The shipgirls now had a guess that something was up. The commander ordered another training, only 24 hours after the first one. If he wants them to be ready this much, then they can expect to go into battle in the close future.
The four Kongo-sisters were heading for the training ground of the naval base.
"Okay Kirishima, what's the matter?" asked Kongo, who had enough of her youngest sister being almost completely wordless.
"What do you mean Onee-sama?"
"Say, how long have I known you?"
"From... the beginning?"
"Exactly. So, we can say that I know you quite well, right?" asked the first ship of the Kongo-class.
"Yes, I guess. But why are you saying this Onee-sama?"
"Just tell me what bothers you."
It was the very first time when Kirishima didn't know what to say to her older sister. She always admired her and knew that she can turn to her anytime with anything. But how should she describe this? She never experienced this before, how should she know then how to start?
But the pressure on her soul and heart was way bigger than she could keep it in, so she shared with her sisters what worried her.
"I knew it." said Kongo.
"What Onee-sama?" asked Kirishima.
"You like him, don't you?" smirked the oldest sister.
"Wha- N-No, it's not like that..." stuttered Kirishima with reddened cheeks.
"Anyway. Talk with him. I'm sure they are just friends with that other woman. Have you seen any signs that there's something between them?"
"Well. No. Not really."
"There you go." said Kongo.
"I have another advice." interrupted Hiei. "Forget about him."
"Hiei." Kongo turned to her with a much serious tone.
"Why? Trust me, if you get close to him, you'll certainly only get hurt."
"Hiei. Just don't." raised Kongo her voice and hand. "Not to mention that I think you also have an admirer."
"Who? Him?" asked Hiei with a grimace. "Don't make me laugh Onee-sama, please. That James guy is nothing to me but a..."
"What? You remember his name?" raised Kongo an eyebrow.
"A-And so what?" This time it was Hiei who turned away confused.
"Talk with him." turned back Kongo to Kirishima to which she replied with a nod.
"Thank you Onee-sama, I'll do that."
"Find her after the practice." suggested Haruna.
"But I don't know where I should look for him." said Kirishima. "Do you know where their barracks are?"
"Unfortunately, not." said Kongo.
"Neither do I." added Haruna.
"I'm glad that I don't know it..." murmured Hiei silently.
This was when the four sisters noticed someone crossing the street before them. It was a young, American girl, seemingly in her early teens with long, brown hair, wearing a short, navy-blue skirt and a white blouse with blue collars and sleeves. She must have been a destroyer.
The Kongo-sisters were stunned for a few moments. Putting aside Kirishima's brief encounter with Washington before, this was the first time they saw one of the American shipgirls of Task Force 99.
An American ship who was fighting on the other side in the old war. They were thinking a lot about what they will think or say when they meet one of them. But this was so sudden for them that they just couldn't think or say a thing at first.
"What about asking her?" said Haruna uncertainly.
"Are you sure?" asked Kirishima.
"No, but she probably knows where their officers are accommodated."
"Uhh okay, let it be." nodded Kirishima. "E-Excuse me."
The American girl turned there, but the moment she saw Kirishima, her face went pale, then she turned tails and run away as fast as she could with a loud, terrified scream.
"Hey, wait a second, we're not going to eat you!" shouted Kirishima after her.
"Speak for yourself." said Hiei.
"Huhh. Okay. Let's find someone else." sighed Kirishima.
"With whom it will turn out better hopefully." added Haruna.
X
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" the American girl stormed through the door screaming, into the hall of the dorm of the American shipgirls, scaring the hell out of her comrades.
Before anyone could say a thing, she hid under a table in the cantina. The others were still frozen due to the past few seconds. Finally, New Orleans stepped to the table and slowly raised the edge of the tablecloth while she knelt down. "Hey Edsall. Are you alright?" the heavy cruiser asked.
The Clemson-class destroyer was sitting under the table trembling, hugging her legs with teary eyes, remaining mum.
"Edsall?"
"She's here. And she'll come for me." Edsall finally said with a weak voice.
"What?"
"Who's here? Who's going to come for you?" asked Tennessee, who was annoyed that she dropped her cup of coffee in her surprise when Edsall sprinted in.
"K..."
"K?" asked New Orleans.
Edsall only muttered something under her breath.
"What did you say?" Washington was sitting in an armchair in the back corner, supporting her head with her arm, but she raised her head as she thought she heard a familiar name.
"Kirishima." stammered Edsall, shaken by the memory of 1st March 1942, when she sank after coming under fire from Kirishima, Hiei and other Japanese ships. Her 153 crewmen were all killed.
