"Alright, so any suggestions to what I can do to win Enterprise's heart?"
Currently gathered together in one of the classrooms on the Naval Base were the 3 girls Lexington, Ooi, and Yamashiro. To most people, it was completely not surprising that these girls had become friends with each other.
Lexington had met the siscons right after one of her debacles with trying to show Enterprise her affection. They noticed her efforts and had approached her. They each got off to a good start with each other when they each realized that they had in common the same sort of...tendencies of affection towards a certain person.
And now the Carrier, Cruiser, and Battleship were gathered here together to come help Lexington. The Japanese wanted to help their new American friend out with her efforts.
"Have you tried cuddling up to her more?" Yamashiro said.
"Or hanging on to her at all times?" Ooi suggested.
"I usually try that, but it doesn't work most of the time. Big E just takes me off of her and tells me to stop clinging onto her." Lexington said. "Ah, but at least she says it in a nice way and I get to be held by her." Lexington said with a dreamy expression.
She shook her head out of that state and turned back towards her friends. "But what else is there I can do besides that?"
"Hmmm." Yamashiro mused as she put a hand on her chin. "I think we have to think outside of the box a little bit."
"What do you mean?" Lexington asked.
"I think instead of focusing on Enterprise, we have to focus on other factors."
"Other factors?"
"Yes, specifically, other girls." Yamashiro said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but you've got competition."
"Yes. I've seen that Enterprise-san has many girls close to her." Ooi said.
"Yeah, I've noticed." Lexington expression dropped a little. "She's always been very popular."
Lexington knew Enterprise was beloved by so many over at the USN. She wasn't really surprised at that because Enterprise was their most famed ship. But tt wasn't only her reputation that attracted many to her, but her personality as well. Enterprise had many friends due to how warm, friendly, and inviting she was.
So now while they were over at the Japanese base, Lexington knew she had a chance while there was less competition around since only a handful of Americans were here.
"So maybe the first step to Enterprise's heart is eliminating the competition first." Yamashiro stated.
"Oh! That's a good idea." Ooi perked up at Yamashiro's suggestion.
"Eliminate the competition huh?" Lexington asked tilting her head.
"If you were to eliminate them from the running, surely you can have a higher chance." Yamashiro said.
The idea Yamashiro had suggested kind of wasn't anything new to her. But she felt like she didn't really know how to go about it. Lexington hated having the competition but she was never much of a vindictive type. Or anything like that one word that the Japanese used to describe these kind of girls. Yandere, was it?
"I don't know about eliminating them. But I do want to get them out of the way so I could spend more time with Enterprise alone."
"So you just want the other others to stay away from Enterprise-san right?" Ooi said.
"Yes. If they can stop hanging around with her, it would give me more chance." Lexington said.
"I've got a suggestion then. If you want them to stop being with Enterprise, maybe you could find them someone else to focus on." Yamashiro said.
"Someone else to focus on?" Lexington raised an eyebrow.
"Mmhmm. If they find someone else to hang around with, this leaves just only you to have Enterprise all to yourself." Yamashiro explained
"That...actually doesn't seem like a bad idea." Lexington said.
"Right?" Yamashiro said.
"So basically I just have to find other people for them to make friends with?" Lexington said.
"Exactly."
"HEYYYYYY!" A voice thundered and echoed throughout the room.
The 3 girls turned their heads only to find that a figure had steamrolled through the door with great force into the room they were in.
"Kongou-san?" Yamashiro said.
"That's me!" Kongou said.
"What are you doing here?" Ooi asked.
"I couldn't help but overhear what you guys were talking about." Kongou smiled. "So I thought I'd help you guys out with it."
"With what?" Lexington asked.
"You guys want to start shipping people with others. If there's anyone that can help with shipping, it's me! I'm always willing to help relationships blossom." Kongou said with a bright smile.
"We're just trying to find them other friends Kongou-san, we're not exactly shipping them." Yamashiro said.
"I can't deny having more help though." Lexington reluctantly said.
"Yay! So where do we begin?" Kongou said excitedly.
Target: Zuikaku
"Aright, we'll start with Zuikaku first." Lexington said. "I especially don't want her anywhere near Enterprise."
