything around me was quiet; from what I could tell, the evacuation must have been recent. What was strange, though, was that nothing was boarded up. I had memories of watching the news, which showed homeowners covering windows with wood to protect them from the high winds of hurricanes.


    But those thoughts vanished like smoke when I finally saw my reflection in the window of a coffee shop: no dysphoria, no discomfort, or strangeness. I was looking at myself¡ªIJN Akagi, the woman, not the ship. This was me, as I have always been. Maybe a little less chesty than my old self, my hips were slightly bigger, and I had legs for days, but I was also a lot younger. Maybe in my early twenties. However, Akagi, my new self, was beautiful. It was eerie, almost supernatural beauty, as if this body had been created by the thought of the perfect Japanese woman.


    Whether I''m a magical girl, ghost, or kami, I still need to see what''s happening.

 A Storm Approaches

    Hanalei, the small town where I found myself, was a bit touristy; however, it was positively gorgeous with its taro fields and the deep, verdant mountains off in the distance. Although small, it didn¡¯t seem to lack restaurants or other places to eat, which gave me pause. Although it was almost lunchtime, I wasn¡¯t particularly hungry. The oddity that I hadn¡¯t had water or food in nearly three days wasn¡¯t entirely lost on me.


    Being a ship girl had its advantages, but eventually, I would need supplies. Could I even eat regular food? How does that work? Well, that was something for future Akagi to worry about as I didn¡¯t have any money, and I wasn¡¯t about to break into anyone¡¯s business.


    It''s a good thing, too. Turning a corner, I spied a military convoy slowly moving down the street. It included a dozen US Marines checking doors and calling out. Their shouts alerted me to their presence, dragging me away from the temptation of the delicious-looking cookies in a bakery store window.


    Ignoring the thought of chocolate goodness, I realized that I had almost summoned my rigging. With a deep breath, I smiled and called out, ¡°Konnichi wa, watashi wa sukoshi mayotsu te iru you desu. Watashi wa tasukeru koto ga dekimasu ka?¡±


    "Sorry, ma''am, can you repeat that in English?" One of the Marines, a Corporal, requested as she approached.


    "I apologize." I found myself bowing. "Force of habit. I can speak English. Can you tell me what''s going on?"


    "Do you really not know?" A second Marine asked incredulously, then stammered as I smiled at him. "I mean, the governor called for a total evacuation of the island a few days ago."


    "Is it because of the storm?"


    "Yes, ma''am," the Corporal replied, almost rolling her eyes at her companion before the two began to escort me toward one of the vehicles. "And the attacks."


    "What attacks?"


    However, someone interrupted us before I could get an answer. "Who do we have there, Corporal?"


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t get your name."


    I turned and bowed toward the officer. "My name is Takijir¨­ Akagi, Lieutenant. I''m sorry; perhaps I should say Akagi Takijir¨­. The nice Corporal here was telling me there was an attack."


    The officer nodded, ran his finger over a tablet, and then frowned. "I don''t have you as a resident, Miss Takijir¨­."


    "I''m only visiting."


    "Strange time to be a tourist," one of the other Marines commented.


    "The island is quite beautiful," I countered with a smile, then turned back to the officer. "I lost my purse, phone, keys, pretty much everything, so I came to town looking for help. I thought I could borrow a phone to call my parents."


    "Well, walk with us, Miss Takijir¨­; I''m sure Corporal Anders can tell you what''s happening. Currently, communications are a problem, so contacting your parents will have to wait."


    He typed a few things into the pad in dismissal before slipping back into the vehicle. With a shrug, I followed the Marines as they returned to hammering on doors and calling out to anyone who hadn¡¯t left.


    Satisfied that her troops were all doing their jobs, the Corporal turned to me and said, "Well, it seems you must have been here a while since tourists haven¡¯t been allowed on the island since the attacks in Europe. The governor called for a voluntary evacuation then, but you can imagine a lot of people stayed."