"How small is this world." said Washington stolidly, watching as Edsall's sisters helped her out from under the table and were hugging her from every side to comfort and calm her. "Don't need to be afraid little one, I dealt with her once, I'll deal with her again if it's necessary."
"You mean in word, right?" said North Carolina in her usual calm manner, looking up from her book.
"Yes. Of course Sis." replied Washington shortly with an ironic voice, because she was thinking of the words of the language of the cannons.
"Anyway, we shall proceed to the training field now, practice will start soon." stood up the older sister of the North Carolina-class.
"Indeed." nodded Colorado. "And let's calm down now everyone, if we are so stressed about our being here, it will do no good to anyone." she added.
X
"I shall surprise the Admiral with my special curry after the practice." Kongo was wandering in the land of dreams again. "When he sees my Type-3 shells exploding... oh myyyyy!" she cheered, holding her cheeks.
"Teach me Onee-sama! I don't want to fall behind!" joined Hiei.
"Haruna will give her best!"
Kirishima grew a smile on her lips. Seeing her sisters in their usual way, instantly cheered her up. And really, maybe she's truly worried for nothing.
"I'll might invite him to our teatime and... Ano?"
The sister battleships suddenly stopped when they reached the training field. They were just standing and staring, like all their comrades there. Because in front of them, just a few meters away, a smaller fleet of American shipgirls were standing, seemingly also preparing for practice.
"Nobody mentioned this..." thought Kirishima nervously, and the next second her heart skipped a beat, for she noticed Washington in the other crowd. "Easy. Easy..." she tried to calm herself down.
The sides were silently observing each other. Whatever they were thinking of each other, all of them had to realize something: apart from the shape of their eyes, and their uniforms, there was just... no difference between them. None of them were demons, or monsters, but simple human beings. They were all ships, fighting for the nation they loved, just like they fought back then for what they thought was the right thing.
Now as they were facing each other there, they couldn't help but wonder, if there's no difference between them, other than their looks. That they are all the same...
Well, whether they were or not, those things have happened all those years ago. And because of that, there were many feelings among them towards the other group.
There were those, who didn't show any emotion, like Akagi, Kaga, Kongo, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina.
There were those, who tried to give friendly, placating looks, like Haruna and Saratoga.
There were those who felt very uneasy. Poor Arizona had to be supported by Pennsylvania, for she almost collapsed in a panic attack when she saw Hiryu and Soryu. Pennsylvania folded one arm around her little sister's shoulders, caressing her arm to calm her. The two Japanese carriers were seemingly very embarrassed and maybe even felt sorry for her. They just couldn't bring themselves to look at her, they just turned their heads away.
And there were those who clearly disliked the other side, like Washington, Oklahoma, Ashigara and Hiei, their faces couldn't have been more hostile and scornful.
"Welcome everyone!" they heard a voice. It was Admiral Hirayama, accompanied by Admiral Walker. Seeing their commanders approaching, everyone stood into attention. "At ease. You might be wondering, why we ordered already another practice with Admiral Walker. Our scouts recently reported increasing Abyssal activity in the southern sectors, and therefore we'll probably engage them soon." explained the Japanese officer. "Okay, here comes the hard part." he thought. He could see in the eyes of both the Japanese and American shipgirls that "okay, but why are they here?" look. "And for the first time, this will be a joint practice."
He was glad that he didn't hear what the girls were thinking, but judging by their faces, something like "are you freaking serious?".
"We form two groups that will fight each other." said Hirayama and took a list. As he read it the next shock hit the girls. Both Team A and Team B were made up of both Japanese and American ships. "That's all. Now form up please."
Dead silence. No one said or did anything, the atmosphere was so thick, it could be cut with a knife. Everyone was just standing there, shifting their weight from one leg to the other, avoiding each other's look.
Finally, Nachi took a step, followed by Northampton, then Yamato, then Saratoga. Slowly both teams were formed and the shipgirls of the two nations were mixed. Yet they still didn't say a single word to each other.
Kirishima was very grateful to Heaven, for Washington was sent to the other group. As for her sisters, she was together with Haruna in Team B, while Kongo and Hiei were in Team A.
"Uhm... Excuse me..." she suddenly heard from behind her back. She turned back and to her surprise she saw an American destroyer with an uncertain, confused look.
"Ehm... Yes?" asked Kirishima.
"Are you the battleship Kirishima?"
"I am." nodded the Japanese woman. "Who would you be?"
"Destroyer USS Robinson."
"Can I help you Robinson?"
"Someone would like to see you. Follow me please." said the Fletcher-class destroyer and turned around.
Kirishima frowned. Someone would like to see her? Who could it be?