Lexington had drawn up on the chalkboard were 3 names that Lexington felt were her biggest obstacles for Enterprise.
Zuikaku, Saratoga, and Essex.
Lexington didn't like Zuikaku at all. In the time she's been there, Lexington had seen Zuikaku and Enterprise getting close to each other. It didn't help at all when she found out that they were roommates either. She was also especially wary of them being around each other this because of the fact that Zuikaku and Enterprise had been intense rivals and enemies from the war.
She felt that she could just try to eliminate Zuikaku right off the bat and sink her again like she did before during the war. But apparently that was a no-go anymore now that the Japanese and Americans were allied now. At least, that's what the reason she was told after her first attempt of killing Zuikaku shortly after she met her.
"She should actually be the easiest one to find someone else to be with." Yamashiro said.
"Really? I can't imagine someone like her having anybody." Lexington grunted. "But that's probably because I don't like her."
"Yup, you'd be surprised. The twin-tailed tsundere trope goes a pretty long way. There's a long list of potential candidates for her." Kongou added.
"Hmm."
"Come on follow us, we'll show you."
"Shoukaku-nee, you have to be more careful."
"Sorry Zuikaku-chan, I let my guard down a little bit."
The quartet of Lexington, Ooi, Yamashiro, and Kongou were currently hiding behind some bushes. They had waited and watched the two girls return back from a mission.
Zuikaku had dragged Shoukaku back to the docks by her shoulder. It had looked like Shoukaku sustained a fair bit of damage from the sortie she went out on.
But now Zuikaku was tending to her sister very gently and delicately.
"Just like in the war, it's always you getting hurt most of the time." Zuikaku said. "I don't like seeing you get hurt Shoukaku-nee." She said somberly.
Shoukaku smiled as she saw how worried her sister was for her. "I'm sorry for worrying you Zuikaku-chan in these sort of situations." Shoukaku said as she tenderly looked back at her sister. "I'll try my best in the future for your sake so that you won't have to worry."
"Mou, Shoukaku-nee. You should have already been trying your best in the first place so I didn't have to worry."
"Well I'm glad that my imouto cares about me enough that she worries though."
Back in the bushes, the girls had continued to watch the two girls tenderly talk with each other until Zuikaku had dragged her sister off to the repair docks.
"Ah, I can see them going great together." Yamashiro said. "It reminds me of the relationship I have with Fusou-onee-sama." Yamashiro put her hands on her cheeks
"Same with me and Kitakami-san." Ooi said and following the same actions as Yamashiro. "She's perfect as a target of affection for Zuikaku-san."
"Wait a minute." Lexington lifted her hand up. "Isn't Shoukaku her sister?" Lexington asked.
"Yes, and?" Yamashiro said.
"Isn't that kind of, you know, weird for her to have as a target of affection."
"Is it?" Yamashiro said tilting her head. "Me and Fusou-onee-sama are sisters and I don't find it weird."
"Ah, sisterly love is the best Ooi said."
Lexington mentally facepalmed at the responses she was getting from them. Her face also was probably scrunched up in an unamused expression. She lamented at how weird the Japanese girls were. She turned her head towards to the other girl that had yet said anything.
"What's your input on this Kongou?"
"Well, honestly it wouldn't be too bad of a choice. Sisters are great to have." While Kongou's love for her Teitoku stood above all else, she'd gladly say that her love for her sisters was a close 2nd.
Lexington's unamused face dropped slightly more. "Ohhhh-kay then. Well, while it seems like a good option, let's keep trailing her for other potential candidates."
"Zuikaku-senpaiiii!"
"Katsuragi-chan?- Oooff!"
The girls that were stalking Zuikaku had been watching her leave the repair docks when she dropped off Shoukaku and suddenly saw her get divetackled by someone.
"Hi there Zuikaku-senpai!" Katsuragi happily exclaimed while wrapped around Zuikaku.
"Katsuragi, what are you doing?" Zuikaku said with a deadpan face, looking down at Katsuragi.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...this." Zuikaku said motioning around herself in which Katsuragi still held her.
