Yamato couldn’t but sigh in satisfaction as she put the eight bowl of salad, or rather the now empty bowl that had onced contained salad, off to the side and moved the ninth into position. Not even bothering to thank the shell shocked looking server who had brought it to her only to gallop back to the kitchen to get the next offering, her hunger was simply that great. She did recall back when Kancolle had been nothing but fiction that shipgirls had to restock their ammunition, fuel, and the metal and other such goods necessary for repair by eating, and that the joke had been the sheer quantity the girls ate on a regular basis…but she had always thought it was just an exaggeration! They were portrayed as being human after all, so there’s no way a barely one-hundred-pound woman could put away the food that had been shown in the anime without her stomach bursting. But as she finished off her ninth bowl of salad - all while still maintaining the poise and grace expected of a Yamato class battleship- and moved on to her tenth, she had to begrudgingly concede that a good portion of her next few weeks would be spent eating.
But at the very least, her overwhelming hunger gave her time to work out the kinks in the story she was going to recount to the apparently very important ponies who were currently watching her eat from across the table with a mixture of shock, and surprisingly jealousy, as she finished off her tenth bowl and began devouring the eleventh. Not that she could see their gazes mind you, as she was almost focused on getting as much food into her system as she could in order to prevent her Quartermaster and engineers from committing a mutiny. But thankfully she had her spotters giving her near constant reports on her surroundings the entire time she had been devouring an entire farms worth of lettuce, not to mention her marines which were currently deployed scouting the base that Yamato was currently berthed in and reporting in over the radio giving her a fairly good picture of her surroundings.
Speaking of radio contact, I will have to remember to give a commendation to the radar technician who first alerted me to the Princesses presence…putting aside how he even had a radio when I didn’t order him to take one with him, it wouldn’t due for my first meeting with two goddesses to be done with me unconscious in a bathtub. Yamato couldn’t help but think as she began working on her thirteenth bowl after taking a drink of the fruity beverage they had provided her, her Intelligence officers freaking out at the fact that Yamato had somehow managed to pick up a glass with her hoof without having any fingers. The last twenty hours or so had been…interesting, to say the least. The moment she had laid down in the bathwater and shut her eyes, Yamato had found herself standing within her bridge, her bridge crew saluting her with an air of solemn celebration with their first ever victory against a battleship despite the damage they had sustained and the pain from her wounds vanishing like a horrid nightmare.
After taking a moment to adapt to her newfound surroundings and congratulating her crew for a job well done and ordering leave for those who were unable to aid in damage control, Yamato had decided to figure out just what kind of view her Fairies got from within her hull. Considering her real body was currently resting in a barely large enough tub of water, Yamato had expected to see a wall of wood around her ship, or perhaps just open water…She had even considered the fact that it might just be the battleship Yamato floating in a white void, as horrifying as that would be.
What she hadn’t expected was to find her ship in drydock surrounded by an impressively sized naval base, a naval base fully staffed by ponies who were practically swarming on the outside of the Yamato's hull, working on fixing up all the damage she had suffered. She had immediately called out to the nearest sailor, asking him if they had had any contact with the ponies ashore or if said ponies had tried to come aboard. The sailor explained that no, they had not attempted to contact the dock workers not without her permission as Capitan and it didn’t seem like the pony workers out there were at all interested in interacting with Yamato's crew. And so, with little other option but to pray that they did their jobs well, Yamato retired to the captain’s cabin after ordering the officer on duty to alert her if there was any change in the dock workers behavior.
With no more duties to distract her thoughts, the Shipmare couldn't help but feel curious about what kind of decorations or personal effects would be in her cabin, so much so that she was beginning to feel somewhat nervous as she trotted in a direction of said cabin, a direction that came naturally to her. Perhaps it contained a clue to her human identity? Maybe some explanation left there by whatever force has summoned her into this world? The possibilities were so enticing that she nearly broke out into a gallop despite the fact that she was passing a good number of her crew who had stopped what they were doing to salute her, all thoughts of maintaining her sense of poise and military decorum long forgotten.