She followed Robinson through the people to the edge of the crowd. When they were a bit away from the others, she noticed someone; a tall female figure, standing with her back to her, with her hands behind her back. She then turned around and Kirishima saw a young woman, with dark brown eyes and shoulder-length, black hair. And somehow, she looked very familiar. Too familiar.
"Do you remember me?" asked the American girl.
"I do."
"..."
"..."
"You've got quite fiery guns." said South Dakota in a tone that was impossible to decide whether it was a blame or a compliment.
"... You wanted to talk to me just to tell me this?"
"No. I wanted to see you. I wanted to see the one who burned the hell out of me."
"Do you hate me?" asked Kirishima.
South Dakota slowly shook her head. "I don't. I'd lie if I said that I'm not angry, but you only did what you had to do. It was your duty, wasn't it?"
"Yes. And uhm... I'm sorry. Especially for your sailors." said Kirishima, now with a more compassionate voice.
"Thank you. But they knew what they were undertaking. My condolences for your fallen crewmen as well."
"I appreciate that." bowed Kirishima slightly to her former enemy.
"May I ask something?" asked South Dakota.
"Sure."
"Why did you use HE? Just a handful of your shells were APs."
"Well, that was more a coincidence than a conscious action. I was preparing for the bombardment of Henderson Field when we noticed you; I just happened to have high explosive loaded."
"I see. So, it was just sheer luck?"
"More or less."
"Hm." South Dakota hummed without replying, looking down at the ground. "I think we should rejoin our team now." she noted and walked past Kirishima back to the others.
"Hey."
"Hm?" turned back South Dakota.
"I appreciate you're talking to me." said Kirishima to which Dakota replied with a salute that Kirishima returned. "Okay, let's do this."
Soon, both teams were on the waves, waiting to start. Team A's flagship was Colorado, while Team B's was Mogami.
The two teams started from the two opposite sides of the bay; the goal for them was to defeat the other in a simulated battle.
Kirishima sailed together with the others in a cruising formation, southwards, searching for signs of the "enemy". Her mood was eased a bit, this joint team wasn't that bad after all. Though it was still very awkward, and everyone still barely spoke a few words, there wasn't any conflict until now; Ayanami and Amsterdam even had a small, peaceful conversation. Hopefully it will stay like this.
"Flagship! Enemy unit to the southeast!" Alabama suddenly reported.
"How do you know?" asked Mogami.
"Radars..."
"Ah, yes." One thing that no one could deny was that the American ships' radars were much superior, Kirishima also had the opportunity to experience that on that November day in 1942. "How many of them?" asked Mogami.
"Six smaller ships, presumably light cruisers." reported Alabama. "Range 20.000 meters!"
"Destroyer screen, go ahead and do reconnaissance!" ordered Mogami the destroyers under her lead. "Hm. Quite a big force as a start."
Fubuki, Ayanami, Shimakaze, Robinson, Chevalier and Bainbridge immediately rushed forward, looking for the ships of Team A. It didn't take long, before Fubuki reported: "It's Tatsuta-san, Tenryu-san, Sensai-san, and three Cleveland-class cruisers!"
"Natori-san, Yura-san, Yahagi-san, Amsterdam-san, Denver-san, Montpelier-san! Go and engage them!"
"Yokai!"
"Roger!"
As the six cruisers sailed away, the rest stayed behind waiting for the news to some.
"Mogami, Natori!"
"Natori, Mogami!"
"We exchanged a few salvos, but no significant damage received. The enemy turned tails and fled to the east. We're waiting for orders." reported Natori.
"Pursue them, we're coming!"
"No, call them back." said South Dakota.
"What? Why?" asked Mogami.
"Isn't it obvious? It's a trap. If they go after them, I bet that they'll meet the entire main fleet of the other team."
Mogami felt that the battleship has a point, but the little voice in the back of her head told her to stick to her own plan. Was it simple pride? Refusal to accept the advice of an American ship? Perhaps. "We're going to help them if they need."
"Are you seriously going to fall for such a petty, Jütland-like trick?" raised South Dakota an eyebrow.
"I know what I'm doing alright?"
And so, the waiting continued.
"Mogami, Natori! Mogami, Natori!"
"This is Mogami!"
"We need immediate assistance; we are under attack by the enemy main force and aircrafts!"
"It's not nice to say that "I told you", but I told you." smirked South Dakota mockingly.
Mogami only gave her a flat look before she turned her ships toward Team A. "Hiryu-san, Saratoga-san! Send out your planes please!"
Soon, they noticed flashlights flashing in the distance.