"I still do not understand Zuikaku-senpai."
"I mean why are you so touchy-feely with me right now and why did you tackle me?!" Zuikaku said exasperatedly. "You're not usually like this."
"Oh. I'm just doing what Enteprise-san told me to do."
"And why exactly did she tell you to do this?" Zuikaku scowled as soon as she heard about Enterprise's involvement.
"Well I was asking her how I could get close to you like Enterprise-san and Essex-san." Katsuragi beamed. "And also I saw how Lexington-san did this to Enterprise-san so I thought I'd try it as well."
"Okay, first off, don't ever take any advice from Enterprise." Zuikaku grumbled. "Secondly, don't try to emulate anything you see from Lexington. That girl is crazy."
"Who is that bitch calling crazy?" Lexington grumbled in the bushes she and the other girls were hiding in.
"So how about Katsuragi-chan? She seems like a good candidate." Yamashiro said.
"I agree. Their relationship as senpai and kouhai is good as well." Kongou said nodding her head with her arms crossed.
"Indeed, isn't that the same type of relationship you and Enterprise-san have?" Ooi said.
"I mean, I guess." Lexington said. "So then you guys want to go with her?"
"Hold up, there's one more candidate that I think would be interesting for Zuikaku-chan." Kongou said.
The girls had followed Zuikaku to the carrier training range. While Zuikaku went into the range, the girls stayed to the sidelines of the range where they could still see them on the range, but also keep out of sight.
The girls leaned in close to see that there were a bunch of carriers at the range.
A plane had been released from one of the carriers there. They watched the plane as it traveled down the range towards the target and...missed.
"Pfft. Nice job there Kaga-san." Zuikaku chuckled as she walked up to the Range.
"Hmmph, it was only one miss." Kaga said.
"Not only just one miss, you've been missing more often recently. What ever happened to the perfect Kaga-san?" Zuikaku said sarcastically.
"I don't need to hear that from someone from 5th Carrier Division." Kaga said. "Even my skills right now are probably better than yours."
"Hoh? But you seem to have been losing your touch recently Kaga-san." Zuikaku said with a smirk. "Your marks recently have gotten exponentially worse."
"I've just been having off days, that's all." Kaga said indignantly.
"Well you've been having these off days ever since a certain someone has arrived." Zuikaku's smirk was now getting smugger. To Zuikaku, if there was one good thing about Enterprise being here, it was how she completely discombobulated Kaga.
"I could say the same about you." Kaga retorted. "You've been doing worse during training with her around."
"That's only because she's directly teasing me all the time!"
"How expected that someone like you can't learn to focus and filter out disturbances."
Kaga and Zuikaku stared each other down. Lightning seemed to gather up between their eyes.
The girls watching from the sidelines had also seen their conversation.
"What do you think? It's kind of a perfect pairing when two tsunderes clash with each other." Kongou said turning to her friends.
"Zuikaku-san and Kaga-san's relationship of antagonism is really well known." Ooi said.
"I could see it working out." Yamashiro said.
"That's all of the major candidates I can think of for Zuikaku. So which one would you want to choose for her Lexington-san?" Kongou said turning to Lexington.
"You know what, I don't really care much for whoever Zuikaku gets, although it would seem like Kaga would cause her the most grief." Lexington said amused. "Pick whoever you want for her. As long as it gets her out of the way."
"Great! Just leave it to me!" Kongou exclaimed happily.
Target: Saratoga
The 3 girls of Lexington, Ooi, and Yamashiro returned back to the classroom where their plans were laid out. Kongou was gone as she had been the one to volunteer to go off and play matchmaking with Zuikaku to make sure she stayed away from Enterprise.
Now up on the blackboard was an X on Zuikaku's name. Now the next target was Saratoga.
"Isn't Saratoga-san Enterprise-san's best friend?" Ooi brought up.
"Seems like she'd be a bigger obstacle." Yamashiro said.
"You would be right." Lexington said. "But there's one advantage I have. Saratoga's been desperate to make friends with other Japanese girls."
"Oo, so you want to find her someone that she can befriend."
"Exactly. That will keep her away from Enterprise for a little bit."