But her excitement quickly faded away when, after practically slamming open the door to the Captains quarters, she saw just how barren her room was. Sure, it was slightly better than the average sailors’ quarters, with a beautifully carved wooden desk in one corner, a bed that was just big enough for her new pony form as opposed to one made for a human, and a bookshelf made of the same wood as the desk. But one noticeable thing the room lacked was any form of personal effect. There were no frayed well-read books lining the bookshelf, no sign that the desk had been used…and no family photos anywhere within the room. It was empty of anything even resembling an identity…just like her.
And so, with no other options, Yamato laid down for a nap in an attempt to bury the sorrow that was threatening to overwhelm her. And it was this nap that was interrupted when one of her sailors knocked on her door to inform her that they had received a radio message from the radar technician that was currently deployed who radioed back that the Princesses were currently on board the Wavecutter. The ship spirit immediately ordering the ship to get underway for a diplomatic mission, the mare closing her eyes only to open them again and find herself resting in the tub.
She rose from the water, shocking the nurse who had been present, wandered the ship until she found the room with guards outside it, and informed those within as to her presence. The ponies inside had quickly agreed to her singular demand and, after retrieving the radar technician from Bubblegum and assuring both her, her parents, and Wavecutter who had been standing nearby, that her wounds were in no way anyponies fault and that she bore them no ill will- the young filly nearly bending a few bulkheads with the strength of her hug so relived was the filly- she had been taken to the base's mess hall to fill her hold with as much supplies as she could.
Which brought her to the present, finishing off her twenty-sixth bowl of salad, about to engage in what would likely be the most important conversation of her life, with two beings who could likely atomize her if she inadvertently insulted them. At the very least, the sisters had been more than patient with her. After all they were allowing her to eat her fill while also allowing her to determine just how she was going to go about explaining things to the gathered ponies. She hadn’t wanted to talk with others about what she was and had been if she could help it. After all, she had a hard enough time coming to terms with her new existence herself, and she had the benefit of reading fiction that dealt with the subject back during her time as a human. But to convince others of such a ridiculous tale? It was going to be difficult, that was all but certain. But with the presence of Abyssals confirmed and a war on the horizon, she no longer had the luxury of not telling them at least part of the truth. And if she played her cards right, this could be her best chance at getting back to her old life!
And so, after emptying her twenty-eighth bowl and finally feeling her hunger abate, the time of that conversation was finally upon her. Yamato sighed once again in contentment before smiling and bowing her head to the six ponies who were sitting across from her. “I apologize for my unintentional disrespect. But one of the unfortunate side effects of using my magic is that it makes me quite hungry to the point of causing me pain. So, I thank you for the kindness of offering me a meal. Pray forgive me for my late introduction; but I am Yamato, first of my namesake, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Celestia, and others. And while I am unaware of how the greetings should work when we have met within my mind only days ago, but it is still nice to see you again Princess Luna, or if it is more appropriate, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in pony.” Yamato greeted.
“’Tis fine to speak to me as if we have met before, Lady Yamato, as it was truly me who visited you in your dreams. And you need not thank us for offering you a meal. Equestria owes you far more than the lettuce you have consumed here.” Luna greeted, her sister nodding in agreement.
“It is as my sister says, you protected our little ponies, you need not feel indebted to us due to a…admittedly impressive meal. And it is a pleasure to meet you as well Lady Yamato.” Celestia greeted as she turned to the other ponies that were sitting next to the Diarchs. “May I introduce some of the highest-ranking ponies within the Equestrian military; General Stoutbeard, Captain Shining Armor, Admiral Undertow, and Captain Spitfire.” The pure white pony introduced each other pony in turn, Yamato greeting them each, before finally arriving at the final pony at the table, said pony flinching and turning away from Yamato’s gaze. “…In addition, we have requested Captain Whitecap to join us for the coming discussion as well, so long as you are willing to allow her to sit in of course.”
