I would like to apologize for how I wrote Chapter 1 of this Fanfic. To redeem myself for the poor grammar and writing of it here is a 3k word chapter for you guys. Enjoy the read!
Joshua wakes up on a hospital bed with an IV line in his arm with a bag of blood attached to him too and groans softly in pain feeling like he got run over by a car because of how much pain he was feeling right now. He looks around his hospital bed for the remote but froze when he sees a little girl laying beside him. her long white pigtails tied together with bunny ears, a pink jacket with bunnies on the sleeves, and a red ribbon wrapped around her head,
*A little girl? Why is she sleeping right beside me?*
He reaches out and pokes her cheek softly which causes her to stir softly and grumble then buries herself into him,
"Five more minutes...Laffey is sleepy...zzzzz..."
He sighs softly feeling his heart melt and die from the cuteness of Laffey and leaves her alone. he finds the remote and turns on the TV and also calls a nurse to see what happened after what happened at Pearl Harbor yet it all seemed quiet outside. The cool air flow from the air conditioning sent shivers to his spine as he was trying to get his senses back, "Ugh...I feel like I got hit by a car at high speed."
"Oh good! You're finally awake!"
A voice said turned his attention away from the news on the screen to a short girl who wore a nun outfit that had a color of light brown and pink color mixed into it, her long light gray hair, pale blue eyes, and wore a small white on her head. She beamed a smile to him,
"It's great to see you finally awake Private Murray. How are you feeling?" She asked and in response he gives a light chuckle,
"Better now. Uh, who are you supposed to be?" He asked confused.
"That's good to hear! Allow me to introduce myself." she said and gestures to herself, "I am the repair ship USS Vestal AR-4. I handle the repairs of all ships and maintenance, but I also specialized in nursing people."
He nodded his head in understanding then remembered Enterprise, "Where's Enterprise? Is she alr-"
"Yes, she's suffered some damage to both her hull and deck. She's doing much better now after forcing her to take it easy and is in the waiting room to hear if you're doing much better Private "
The two soon hear footsteps approaching his hospital room,
"Ah, where is she? Oh! there you are, Laffey!" A British voice gasped loudly as well as a couple of others.
'Great. more ship girls...' He thought to himself and simply gave Laffey's shoulder a small shake to help wake her up,
"Hey, your friends are here for you Laffey. It's time for you to get up and go."
She wakes up, rubs her eyes, yawns softly and stretches,
"I just wanted to keep a close eye on you mister. Enterprise seemed worried about you. But, my job here is done."
She said tiredly and got out of his hospital bed to join her friends outside the room and left with them,
"Alright. let's do those tests then."
Vestal started running her tests on him and gave a small smile,
"minor fractures on the spine and ribs, internal bleeding from your chest cavity that had to be dealt with but it came back clear. We did a blood transfusion on you too because of the lack of blood you were getting. I'll let Miss Enterprise know that you woke up."
She takes her leave from his room lays back down on the bed and watches the news to see if they covered anything about the attack. His gaze fixated on the TV screen that he jumped when he hears a knock on his door and looked to see a familiar face and a unfamiliar face beside it. Enterprise beams a small bright smile at him,
"Private Murray. It's a relief to see you finally awake. How are you feeling?"
His response is met with a roar coming from his stomach and giggles softly,
"Hungry, sore, and dehydrated. Wondering how long have I been out. An whose that beside you?"
He pointed at the woman behind Enterprise who wore a long skirt maid outfit; her hair was gray colored and her navy blue colored eyes. She lifts her skirt and bows,
"HMS Belfast, loyal maid to HMS Queen Elizabeth and Enterprise."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Belfast. Could you tell me how long I've been out for?" He asked her,
"You've been unconscious for over a month Master Murray," she told him,
"A MONTH!? Fudge me. I thought I had taken a nap and woke up the next day." He exclaimed in shock from the news.
"Would you like me to bring you anything?" she asked,
"If breakfast is a still being served right now I'd like some pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast with some orange juice on the side. Do you want anything to eat Enterprise?" He asked her.
"Oh no I'm fine. I can eat some of my MREs for breakfast. Don't worry about me-"
"Get her what I'm having with some beef hash on the side Mrs. Belfast."
"Eh?"
Belfast bows her head and giggles softly while Enterprise is protesting to eating anything, "Right away Master Murray."
She leaves the hospital room while Enterprise looked at him with a pouty face and he gave a smug smile at her then turns back to the television, "What happen to the two girls who fought us?" He asked her wondering what happened to them.