    "I see, and what do you mean by attacks?"


    "It''s going to sound like I''m making it up, but about a month ago, monsters crawled out of the sea and shelled almost every major European port. At the same time, fishing boats, cruise ships, and even warships were attacked and sunk by demons who looked like women."


    "Until they ran into Belfast," one of the Marines near us chimed in.


    "Belfast, the city?"


    "Jacobson," the Corporal warned.


    "She can look it up on the web; it''s not much of a secret anymore," he replied, pulling out his phone and showing a picture of another eerily beautiful girl firing her six-inch guns. "Not the city but the ship, well, a girl too."


    "She¡¯s in a maid¡¯s outfit," I commented dryly, getting a better look. Remembering Kongou, I knew English ships were odd, but at least the photo confirmed I wasn¡¯t alone.


    "Where did you get the picture?"


    "Reddit, Corporal," he said with a laugh.


    "Well, I heard most of those demon girls who took on the NATO fleet off Dogger Bank were also some sort of warships," one of the other Marines added.


    The Corporal gave her men a look, who took the hint and immediately scurried back to their jobs before she continued. "Three days ago, Manila, Singapore, Port Arthur, and several places in Japan were attacked. Everyone expected Hawaii to be next."


    "Japan?" I asked worriedly.


    The Corporal nodded sympathetically.


    "I did hear that a warship girl appeared in Tokyo Bay?" Johnson, who walked near us, added.


    "Do you know who?"


    He shook his head. "Connecting to the web''s been a bit wiggy."


    "So, this strange weather has been interfering with communications? Even cell phones?"


    "Cell phones, radios¡ªonly the landlines connecting us with the mainland appear unaffected," the Corporal confirmed. "And these storms have appeared right before every attack."


    "So that''s why the governor is evacuating the island."


    "Most people have already left, but we¡¯re still finding a few stragglers like yourself."


    "Can''t believe you haven¡¯t heard about any of this." One of the Marines who¡¯d been listening called out.


    I waved towards the northwest. "Not a lot of people to talk to out there."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Oh, you¡¯ve been camping." The Corporal looked at me and shook her head. "Sorry, but you don¡¯t seem like someone who enjoys the great outdoors."


    That caused me to laugh. "Well, I can say I much prefer the ocean."


    We didn¡¯t walk far, traveling through the rest of the main street before stopping at a restaurant parking lot overlooking a river. Another group of Marines was waiting for us, along with a handful of civilian stragglers sitting in the back of a large truck.


    "All right, Akagi, we have about a two-hour drive to Nawiliwili Harbor."


    "Thanks for the escort, Corporal."


    "My pleasure. Oh, and don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll stop at least once for a break, but we need to get you civvies out of here," she said, laughing as I looked at the truck apprehensively. Of course, she had no idea I was more concerned about popping the tires than the trip as I climbed in.


    Three hours later, we reached Papaloa just north of our destination. During the trip, we had picked up over half a dozen stranded motorists, two more trucks full of stragglers, and six more¡ªwhat I was told were Humvees¡ªfor our little convoy. Although not totally her fault for the delays¡ªthis was our fourth break¡ªone of the other truck passengers was a pregnant woman who seemed about as excited to be in one of these vehicles as I was.


    However, I did manage to pick up a limpet named Chloe during my travels.


    "Miss Akagi, I got a water bottle for you," she cheerfully ran towards me.


    "Arigatou gozai mashi ta," I said, giving a slight bow, which caused her to squeal.


    According to her mother, Chloe had been taking Japanese language lessons since one of her friends gave her some anime shows for her birthday. It was not even a subbed version, so they had no clue what the cute little pocket monster characters were saying. She was adorable, like one of my fairies, and had decided that I would be the perfect person to practice with, spending every moment doing just that.


    "Don¡¯t encourage her, Miss Takijir¨­," her mother, Katheryn, chuckled, walking up beside us. "Did you use the bathroom, Chloe?"