While Lexington did want to get Saratoga away, she truly was starting to feel sorry for her and wanted to help her.
Just like before, the girls had tracked down their target and started to follow behind Saratoga.
They had wanted to see what she was up to when they found her going to the main office building of the Naval Base.
Still tailing behind her around corners, they stopped when they found she was stopped.
"Come on! Can't you let me visit her?" Saratoga, asked in a pleading .
"I'm sorry but the answer is still no like last time." Mutsu said sternly.
"What? Why? Isn't she better now?"
"That's precisely the reason why the answer is no." Mutsu said indignantly.
"I do not understand."
"She's just recovered and gotten back to her secretarial duties. If she sees you again, she might revert back to that state again."
"But I didn't even do anything! All I did was mention Operation Crossroads!"
"SSSHHH!" Mutsu said putting her finger in front of her nose trying to shush her.
"Mutsu, who's at the door?" A voice came muffled from behind Mutsu.
"Ah it's nobody!" Mutsu said turning around to address the voice. She turned back around to Saratoga. "Now I'm going to have to ask you to kindly to leave." Mutsu said before going back behind the door and shutting it.
"Aww."
This time the girls followed Saratoga towards the Carrier dorms.
"What do you want?" Ryuujou said crossing her arms.
"Oh, I just wanted to know if you wanted to...you know, hang out?" Saratoga said poking her fingers together.
"Now why would I want to do that?" Ryuujou
"Well, uh, I've noticed that some of the other American and Japanese girls that were former enemies were getting along pretty well." Saratoga said moving one of her arms behind her head. "Washington and Kirishima, Enterprise and Zuikaku, and all of those sorts. So I was hoping to get along with you as well."
Saratoga could feel Ryuujou's eyes staring back at her with a disbelieving look as she took in what she said. Then she felt her eyes scan her up and down, although she felt like she stopped at the chest area for a couple of seconds before looking back up at her.
"Sorry but I don't think it could work out."
"What? Why not?"
"I don't know if I'm forgiving as Kirishima-san or Zuikaku-san. Besides, a CV doesn't normally associate with a CVL.
"But I'm friends with plenty of CVLs! One of my closest friends Princeton is a CVL."
"Sorry, but the answer is still no.' Ryuujou said before turning around and walking off.
"Aww."
"Ouch. Seems like Saratoga-san didn't have much luck." Yamashiro said.
The girls were in Lexington's room that she shared with Essex and Saratoga where they had watched Saratoga's attempt go down.
"Mmhmm. Enterprise told me about how Saratoga has been having quite a bit of trouble with others. There was Sendai but it seemed like she only wanted to keep dragging Saratoga into night battles." Lexington said.
"Well Sendai is quite the yasen-baka." Yamashiro said.
"I don't really know what else I can do to help her." Lexington sighed.
"You know, actually there might be." Ooi said.
Lexington and Yamashiro's heads turned to Ooi that gestured the question of what she meant.
"There is that one other foreign girl that we have here that Saratoga-san might know." Ooi said. "I've overheard her as being part of that 'Operation Crossroads' that Saratoga-san has mentioned.
"Who?" Yamashiro said.
"Wait, did you guys say you have other foreign ships here?" Lexington tilted her head. "Ships that aren't USN?"
"Yes we do. We've had ships from the Regia Marina and the Kriegsmarine." Ooi said
"Huh, well I don't know much about those ships." Lexington said.
"Well anyway, I think I heard that one of the Kriegsmarine ships were involved in Operation Crossroads too. Maybe Saratoga might know her?" Ooi said.
"If you think she might, then I guess you could introduce her." Lexington said.
"Leave it to me to set Saratoga-san up then. I'll go ask Prinz Eugen about it." Ooi said.
Target: Essex
"This is going to be a tough one. Essex is probably my biggest obstacle." Lexington mused as she and Yamashiro were the only ones left in the classroom.
For Lexington, she truly felt that Essex was the biggest thing in her way. Essex had always been the one stuck to Enterprise's side. Enterprise's little right-hand man. 'Big E and Little E'. Being the first off the Essex production line meant that Essex was the first one among her sisters that met Enterprise. She had been the second, a fact that's always irked her.