"I took care of them, Private Murray. They are currently hospitalized in a hospital room together as prisoners of war ordered by Admiral Hicks. Why do you ask?" She said curiously.
"I wanted to talk with them to become allies." Joshua said to her plain and simple.
"Why." Enterprise coldy responded.
Joshua looked at his hands, his mind pondering and trying to find a way to make it clear to her.
"Peace and becoming allies. the simple answer I can give you Enterprise."
Belfast entered the room with their breakfast setting Joshua's tray on the table, and giving Enterprise hers which she begrudgingly took.
After Breakfast, Joshua asked Belfast if he could get his phone, a notebook, a pen, and his glasses which she obliged in getting for him after getting them he started working and writing in his notebook, flipping page after page and writing down on it to help pass the time while Enterprise had given him the cold shoulder to him when she visits him.
Two days later,
Joshua is walking with his notebook in hand towards a hospital room with Enterprise behind him to follow alongside him but gestured for her to stay here, "If there's problems with me and them you can come in and handle it." He whispered softly to her and enters into the room seeing the familiar faces of Akagi and Kaga. Akagi looked at him with a creepy smile while Kaga gives a angry scowl causing him to chuckle softly which confused them when he opened up his notebook flipping through the pages and reads what he wrote,
"IJN Aircraft carrier Akagi and IJN Aircraft Carrier Kaga. On December 7th, 1941. Three hundred and fifty three Japanese aircrafts attacked but of those three hundred there were ten bombers, five from the Akagi, five from the Hiryū, Lieutenant Zenji Abe of the Akagi is the person responsible for delivering the final blow to the Arizona that struck her armor piercing magazine, imploding her vessel, killing her crew and caused many of them to drown inside her. Her pilots and crew fought because it was your duty, for honor, and their emperor valiantly. Two of the five of you were responsible for the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the deaths of many crewmen in the line of duty. The USS Hornet CV-8 and the USS Yorktown CV-5 sisters to the Grey Ghost you hated because of my great grandfather took away your sisters and fleet which is something the both of you have in common-"
"DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE ME TO THAT ABOMINATION AND MURDERER OF MY SISTERS! I HOPE YOU AND HER ROT IN-"
Kaga screams were stopped by a harsh slap across her face by Joshua, shocking Akagi an Enterprise wanted to jump in but held his hand out to stop her from jumping in,
"I'm sorry about that." He simply stated to them while Kaga gave him a murderous look while rubbing her cheek,
"I know you hate each other but why do you have this seething hatred towards each other? Why do you girls always work, plan, attack, and kill each other every time you meet?" He asked the two in confusion,
"We're just weapons. We don't have any purpose and we're made to fighting and no other purposes..." Akagi simply stated to which Kaga and Enterprise were able to agree on for once,
"Ok? That it's impossible because Kaga screamed at me for comparing her to Enterprise an her sisters. If you were only weapons then why do you able to think? Cry? Smile? Eat? Drink? Dream? How are you able to understand your surroundings." He reaches over and pets Akagi's head making her blush slightly as her ears lower and tail slightly moving loving the affection he is giving her, "An how could a weapon respond to affection too. Then you proved that you are not weapons. An weapons aren't beautiful girls who have some bad blood between each other. That's my opinion."
He smiles sweetly and stops petting Akagi who still blushed including Kaga.
"How sure are you about your opinion Mr. Murray?"
Kaga asked him,
"I'd risk my own life to make my opinion much clearer to you girls. Maybe wherever you come from you are only seen as weapons. You and the other people who are like you deserve to be treated well and respected no matter thy enemy or thy friend."
He walks over towards Kaga who recoiled from getting slapped by him again but never came because he held his hand out to her, "Im sorry for slapping you. But, I just wanted to get you back for almost killing me. I only ask for us to be at peace and not be enemies."
"Pet me." Kaga simply stated and looked away with a pouty face.
He chuckled softly and gives her a pet on the head too. He stopped and gives both of them a bow as a show of kindness and leaves their room while Enterprise follows in tow, "That was something..." she simply stated.
He chuckled at hearing her voice sounding surprised at the events that transpired. They walked back into his room where Murray shuts the door behind them, "To be honest I almost shit myself. I couldn't believe I slapped one of the aircraft carriers that bomb Pearl Harbor; now that leaves you."