    "Hi," the young girl announced.


    Opening the water bottle, I downed about half of it in one go. Although I wasn''t particularly thirsty, my human side relished the cool liquid running down my throat. By then, most other civilians had gathered around, commiserating about the trip and our dislike of the trucks. Much like my companions, I found this mode of transportation quite uncomfortable. For me, as a ship, it felt particularly unnatural.


    As we drank water and shared some fruit moments later, other group members began to wonder about dinner plans. With all the restaurants closed and MREs being mentioned, we''d likely get something to eat on the boat.


    "I know I¡¯m a bit of a worrier," one of the women announced while splitting a banana with her husband, "but I asked Private Bentley again about the ships, and he said they were holding one for us."


    Her announcement brought smiles all around. Phone coverage was spotty, and the military hadn¡¯t been very forthcoming. With the airport officially closed, no one knew if ships were still waiting for us. But there was no need to worry. The Navy had accelerated the evacuation process.


    Although spending the next few hours on a truck didn¡¯t seem ideal, I glanced past the greenery toward the ocean. If I walked across the parking lot, I could be in Honolulu in about three hours. But should I go with the flow, allowing the US government to evacuate me and others trapped on the island?


    But by now, along with a strong wind blowing things around, dark clouds had covered the sky, making it look like evening. Far to the north, the horizon glowed with an unnatural green and red hue. With it clawing its way toward the island, it felt like I was running away, which was unacceptable.


    As soon as we unloaded into the parking lot, the Marines who escorted us went on high alert. Being professionals, they weren¡¯t panicking, but something serious must be happening. Most of the civilians remained oblivious until a convoy of heavy military vehicles raced past us. It was only after a couple of helicopter flights flew over that everyone began to worry.


    "Are we almost there, Mommy?" Cloe asked suddenly, causing several adults in our group to chuckle.


    It was amusing, something I used to ask my parents in the car, but I was no longer paying attention to the conversations around me.


    "Akagi, do you know where we are? I¡¯m not as familiar with this part of the island."


    I then realized that I was being spoken to. "Oh, sorry, we¡¯re pretty close, maybe half an hour, but with all this traffic, I¡¯m not sure how long it will take."


    "Oh, looks like it''s time for another history lesson," one of the others announced as a familiar Navy officer approached.


    Commander Carlyle joined our little convoy right after our first break. During breaks, we had an ongoing history discussion. No one complained; it was interesting and broke up the trip''s monotony.


    Lucy, the pregnant woman I mentioned, leaned over and whispered loudly, "I think he¡¯s sweet on you."


    "Naww, he¡¯s just happy to find someone interested in the same thing," her husband disagreed. "Kinda like talking about sports but with history nerds."


    That caused laughter among us.


    "Konnichi wa futatabi, senchou," Cloe called out.


    When he didn¡¯t reply, I stepped forward. "Are we ready to leave, Tom?"


    "Can I speak to you privately, ma¡¯am?"


    Oh, that¡¯s not good. Gone was the good-natured smile; now, he was all formal Navy on me.


    "Of course," I replied, kneeling. "Keep an eye on everyone for me, okay, Cloe?"


    "Hi," she beamed.


    Once we were away from the others in the middle of the car park, he said, "Ma¡¯am, two Coast Guard cutters reported after coming under fire that the towns of Princeville and Kalihiwai were in flames."


    Nodding, I clenched and unclenched my right fist. I looked in that direction and then back. We had passed through both on our way down here.


    "Is this something you really should be telling me, Commander?"


    I had my bridge crew send an alert to the hangar, and my pilots began preparing, but I needed more information before taking action. He had some idea of my true identity. I knew it wouldn¡¯t remain a secret for long, especially if these demonic creatures appeared. I just didn¡¯t expect it to be revealed on the way to the harbor.


    "Ma¡¯am, you might remember that I plan on teaching history after I leave the Navy."


