Rule 2108. While they appreciate the favor, you don't have to feed the Akizuki class every time you meet them.
Many months ago...
"It's terrible!"
Yura sighed and placed down her chopsticks as her sister Isuzu sobbed into her arms. Really, Nagara was supposed to be the overdramatic one. "Okay, I'll bite: what's terrible?"
"The Duckies aren't eating enough and they say they're full but they can't be full and I can't force them because they're sacrificing for Japan and-"
"Slow down!" Yura snapped, jabbing her chopsticks at her sister. "Okay, first of all, who the hell are the 'Duckies'? And why are you using an English term?"
Isuzu blinked, then her eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Right, sorry, I meant the Akizuki-class destroyers that were summoned recently."
"I do remember you getting assigned to lead them," Yura mused. "But that still doesn't explain the whole 'Ducky' thing."
"Well, the name use the 'dzu' sound, and then we ran into Kongo..."
"Say no more," Yura hastily replied. "And the food thing?"
"They eat rice, miso soup, and pickles," Isuzu groaned, plopping her head back on the table. "That's it. And definitely not enough rice, miso soup, and pickles, either. They're only a bit smaller than Yuubari and eat half as much! And when I try to get them to eat more, or at least eat something more filling, they refuse! They keep saying they want to let everyone else have their share!"
Yura raised a bushy eyebrow. "And have you tried telling them that the military, at least, has plenty of food?"
"Then they just turn it around to helping the civilians..." came the muffled reply.
Well. That was indeed a thorny problem. Yura glanced down at her own meal: a six-inch stack of tonkatsu liberally covered in sauce and with a four bowls of rice next to it. Oh, and another bowl for more sauce. Though if they were just eating rice, miso soup, and pickles...
"How are they still functioning, then?" she asked.
"They're eating the bare minimum to function off duty," Isuzu answered, still muffled. "They say they'll eat more once they're cleared to sortie..."
"But it probably still won't be enough," Yura finished, getting a slight nod. The light cruiser let a smug smirk spread over her face. "Really, sis, it's such a simple solution I'm amazed you didn't think of it. Put them on an Alaskan run, and get them eating in front of the Americans. They will pay Fedex or some other shipping company to fly food over if they have to."
Isuzu finally lifted her head up, glaring at Yura. "I don't think it's gonna be that easy."
~o~
'Holy shit it is that easy.'
Isuzu could feel a grin creeping over her face at the unabashed stares that the Americans of Bremerton were sending towards Akizuki, Teruzuki, and Hatsuzuki as they ate what the American shipgirls called a 'light snack', though much richer than what they ate in Japan by pure necessity. Valley Forge especially looked like she was about to dive into the kitchen and not come out until she could lavish the three destroyers with every comfort food dish she could make. Across from the Japanese destroyers the Mahan-class destroyer Drayton was eating her own meal, intently watching the trio.
All too soon, the Akizukis finished what was on their plates, placing down their utensils. And that was when Drayton struck.
"So, you guys gonna have seconds?" she asked.
"Ah, no, we don't want to impose-" Hatsuzuki tried, only for her traitorous stomach to growl. The destroyer glared down at the offending organ. "Et tu, fuel lines?"
"Still, Hatsuzuki's right," Teruzuki tried. "We don't want to-"
"Trust me, you're not imposing at all," Drayton assured them. The destroyer held up her fingers and then snapped them. "Valley Forge, do the thing!"
Suddenly, a dozen steaming pies, three full roast turkeys, and two massive tubs of gravy and mashed potatoes, respectively, appeared on the table. Next to Drayton, Valley Forge came to a halt, smiling beatifically and an apron suddenly covering her torso. "Eat up!" she beamed. "Eat until you can't eat any more!"
Teruzuki and Hatsuzuki shared dubious glances - while Akizuki picked up one of the pies and stuffed her face into it.
"Oh my Goooood... sooooo gooood..." she moaned, stick blueberry juice coating her cheeks.
"Trust me, America has plenty of food," Drayton stated.
Their willpower finally cracking, the other two members of the Akizuki class dove into the meal, euphoric smiles soon decorating their faces.
~o~
Present day:
"Mou, this is way too much!" Teruzuki complained as she stared up at the latest "care package" the American shipgirls had had flown over. It was, in fact, several hundred packages stacked twice their height above them. Boxes of cookies, crackers, cheeses, and cured meats were featured prominently, as well as refrigerated containers for fresher foods.
"I'll say," Suzutsuki agreed. "On the plus side, at least the battleships and carriers will be in for a treat tonight." The destroyer glanced over at her elder sister. "You know-"
"I told you, we're not selling this off," Teruzuki admonished. "Re-gifting is entirely fine if you can't use it yourself. But re-selling a gift? That's just crass!"
For a moment, Suzutsuki hummed in thought. "Loveable miser crass, or just-"
"Just regular crass, yes," her elder sister sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Damn..." The two destroyers were silent for a moment longer before Suzutsuki spoke up again. "Honestly, I'm just glad Enterprise has stopped trying to force-feed us food every time she saw us. Not to mention that time Titanic and Olympic visited, or when White shows up..."
"Poor Akizuki," Teruzuki sniffed, wiping a tear from her eye. "That was no way to find out that you can eat too much food! Especially food as good as White's burgers!"
