Date: 01/04/15

This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me. The only thing I remember before I was summoned was a plea for help along with a raging desire to answer and then it felt as though a fourteen-inch shell crashed through my bridge.

When consciousness returned I found myself standing in the middle of a pool that had fuel-oil mixed in with the water. My senses slowly came back allowing me to hear muffled voices and to get a clear view of my surroundings. I'm in a fairly large room which the pool largely took up; as my eyesight cleared I could make out the figures in front of me. There're four of them two off to the side holding what looked like oil barrels and another two standing in the middle. One of them looked more like a priest but it was the other one who had my full attention. The way he stood radiated authority and with my vision fully clear I could make out his uniform and rank.

Snapping to attention, "Sir, Ise reporting for duty."

He returned my salute, "At ease. It's good to have you Ise."

"Thank you sir, although where exactly am I?"

"Yokosuka Naval base," the door behind him opened and a fleet girl stood beside him. At the time I didn't know how I could tell she was a fleet girl but she later explained that all fleet girls can pick each other out.

"This is Kawachi she'll take you to the battleships' quarters."

She flashed me a smile that could put anyone at ease, "Its a pleasure to meet you Ise-chan."

"It's nice to meet you to Kawachi-chan," she flashed me another smile before turning to the Admiral.

"Sir, Fleet Admiral Jakuchu wanted to speak with you."

"Guess you can't escape politics even when attending a summoning, I trust you can handle it from here." With that, he left with the other three following close behind. Making my way out of the pool I followed Kawachi to the battleships' quarters and she filled me in on the way.

"Ise-chan?"

Kawachi's voice brought me back to the present and I looked over to where she's sitting. Concern shinned in those dark brown eyes of hers, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just a lot to take in. Still find it hard to believe I'm the spiritual soul of the battleship Ise and we're fighting the twisted souls of other warships like us."

"I know its a lot to take in but Admiral Goto wanted to see you as soon as he could."

"Really, Why?"

"I don't know he didn't say. If you're ready though I'll take you to his office."

I swung my legs out and stood up before nodding to Kawachi, "Lead the way." With that, she led me through the surprisingly empty base.

I didn't know much about Yokosuka but one thing I knew for certain, based on how many fleet girls I've seen, is that Yokosuka is the largest and so far only base for fleet girls so that raised the question, where are they?

"Hey, Kawachi where is everyone?"

"Most of them are patrolling, escorting convoys, training, or just resting. The Abyssals have intensified their attacks on the convoys in an attempt to starve us out and we've been stretched thin in an attempt to provide escort as well as defend the coastline." She explained

Well, that explains where everybody is and with what she's told me I'm a little nervous when we enter Admiral Goto's office.

The office is what I expected of a high ranking Admiral in the Japanese navy; it was fairly spacious with a solid wood desk toward the back and the wall behind it had a few personal touches such as what looked to be family photos along with a few paintings of old sailing ships. The Japanese flag hung proudly in the middle of the wall and a window allowed sunlight to enter the room. Admiral Goto sat at his desk engrossed in the paperwork he was doing oblivious to us entering his office.

"Sir."

"Hmm." He looked up from what he was doing and once he noticed us he set his pen down before speaking.

"Thank you, Kawachi. You're free to go." She saluted Admiral Goto spun on her heel and left.

"Ise, I know you've only been here an hour and that being summoned is... confusing, to say the least; how are you adjusting?"

Steeling my nerves I replied, "I'm ready to go sir, whenever you need me."

Nodding he continued, "That's good to hear because right now I need a battleship and you and Kawachi are the only ones we have at this moment."

"You're sending me? Kawachi has more experience though, why aren't you sending her?" I tried to hide the anxiousness in my voice.

"Karachi is more experienced yes, the problem is she's teaching the other fleet girls on gunnery, night fighting and torpedo attacks. The diet wants a show of force to ward off the Abyssals from the home islands and they want it shown ASAP so I don't have the time to wait for Karachi so I'm sending you instead, besides actual combat experience goes a long way when it comes to training," He said that last part with a small grin on his face.

Different emotions shot through me like bolts of lighting: eagerness, anxiousness, and a small amount of fear which I quickly stamped out. I may be inexperienced but the admiral is putting his faith in me and I won't let his faith be misplaced. Quelling my emotions I asked,

"When do I depart Admiral?"

"Thirteen fifteen hours. Your mission is to escort convoy AJ15A you'll meet them at the rendezvous point and take over from the Americans. I suggest you see Akashi she'll be in her office just past the destroyer repair baths and set you up with everything you need."

"Yes, sir." With a quick salute, I left and made my way to Akashi's office.

Finding the repair baths was fairly easy, how exactly water can help repair a fleet girl I have no idea, and I just walked past the door that said 'Destroyer repair baths' when I heard a loud and angry shout from the other side.

Immediately I backed away from the door and couldn't help but listen in. Whoever that is shes going OFF on the destroyers and the yelling is getting increasingly louder to the point where some of my crew started complaining that their ears were ringing. Yeah, another thing I learned is that I do have a crew just that they're inside me... That was interesting to hear.