    "I do; we spoke on several topics during our stops, and as I mentioned before, I was impressed with your knowledge. I think you will be a fine teacher."


    During the last break, we delved into an in-depth discussion about the Washington Naval Treaty. Ah, I see; my insights and information on it had been rather detailed but one-sided. You could even say personal. Well, I was a Japanese ship, but could it be that obvious?


    "Thank you, ma¡¯am. Military history is one of my passions, especially the Pacific War. I¡¯m sure you know that Taijiro Aoki was the captain of the carrier Akagi during Midway."


    Okay, I¡¯m not entirely obtuse. It was odd that he just showed up. However, part of me thought the Commander might have just been flirting. Our conversations had been pleasant, and all the civilians who listened mentioned they had learned something, too. Instead, it seemed he was trying to figure out my identity. My fault, really. I could have called myself anything else, but that felt wrong. I wouldn¡¯t sail under a false flag, but my little obfuscation of using my Commander¡¯s surname didn¡¯t make a difference.


    "He was," I replied with a warm smile. "Do you know what happened to him?"


    "Only that he survived the war, ma¡¯am."


    "Thank you. That¡¯s good to know," I said, letting out a small breath I didn''t know I was even holding. "Obviously, you believe that I might be something more. Maybe like Miss Belfast?"


    The Commander glanced back as more Marines arrived at the park, including a couple of officers who began to approach.


    "We hoped so. Although it hasn¡¯t happened every time, warship girls have appeared during the attacks by these sea demons. And it¡¯s not just what you know, ma¡¯am. You have a presence, an aura that all warship girls seem to have, and you¡¯re quite beautiful."


    That made me laugh. It was nice to see he noticed, but still. "Thank you for the compliment. I will say you¡¯re very perceptive. I imagine it also didn¡¯t help that I just showed up on a beach with no ID and no record of a Takijir¨­ Akagi entering the country either," I replied in my native tongue¡ªwell, native for Akagi, anyway.


    "Yes, ma¡¯am, although your modern knowledge kept us guessing. We have been ordered to assist any warship girl that appears in any way we can. Obviously, you wanted to keep your identity secret, but someone would have approached you in Honolulu anyway," he said in perfect Japanese.


    Switching back to English, I voiced my concerns. "Mainly because of my history, Commander, my presence on the Hawaiian Islands might not be entirely welcomed."


    "I don¡¯t believe that will be the case, ma¡¯am; that war has been over for eighty years. And from our discussions, you seemed to know that our two countries are now allies."


    "That we are," I said, then turned toward the two new officers. "Gentlemen."


    The older of the two looked at the Commander, who nodded. Satisfied, he greeted me with a salute. "Major Alan Hittle, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines."


    Stepping back, I returned the salute and proudly proclaimed, "IJN Akagi, Flagship, First Carrier Division. How may the Japanese Navy assist the US Marine Corps today?"

 A Beacon of Hope

    Interlude ¨C Commander Carlyle


    Two US Marines watched as a Seahawk helicopter landed in the parking lot of an elementary school, dropped off its'' passenger, and then immediately took off again.


    "Sir, how was the flight?"


    "The pilot said it was probably what it''s like to fly through the Bermuda Triangle, Sergeant," the Navy Commander replied, sliding into the back seat of the Humvee. "So where are they? I was told the convoy was close."


    "Next town over, Commander." Now sitting in the front, Sergeant Pierson raised his voice as the vehicle turned onto Kuhio Highway. "They just stopped to pick up a couple of stranded motorists south of Princeville. We didn''t know they were behind schedule until a few minutes ago."


    "Radio still an issue?"


    "Yes, sir. They work about a third of the time. We''re going to join another group coming out of Kalihiwai, which we should meet in about ten minutes. Lieutenant Hutchens and the warship girl should be right behind them."


    "Alleged."


    "Alleged, yes, sir. You don¡¯t think she¡¯s actually one of them?"