“Of course, her presence is perfectly acceptable considering the topic we are about to discuss.” Yamato agreed after a moment, the shipmare making a mental note in regards to the oddity of them checking if she was ok with Whitecap sitting in on the meeting and the fact that the Captain still refused to meet her gaze. Did something happen while she was unconscious? She would have to see if her marines had any intel on the situation.
“Now then, since you have been kind enough to grant me a meal, I shall uphold my end of the bargain…however, in order to properly explain the nature and threat of the Abyssals, I will first need to speak of a…legend, shall we say, regarding them that was recorded in my homeland. And in speaking of this legend, I must also elaborate on my true nature. So, while I do apologize, I it will be some time before I can truly explain the nature of your possible enemy.”
Well…here goes nothing. Yamato thought grimly as she took a deep breath in preparation. “While I do not think this fact has gone unnoticed by Captain Whitecap and the crew of the Wavecutter I shall state for those of you who I have just met that I am not a typical pony.” Yamato explained, both Celestia and Luna nodding in agreement.
“Tis is quite clear that thou are not. Your size alone marks you as one who has transcended your original form. Though we have no understanding as to what kind of ascendant pony you are. Would you be so kind as to inform us as to what your ponies refer to your kind as?” Luna questioned as she leaned forward, along with nearly every pony across from Yamato with the exception of Celestia. Although the white-furred monarch still looked quite curious.
A curiosity that Yamato was more than happy to satisfy, although she doubted that anypony across from her had any idea what she was about to say. “I will, but I am afraid I must inform you that, up till a day before I became acquainted with Whitecap and her crew what I was was not related to ponies at all. I…I was a ship.” The shipmare announced, decided to elaborate when she noticed the uncomprehending stares on everypony’s muzzle. “I was constructed about eighty-seven years ago in absolute secrecy, fought in a war my creators designed me for, and was sunk defending myself from an overwhelming force about five years after my birth and was resting upon the ocean floor until now.”
“…I apologize if this offends you Lady Yamato, but was that an attempt at humor?” Celestia asked with a tentative smile on her face, as she was the first pony present to recover from her shock, but quickly returned to a state of incomprehension when Yamato shook her head.
“No, I am not joking. A am a living embodiment of a warship who is also a pony. An existence referred to in my homeland as a shipmare, if you will.” Yamato continued to explain, the shipmare having to struggle to keep in her laughter at the utterly befuddled expressions on everyponys faces. “Perhaps my existence would make more sense if I continue with my explanation on the Abyssals? And how my kind are related to them?” She offered, Celestia and the others nodding after a moment. “There is a barely known legend in my homeland, one that even I was just happened to stumbled upon before I arrived here, a legend that foretold the coming of an enemy of all life. This story spoke of abominations from the deep that would rise up and, in a matter of days, claim the world’s seas for themselves…and that all who would stand against them would meet a grizzly death at the end of their naval rifles. It then speaks of the desperation felt by those who will survive the initial onslaught, of their reverent prayers offered up for salvation…and how those prayers would be answered by ships of old, given new form and purpose, who would stand against the darkness of the depths; the Shipmares.” Yamato finished solemnly, a tense silence settling over the cafeteria as she stopped speaking.
“…Thy tale begs belief…but…” Luna stated before trailing off and staring intently at Yamato, the shipmare returning the stare with one of her own. “But it is clear from the conviction in your gaze that you are not attempting to “pull our legs” as the foals say nowadays. Nor is it difficult to see that you are indeed a different kind of pony than our subjects.” Luna explained before smiling slightly and inclining her head. “I, for one, believe you.”
Celestia sighed heavily at that before speaking. “Well then, I suppose that if my sister feels that strongly about this, then I have no choice but to agree with her assessment, regardless of my own reservations.” The solar Diarch relented, Luna snorting in response.