"I don't really know much about Essex's relationships with others. From what I've seen, she has a few friends here but she always sticks by Enterprise." Lexington said.
"Do you know anybody else she's close to?" Yamashiro asked.
"No. Enterprise is her biggest friend. She'd otherwise only hang out with her sisters."
"I see. Wait, aren't you her sister?"
"Yes...Back at the USN base, I was probably the 2nd person she hung around the most with besides Enterprise."
"Hmm, and you said she was your older sister?"
"Yeah."
"I got an idea. Instead of finding someone else why don't you offer yourself up to her instead?"
"No! Why would you suggest that."
"Ah, well I was just thinking about how great Fusou-onee-sama was, I thought maybe you would like your older sister too."
"No! Why are you Japanese so hung up on sisters?"
Lexington loved Essex, but not like that.
Yamashiro shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, I thought Enterprise-san had been your older sister by the way you acted around her before you told us."
"We Essex-class may be close in design to Yorktown-class but we're definitely not related."
Lexington let out a sigh. She was getting off course to the question at hand
Who could she possibly use to get rid of Essex?
Fubuki? She was to fixated on Akagi.
Katsuragi? To fixated on Zuikaku.
They had been Essex's friends because of their shared underclassmen position, but there wasn't anyone in particular that Lexington thought could peel Essex away from Enterprise.
As Lexington pondered hard on who she could use, Yamashiro spoke up.
"You know, she did get sent out on a mission a little bit ago."
Lexington turned her head. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah. She left on a mission a while ago with a couple of cruisers and destroyers. So technically, she is already out of your way."
"...And you didn't think to tell me that first?"
"Just popped up into mind."
"..."
Well that was anti-climactic. Lexington thought. But at least that should free up Enterprise.
Lexington had been strolling around outside in search of Enterprise. To her delight, she had found Enterprise wandering.
She had tailed her for a little bit. Lexington was happy to see that nobody had approached Enterprise yet. That hopefully meant the others were distracted and she was in the clear.
"Big EEEEEE!" Lexington squealed as she launched herself through the air.
"Wha-?" Enterprise said turning around to the source of the voice before- "Oof!"
"What was that fo- ah." Enterprise's voice started out in annoyance but lightened almost immediately after she saw it was Lexington that was wrapped around her.
"Good to see you Little Lex." Enterprise said as she reached down and patted Lexington's head.
Lexington smiled happily at the affection she was receiving from Enterprise. She always loved it whenever Enterprise went into big sister mode.
"Always happy to see you E." Lexington smiled.
Enterprise smiled back. "Was there something you needed Lex?"
"What? I need an excuse to be with you?"
Enterprise chuckled. "I guess not."
"Do you not want to hang out with me?" Lexington said while fake pouting.
"I'm always happy to hang out with you Lex." Enterprise said with a warm expression.
Lexington could feel her own cheeks heat up.
"Buuut I have something else to do right now."
"Huh?" Lexington looked at Enterprise questioningly.
"But it looked like you were free. You were just walking around all by yourself." Lexington hadn't seen any of the usual suspects near Enterprise.
"I was actually looking around for someone." Enterprise said.
"Who?" Lexington said as she broke off from Enterprise and looked up at her. She could have sworn she had gotten everyone else out of the way for today.
"Hey! Enterprise!" The two girls turned their heads towards the voice. They looked to see Washington running up to them.
"There you are Wash!" Enterprise smiled happily.
"Ready to go E?" Washington asked.
"Ready? Where are you going?" Lexington asked.
"Ah, me and Washington got a mission." Enterprise said.
"Although it is weird that it's just the two of us." Washington said.
"J-just the two of you?!"
"Yup! Pretty simple scouting so we just need a carrier who'll send out the scout planes and an escort that will be covering her." Enterprise said wrapping an arm around Washington.
"I could have gone with you instead!" Lexington said.
"Hehe, that's nice to know Lex." Enterprise said. "But we can't have 2 carriers together. Besides, I need to catch up Washington. This will be just like the old times during the war, right Wash?"
