Jintsu sat quietly as co-pilot in the flying Black Hawk. She hadn't operated with the console much in truth aside from instruction form Zuikaku, the Fog Standard Carrier (She wasn't familiar with Assault and Suppression Vessel term, so she referred with her own way of reference with ship girl Zuikaku).
The flight was very quiet.
Jintsu glanced to the back.
In the passenger seats, all passengers were deep in their thought.
It would take some times before they reached the transshipment point, so she would love to at least have someone to talk to.
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"Zuikaku-san, I'm curious about your position"
"Oh? What do you curious about, newbie?"
"I presume that you're an Aircraft Carrier, why did you introduce yourself as Assault and Suppression Vessel?"
"Well…I'm actually an Aircraft Carrier in a sense, but we have two reasons to use my current title" Zuikaku explained to her newly lower-class man.
"First, my power and role are as it has stated: Assault & Suppression. I assault enemy, make as much disorder in the enemy command as much as possible. Also, I suppress the enemy force from advancing or fleeing; let's say I trap them in a confine space. My main role is to support the fleet."
"Second, the fleet of fog doesn't use aircraft in a fight. We have tons of surface and underwater vessel at our disposal, but we don't have any aircraft at all. This is my first time using aircraft, it's Fun! I plan to procure some jet to take off from my flight deck, but it seems I need to work on some complex technical adjustment before it can happen."
"But I don't mind if I have to fight solo, I'm itching to try as well because I still possess some naval armament. I wish I could show you my power, you will understand it better."
Jintsu closed her eyes, tried to think of a scene which Zuikaku attack group of destroyers. She awkwardly failed to keep on her thought as it was too irrational.
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'Will Fog Shokaku-san look similar to ship girl Shokaku, I wonder?'
Ituski-nada Sea, Japan
The Black Hawk landed on a Zuikaku's vessel. The captain and his secretary were escort to their temporary living quarter by Shigure and Jintsu; Yuudachi did supine sleep on the vessel deck, enjoying the cool breeze of the ocean (Luckily, today sea state was very calm or else she would got thrown up and down with the deck).
Yamato walked with the vessel owner to the bridge.
Verniy was smoking on the front deck, Akatsuki joined her.
"You have to stop smoking, Hibiki-chan. Smoking is bad for health, especially children."
"I already changed my name. My new name is Verniy, Akatsuki-chan"
"No matter what change you take, you'll always be my Hibiki"
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"Up to you then, but I allow you and our younger sisters to call me with my old name only."
They chuckled.
Verniy continued the conversation.
"I just notice. Since when did you care for children welfare? I thought you always care for only the Lady-like mannerism."
"Don't be silly. You and I are only 14-15 years old now (in appearance anyway). Children mustn't smoke" The eldest Akatsuki crossed her arms.
"Besides, I realized how childish I was when I spread around my Lady-like nonsense. It's just kind of excuse of a child to gain some attention on herself, don't you agree?" Akatsuki sadly smile.
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Verniy jaw dropped, caused her cigarette to drop out of her mouth.
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'Damn! You have really matured, Akatsuki.'
"If you need anything, please feel free to ask away" Shigure told the Captain and her secretary.
Before Jintsu and she could leave the quarter, Taigei halted them.
"Just a moment, Shigure-chan. Would you mind telling us your side of story after….that…INCIDENT.. Consider that we have some free time during cruising to spare?"
'Nice move Taigei-chan! It won't be a wise idea to only listen to what Yamato will tell us. We may get more honest answer from these girls.' Shouzou compliment his lovely secretary ship.
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Shigure met eyes with Jintsu.
"Should we tell them, Jintsu-san?"
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"Well, they will eventually know so I think it's alright. I'll tell them" Jintsu signed.
"If you say so" Shigure wasn't sure about what Yamato would think of this action.
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Jintsu recalled her memory, she told them starting from when she knew of the scrapping order: saw Shigure and Hibiki retrieved Yuudachi and Akatsuki, Yamato eye dropping, took Yamato as hostage, shot the guards, fled from the base by stolen speed boat until the meeting with Fog submarine.
Lastly, she revealed that Kotono Yamato was actually the YAMATO, Fog Super-battleship avatar, who was the Highest Flagship of Eastern Fog Fleet.
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Taigei and Shouzou were a bit shock when she mentioned shooting two guards without hesitation.
