24 Guilt

Most of the reconnaissance division already leave the area after their Ship Girl arrived safely at their command ship, except Viltus Amarov's ship. He is looking at the monitor and waiting for someone to come back from the frontline. Shigure enters the command room and brings him a glass of coffee. Viltus looks at Shigure, forcefully smiles at her, and receives it. After that, Shigure says,

"Admiral, you should take some rest now..."

"I know... But, I can't do that," answer Viltus

Shigure looks at the monitor and sees the message that the mission is failed and every surviving Ship Girl already arrived at their respective command ship. She then looks at Viltus and from there she knows that not all of them already arrived. The sign at Kimura's command ship still red to show that his ship isn't filled with any Ship Girls. Shigure then asks Viltus,

"Admiral, are you sure to tell that to him back then?"

"I don't know... It's just... I'm on the losing side..." answer Viltus

"But, I believe you could hold him. Why did you give so soon?"

"Like I say... He will find a way, even if that means he will fight Admiral Ichijo."

"So... Rather than you make him fight his Superior, you tell him Aoba's location..."

"Yes..."

Shigure could see a focused face from Viltus and looks really restless. She then walks near him and holds his arms. After that, she says,

"Please don't take the burden for yourself."

"..."

"Admiral?"

"I don't think I could do that... Because I already have a much bigger sin before everything start... So, I doubt I could do that." answer Viltus

"Why did you always do this alone?"

"..."

"Just remember one thing Admiral, we are here. We are here to help you."

Viltus didn't answer her and looks away. Shigure really disappointed with Viltus' actions, but she knows that his mind is really jumbled right now. She then looks at the door and sees Yuudachi that also looks really worried.

Suddenly, the system gives them a report,

"System to the Admiral. Three Ship Girls are asking for permission to board this ship."

"Could you identify the three Ship Girls?" ask Viltus

"Heavy Cruiser Aoba, Destroyer Uzuki, and Destroyer Yayoi."

Viltus suddenly quiet and not long after that he says,

"Let them in. After all of them docked at the lower compartment, prepare the first aid to them. Together with that start to move back to Yokosuka."

"Affirmative."

"Shigure... Yuudachi... Could both of you greet them?" ask Viltus

"Yes... We will..." says Shigure

After Shigure and Yuudachi leave the command room, Viltus holds his face and breaths heavily. From the report, he is really glad that the three of them are alright, but at the same time, he feels devastated as Kimura isn't made it. He then says,

"Kimura... I.. I..."

Viltus then punches the wall and tries to calm him down for a while. He then starts to walk towards the door, where he sees Aoba that full of anger inside her. She limped towards him and after near him, she pushes him down and shouts,

"What are you going to say, Killer? What are you going to say to me after you send Kimura to his death?"

"Aoba... I..." says Viltus

"Are you only playing around us? Are you only acting around us?"

"No... I..."

"Why did you do that? Why did you tell Kimura my location if you know what he will do? Answer me, Killer!"

Viltus breaths heavily again after seeing Aoba's angry face. He can't think clearly and only could hear all of it. Aoba then continues,

"Aoba understand..."

"..."

"You only acting to tease both of us... You only acting to help both of us..."

"Aoba..."

"The real you... Is a killer who doesn't like both of us..."

"No... I'm not..."

"The real you. Is the killer who will punish both of us..."

"I will never do that!"

Aoba looks at Viltus with disgust and that really surprised him. Aoba then continues,

"You will never do that? Then what you have done now?"

"I..."

"You kill him..."

"I... Don't..."

"You are the same with your Father!"

"I'm not like him!"

Aoba then lifts his only arms and hits Viltus' chest. But, Viltus didn't feel any pain from that punch. Aoba hits him so many time and says,

"Liar... Liar... Liar... Liar..."

"..."

"Liar... Liar... Liar... Liar..."

Every time Aoba says that she hits Viltus on his chest. And for every hit, it hurt Viltus' soul. Viltus then looks at Aoba and feels the tears that flow from her cheek. He can't say anything and hears,

"Why... Why... Why must Kimura? Why must Kimura? Why don't you the one who dies there?!" shouts Aoba

"Aha... Ahahahaha... Ahahahahaha..."

"Why... Why... Why... Why?!"

Viltus only could laugh at himself. A painful laugh. Aoba continues to hits Viltus' chest until Shigure and Yuudachi arrived there and hold her. After that, Shigure and Yuudachi escort her to an empty room. Before Shigure leaves, she could see Viltus painful and miserable face. She also hears his painful laugh. She then walks beside Yuudachi and says,

"Could you escort her to one empty room?"

"Yes, I could," answer Yuudachi

"I will help him..."

"Please... I don't want to see him suffered like that..."

Shigure nods and starts to walk. Suddenly someone dash towards the command room and that surprised her. She also hears,

"So, the one who kills father is in this room! I will not forgive him! I will not forgive him!" shouts Uzuki

"Uzuki! Stops!"

Shigure could stop her and then looks at the commands room. She could see Viltus closes his face with his two hands and says,

"Ahahahahaha... I'm a big liar... A very big liar..."

"Admiral..."

"A miserable person that shouldn't live in this world..."

Uzuki frees herself from Shigure and starts to dash to Viltus. And then she could hear,

"Why... Why... Why... Why must this always happen? Why must this happen when I could have a friend again? Why I couldn't get any happiness at all?"

Uzuki stops in front of him and really surprised. Viltus who doesn't know Uzuki there continues,

"I only want to help my friend... I only hope for his happiness... Why I never achieve my hope? Why the fate always deny that? What the point of my name then?"

"..."

"Am I cursed? Am I rejected? What the point of me to stay here?"

"..."

"How many must I lose in order for me to get happiness? Is mother isn't enough? Is Keiko isn't enough? Is Kaede isn't enough? How many that must I lost?"

Uzuki and Shigure could hear Viltus that start to cry and hears his shouts,

"Just kill me... Just kill me... Just kill me... I'm worthless... I just bring sorrow to this world..."

"No... You are not..." says Shigure

Shigure then lying beside Viltus and tries to calm him, while Uzuki looks at them and feels guilty after seeing Viltus state. She then leaves both of them and sees Yayoi that also feels guilty with him. Both of them could hear Viltus' cry echoing through the ship's corridor. Not only that, but they also could hear Aoba's cry there.

The ship moves slowly through the storm and the weather reflect the condition of the heart inside the one who boards it.