"If you say so E." Washington chuckled.
Enterprise let go of Washington turned back towards Lexington and patted her on the head. "Sorry Lex, we got to do this mission. Maybe some other time? I promise I'll hang out with you then."
Enterprise and Washington then walked off together as Lexington watched them walk off with a blank expression. What just happened? Did she just get blown off?
"Lexington! How'd it go?" A voice said from behind Lexington.
The voice was revealed to come from Yamashiro.
"So did the plan work?"
There was a moment of silence before Lexington finally spoke up.
"No...because there was Washington!" Lexington hissed. "Goddamn it, I forgot about her."
"Washington-san? Weren't Enterprise's closest friends the carriers?"
"Nothing is as close as a relationship between a Carrier and her Task Force." Lexington said turning to her. "And you know who's the closest to the Carrier in a Task Force? The Battleship!" Lexington exclaimed.
"But doesn't Washington-san already have South Dakota and Kirishima?"
"That's what I thought but it slipped my mind but Washington and Enterprise have also been close friends for a long while now." Lexington said with gritted teeth. "God damn it! let's go back to the drawing board to get rid of some battleships!"
"What the heck were you trying to do Kongou-san!" Zuikaku said with an angry expression.
"I was only trying to help you further your relationship with Kaga-san!" Kongou said with her usual cheerful expression.
"Why would I want that?!"
"Because you two totally look cute together. Just try being friends with her!"
"Screw that! I'd rather hang out with Enterprise than I would Kaga!"
"Aww cmon!"
"Bismarck-nee-sama!" Prinz Eugen cried while hugging Bismarck.
"Look what you did to poor Prinz!" Bismarck berated Saratoga.
"I didn't mean to do anything, I swear!"
"Uh huh, reminding her about that horrible incident was 'nothing'."
"Hey, I was there too! That's why I was hoping to bond with her about it."
"Just stay away from her!
Essex had came back from her mission. As she had walked past these occurrences, she could tell that something had been up.
Welp, there you guys go, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Been a long while since the last chapter but I had gone on vacation for a bit.
As always, here's the American omake.
Not surprising for the USN about its returning shipgirls was the sheer quantity of girls that were coming back. Given the size of the fleet they fielded back in WW2, it was to be expected.
One significant demographic were the destroyers. The little tin cans numbered in the hundreds.
But among the destroyers were a particular group.
"You guys notice how we're pretty famous around here?" Hoel said, facing to the other 2 girls that were sitting in the same table as her. "I can hear all of the sailors talking about us."
"Of course we would be. We are pretty awesome." Johnston said with a smug smile.
"Humble as always sis." Heermann chuckled.
These girls were regarded as some of the most famous ships in the annals of US Navy history. Once part of the famous unit known as Taffy 3, memorable for their actions during the Battle off Samar in WW2.
The reason Hoel brought up the topic was that they were currently in the Cafeteria and she noticed the murmurs and conversations about them from the Sailors around them.
The sailors had always discussed among each other about the ships that had returned. The shipgirls were always a huge topic. Either talking about how cute they were or about their illustrious historical actions. And the Last Stand of the Tin Cans was certainly one of the most famous tales.
"I don't know, I kind of agree with Johnston. We destroyers going head to head with a force way larger and powerful was pretty awesome." Hoel said.
"Yeah, I bet we were the only destroyers that were brave enough to charge battleships headlong!" Johnston exclaimed.
O'Bannon was passing by when she heard Johnston exclaim that.
She stopped in front of the girls. "Actually someone else did that first before you guys."
The 3 girls turned their head to O'Bannon.
"Wait what?" Johnston said.
"You girls aren't the first destroyers to go head to head with a battleship."
"W-what? Then who else did?"
"Laffey. She did it before you guys did."
"Laffey, Laffey, Laffey." Johnston said as she began pondering.
"You don't know who she is, do you?" O'Bannon said.
"It's hard to keep track when there's so many destroyers around here!" Johnston pouted. "Is she one of our sisters?"
"Nope, she ain't a Fletcher."
"Darn.
"Wait, so you're saying she took on a battleship too?" Hoel asked.