The door suddenly burst open causing my head to snap to the fleet girl who angerly stormed away. Hearing a sigh of relief I turned my head to see one of the destroyers had poked her head out of the door and watched as she disappeared around the corner. She looked toward me immediately froze and let out a squeal of surprise slamming the door shut before I could ask, "What the hell just happened?"

With an annoyed sigh, I set off after her. Maybe she can tell me where Akashi is because she's not in her office.

Akashi POV

I'm pretty sure if I got any angrier steam would start pouring out of my ears; I swear those destroyers are going to be the death of me! It's the same three as well and they're sisters I'd figure at least one of them would be reasonable! Actually, now that I think about it that might be one of the reasons why they do their pranks, as for why they thought pranking Kawachi was a good idea I don't know. Their prank backfired spectacularly and I arrived just in time to see her run them off, although you would be forgiven for thinking an Abyssal was trying to chase them down.

"Excuse me."

A low growl formed in my chest as I spun around ready to berate whichever destroyer followed me only to very quickly stop when I saw who it was. Definitely not a destroyer that much was clear from her... assets and judging from the amused glint in her emerald eyes she knows what I'm looking at, or maybe she found my situation with the destroyers funny, or it could be both. With a weary sigh,

"I'm glad you found it funny. What do you want?" I snapped. I didn't mean to but I've run out of patience.

"I'm looking for Akashi."

She doesn't know who I am. That's odd everyone on the base knows who I am especially since I'm the only repair ship.

"I'm Akashi. Now do you need me for anything or not."

"Lisen, I'm new here and don't know anybody so don't snap at me just because some tin can destroyers are giving you a hard time." She fired back.

Wait, she's new to the base? Damn, I didn't know that rubbing my eyes I said,

"Sorry just tired of dealing with those 'tin cans' as you said. What do you need?"

"Admiral Goto told me you could fit me out."

Fit her out? I don't even know who she is how could I... Oh. Guess dealing with those destroyers wore me out more than I thought; I completely forgot that a new girl had been summoned today only her rigging wasn't with her. She has to be a battleship that would explain the size and weight of the rigging. That and her assets, don't judge.

"Right," taking a deep breath to relax I continued, "follow me and we'll get your rigging. What's your name by the way?"

"Ise."

Ise POV

Rough introduction aside Akashi is fairly easy to get along with. She cares for the girls even if they do test her patience at times, especially the destroyers.

"They act like children," She huffed.

"Come on they all can't be that bad."

"You're right, but the ones that do make me want to pull my hair out!"

She shot me a withering glare when she heard my muffled laughter, "It won't be funny when you have to deal with them." She grumbled.

Our playful banter ended once we entered her moderately sized office. A small desk and a few chairs completed the front and walking through a doorway took us into the repair section of the room. Three smaller repair baths are toward the back and two examination tables on each side of the room have curtains that can be pulled across to give some privacy. Here she slipped into her no-nonsense medical persona.

"Your rigging is against the wall over there just place your back against it and your crew will take care of the rest."

"Hey, Akashi why- Didn't you already have your rigging?" At my nod, she continued, "Sometimes girls have their rigging sometimes they don't as for why I have no idea."

Humming I placed my back on my rigging and felt my crew start to move around inside me with haste. My eyes slipped shut on their own accord and when they fluttered open my rigging had been attached to my mid-back and consisted of two funnels, six duel 35.6 cm (14 in) gun turrets. My secondary armament consisted of twenty single 14 cm (5.5 in) casemate guns and four measly 7.62 cm (3 in) guns made up my AA armament. Six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes rounded out my armament.

"If you want to remove your rigging just close your eyes and concentrate."

Doing as she said when I opened my eyes my rigging was gone.

"Now, if we're through I'm going to get some well-deserved rest."

If I needed her for anything else it wouldn't matter as by the time I looked up she'd already gone out the door. Shaking my head and deciding to not run the risk of getting snapped at again I turned my attention to my crew.

"You boys ready?"

My Captain appeared on my shoulder and snapped a swift salute.

"HEY," and with a grin to match my own, he disappeared back into the bridge as I made my way to the docks. Exiting the base I shielded my eyes from the sunlight so I wouldn't be completely blinded. Lowering my hand I could see a ship girl making her way toward me the biggest give away being that her rigging is deployed showing off her six single gun turrets.

"So the new girl is sorting with us. I'm Furutaka, I'll be leading this mission" She extended her hand and I shook it.

"Ise. Who's coming with us?"

"The two of us and five other destroyers, hopefully, nothing too exciting will happen."

"One can only hope."

"Yeah, another thing to hope for is that the destroyers will behave themselves," We started to make our way to the docks proper.

"Is every destroyer on this base trouble?"

"Just a select few. Of course, those few get into trouble so often everyone's just come to the conclusion all of them are trouble. They're serious when it counts though that's what matters."

Good as long as they're capable in combat I won't have a problem. The five destroyers who are going with us are already in the water waiting for us and since all of them are soaking wet I have a pretty good idea of what they did to pass the time. I summoned my rigging and hit the water with Furutaka right behind me and the destroyers took up escort formation on our flanks as we headed out.

'Alright, lets do this.'