New Ship, New Era

Nightmare

Solomon Islands, One month Later....

Nimitz was cruising along the coast of one of the Islands, ahead of the fifth assault force. He was humming the Navy anthem cruising along when his hawkeye sent message to him. Enemy surface fleet nearby, heading 100 at 25 knots. 50 miles from your location. He began to ready his strike force, before noticing something was wrong, like another ship was close by. A little too close.

"Hawkeye, are there any other ships in this area?" He asked. No friendly surface vessel within 1-0-0 miles. He sent a quick roger out and continued to ready his arrows for launch.

"Launching Growlers and Intruders!" He pulled back and the bow, releasing it after he was confident his Hawkeye was right. The arrows transformed into a 16-ship flight of 6 growlers and 6 intruders. After a while only one plane returned, A growler, which was damaged. The small plane landed on his deck shield and reformed back into an arrow. I can't keep sending out planes like that. I need to wait for the rest of the force. He thought, looking at the nearby island. I guess I'll go take a quick nap. RTB hawkeye. The hawkeye returned a short time later and he headed for the island.

He arrived on the island and walked ashore, his water skates turning into shoes. He sat down on the sand and looked out to the sea, and saw a rain squall in the distance. He squinted and tried to see if anyone was in that squall. Then he saw Fubuki come out the squall, alone. Nimitz jumped to his feet and got back out on the water to meet her, but as he got closer, he noticed something seemed off about her.

"Fubuki? Are you...?" Before he could finish, she turned around and aggressively charged him. Nimitz started backing away, shaking his head.

"Don't make me do this, Fubuki. Please don't." He reached for his Sea sparrows. She got closer and closer, eventually to effective torpedo range, and launched them.

"I'm sorry...." He lunged for Fubuki, impaling her with the sea sparrows. She collapsed in his arms, and he cried out her name.

Naval District

Nimitz sat up on his futon, breathing heavily and trembling. He held out his hands, which were shaking. He took deep breaths and eventually calmed down. What the hell was that dream about? I would never sink Fubuki. He got up and decided to go out for a walk. He walked around the district, but eventually found himself going back to his spot on the shore. He couldn't stop thinking about the dream. He eventually went back to bed, and fell asleep.

The next morning, he was up bright and early, ready for his next task. He changed into his exercise clothes and went for a jog.

"Hey Nimitz!" He heard. He turned his head to see Fubuki jogging behind him. Should I tell her about the dream? Yeah, she should know, wait! No, she doesn't. He slowed down to let Fubuki catch up to him.

"So, Fubuki. There's something I need to ask you." He said.

"Go...Ahead!" She said between breaths.

"Do you, you know, like me?" He asked, turning red. Fubuki nearly tripped over herself when she heard that. She caught herself, and stopped. Nimitz caught up to her.

"I know, that was a stupid question. A destroyer in love with a carrier, crazy, right?" He said, then he noticed a look of embarrassment on her face. "Fubuki? You, you actually like me, don't you?" He asked. She nodded. He walked up to her and hugged her.

"I had a feeling you did, I just never thought anyone would like me." He let go and sat down. She sat down next to him.

"Let me tell you something I rarely ever told anyone. My name, my human name, is Jay." He said. "I never told anyone other than my last friend before he left port." He said.

"What happened to him?" She asked.

"Well, from what I've been told, he's resting peacefully at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The story I'm told is that he went out to fight an invading abyssal fleet, and he was on the frontlines. He took about 10 dreadnaught and Battleship shells before he went under." He said starting to tear up. "They took my only friend from me, and he was the only kanmusu who knew my name, until you." He said looking at her. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged back.

"I don't want to lose you, Fubuki. No matter what, I'll do my best to protect you." He said. "I'm not losing another friend."

Solomon Islands, One week later

Nimitz was ahead of the main strike force, scouting to see if any Abyssal carriers were in the region.

"Hawkeye away!" The AEW aircraft flew away and started its patrol of the area. He kept sailing in the islands, until he ran into a squall. He sighed and pushed through it.

"Jesus, just like home." He said to himself. He slid his glasses down to see if they pick up anything. Then an internal alarm told him to turn around. He quickly turned around and saw a shape in the rain. Enemy surface fleet found, heading 030 40 knots. 9 miles from location. His Hawkeye informed him. He turned around, ignoring the shape, but the more he kept going the closer the shape got.

"Intruders away!" He shouted, launching his bombers. The arrows transformed into a flight of 4, turned around and flew at the shape. They delivered they're payload, sinking the abyssal. Nimitz continued forward as his aircraft returned to him. He eventually broke through the squall and into clear waters, where he was greeted by the sight of an abyssal fleet.

"Nimitz to any ship that can hear me, I'm approximately 30 miles from the Solomon Islands engaged with enemy abyssal fleet. Requesting backup. Hornet and Growlers away!" He launched his aircraft, which began to make quick work of the abyssal forces. He got ready for some CQC, and charged into the formation. Using his shield and knifes, he made quick work of the Abyssal forces, with the help of his aircraft, though just before one sank, she shot off a final salvo which temporally blinded him.

"Ah, shit! I can't see!" He then felt something hit him that wasn't a normal shell. He got his vision back and saw that a dart-like object had hit his leg. He yanked it out and his vision started to get blurry. Just before he passed out, he saw the rest of his force rushing towards him, taking out the last abyssal that had hit him. He then saw Fubuki come to his side, and kneel beside him. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could see the pain in her eyes.

"Fu...bu..ki..."He said, placing a hand on her cheek before passing out. He laid there on the water, not sinking, but floating. Fubuki was by his side, crying.

"What's that in his hand?" Kitikami asked. She took it and read it, her eyes growing wider as she did.

"It's some sort of knockout serum." Ooi said. She gave the syringe shell to one Haruna, who placed it somewhere to be taken back.

"Wake up....Wake up..." She hugged her unconscious friend, hoping he would wake up.