Unstable Loyalties

Chapter 35

Recap:

"Bismarck? Yamato? No..." Lightning whimpered as Devastator watched from a side, grinning evilly.

"Why... why are they here?" Lightning rasped, looking at Devastator, her eyes narrowed, hiding the fear deep in her. 

"Lightning, Lightning. Let me as you this first. Tell me. What information was Azur Lane seeking when they sent you here?" Devastator interrogated. 

"I'll never tell you. Not even if I die," Lightning spat, her blue eyes icy as she glared at the Siren. 

"Very well, it appears that you need some... encouragement," Devastator smirked as the Sirens chained up the two battleships. Picking up a knife, the Siren leader headed over to Yamato, digging the blade into Yamato's skin and watching as the dark red blood slowly dripped out. Pain sparked in Yamato's eyes but she kept still, glaring right back at Devastator. Lightning glanced at Yamato and Bismarck and the two battleships could see the agony and terror concealed behind the layer of ice. Bismarck shook her head ever so slightly and Lightning lowered her gaze for a few seconds, raising it again to meet Devastator's expectant one. 

"I'll never betray Azur Lane!" Lightning hissed, glaring daggers at the Siren. Devastator sighed, 

"I never wanted it to come to this... but you leave me with no choice, Lightning" The Siren shook her head in mock pity as she raised the blade once again, dragging it across Bismarck's arm. Blood slowly oozed out as Bismarck narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth to withhold a cry of pain. 

"We'll never tell you what you want, Devastator," Yamato growled lowly. 

"Is that so? In that case, I just have to make a way for you to crack," Devastator cackled.  

"Oh believe me, I will make all of you suffer, starting with her," Devastator announced, pointing at Bismarck. Guilt and terror raged in Lightning, but she could do nothing but watch as Devastator tortured the German, helpless.

Yamato closed her eyes, not wanting to see Bismarck suffer. When she did so, she could not help but recall what had landed them in this.

Flashback

Bismarck and Yamato were patrolling the waters near the rock formation. 

"Be careful, Bismarck, it's quite foggy today," Yamato spoke,  narrowing her eyes. What is that? she thought as she saw  a faint silhouette in the fog. 

"Sirens!' She exclaimed as they emerged, all their guns pointing at the battleships. Quickly, she tried contacting base, but something was interfering with the signal. They were on their own here. Unsheathing her katana, she pointed it at the Sirens, firing a full salvo at the ships, Bismarck doing the same. They fought furiously, but were extremely outnumbered. Sweat trickled down her forehead as her gaze flicked from left to right. 

"Lightning will be so pleased to see you!" Purifier screeched. Bismarck and Yamato's gazes locked, their eyes filled with horror. Lightning's cover had been blown! Purifier just cackled as she attacked the battleships, their stronger forces eventually getting the upper hand and forcing the both of them to surrender. Yamato just lowered her gaze as the Sirens subdued them unable to do anything to resist. There were just to many...

End of flashback

Bismarck screamed in pain, the twisted sound haunting Lightning. A tear ran down her face as she closed her eyes. This was all her fault, again. She should have been more careful, should have been more aware. Again, a single mistake was hurting those she loved. And she couldn't do anything to stop it. Lightning knew that she had been too trusting of Devastator. Perhaps it was because she saw herself in the Siren. 

This was her greatest weakness. She shouldn't have trusted Devastator so easily. That was it. Trust. Her greatest weakness. She had to stop trusting so easily now. She could not afford for her trust to be broken again and for her loved ones to be harmed because she trusted too easily. She would never trust anyone so easily again. Not until they proved themselves to her that is.  Lightning sighed softly, looking away from the battered German battleship. Bismarck raised her head slowly, glancing at Lightning. How much more would the carrier have to endure? The battleship hung her head. There was not going to be an easy way out of this, she knew. They would be lucky if they even made it out alive. 

Next, Devastator headed over to Lightning, picking up a heated piece of iron, she placed it on the carrier's arm. The pain was so intense, it was white hot, causing tears of pain to spring to Lightning's eyes. She gritted her teeth, holding back a scream as she felt the pain course through her body. A few tears slipped down her face and dripped on the floor slowly, making Devastator smile in satisfaction. Lightning tried her best, withholding more tears as Devastator used a penknife, slashing it across Lightning's leg. Blood... more blood dripping down onto the ground. Inside, Lightning was hurting even more, knowing that it was her own fault for dragging her two best friends into this. 

As she suffered Devastator's torture, she knew that they had to get out of here fast. Running through some possibilities in her mind, she tried to formulate an escape plan. It would take time to find a perfect opportunity to escape. As for now, she was powerless to prevent harm from being done to the two battleships. 

"Perhaps, Lightning, we could have been friend, all you have to do to have that happen is to tell us what you know," Devastator spoke, her voice echoing in the dark room. 

"Be friends with someone like you? Never!" Lightning spat before coughing, causing some blood to trickle out of her mouth. 

"Stubbornness comes with a price, dear Lightning," Devastator whispered, picking up the piece of red-hot iron again. Lightning cringed inwardly when she heard Devastator call her 'dear'. For a few weeks now, she had played her part, hating every moment of it. Now, to be discovered like this... Lightning just sighed mentally. She had to be strong, never falter. She just hoped that they would be able to leave, before it was too late...

Ah, finally, another chapter. Wow, wrote this so quickly I made a new record lol. Hope you liked it!

~Lightningstar out