"Yup. During the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, she charged Battleship Hiei head on and got within 20 feet of her too."
"20 feet?!" Hoel said incredulously.
"Dang, she must be brave!" Heermann said.
"Well darn, now I want to meet her!" Johnston exclaimed. "Let's go girls! With a destroyer like that, we need to find this girl and have her join our awesome group!"
"Heyyy! You're Laffey right?"
The girl that had been addressed suddenly turned around to see the 3 girls of Hoel, Heermann, and Johnston.
"Yeah, that's me." She responded. "What do you guys need?"
The 3 girls smiled.
"We've heard about you!"
"We want to know all about how you charged that battleship!"
"Yeah, tell us all about it!"
The 3 girls crowded close around Laffey,
"Oh uh, you've got the wrong Laffey for that."
"What?" Johnston said.
"What do you mean 'wrong Laffey'?" Hoel said.
"Is she one of them reincarnations?" Heermann asked. "I saw that a couple of people like Yorktown and Hornet have little clones of themselves."
"Well you'd be right. I'm DD-724. The one you're thinking about that charged a battleship is DD-459. I'm the one that survived 6 kamikazes."
"W-wait, you survived 6 kamikazes?" Heermann asked astonished.
"Wait, what's a kamikaze sis?" Johnston asked.
"It's when a plane flies and tries to crash itself into you." Heermann explained.
"That sounds crazy." Hoel commented.
"The Japanese did that?" Johnston asked.
"They started doing that almost immediately after you guys sunk on the same day. Ask St. Lo and the others about it." Heermann said. "I was scared enough at the idea of even taking one. But you're saying you took 6?" She said turning to Laffey.
"Well as impressive as that is, we still got to go and find the other one." Johnston said urging her sisters to go.
"But I want this one to join us too!" Heermann said pointing her head between Laffey and Johnston.
"Later, let's go!" Johnston said before dragging her sisters as they ran off.
"So that's the infamous Taffy 3." Laffey said.
"Heyyy, you're Laffey right?"
"Yeah, that's me." The girl said turning to the Taffy 3 destroyers.
The 3 girls saw that the girl looked almost exactly like the other Laffey.
"You're DD-459 right?" They had to make sure that this one was the right one this time.
"Yes, that's me." Laffey said.
"Hooray! We found her!" Hoel said.
"Glad to meet you!" Heermann said.
"Wait, what do you guys need from me?" Laffey said confused.
"We heard all about how you bravely charged a battleship from O'Bannon!" Johnston said.
"Wait what?" Laffey said.
"Yeah! We wanted to hear all about it from you."
"Wait, are you guys talking about the Guadalcanal battle?"
"You totally have to hang out with us since we're fellow destroyer badasses." Johnston said, not answering her question.
Hoel and Heermann got behind Laffey and started pushing her.
"Tell us all about it!"
"O'Bannon." Laffey said approaching O'Bannon at a table in the cafeteria.
"Hey there Laffey, have fun hanging out with Taffy 3?"
"I guess? They're certainly energetic, I'll give them that. But they kept pestering me about how 'awesome destroyers' need to stick together." Laffey said with a tired expression. "But the thing that stood out to me was they said about that you told them how heroic I was during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal."
"Indeed I did."
Laffey stared at O'Bannon with a questioning look. "Why?"
"Why what?" O'Bannon said as she returned Laffey's look.
"Why'd you tell them that. You know that wasn't the case."
"What ever do you mean?" O'Bannon said.
"You were there during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal O'Bannon! You saw how much of a clusterfuck it was! I wasn't any brave destroyer, I accidentally ran into Hiei in the dark!"
"Hehe, you still dinged up that battleship real good at point blank range. I think that deserves recognition as being brave. You got a Presidential Unit Citation out of it didn't you?"
Laffey let out a sigh. "I guess."
"Hey! Laffey! There you are!" A voice said from behind Laffey as suddenly 3 destroyers ran into her.
"Come on! We have to find your clone and get her to join us as well!" Heermann said.
"O god." Laffey said.
"Have fun." O'Bannon said to Laffey as she got dragged off.