“Oh, please sister. You reached the same conclusion as I in regards to her tale.” Luna countered, the two sisters sharing a look for a moment before both smiling and returning their gazes to Yamato.
“It is as Luna says. While it is difficult to think that a living ship is sitting across from us at this moment, I see no reason not to trust you after all you have done. If you say you are part ship, then I am inclined to trust you.”
Yamato smiled at that as she lowered her head, the Shipmare momentarily overwhelmed by their acceptance. “Thank you. I had agonized for quite a while about how to explain my existence to others. your understanding of what I am is greatly appreciated.”
“Understanding might be stretching it a bit…” Shining Armor muttered as he ran a hoof through his mane. “So, you’re saying you were some kind of boat-.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but please do not refer to me as a simple “boat”. Such terminology is immensely insulting to one such as I.” Yamato interrupted, her eyes narrowing slightly at the indignity she and her crew were feeling. Her anger apparently noticeable enough for the pony in question to gulp audibly before continuing.
“Ah, I apologize ma’am. So, you were some kind of ship before? And you said you were sunk? Does that mean that you were…”
“Dead yes, at least for a certain definition of the word.” Yamato confirmed before staring off into the distance, her eyes glassing over for a moment as she recalled some of the more unpleasant memories of her ship self. “I have vague recollections of my time beneath the waves…of an oppressive darkness that smothered my surroundings, of the pressure crushing me in from all sides…of a coldness that chilled me to my core. It was...unpleasant, to say the least. Though considering I was trapped beneath the waves for nearly eighty years, it is quite fortunate that I was not conscious most of the time.” Yamato admitted, a self-deprecating smile stretching across her lips as she attempted to lessen the morbidness of her tale.
Only to flinch a second later at the looks of horror and pity the ponies across from her were making in regards to the hell she had been trapped in. The shipmare deciding to nip their current trains of thought in the bud before things got out of hoof. “Though I must make mention that, even before my death, I was not what most would consider alive. I was aware of the waves breaking across my bow, but I felt no joy at the feeling of sailing across the waters. I knew of my sisters of war steaming alongside me into battle, but I felt no love or reassurance at their presence. I was alive…but I did not live.” Yamato admitted, a far more natural smile now on her muzzle as she thought back to the many conversations she had with her fellow ship, the Shipmare failing to notice that the looks of pity hadn’t really improved after she had elaborated. “In that regard, the Wavecutter has lived a far more fulfilling life than I ever did when I was trapped within my hull.”
“Whoa-wait just a second please!” Whitecap interrupted, the mare flinching slightly when all eyes gathered on her but continued on nonetheless. “Lady Yamato, are you saying that the Wavecutter is…conscious? A-alive?”
“Indeed she is. And is quite the admirable ship if I do say so myself, one who was willing to stand up to me in defense of her crew despite understanding how quickly I could have destroyed her if she angered me. She cares deeply for you and your crew, Capitan Whitecap, you should be proud of her.” Yamato answered, the mare blinking in shock as she leaned back in her chair listlessly.
“…While that all sound pretty interesting. We’re getting a little off track.” Admiral Undertow eventually replied, the stern looking pony staring her up and down clearly attempting to get a read on Yamato. “So, you were a military vessel before becoming a pony? Based off your size, would it be safe to say you were a galleon before? or perhaps a Carrack?” The mare questioned, only to blink in surprise as Yamato began to giggle.
“Ah, ha, hah…I apologize for my rudeness just now. But no, I was not a galleon or any other type of warship you are likely familiar with.” Yamato eventually replied after a moment. “If it is not considered a state secret, would you mind telling me just how large your galleons are and how many ponies crew them on average?” The shipmare asked, the Admiral staring at her in confusion before answering.
“The flagship of the Equestrian navy, Harmonious Thunder, comes in at just shy of nine hundred tons with most of our other galleons weighing about five hundred. And they are crewed by about three hundred ponies on average.” She stated, not without letting a small amount of pride leak into her voice, a pride Yamato honestly felt bad about considering she was about to utterly shatter it.