    "We''ll know soon enough, Sergeant. However, I understand why she might not have revealed her identity. Though, with a name like Akagi Takijir¨­, she''s not exactly keeping it a secret."


    "Kido Butai," the third person in the Humvee interjected.


    "What was that, Anderson?" the Sergeant asked.


    "Sorry, Sergeant, I recognized the name."


    "That''s correct. IJN Akagi was part of the Imperial Japanese Combined Fleet, or Kido Butai," the Navy Commander explained. "Are you a student of history, Private?"


    "Err, no, sir. I play Campaigns of the Pacific online. Akagi¡¯s one of the first carriers you can build along with the Kaga."


    The Navy Commander smiled. "Good game, I play it myself. As Private Anderson might tell you, Sergeant, the Akagi was part of the task force that attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th."


    "Ah, yes, sir, I can see how that might be a problem."


    As expected, they met up with the convoy but didn¡¯t go too far, making an unscheduled break next to a health food store. The Marines would end up apologizing to the owners, but there weren¡¯t any other restrooms nearby. The stop, however, allowed the Commander to meet with Miss Takijir¨­.


    After returning to the Humvee, he asked, "Did you notice how all the civilians unconsciously gravitate around her?"


    "Yes, sir. According to Lieutenant Hutchens and Arnold, Miss Takijir¨­¡¯s presence seemed to have kept everyone calm. So, she¡¯s a warship girl, sir?"


    "I believe so. But who she is, I¡¯m not exactly sure yet."


    "What did you talk about, sir?" Anderson asked.


    "See the little girl standing next to Miss Takijir¨­? The two were talking about anime. So, we all ended up discussing Studio Ghibli movies."


    "They do make good ones, sir. I''m a fan of Howl¡¯s Moving Castle."


    Commander Carlyle nodded. "I must admit, I feel a little bad about recommending one movie."


    "Grave of the Fireflies?"


    "No, although that would be one. Have you ever heard of The Wind Rises, Private?"


    "I recognize the name, sir, but I''m not sure what it¡¯s about."


    "It¡¯s a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. A scene early in the movie depicts the Great Kant¨­ earthquake. I could see the pain in Miss Takijir¨­¡¯s eyes when I brought it up. If she is the Akagi, then she lost someone very dear to her¡ªpossibly a sister."


    Sergeant Pierson, who had been listening, commented, "But she¡¯s a warship, sir. How can she have a sister?"


    "Our new friend was not the only one in her class, Sergeant. The first was called the Amagi. The 1923 earthquake did so much damage to her that the Japanese Navy ended up selling Akagi¡¯s sister for scrap."


    "Christ," the Sergeant murmured as the three entered the Humvee. They still had a long distance to cover.


    Even after picking up another family whose car had broken down, the convoy made good time before stopping at a park in Anahola. By then, however, the wind had picked up, and the sky, which had been clear, had darkened. To the north, out to sea, bright flashes of lightning lit up the sky. The storm everyone had been dreading had finally arrived.


    "How did you get everyone to listen to a lecture on the Washington Naval Treaty, sir?"


    The Commander laughed. "I assure you, Private, they weren¡¯t listening to me. Any professor of history would be thrilled to have Miss Takijir¨­ as a guest speaker for a graduate-level class."


    "So, she¡¯s definitely the Akagi?"


    "Yes, Sergeant, I believe so. We won¡¯t officially approach her until we reach Honolulu. Her presence has kept all the civilians calm, and I¡¯d like that to continue until we leave N¨¡wiliwili harbor."


    "Do you think she¡¯s aware that we know who she is?"


    The Commander watched as Akagi helped everyone back into one of the trucks. "I think she knows something¡¯s going on. But remember, she¡¯s out of her element. If you watch her closely, every so often, she looks towards the ocean."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "And she¡¯s an Imperial Japanese aircraft carrier on American soil."


