Azur Lane World
May 16, 1946 [14:24]
[Weather] [Sunny day]
[Shinano's Perspective]
(ARP)Shinano: (sipping tea) Ahhh, this tea is so delightful.
(ARP)Little Shinano: (delightedly) Yes, it's delicious!
(ARP)Ashigara: Lady Shinano, where did you acquire this tea?
(ARP)Shinano: I obtained it from the British Navy.
(ARP)Ashigara: I see.
(ARP)Haguro: So, why are we here in this world again?
(ARP)Shinano: My elder sister, Yamato, has instructed me to locate the missing Fubuki-class destroyers and find a way to return to our world.
(ARP)Haguro: I understand. Do you believe we can locate these missing destroyers here?
(ARP)Shinano: Yes, I do. Furthermore, my elder sister has requested that we also find the Kagerou-class destroyer and you, I-122. Thank you for your assistance in locating the missing Fubuki-class destroyers.
(AL)Kagerou: It's our pleasure.
(AL)I-122: Yes, we're here to help.
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[Arpeggio of Blue Steel: World 2042]
Shinano's POV
Pacific Ocean
(ARP)Shinano: "Dammit! What's going on here?" I exclaimed, frustration evident in my voice.
As I navigated through the raging storm, my state-of-the-art navigation system suddenly malfunctioned. For hours, I had been tirelessly attempting to restore its functionality, but to no avail.
The screen stubbornly displayed the distorted words: "Error."
Gazing out at the turbulent ocean, a sense of unease crept over me. The familiar landmarks seemed out of place, as if something was amiss. I was faced with a difficult choice: remain anchored here, hoping for my navigation system to recover, or sail blindly into the unknown depths.
Each path held its own perils and uncertainties. Waiting meant potentially becoming a sitting duck for any lurking enemies, while venturing forth without reliable navigation could lead to disastrous consequences. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had stumbled into a treacherous trap.
[Flashback Shinano Pov]
In the depths of the Pacific Ocean, Shinano's anger erupted towards her elder sister's request on the screen.
(ARP)Shinano: "What do you mean, patrol a strange storm?" Shinano exclaimed.
(ARP)Yamato: "It's reported to have engulfed several destroyers," Yamato replied calmly. "Your fleet is the closest."
(ARP)Shinano: "Why me?" Shinano protested. "I'm a warship, not a weather observer!"
(ARP)Yamato: "You're my trusted ally," Yamato said. "Observe the storm, mark its location, and report back."
(ARP)Shinano: "Fine," she sighed. "But don't expect me to enjoy it."
(ARP)Yamato: "Don't worry, you'll get your chance to fire your weapons soon enough," Yamato said with a hint of amusement.
Shinano shut down the video transmission and gazed skyward. Ashigara's face abruptly materialized on the monitor.
(ARP)Ashigara: "Lady Shinano, what's amiss?" Ashigara inquired.
(ARP)Shinano: "Nothing out of the ordinary," Shinano replied. "It appears we're on the cusp of a tempest."
"A storm?" Haguro exclaimed.
(ARP)Shinano: "An enigmatic phenomenon," Shinano explained. "Several destroyers have already vanished, and as the fleet closest to the storm's path, we've been tasked with investigating immediately."
(ARP)Haguro: "Lady Shinano," she proposed, "we could deploy our float plane to pinpoint the storm's location."
(ARP)Shinano: "An excellent suggestion," Shinano agreed.
(ARP)Ashigara: "I believe it may be superfluous," Ashigara interjected hesitantly.
(ARP)Shinano: "Why do you say that?" Shinano asked.
(ARP)Ashigara: "Look to your left," Ashigara instructed, gesturing with her index finger. As Shinano's gaze followed, she beheld a formation of dark clouds rapidly coalescing on the horizon.
(ARP)Shinano: "Well, my friends," Shinano declared, "I have a proposal before we proceed..."
I opened one of my missile tubes and launched a missile. As the rocket entered the cloud, I triggered the self-destruct mode.
...
Nothing happened, not even a faint sound of explosion.
(ARP)Shinano: I'm going in.
(ARP)Ashigara: Going where?
(ARP)Shinano: Into the storm.
(ARP)Haguro: Wait, what if you go missing too? We don't know what happened inside the cloud.
(ARP)Shinano: The missile I just launched is strong enough to flatten a hill. If that's just an ordinary storm, we should have heard the explosion.
(ARP)Haguro: But...
(ARP)Shinano: Our order is to investigate the storm. Consider this a deeper investigation.
I steamed away from the fleet.
(ARP)Haguro: Good luck, Lady Shinano.
(ARP)Shinano: Thanks. If I don't return in 30 minutes, follow me inside the storm. Got that?
(ARP)Haguro: Roger that.
I approached the storm. As I got close, I could hear a faint sound of thunder.
(ARP)Shinano: Here goes nothing.
As I entered the cloud, silence enveloped me. Abruptly, the navigation system glitched erratically.
"(ARP) Shinano: What the devil?"
Instantly, I ощущал the current surge in intensity, forcing me to augment my engine power. Within seconds, I realized the imminent threat: I was barreling towards a maelstrom.
"(ARP) Shinano: Damn it!"
"(ARP) Little Shinano: What's amiss?"
Swiftly, I yanked the steering wheel hard left, desperate to evade the relentless current. However, it proved futile; the force was overwhelming.
"(ARP) Shinano: (Sigh) No wonder no destroyers ever return from this abyss."
"(ARP) Little Shinano: Indeed."
The maelstrom's relentless pull threatened to engulf me as I pushed my engine to its limits.
"(ARP) Shinano: Come on, hold on!"
But the current proved too strong, relentlessly dragging my hull towards the ocean's depths.
"(ARP)Shinano, this is dire... Little Shinano, let's move to the Navigation room," I exclaimed.