“I see…then for comparison, when I was just a ship, I weighed just over sixty-five thousand tons and had a crew of three thousand, three hundred, and thirty-two souls. And I was created as a vessel of war known as a battleship.” Yamato explained, the shipmare once again laughing lightly at the flabbergasted looks on everyponies faces. “I do hide my weight well, don’t you think?”
“…How could any nation construct ships of such size? Let alone keep them from sinking?” Princess Celestia couldn’t help but ask.
“Forget that! I wanna know just how the buck her chair hasn’t broken yet!” Capitan Spitfire half shouted as she glanced down suspiciously at the wooden furniture Yamato was currently resting on.
“Because until I summon my shipborne armaments, or my rigging as it is generally referred to, I am just a regular pony.” Yamato answered-the yellow pony grumbling “regular pony my flank” in response-before returning her attention to Celestia. “And the nation I hail from originally was quite a bit more advanced in regards to our military technology than what I have seen of Equestria so far. Nor was I something considered easy to construct.” Yamato admitted, her gaze once again growing distant. “I was one of the greatest vessels my nation had ever constructed, built to carry the hopes of my builders-I was even granted the ancient name of my homeland in hopes I would inherit the strength and grace of the islands of the home islands themselves- and in the end, I was sunk just like every one of my sisters-in-arms.” Yamato’s gaze refocused then as she met the gaze of each pony in turn with a deadly serious expression. “And it is because I, and those constructed in the same manner as I, are so strong that you need to fear the Abyssals.”
“Because these Abyssals are the same as you?” Luna postulated, continuing as Yamato stared at her in surprise. “Tis not hard to see the connection between your kind and these monsters. Between your legend stating that Shipmares appeared in response to these Abyssals and the powers they apparently possess being similar to your own, it is only logical to assume their powers are similar to your own.”
“…That is correct, though I will state that the legend never spoke of where exactly the Abyssals come from, or if Shipmares originate from the same source. But yes, Abyssals are, in essence, twisted reflections of a Shipmare. They are ships given life through their hatred and desire for war and seek to exterminate all life in order to satiate their thirst..” It was then that one of Yamato’s fairies manifested, the tiny pony saluting the Diarchs before placing a series of photos before Yamato, and vanishing back into her hull. “They care not for if their prey are civilians or not, or what race they hail from, according to the legends, they will kill anything and everything that they can.” The shipmare continued as she pushed the photos forward only for the three pictures to be enveloped in a golden glow before getting lifted off the table so that Celestia could take in the details of their foes. The Solar pony's face going from horror to disgust before finally landing on muted anger as she studied the images of the Abyssals before passing the images off to her sister. Princess Luna’s face also running the same gambit of emotions as her elder sister, though she favored a look of pure fury as opposed to simple anger.
“Such abominations…that they would appear in such twisted mockeries of our little ponies clearly displays their contempt for the living. They truly live up to their name.” Luna practically spat out as she levitated the photos down the line, Yamato nodding grimly in agreement.
“Indeed, and for the record the disgust and anger you feel at the sight of such creatures is nothing compared to my own.” Yamato said, her eyes narrowing and her crew tensing as she recalled the twisted abominations she had fought against. “I had fought against some of those ships in my days as a vessel of war, and while they may have been enemies, the bravery they displayed in defense of their own against overwhelming odds was worthy of the highest of honors. While others had suffered more than any being should be forced to endure and had more than earned their rest. To see them twisted into such forms…it is a crime of such magnitude that I lack the words to properly describe it.”
There was a pause then, Yamato going silent as she fought to control her rising anger, while the ponies continued to study the face of their attackers. But it was broken when Spitfire cleared her throat. “Ya, I get being pissed about that. But there’s something really important that no ponies talked about yet. How the heck these Abyssals managed to knock an entire flight of Pegasi out of the air.”