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But, they were very very shock to know that Yamato was actually the Leader of Eastern Fog Fleet who ruled half of the Pacific Ocean!
"This is what actually happened. As for why we work for her, we won't tell you!" Jintsu signaled Shigure to get out of the room.
Flashback
After Yamato revealed her true identity, Yuudachi and Akatsuki tightly embraced each other in fright. Hibiki, who just awoke, questioned her sister about what happened.
"Akatsuki-chan! What happened?"
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However, her sister couldn't answer her question.
"I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die….." Akatsuki repeated this statement like a broken record.
"Poi, poi, poi, poi, poi, poi, poi, poi,….." The same was applied to Yuudachi with additional broken mind.
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Hibiki didn't understand the generality around her;
'Shigure-san was asleep (as I can see), Jintsu-san was sitting like a stone without blinking, what's wrong with Yuudachi-san and Akatsuki-chan? And when did Kotono-san changed into that fancy dress?'
"Akatsuki-chan, what is this Madness?! Answer me!"
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"I'm afraid your lovely Akatsuki-chan is unable to answer your question now, HI~BI~KI-chan."
"And why's that, Kotono-san?" Hibiki demanded with a stoic face and voice.
"I won't tell you~" She gave a threatening smile; she was lazy to repeat her re-introduction again.
"Then, question change; where are we going? I just forget it in my sleep"
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"Iwo Jima" the fog shortly replied.
When they arrived at the underground dock of Iwo Jima, she led them to Hyuuga at the laboratory.
"Oh?..Greeting, Supreme Flagship. What's brought you here? I've no idea about your return at all, did anyone know of your return?" Hyuuga quirked up.
"I'm back because of unexpected event. I didn't tell anyone except for Musashi; now that you know this, expect Musashi to return to base too."
"Unexpected event? For example?"
"I got hold hostage"
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"Who is this idiot that hold you hostage, Supreme Flagship?" Hyuuga facepalmed.
"They did" Yamato gestured to the ship girls behind her.
"I'm about to ask who are those girls, yet this suddenly answer my question."
Hyuuga eyes flared up with malicious amusement.
"Thank you for bringing them here, it's my pleasure to avenge your unpleasant memory with my Human Experiment"
"Stop your nonsense, Hyuuga. These girls are ship girl, the effective anti-fog fleet weapon of human."
?.?.?
"I saw some information of them in the military profile before, but this is the first time I meet them in flesh."
"I authorize you to run any analysis on them, but no human experiment, please" She gave Hyuuga her dreadful false smile.
"Y..Yes, sir…" The mad scientist shivered.
Yamato left the girls with Hyuuga while she was walking to a certain quarter.
"Yamato Flagship, you never notice us of your return." The voice owner was a lady in purple dress and black pantyhose, sipping her black tea.
"Count us on whatever plan you have, would you? I want to exercise once in a while; I think I may get rusty here." The traditional pipe smoker in a Taishou style kimono with Hakama and long leather boots spoke from the same table.
"Well, do you like some catch up?" Yamato joined the party.
Back to Hyuuga;
"You there, silver hair girl, what's your name?"
"Hibiki"
"Your class?"
"Second of Akatsuki-class Destroyer"
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"Quiet one, aren't you?"
"-"
Hyuuga sighed.
"Ok..Ok…please introduce yourself, all of you. I'd like to get this over with and move to my favourite part: Huma…No!...Ship Girl Experiment" The battleship scrubbed her hands with entertainment, High Flagship never said not to do Ship Girl Experiment, did she?
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They sweated drop heavily upon hearing the last stress part.
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From much structure analysis, it said that ship girl and fog vessel had a connection; with the former supposed to be the human avatar of the latter.
Fog ship and Ship girl had the same concept creator, SAME ORIGIN, that could be concluded.
'But why we've been constructed separately? And why do we have to fight with each other if we're meaned to be combined together? More importantly, would the evolution of Fog Mental model be considered as Irregular?" Tons of question flooded Hyuuga mind.
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Suddenly, she remembered the top priority given by Supreme Flagship, to search for the Adimralty Code at all cost.
'This might be the hint leads to the Admiralty Code...'
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'Oh! Dear Supreme Flagship, you will love to know this!'
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'But before that'
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'I think I should try Experimenting on the concept with these girls first~ U..fu..fu~'
"Finally, we found the first clue of our Origin which possibly leads to the Admiralty Code. Great work, Flagship Hyuuga!" the High Flagship applauded for the success.