    "That¡¯s also true, but I think that¡¯s why she hasn¡¯t revealed her identity, Private. You play Campaigns of the Pacific; how many ships does a Japanese Carrier Division normally have in support?"


    "So, she¡¯s operating without a task force," the Sergeant observed.


    "Indeed."


    "Akagi¡¯s looking towards the ocean again, Sergeant," the Marine Private commented. The convoy had just stopped, hopefully for the last time, after picking up another half dozen stragglers.


    Before he could reply, a flight of Bell AH-1Z Vipers roared overhead, flying so low that the two instinctively crouched down.


    "Something¡¯s going on."


    Moments later, Commander Carlyle returned from his meeting with the convoy leaders. "Two Coast Guard cutters were just attacked north of Kilauea Bay. They encountered a group of those sea demons shelling the island."


    "Damn," Anderson whispered, looking towards the north.


    The three men frowned, watching a convoy go by, bringing even more Humvees.


    "Looks like the major¡¯s here, sir," the Sergeant said as he pointed to a group exiting the vehicles.


    "Let¡¯s go find our carrier. It looks like we¡¯re going to need help from the Kido Butai after all."


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    Interlude ¨C Katheryn Harper


    "We should have left weeks ago," Katheryn whispered unhappily, hugging her young daughter close.


    She had wanted to leave when the Governor called for a voluntary evacuation, but her home office insisted she stay, which felt utterly ridiculous. The vacation homes she managed were empty as tourists fled the island. Two weeks later, as more grim news arrived from Europe, even more of her neighbors had evacuated.


    Still, they told her to stay. But where would she and her daughter go even if they fled the island? She had no family in California or elsewhere. Rising rent and skyrocketing hotel prices were alarming, and the idea of finding space in a refugee camp was equally unappealing.


    "We should have left," Katheryn whispered again as she took her daughter''s hand and started down the highway. No stores were open, and the whole north side of the island had become a ghost town. She cursed herself for not getting gas earlier in the week.


    "Mommy, where are we going?"


    "Well, since the car isn¡¯t working, we need to see if the people in the house over there can give us a ride."


    That turned out to be a fool''s errand; no one was home. Everyone had already evacuated. She needed to be strong for her daughter. Gathering up their luggage, Katheryn continued walking down the highway.


    Rescue came less than an hour later when they noticed a group of military vehicles approaching from behind.


    "Thank you," Katheryn managed to hold back a sob as a beautiful Japanese woman helped her and her daughter into the back of a large truck. The Marines wasted no time getting them situated before the convoy started down the road again.


    "Konnichi wa, watashi no namae wa Cloe desu," her daughter said with a smile.


    Katheryn felt a pang of embarrassment that her child assumed the woman spoke Japanese. Before she could apologize, the woman replied.


    ¡°O ai deki te kouei desu. Akagi to moushi masu.¡±


    "Oh, ahh, I don¡¯t know much Japanese," her daughter frowned, then grinned. "It''s nice to meet you."


    "Well, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you too, Miss Cloe," the woman replied. "My name is Akagi."


    Katheryn smiled. "I¡¯m sorry about my daughter. She recently got a couple of those anime shows for her birthday, and they were all in Japanese."


    "No subtitles?"


    "Everything, including the menu, was in Kanji. I thought it would be a good way for Cloe to learn the language. Since then, she has been taking lessons from one of our neighbors."


    "Miss Takahashi is nice."


    Katheryn noted that the trip wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable, but she had few complaints as she and her daughter were now safe. Akagi was a godsend though, keeping Cloe busy practicing her Japanese. In fact, everyone on the truck seemed to enjoy the impromptu language lesson.


    "That Commander Carlyle seemed quite enamored with you, Akagi."


    At the group¡¯s last stop, they had picked up a few more trucks full of people and some additional Marines, including a Navy Commander.


    "I think he was just being nice."


    Leaning over, she whispered, "He said something that upset you, though."