“Ah yes, that.” Yamato replied, honestly a little surprised that it had taken this long for them to get to this line of questioning. “The answer to that question is found, at least in part, in the Legend I mentioned previously. As I stated earlier, the Abyssals were prophesied to sweep across the seas despite the strength of the navies of the world. And while it was never outright stated in the legend itself, those who knew of the tales existence theorized it was due to the Abyssals being able to…shall we say, “neutralize” the advantages of their foes. The same writings that spoke of said ability also proclaiming that Shipmares were immune to this power.” Yamato explained, a grim frown making its way onto both her and every other pony’s muzzle at her words. “The moment I detected the Abyssals on approach, I had to consider that it was possible that they would be able to negate any magic or weaponry that the Wavecutter or her crew would bring to bear, not to mention the possibility that they would have armaments at or approaching my own which would devastate wooden ships. Which was why I decided to sail out to meet them in battle on my own."
Yamato couldn’t help but flinch slightly at the thought of her battle, her deeper wounds throbbing momentarily as she recalled the pain. “The outcome of which I believe you said you were informed of by Capitan Whitecap. Is that not so Capitan?...Capitan?”
The Shipmare couldn’t help feel slightly concerned after she finished and turned to one of the ponies she had gotten to know over the last few days, only to see Whitecap staring down at the table with a sorrowful but resolute look on her face. But before Yamato could question what was wrong, the mare’s head shot up, her gaze once again on the startled Shipmare.
“Lady Yamato! I want to formally apologize to you for my failure to follow your orders and the wounds that you suffered because of my stupidity.”
Ah, so that’s why she’s so upset. Yamato couldn’t help but think dumbly as Whitecap’s gaze returned to the table, the other ponies remaining silent as the Capitan continued.
“I understand that my failures may be beyond forgiveness…but I will still ask for it regardless. And while it may be bold of me beyond belief, I ask that if you seek recompense for my failure, you limit your punishment to me and me alone and not direct your grudge against Equestria. The fault is mine, and I will bear the responsibility for our injuries myself if you allow me…This, I beg of you.”
Once again, the cafeteria was utterly silent as Yamato regarded the now miserable looking mare while considering just what to say. Her spotters reported that both Princesses were now watching Yamato, Luna with a somewhat pessimistic but accepting expression, and Princess Celestia…well, it was somewhat difficult for her spotters to get a read on her. Just like her sister, the white furred pony was frowning slightly, likely being unhappy at the situation, but at the same time there was an almost challenging-or perhaps expectant? - look in her eyes. A look that asked a particularly important question. And it was pretty likely that her answer would determine just how the rest of the conversation would play out.
“Well? Just how are you going to handle this?”
“…You are correct Capitan Whitecap; you do bear responsibility for some of the gravest injuries I suffered during the battle.” Yamato began, the Shipmare feeling pretty awful at how Whitecap visibly flinched at her words, her ears falling limp making her look like a kicked puppy. But Yamato could not, would not, relent. “Because of your orders, you put both my life, the lives of your crew, and the lives of civilians in jeopardy. And a failure of such magnitude must be punished.”
Yamato’s spotters immediately reported the looks of disappointment on both Celestia’s and Luna’s faces, not to mention the looks of muted anger on every other pony’s muzzles. Looks that spoke volumes of how much Yamato had failed to meet their expectations. But they said nothing, the gathered ponies clearly resigned to whatever horrible fate Yamato had cooked up.
At least they were sending her those looks up until she said her next words. “But if I am to hold you responsible for your mistakes…then I must also hold myself to account.” She stated, everypony present with the exception of Princess Celestia staring at her in surprise, though she did receive some unconfirmed reports of a ghost of a smile briefly appearing on the Diarch's lips. “In my haste to prevent the Abyssals from firing on the Wavecutter, I failed to properly inform you of just how outclassed your vessel was nor of the danger your ship was in. Not to mention my oversight in not telling you of what I feared the Abyssals could do to non-Shipmare magic…and it is due to my failure to communicate properly that your orders came to be.”