"I'm not hold all the credit here; without you, bringing these girls along, I will continue with no luck. You deserve the credit, High Flagship" Hyuuga bowed in front of Yamato and others (present Mental Model in the base) in the conference hall: Nagato, Kongou, Ise, Zuikaku, Atago, I-400, I-401, I-402 (Takao was on a holiday, so she didn't present. Musashi also was in Hokkaido at the moment, the others were on patrol duty).
"As for the test I've applied: the combination of Fog vessel core and ship girl body, please see the result yourself. Verniy and friends, please come here"
Verniy, Akatsuki, Shigure, Yuudachi, and Jintsu show themselves alongside Hyuga. Yamato noticed the difference in aura compare to their previous selves.
'They sure had matured for a few years in physical appearance, a minor change in attire, let's wait and see for the change in mental state.'
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She raised her hand.
"Where's Verniy you just call? All I see are Hibiki, Akatsuki, Shigure, Yuudachi, and Jintsu?"
The one who answered wasn't Hyuuga.
"That's me! Hibiki is my old name, right now I'm Verniy" Verniy gestured to herself.
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-Silence-
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"Hyuuga, care to elaborate?" This time was Kongou speaking.
"At the end of Second World War, Hibiki was sent to Russia and changed name to Verniy." Hyuuga stated.
"What's the point? Did she suddenly feel attach to the latest memory before she died back there?" Kongou remarked.
"Can't say for sure. In Hibiki case is Special, I also doubt for more as some World War two ships have more than one name in service…"
"Generally, they're the Complete Fog Vessel in the concept of our creator. Unlike us who lack the actual physical body and have to rely on nano-material body, which eat up some amount of core processor. That explains why only Heavy Cruiser core and above has the power to manifest Mental Model. My guess is that if you fuse your core with your ship girl counterpart, you will gain extra processing power which you suppose to have instead of using it to maintain Mental Model as you have actual physical body."
"Such Blasphemy!?! You dare say that we're supposed to be mindless machine in the control of those girls?!" Kongou growled.
"I'm not sure; possibility is varies. For these girls, they have minor change with their being and appearance after fusing with No-Mental-Model core" Hyuga coldly admitted.
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"Then, what will happen if Mental Model core fuse with Ship Girl?" Kongou gritted her teeth.
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OK, every Mental Model was worry with that case as hell!
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"Heaven knows"
Hyuuga plainly replied, which gain group facepalmed from the audience.
"High Flagship, do you have a minute?" Hyuuga tugged the mentioned wrist, all fog member except former ship girls were already left by now.
"Yes, I do? Go ahead" Yamato got curious by Hyuga's action.
"I explained everything, but I personally kept one thing out there. I think you must be the only one to know this." Hyuuga's pervert attitude was gone; she looked intensely at her superior.
"Well, it seems more and more interesting that you speak like that. What's the deal then?" High Flagship herself was also in her non-carefree mode.
"Actually, I found that they're freed from the Admiralty Code command the moment my prepare vessel core and their body completed merging. They can DENY what the Admiralty Code orders them to do, not to mention inferior in chain of command like YOU and I."
"In short, they're the Rogue Element who could become the 3rd Power in this world?" Yamato concluded.
"You're too optimistic, High Flagship. I dare say, they're REAL threat to us." Hyuuga glanced at the Ex-ship-girl.
"Oh, please Hyuuga! I just don't want it to sound like we threaten them (in front of their face)" Yamato followed the gazed with worrisome smile.
The Ex-ship-girl group could feel the pressure conversation, they realized what Hyuuga realized the same moment they turned into new…no…..alternate version of themselves. They knew they were the same ship girl, but at the same time they were not (?) Confusing isn't it? Well, let say they had been the same as for their perspective, but they hadn't been the same as for their friends' perspective.
"Well? What will you girls do from now?" Yamato changed her attention.
"If I say I want to go back to our naval base, would you allow us, Yamato-san?" Verniy intimidated.
"Hm..you got some guts asking me like that, Verniy-chan…." Yamato calculated the new born in her mind deeply.
They looked desperate. No surprise though, they were just branded Awaiting Disposal from the superior enemy. Knowing Hyuuga, she wanted to get rid of them as fast as she could, but she know enough power of authority she hold that she needed to let her superior know.