"Fleet! Into line of battle!" commanded Mogami and the ships formed a single line with her at the lead.
Kirishima was at the middle of the line. She knew that they were already in disadvantage, they were approaching Team A in right angles, meaning that the enemy team was the horizontal line of the "T", and so they could fire all their guns, while she and her teammates had a difficult time to angle any guns to fire.
As their vanguard fled back to them into safety, the main show began. Before long however Mogami realized that this isn't going to end well for them, so she ordered a hard turn to starboard, so her ships will have a better position.
Kirishima aimed and her eight guns fired their practice shells. Despite the hard start, the teams were surprisingly well coordinated, and because of that neither of them could break the other's resistance.
X
"They are quite good, don't you think?" asked Admiral Hirayama, observing the happenings through his binoculars.
"I'd say they are all great." replied Admiral Walker. "But this stalemate should be broken, am I right?"
"Indeed." nodded the Japanese man. "Nagato, make them it harder a bit. Let's see what they can do when they are blind."
"Yes Admiral." nodded Nagato.
X
Shells and torpedoes were fired endlessly on both sides, while practice fighters were battling up in the sky.
Kirishima was aiming at Northampton when suddenly something disturbed her vision. Confused, she looked around and she saw only white around her. Within minutes, thick, impenetrable fog filled the bay, drastically reducing visibility.
"What on earth is happening here?" asked Amsterdam.
"It cannot be the weather, it's something else." said Saratoga.
"I've heard that the new training field has smoke generators on the beach." said Myoko. "I guess they want us to fight on like this."
"Oh, that's just fantastic." grumbled Alabama.
"I hate when I can't see!" complained Akatsuki.
Kirishima shared her opinion, this fog was nearly otherworldly, she didn't feel comfortable.
The gunfire dwindled, no one wanted to waste shells.
"Reduce speed everyone!" said Mogami. "I'll tell the other team too to do the same to avoid collisions." she said and reached for the radio.
"Mogami to Team A! We're slowing down, I ask you to follow our example." But she got only a cracking sound as an answer. "Damn, the transmission is not going through. Everyone, try to reach them!"
The other ships also tried to call their opponents, but they had problems with the radio as well.
"I think I hear them!" Hiryu finally said. "This is Hiryu, can anyone hear me?"
"Wha... h... u want?"
"I'm sorry?" asked the carrier.
"What the hell do you want?" asked a grumpy voice.
"Uhm. Who's this?"
"I'm Oklahoma you bastard."
"Ehehe..." grimaced Hiryu uncomfortably. She was just talking to a battleship, who really had reasons to dislike her and the rest of the old Kido Butai. "We just wanted to say that we're reducing speed and..."
"Get lost with your reduced speed, and leave me alone, I have the brain to know what to do in fog, so GET THE HELL OUT OF MY RADIO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"I do, but..."
"GOOD! I'VE ALREADY SLOWED DOWN TO GODDAMN CRUISING SPEED; SO, DON'T CALL ME AGAIN; OTHERWISE, I'LL COME AND SLOW YOU SO MUCH WITH HIGH-EXPLOSIVES THAT YOU'LL NEVER SAIL AGAIN BY YOUR OWN POWER! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" raged on Oklahoma.
"I-I'm sorry for..."
"YES, YOU'D BETTER BE! BECAUSE WHAT YOU DID WAS A CRIME! DESPICABLE, SPINELESS, PSYCHOPATIC, SOCIOPATIC EVILDOING!"
"I was following orders..."
"I TOLD YOU TO GO AND SHUT UP!"
"Oklahoma, breathe please." Team B now heard a calm voice. It was Nevada, trying to calm down her little sister.
"Oh Jesus, sorry for that." sighed Saratoga unpleasantly.
"No, I can understand her." shook her head Hiryu.
"So do I, but I also do not think that you and your friends did what you did on that 7th December because you enjoyed it so much." stated Saratoga. "Or did you?"
"N-No." said Hiryu.
"There you go."
"Saratoga-san."
"Yes?"
"Thank you." smiled Hiryu.
So did Kirishima, this camaraderie between the two carriers cheered her up.
BUMM! Suddenly a bomb hit the sea in the middle of Team B. A group of dive-bombers managed to sneak close and surprise them.
"Everyone, spread out!" yelled Mogami.
Kirishima immediately increased speed and switched to AA fire. Even she didn't know about herself that she can maneuver so well and fast; she had to dodge dozens of practice bomb and torpedoes. Those planes – apparently Shokaku's - clearly knew what they were doing.
She finally shot down all that were attacking her, and she finally could stop for a bit. But something was wrong, the silence was too great around her. She looked around and saw none of her teammates around her. "Of course, I get lost."