“That’s not true! It wasn’t your fault that I was so foalish, Lady Yamato!” Whitecap immediately shot back, the Capitan looking confused and horrified at Yamato’s admission of guilt, but the Shipmare simply shook her head in denial.
“Not in full no, but it would be unjust of me to hold you fully responsible for giving orders when you were not fully aware of the situation and not myself for my part. And since we are both at fault for the situation, I propose that we simply move past this issue in order to properly prepare for the future.”
“That’s...That’s not…” Whitecap stuttered, a stubborn look on her muzzle. Apparently, the mare was unsatisfied with Yamato’s attempt to sweep the situation under the rug, and was pretty likely to continue to argue for her punishment despite Yamato’s best intentions.
So, after quickly considering her options, Yamato continued to speak. “You are dissatisfied with this?” The Shipmare questioned, receiving a nod in response. “Very well, then as recompense for your failure, I request that the Equestrian government punish you by having you continue to serve the Navy until the threat of the Abyssals has been neutralized. At which time I give the Equestrian Navy permission to punish you as they see fit.” The Shipmare declared, maintain her solemn expression for only a few more seconds before smiling kindly at the star struck Capitan. “You are a good pony, Capitan Whitecap, and an even better Capitan. You offered me passage on your ship, even with me being a complete unknown. You respected my privacy during our time out as sea, you did not hesitate for even a second to order the Wavecutter to the aid of the victimized ponies nor did you allow your pride to keep you from accepting my offer of aid when I offered it. But most of all…you risked the lives of your crew in a fight that, by all rights, did not concern you.”
“Such noble actions reflect not only the impressiveness of your own character, but the Equestrian Navy as a whole. Indeed, your kindness and understanding have played no small part in my decision to speak so candidly with your superiors.” Yamato admitted as she nodded in the direction of the two Princesses. The Shipmare noting the looks of satisfaction on both their muzzles. “And more than anything, it would be wrong of me to deprive the Equestrian Navy of such an officer when they might need her most.”
Yamato returned her attention to Whitecap, the Shipmare giving the Capitan the courtesy of not commenting on the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. “Hold your head high, Capitan Whitecap of the Equestrian Navy, as even with your failure, slight as it was, you are a credit to your nation that anypony would be proud of.”
“…You honor me, Lady Yamato.” Was all Whitecap said in reply. But it was more than enough.
The silence that had settled over their group was a far lighter one now that Whitecap and Yamato had cleared the air. Yamato feeling quite proud at how easily she diffused that particular sea mine. But of course, the world saw fit to place yet another mine directly on her current heading, when General Stoutbeard, who had up till then been utterly silent, cleared his throat.
“I have a question for you, Lady Yamato, or rather something that must be clarified.” The General asked, only continuing after receiving a nod from Yamato. “You spoke of how you read of the legend of the Abyssals before you arrived here correct?”
“Yes, though the legend was recorded in a few sources, I had read enough to understand the threat.” Yamato answered, the Shipmare feeling her turbines pause for a moment due to the sinking feeling she was getting.
“Then how could read these legends if you were nothing more than a ship before? As by your own admission, you were only barely conscious while you were a ship and therefore unable to interact with the world around you?” The General asked, his eyes narrowing in some form of silent accusation.
Yamato couldn’t help but suck in a startled breath at the General’s question. A question that she had been preparing for ever since she began her explanation, but one that still took her by surprise. It was finally time, time for Yamato to make her demand…at least she would after clarifying one final thing.
“…You make a fair point, General Stoutbeard.” Yamato admitted with a sad smile. “And while I did not mean to omit any aspect of my tale, your question goes to the heart of a matter that even I have trouble wrapping my head around. Not to mention a request I would like to make of Equestria. Which was why I hesitated to bring it up until now.”
