The lost battleship of the southern trench

Chapter 37

Time jump 6 days before, somewhere between Guam and Japan

Blue, alongside Eiki, Eima, a random Xi-class, and another random Ei-class could be seen in the cargo hold of the C-17, alongside a small assortment of X-class, and Po-class. The Xi-class and Ei-class were talking to each other, while Eima, and Eiki were together. Blue sat alone for a while before deciding she'd go over to talk with Nakamura, who still had Nagato and Kawakaze nearby.

As Blue walked closer she asked "so the fox knew you. May I ask how you knew the fox?" Now she sat down two seats away from him, though still looked at him.

Nakamura paused for a moment before saying "she used to be one of my ships. Like Nagato or Kawakaze"

"I know that all Abyssals used to be ship girls, but I thought we just forgot our memories. So how could the fox be a part of Southern, and know you, yet Southern herself doesn't know you?"

"I don't know how that works. Before Hong Kong we didn't even fully know what Abyssals were" now he chuckled and said "three months ago, I'd never have thought I'd casually be talking with an Abyssal"

"Three months ago, I wasn't even an Abyssal"

There was a long pause before Nakamura said "three months ago, I believe I knew you, and Southern, as ship girls" now he could see Blue was very much interested in what he was saying "you were both in my fleet, originally you were a part of Commander Akihito's fleet in Yokosuka. I knew you and Southern were both very close, but never fully how close until you were both gone"

"What... What were our names?"

"You were Kaga, Southern was Yamato. I think Scarlet from what I've seen was Musashi. Sunken is their youngest sister, Shinano"

Blue paused for a moment before saying "wait... you said that fox, was Yamato? And I was... Kaga?"

"Yes... though I don't fully understand how it all works"

"Could it be that there is a ship girl self, and an Abyssal self to all kansen?" Kawakaze now interjected "That when a ship girl is summoned the Abyssal self is merely asleep. And when a ship girl sinks, the Abyssal self wakes up?"

"But what about ship girls who come back after sinking?" Nakamura asked.

Kawakaze responded "Could merely be the Abyssal sinking. Abyssal Princesses have hinted at it before, that the cycle of them showing up will never end as long as there's ship girls" Blue thought for a moment before sighing and deciding to just meditate on what they had been talking about for the rest of the trip.

Then Blue whispered to herself "Then is that woman I saw, Kaga?"

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Time skip 3 and a half hours, location 4 kilometers from the Japan Trench

Now Blue alongside Eima, Eiki, the other Ei-class, the Xi-class, and their monster Abyssals could be seen sailing towards the Japan Trench, where Central Trench Princess was in charge. The trip from Sasebo to where they were currently had been mostly uneventful. No enemy Abyssals, at least that they knew, were nearby. So they didn't have to worry about getting attacked. The Ei-class, and Xi-class that had accompanied them were currently guiding them to where Central Trench had their main base.

But now as they actually got closer to where the Trench was, Eima asked "so, what's the plan if this Central Trench Princess is hostile?"

The Xi-class and Ei-class looked at each other for a moment, and stayed quiet for a moment before looking back at her. Then the Xi-class "we run like Hell"