/* Seen some of you might have missed chapters 5 and 6 (including Prologue), so I'd recommend going back a bit ;)
2 more, short, chapters to go before the next part of the story begins, with Nagato actually in it.
*/
Zuikaku detached Atlanta and Kumano as additional escorts for Choukai's fleet. Two cruisers met their group around half way between Bikini and Wake. Seeing Maya piggybacking on Sendai, Atlanta immediately lost it, bursting with laughter.
"Ahahaha! You look so cute, Maya-chan!", American shouted and sailed to the Japanese. "I think I may want you on top of me as well…", she whispered loud enough for everybody to hear.
"Just you wait, you burger eating bastard, I'll knock you out!", Maya jerked up, nearly falling from Sendai's back.
"I'm counting on that", Atlanta winked and grinned her teeth.
"Could you maybe the pillow talk for later? I know that night is awesome, but we still have some work to do, and no night battle in sight.", Sendai sighed disappointed.
"Oh, but we're going to have a night battle, just the two of us. Right, Maya-chan?", Atlanta ignored Sendai's frustrations.
Seeing Maya's face going red, Kumano, previously unaware of Maya's relationship, saw the opportunity and decided to have a taste of sweet vengeance.
"Is it not romantic, Maya-chan? A forbidden love between fellow shipgirls! Aaah, how I would love to have something similar. Please give me some hints later, ok? Let us have a ladies' night!", Kumano's sounded so enthusiastic and overexaggerated that even Shigure, occupied with Yuudachi's state, started laughing.
"Oh, shut up! You horny dolphin!", Maya snapped and fell down from Sendai's back trying to smack Kumano, dropping her rugged and well-served hat.
"O HO HO HO HO!", Kumano laughed, covering her mouth in a lady-like manner. "No need to be shy!", she shouted, sailing away.
"I'm not picking you up.", Sendai said clearly annoyed and kept on sailing. Kumano also didn't seem very keen on a tow. The only available girl was Atlanta, but after the scene that just took place, Maya wasn't very happy about this prospect. Not to mention American's rigging, which looked awfully uncomfortable with the number of gun turrets it had. Seeing her all pouty, Atlanta took some distance, put on her shades and started singing, the one song that Maya hated.
Hell with it baby, 'cos you're fine
And you're mine, and you look so divine
For the chorus she started dancing.
Come and get your love, come and get your love
Come and get your love, come and get your love
Heeey! What's the matter with your feel right?
Don't you feel right, baby?
"Eeeh, stop this already and get back here!", Maya shouted trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Now, this makes me all fired up for tonight!", Atlanta shouted after picking up Maya, who simply buried her face in American's hair.
The cruise lasted few more hours and the girls arrived at Wake Island shortly after Zuikaku's fleet. Kumano and Atlanta made away after Yuudachi and Maya were taken away by Akashi and Vestal. Other girls shortly followed the repair ships. On the way to their fleet, the cruisers stumbled upon fully rigged Zuikaku rushing towards Enterprise. Curious, both girls decided to sail a bit closer.
"What the fuck was that?! Were you trying to kill us, you bitch?!", shaking with anger Crane grabbed E's collar, facing the elite of United States Navy. The rest of her fleet gathered behind her. Akagi was just going to step up and try to deescalate the situation, but Enterprise opened her mouth.
"So, what if I was?! It's a shame you've failed to sink, yet again! Next time I'll do it myself!", all her emotions for Zuikaku burst out.
"I knew I shouldn't trust you…", Zuikaku mumbled, pushing American away. She reached to her quiver, and fired an arrow high in the sky, before anybody realized what's going on. Few seconds later, three Suisei Model 12A dive bombers were diving towards Enterprise. Fortunately, Zuikaku ran out ammunition during the battle, so they just gave Americans some scares.
Successful or not, all American guns were now pointed at the Japanese, who, without hesitation, trained everything they had at their allies.
"Hey, Zuichi, this wasn't a good idea, ya know?", Suzuya laughed nervously, still directing her guns at the Americans. Zuikaku, however, stayed deaf to any and all reason. On the other side of the group, South Dakota was more decisive.
"Fleet, stand down!", the battleship let out a furious roar, but Enterprise was out for blood.
"BELAY THAT ORDER!", the flagship shouted immediately.
Futile as they were, these de-escalation attempts allowed Kongou, who found herself on the American side of the small frontline, to sneak up to a perfect distance from Enterprise.
"Put your toys down, girls.", her guns aimed at carrier's head.
"Don't you even think about it, love!", Iowa was one step ahead pointing all of her guns at the tea loving battleship.
Dumbfounded at their comrades' stupidity, Kumano and Atlanta finally lost their patience.
"You take Zuikaku, I'll beat some sense into E.", Atlanta and Kumano exchanged determined glances and rushed to their fleets in an attempt to deescalate the situation.
"I cannot believe it! Zuikaku-san, you are a disappointment! What kind of example are you giving as a flagship? Attacking these girls as if they were your enemies?!", with tears in the eyes Kumano shouted, abruptly stopping right in front of the Japanese flagship, showering her with salty seawater.