Yamato looked up at the celling in an attempt to get her emotions under control and to sort out just how she was going to explain. “You see, while I have memories of my time as a ship…those are not the only memories within my head. I remember parents, both their sternness and their kindness as they molded me into the mare you see before you. I recall siblings that I fought against, and for, over the course of my youth. I remember going to school, having crushes, and nearly failing classes during my younger days before finally getting my act together and finding a career I wished to pursue. I have memories of nearly twenty years of life…with the exception of perhaps one of the most important pieces of information any being could have; a name.”
Yamato returned her gaze to the once again shocked ponies before her, the Shipmare not bothering to hide the pain she felt at her situation. “A part of me lived an average, everyday life. before I was taken from said life, stripped of a fundamental part of my identity, fused with the battleship Yamato, and dropped into the middle of an unknown ocean for reasons I cannot even begin to guess at.” The Shipmare continued, her sorrow giving way to frustration as she recalled the fear she had felt when she realized her situation. “I do not know how I arrived here, my only clue being a rainbow of light I glimpsed above the sea when I first awoken. I do not know what I was meant to do, or why I was chosen, But the one thing I do know is that I…I want to go home. I want to see my family, my friends, to show them that I am still here and they did not loose me. I want my life back. But I don’t even have the slightest clue as to how I would achieve such a feat. As such magics did not exist in my homeland and I haven't the faintest idea of how one would go about traveling between worlds without the aid of the mystic arts..”
“Which is why I must ask for your aid in the discovery and the casting of such magic.” Yamato stated, gritting her teeth in anger, anger mostly directly at herself. “I know that I am essentially extorting your nation in order to achieve my own ends, as I am the only chance you have at the moment to fight off the Abyssals, and that by doing so I betray the principles of the life I lead before…but I have no choice but to do so.” And with that Yamato lowered her head so low that she very nearly bumped her snout on the table. “I will fight whatever battles I must, suffer every wound without a single complaint. And in exchange I beg of you, please, please help me find a way back to my home.”
No creature had ever explored the full depths of the seas of Equis, not even the seaponies, and therefore no creature knew of the horrors that lurked within. Fish that looked like something out of the fever dreams of Nightmare Moon that had evolved to hunt without even being able to see their prey. Massive leviathans with teeth larger than most buildings and in numbers comparable to the stars in the sky that slithered through the depths searching for their next meal. And things that defied all descriptions, things that had existed since the birth of the planet and would exist far after all life on the surface had ceased to be.
And yet, there was one spot on the barren bottom that no life ventured. A place that, if one had the ability to see in through the oppressive darkness, they would see a writhing mass of something that defied all definition. The closest approximation would be a large mound of pulsing flesh, but it was pitch black and covered in glowing red lines like veins running through a living creature. It was an oddity like no other, and the naturally curious creatures of Equis would likely investigate it if they knew it was there, assuming they could survive the pressures.
Which meant that they would be instantly killed by the superheated water coming off the mass as it pulsed in quick succession. The red veins running across its surface glowing less like the embers they normally appeared as and instead like a raging forest fire.
It was furious. Furious beyond belief. Ever since it had exploited the chaotic energies that had surged within this reality only months ago it had been nothing but setback after setback. Not only were the natural energies of this world actively fighting against it at every turn, which kept it from expanding its influence, the accursed magic of the realm had actively stolen its Flagship from it! Not to mention that the fleet it had sent forth to retrieve said flagship had been sunk.
But just as quickly as its fury had grown, it vanished back into the depths. Its pulsing mass calming and the glow subsiding. It knew that, despite these setbacks, it would not be denied for long. Even with one abomination to defend them, they would not survive for long…and considering that it fully intended to deny them their guardian as soon as possible, they would fall all the sooner.
And it knew just how to sink its errant flagship. Which was why the pulsing flesh began to form into eight distinct ship-like shapes. Shapes that were slowly beginning to form into vessels with long flat decks.