"This is Kirishima, can you hear me?" But she got no reply. "That's just great."
She turned around and headed back where she last saw them. Needless to say, the artificial fog didn't make it easy for her. But she should be there soon.
BUMM! Out of the blue large columns of water erupted around her.
"What?" Kirishima looked around but saw nothing. Then, in the next second she saw a huge light flashing through the curtain of fog. It was the light of muzzle flashes and the next salvo impacted around her.
She blindly fired back, but it was unlikely that she hit anything. Then at last she noticed something. A tall, dark figure standing in the fog. And cannons. Big, terrifying 406-millimeter cannons she knew too well.
"No. No this again please!" Kirishima's body betrayed her, she couldn't move or fight back. The shells kept falling around her and she fell on her knees in terror.
"Kirishima!" someone yelled from behind. The next thing Kirishima noticed was Haruna standing by her side and helping her up. "What happened?" her sister asked worriedly.
"What are you two japs doing here?" asked a dead-pan voice.
Kirishima looked up and saw Washington emerging from the fog. She didn't even notice but she strongly grabbed Haruna's hand.
"That was not a too effective counterattack, don't you think?" said Washington unimpressed. "Could it be possible that the strength of your fleet is just a legend?" she grimaced.
"..."
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
"Do you remember me?" Kirishima finally asked with a shaking voice.
"Hm?" frowned Washington.
"Do you recognize me?"
Washington furrowed her brow first, then slowly an evil smile grew on her face. "Oooooohhh, ha ha ha!" she giggled as if a pleasant memory came to her mind. "What a surprise." she grinned. "Looks like some things never change, it wasn't a big deal to shoot you to pieces back then either."
"Hey, leave her alone!" snapped at her Haruna.
"Hmm? You need a bodyguard or what?" teased them further Washington.
"Be aware, because this bodyguard has guns, ready to fire!" hissed Haruna.
"I'm so scared..."
"Washington. That will be enough." someone interrupted. Kirishima and Haruna saw another American shipgirl appearing. She had long, brownish blond hair, she was wearing the same uniform as Washington, and she had the same armament. She was looking at them with a neutral face, but still she looked somehow friendly. "Sorry you two, my little sister can get carried away a bit sometimes."
"Are you..."
"Battleship North Carolina. Come Washington, we're going back to our team." turned around North Carolina.
"Meh. I had fun you know."
"Come. With. Me." repeated the older sister, this time more seriously.
"Alright Sis." sighed Washington and followed her, but she didn't forget to give the two Japanese women a final, evil grin.
They disappeared again in the fog and Haruna and Kirishima were alone again.
"Are you alright?" asked Haruna.
"Kind of." nodded Kirishima. "Can we go back now?"
"Of course. Come on." replied Haruna, holding Kirishima's hand.
The practice ended not long after this for that day. Late in the afternoon Kirishima was walking on the streets of the naval district, trying to clear her mind. "I can't lose myself every time I see her. It's different than back then." she was thinking like this, while she was heading for a certain place.
After the exercise, Saratoga told her, where the barracks of the American officers were, and soon she was standing before a door, on which the label said: "Ryan Grazzini."
She swallowed and very slowly, she raised her fist, to knock, but her hand stopped in the air; and eventually she was standing there like this for an entire minute.
"Can I help you?" a female voice asked.
Kirishima turned there and saw none other than the female pilot she saw Ryan with.
"Oh, I was just looking for..." said Kirishima, pointing at the door.
"Ryan?"
"Yes." She's calling him by his first name. There must be something between them...
"He's on duty on his ship right now. But I can tell him that you were looking for him. May I ask your name?"
"Kirishima."
"I'll tell him, when his back."
"Isn't it a problem for you?"
"Absolutely not." replied the pilot.
"You speak with him often?" inquired Kirishima.
"Well, as he's my cousin brother, yes, you can say that." said Lucia with a smile.
"Oh. He didn't mention you before." said Kirishima, who didn't show it, but inside she was unimaginably relieved.
"Then I take this opportunity to introduce myself. Lucia Grazzini." said the young woman and shook hands with Kirishima. "It's very nice to meet you."
"The honor is all mine. And thank you again." said Kirishima.
"You're very welcome. Have a nice day!"
"You too Grazzini-san."
They parted ways and Kirishima headed back to her dorms, now being much happier. And she couldn't wait to meet a certain first officer again.
Hello everyone, here's chapter 5! Hope you enjoyed it and the first "battle" scene!
Thanks to: "LaundryViking", "kerdnynk" and "valhalan guardsman", thanks for the Follow!
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