"Get out of the way, Kumano. You were there! They've nearly got us all killed! I will not let her escape this time!", Crane roared even more angry then before, but Kumano pressed on relentlessly.
"Whatever happened is not a reason to point your guns at your allies! What are you? The army?", Kumano made sure to sound as condemning as she possibly could. It wasn't especially hard, considering the disdain that Imperial Navy held for its land-focused counterpart. "If you want to have a go at it, like… like some ill-behaved brutes! Then be my guest, but over my dead body!", Kumano trained her turrets at Zuikaku, trying to stop the shaking.
On the other side, Atlanta was much less dignified with her words for Enterprise.
"The fuck are you doing E?! What the hell?! Telling her she should have sunk?! Has your brain finally evaporated from all that sunbathing?! Weren't you always schooling me for being overly impulsive? Some fucking flagship you are...", the cruiser gave her former flagship a mouthful.
"Out of the way, shortie! They've started it!", similarly to Zuikaku, E's eyes were burning hot enough to melt steel beams.
"Because, your blondeness, you've nearly got all of us sunk, and then said it's a shame we didn't! Why are you so dense?!", Atlanta didn't give up.
"Because this green haired pig killed all my sisters! I want to see her sink, over and over again!", Enterprise broke down in tears.
"You know… In Japan, I'm friends with three snotty brats… I've sunk one of them, and the other two got me in return. With this logic, we'd all be dead…", Atlanta suddenly calmed down. "If you want to have it your way, go on, but I'm not letting you past me.", all twelve forward facing guns were now pointing at Enterprise, as the cruiser moved back.
Seeing this scene brought back some sense into everybody and brought out a loud sigh of relief from Kongou, who wasn't very keen on having her head blown off by Iowa. Zuikaku and Enterprise, however, weren't going to let up and were still aiming their weapons at each other, or, effectively, Kumano and Atlanta. Reading the situation well, Big E gave up first.
"Pff, not worth it… I'll get you another time, birdie.", she turned on her heel and stormed off.
"Yeah! Run away, like you alway-", Zuikaku failed to finish her taunt as Kumano's palm ended on her face, leaving a red, stinging imprint.
"Ouch… That had to hurt…", Suzuya was left in shock and awe.
"Kongou-san, Hiei-san. Please take Zuikaku-san to her room and make sure she doesn't leave it.", Akagi's finally remembered her duties as the fleet flagship. "There's nothing to see here, please take care of your injuries and turn in your equipment."
"You've heard her, girls! Iowa, Jersey! Make sure E doesn't do anything stupid.", South Dakota followed in Akagi's footsteps, as Enterprise's deputy.
With both fleets going their way, Akagi approached the American interim flagship.
"South Dakota-san, I believe we should talk things over after reporting to our commanders. Could we meet in the morning, for a second breakfast? I believe it would be better to eat separately, at least for tonight, could you arrange for meals to be delivered to each room?"
"Tch, second breakfast…", South Dakota sneered, finally understanding where all Kumano's stories about the Japanese flagship came from. "I agree though. I'll make sure the food is left in front of your rooms and wait for you outside the mess in the morning."
With this both shipgirls went to join their respective fleets. After getting checked up both fleets, save for Enterprise's and Zuikaku's guards, were sent to their rooms to avoid further fights. There was one shipgirl, however, who wasn't going to listen. After eating, Maya charged out of her room ignoring Choukai's protests. Her second roommate, Suzuya, was too busy listening to music to even care. Hopefully nobody sees me… I can take care of Americans, but Akagi can be scary, Maya thought heading towards towards her secret goal, through dark hallways lit only by light slipping through slits in doors she was passing as quietly as boys trying to peek on girls on a school trip. She's finally understood why the destroyers were so stressed out by memories of Tokyo Express runs.
The door was opened by Kumano, who was separated from other shipgirls to avoid being put in uncomfortable situation where she'd have to choose between friends.
"Good evening to you, Maya-san. And here I thought you will not be coming. She is taking a shower, so good timing.", aviation cruiser spoke with devilish smile on her face.
"Well…", Maya mumbled with her eyes. "I didn't expect you to come up with such an idea. Th-thank you."
"And why so?", Kumano seemed offended.
"Well, being all lady and stuff…"
"But chicanery is real lady's best friend! Is it not romantic? Sneaking out like that in the middle of the night to see your beloved? Aaah, how I would love to have somebody worth sneaking out for…", Kumano's eyes turned dreamy.
"Yeah, yeah…"
"Well, I will be taking my leave then. Do not be too loud, Maya-chaaan.", Kumano winked and headed to Suzuya's room with a spring in her step, visibly proud of herself.
Just as she left, Atlanta came out of the bathroom. Wearing nothing but a towel, she froze in place seeing her girlfriend right in front of her.
"Wh-what are you doing here? What about the… ", she didn't finish as Maya picked and carried her to the bed. Redder than the Soviet army, Maya whispered into American's ear.
"I… I've come to get my love… Don't tell me you forgot, asshole.", she pushed down and kissed her favourite yankee.