    Katheryn had noticed the young woman¡¯s reaction when they talked about one of those anime movies.


    Akagi gave her a sad smile. "A scene in one of the movies reminded me of someone close to me that I lost."


    "Oh, I¡¯m sorry."


    The young woman waved it away. "It¡¯s fine; it was a long time ago."


    "I didn¡¯t know you didn¡¯t live on the island," her daughter suddenly chirped.


    "Oh, so you understand more than you let on, do you, Cloe?" Akagi said with a grin, then gave the young girl¡¯s nose a playful poke. Part of the conversation with the Navy Commander had been in Japanese.


    "The Marines must have told him I¡¯m a tourist."


    "Oh, where are you from?" Alan, one of the others on the truck, asked.


    "Well, I¡¯m originally from Kure, which is about twenty kilometers from Hiroshima City in Japan."


    "I think I know where that might be," he mused. "I was stationed in South Korea for a little while back in the ''80s."


    "I thought you might not be from around here," Lucy, a young but very pregnant woman, commented. They were latecomers to the group, and her doctor had advised her not to travel, but now she had little choice.


    "Strange time to be a tourist," Jack, her husband, added.


    Akagi laughed. "That¡¯s the same thing one of the Marines said when they picked me up."


    "Well, your outfit is very pretty, Akagi," one of the older women said. "Although I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t expect to be traveling in it. Did the Marines not let you change?"


    "I didn¡¯t have any luggage with me when they found me wandering around Hanalei."


    "Oh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find some nice outfits in Honolulu. There are plenty of shops."


    "Looks like we¡¯re coming to a stop," Katheryn called out.


    "OH, thank God. I hope they have a bathroom," Lucy groaned.


    It had already been a long trip, and Katheryn and the others dozed as they made their way south toward the harbor. She opened her eyes briefly and saw Akagi standing vigilant, watching over them. For some reason, she felt protected and drifted back to sleep.


    "Private Bentley, sorry to bother you again, but can you tell us what¡¯s going on with Miss Takijir¨­?"


    The group had been surprised when the Commander pulled Akagi aside to speak with her. They were even more surprised when a group of Marines approached and saluted her. Currently, Akagi was standing among what Alan identified as officers.


    The young private, who had been quite affable, now looked tense. In a professional voice, he addressed the group. "I¡¯m not sure myself, ma¡¯am. But if all of you could return to the other side of the park, I¡¯ll see if someone has that information."


    "How about we speak to Sergeant Pierson? He seems to be around the Commander all the time. I think he¡¯s his driver," Ana suggested.


    The Private nodded and motioned for the group to return to the safety of the small woods. Several more military vehicles roared into the parking lot, so everyone thought it was a good idea.


    "Mommy, is she in trouble?"


    "No, I don¡¯t think so, Cloe," Katheryn replied, grabbing her child¡¯s hand before she could run off toward her new friend. "She seems to be helping them with something."


    As the group returned to their previous spot, she asked, "Does anyone know if Akagi mentioned she was in the military? She did salute those Marines."


    "She does have a certain bearing," Alan mentioned.


    "Oh, something¡¯s going on," Lucy announced.


    Akagi and a group of Marines began to gather and walked toward the beach on the other side of the park.


    Cloe suddenly broke free and ran toward the Marines, shouting, "Akagi!"


    The young woman stopped and bowed. With a smile, she gave a wave before continuing on.


    "Don¡¯t run off, Cloe. You¡¯re going to get hurt," Katheryn scolded her child, pulling her back to the others.


    "She¡¯s obviously busy," Jacob commented. "We should wait for someone to tell us what¡¯s happening."


    From the beach, a bright light caused everyone to pause, both US Marines and civilians alike. When the light faded, a young Japanese woman stood on the water with a bow in her right hand and a large quiver on her back.


    Cloe was the first to speak in wonder, "OH, Mommy, Akagi is a magical girl."