Yamato appreciated that Hyuuga wanted to hear her decision about this.
"You all must be not fully aware of your situation yet, I'll give you sometimes to wrap things up in your head. Be prepared that I want an honest answer the next time we meet (because I know when someone is lying)"
Every Ex-ship-girl gulped.
"Hyuuga, escort them to their temporary cell. You can let them roam freely as long as they're still in this island. Dismiss." Yamato separate herself to be on her way.
"Yes, High Flagship"
"You shouldn't speak like that to Yamato-san, it's just asked for death." Akatsuki commented.
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"So what's our plan now?" Yuudachi made the others pondered.
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"Personally, I don't care about going back. Sendai and Naga were dead. Even they happen to construct new Sendai and Naga, I don't feel like they're my sister at all. I abstain to vote for any idea, your decision is mine. If anything else, I just want to settle score with Fog Takao which I don't know how she look like." Jintsu sighed.
"I want to search for Inazuma and Ikazuchi before I make a decision." Akatsuki spoked.
"Same here" Verniy supported.
"She (Yamato) might allow it, I doubt?" Shigure crossed arms.
"Have you not worry about you sisters, Shigure-san?!" Akatsuki retorted.
"Unlike you, I have too many sisters. I haven't spent time to interact with all of them much; Yuudachi is the closest to me as we're buddy in everything. I can't care for Harusame now since she's dead, and I share the same thought as Jintsu-san about our dead sister." Shigure nodded to Jintsu.
"About others? I can't accurately sure about them since we've been assigned to different base; Shiratsuyu always want to be number one so she often solo, Murasame tagged with her sometimes. Samidare and Suzukaze are a lovely pair girls, but they admire me so much which I wonder what I've done great to get the praise (?) Umikaze and Kawakaze, don't ask me as I haven't known them well enough to talk about."
"That's a lot of sisters you got there." Verniy stared.
"Don't think too much about it, it's not fun to have too many. I quite ashamed that I'm her sister, but I don't know my sister true enough at the same time." Shigure grimaced.
"Yeah.. yeah..Just think about our class situation compare to Fubuki-class, Ayanami-class, and Kagerou-class..(they've lots of sistes too)" Yuudachi stated.
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"AH!….I'm in DESPAIR!" Even Jintsu groaned in unison with the destroyers with headache.
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"Anyway, what's our conclusion about our future everyone?" Jintsu coughed to gain attention. They need to back on the topic.
"I should remind you that we're criminal on the run, there's no way the navy will stand still with our return."
"We knew that, Jintsu-san! What will you suggest we should do then?" Shigure raised her voice.
"-"
Hibiki proposed her idea.
"Why don't we work under the Flag of Fog Fleet?"
Took place In a certain day after Musashi got Yamato's disappearing news from Gunzou;
Joint tactical network room, Fleet of Fog
"What the hell are you suggesting? You want to take Chihaya family to this island?!" Yamato shouted.
"As I said, I've been thinking about the complete departure lately but I'm still unsatisfied that we've to break up halfway."
"What will YOU and I gain from bringing them to this place?! Don't you worry about our secret will leak to Human if they've the opportunity?"
"I know! But I tried of deceiving them. If I need to part with Shouzou, I want an honest feeling that he'll still accept me as his wife or not after he know What I Actually Am! I wonder you feel the same inside that deepest part of your TRINCKSTER SOUL!.!.!" Musashi was standing up from her seat and screaming.
"Non-sense! Do..Do you really think I love Gunzou for real? It's all just a drama script!" Yamato retorted.
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"ONEE-CHAN! You don't feel a thing for him, REALLY!?" Musashi pressured.
"-"
"Those time we spent together, is it so worthless that you're willingly to throw away without hesitation?!"
"-"
"Are you telling me that the happiness we gained was all a LIE!?"
"-" Yamato closed her eyes in response, she lost in her own thought about Gunzou.
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"DAMN IT!"
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"I pity Gunzou to fall in love with you, Onee-chan you BASTARD!"
"-"
Musashi slumped on her chair, huffing from the outburst earlier. She faced the ceiling with frustrated face.
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Inside Yamato's mind, she contradicted herself.
'Of course! I Love Gunzou. But do you really think it's wise to risk something as important as our chance of destruction with personal trivia like this?
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'I always told myself to forget you, Gunzou, to end this love since the day I made my disappearance.
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Easier said than done though, my heart completely denies my own thinking. Such pathetic I am.
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HONESTLY! There's no way I'll ever forget about you, the memory of the time we've been together are impressed in my heart without missing a single detail.
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And it will always be there forever.'
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The sound of chair movement brought her back to reality. Musashi got up from her seat, she walked away.
She turned around one last time before she cut the connection.
"OK! Onee-chan, It's pointless to argue with you. It might be the easiest way for my departure if I set the house on fire after I KILL GUNZOU alright!" She said sarcastically.
But another girl didn't perceived it as sarcasm.
Some switch had been flipped inside High Flagship mind.
Yamato lunged forward to Musashi from her position, breaking down furniture in her charge path. Musashi was pinned down to the floor with two arms restricted by another girl; before she could resist, her older sister had the most furious face she had never ever seen, it made she shivered in fear.
"Don't you dare do anything to Gunzou. I swear that if you do, you'll die with the most painful death."
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Despite her fear, Musashi was sane enough to talk back.
"S..S..So, you love him after all" She smiled shakily.
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Yamato sighed in defeat.
"YES, I DO. Satisfy?"
Musashi shaky smile grew wider.
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"I accept your idea, Musashi. You take care of transporting Gunzou, I'll think of a plan to retrieve Shouzou-san from Kure naval base. We don't need to regroup, you can start now if you ready."
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"Thank you Onee-chan, but what about the secret leakage you mentioned?"
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"When the time comes, I order you to deal with it. It's not my problem. Good bye" Yamato winked before disappeared.
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"I will gladly accept, High Flagship" She mockingly saluted an empty air.
Later, she also disappeared as well.
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Unknown to Musashi, Yamato reappeared inside the room.
After reconciled with her younger sister, Yamato suddenly remember about those girls she brought along.
'It's a good opportunity for them to test the JTN.'
Communication channel poped up.
"Jintsu-san, Shigure-san, Yuudachi-san, Akatsuki-san, and Verniy-san please meet me inside the joint tactical network room."
"How do we suppose to go there? I see no room label as that in the base, Yamato-san?" Shigure confused.
"This room has no physical entrance, you've to find a way within your core link. It's hard to explain, you should learn by trial and error. I'll be waiting, Yamato's out"
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She waited for several minutes; Verniy, Jintsu, Shigure, Akatsuki, and Yuudachi materialized in order inside the room.
"Wow~" Yuudachi seemed to like this room.
"Er..Why a table and chairs are like that, Yamato-san?" Shigure asked Supreme Flagship.
"Never mind them." Yamato waved her hand, everything was fixed to normal.
"Have a seat, do you like any drink in particular?"
They shook heads.
"Alright, I'll back on what I've left off."
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Yamato mimicked Gendou pose.
"What's your answer?"
Jintsu was beginning to speak but Verniy paused her.
"Would you allow us to work for you?"
Gendou pose broke.
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"Did my ears deceived me? You want to be my underling?" She widened eyes.
"It'd be temporary for now, but it'd be permanent in the future, who knows? We want more time to decide our life direction, and we need safe house at the same time." Verniy explained.
"Very honest! Well, just curious, have you thought about going back to your naval base?" Yamato smiled.
"Don't play dumb, Supreme Flagship! Only DEATH awaits us at the base. Did you forget about your Criminal Life reference before?" Verniy sneered a little.
"Alright..Alright, I've first assignment for you. But before that, let me call for my secretary and scientist: I-402, Hyuuga!"
The mentioned Mental Model materialized and said promptly.
"Yes, High Flagship?"
"I have to secure Captain Chihaya Shouzou from Kure naval base, we need to discuss preparation, assault formation, and escape route."
All girls were stunned.
"Be gladden that this will be the first experimental mission on Urban Warfare since the forming of the Fleet of Fog. Any idea you can think of, propose it no matter how crazy it sounds. Any equipment you ask for, I'll use my fullest authority to produce or procure for you."
"Now, let the meeting begins!"
'Urban Warfare?' her subordinates thought the same thing.
End of Flashback
Iwo Jima, Japan
Around a few sea miles away from the island, 4 Battleships floated calmly.
"I detect Zuikaku approaching" Nagato declared.
"The operation is a success then" Hyuga raised her monocle.
"I can't believe Yamato has a Crazy side like that" Kongou signed.
Musashi grinned.
"That's my sister for you! Shall we go and welcome them?"