He looked over at him confused then opened his notebook,
"USS Enterprise CV-6, second ship of Yorktown-class carriers, commissioned on May 12, 1938. twenty battle stars making her the most decorated ship in the entire US Navy. She sank seventy one ships, destroyed nine hundred and eleven enemy planes, and possibly damaged over a hundred and ninety two. The last Yorktown-class carrier to be decommissioned in February 17, 1947. She's went through hellfires when arriving in Pearl Harbor to be met with the fires an devastation; she lost her sisters but avenged them with her anger and rage her crew felt against the enemy. She went through loss of her crew who died on her deck and in the skies-"
"Get. To. The. Point..." Enterprise warns coldly, hands now fists shaking violently,
"You deserved better Mrs. Enterprise. After everything you did for this country and all you've been through..."
He stands at attention and salutes to her,
"Grey Ghost. Thank you for putting your life and crew out there to service our country."
She saluted back to him with a firm stance and a gentle smile,
"Thank you Private...I appreciate the thanks for my crew's services to our country."
His door slid open to which she and Joshua stood at attention and saluted,
"Sir!"
They stood at attention toward Admiral Hicks who chuckled softly,
"At ease you two. You are dismissed Enterprise. I'd like to speak with Private Murray in secret."
"Of course sir. Private, Admiral." She steps out of the room but gives a gentle wave toward Josh and leaves the two alone.
After his talk with Admiral Hicks, Vestal, and the other hospital staff ran a few tests on him and remained silent filling out the paperwork to get released, putting his clothes and uniform on, thanked both Vestal for her help and the other and walked out of the hospital. doors
Closing his eyes and gripping tightly to take in everything that happened to him up until this point he gripped onto a piece of paper tightly from the Admiral after his actions.
"Private Murray. It's been a while since we last spoke together and it wasn't from attacking your Drill Sargeant..." Admiral Hicks said.
Joshua scoffed and shook his head,
"That guy was a prick to us sir...I couldn't take his attitude and extreme training when it hurt one of my fellow platoon." Joshua said.
"An. You slapped one of the Japanese carriers who attacked Pearl Harbor back in 1942...No, it called not following my orders." Hicks said.
"She insulted Enterprise and her sisters! Plus we worked it out in the end so there's no reason to be upset about it." Joshua said.
Hick shook his head at him with his arms crossed on his chest,
"You went against my order and because of your past actions, I have no choice but to give you this...I'm sorry son..." He said handing him the file and giving a salute before departing the room.
0500
In his hand, he held a dishonorable discharge that made many thoughts raddled his brain after everything he did it likely meant nothing to him for saving those civilians and saving the Enterprise.
'God I'm so stupid...what's mom gonna think of me now that her son is a disgrace...Christ I hope Jesse doesn't make fun of me..."
He doesn't go back to his barracks to sleep but instead, heads over to Battleship Row and admires the sights of Fords Island and the starry night sky until he ends up bumping into someone,
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see you there..." He said.
"Private Murray? What are you doing out here so late its 0500?" Enterprise said.
He simply held the paper out to her. She takes it and frowns while reading it and looks up at him,
"I'm sorry this happened to you, Is there anything I can do to help you?" She asked him.
"There's nothing much you can do Enterprise. I did wanna go out there into the water commanding my vessel." He sighed softly and began telling her the reason why he was discharged from here with his drill sergeant gripes and slapping Kagi across the face was reported by one of the nurses, "But, It is my fault for behaving that way. This means I won't be able to captain a vessel anytime soon...It's been an honor to know more about you Enterprise."
He said to her, men would get upset, angry, and depressed for being discharged walking away from her but stopped when a hand gripped onto his arm, "Actually, I might be able to help you with that."
0530
Joshua looked shocked while he explored the deck of USS Enterprise CV-6. The Grey Ghost! He stands attention and salutes to her, "Permission to come aboard ma'am!" He exclaimed causing her to giggle softly,
"Granted. Now where do you want to go, Captain?" She asked him; He was a captain now of the ship his grandfather captained that became the badass of the Pacific Ocean.
"Midway Island, full speed, coordinates are 28.2N, 177.4W."
"Aye Captain, Full speed to Midway Island."
She said and made the ship go full speed toward the coordinates but as they departed from Pearl Harbor he gave one final salute to the wreck of USS Arizona.
0645 Midway Island, Abandoned Naval Air Facility 28.2N, 177.4W.
The bright sunshine poured over the Pacific, his eyes fixated on the smell of the salty sea water, the waves crashing up against the anchored Enterprise after arriving at the abandoned Naval Air Base that'll be their little secret hangout to him at least. He sits at the edge of her runway peering down at the small waves crashing against the boat; This place to him was a graveyard of both men and ships who fought here.
"Private are you alright?"
He heard a female voice ask him, he looked over his shoulder to see Enterprise with an American Eagle on her shoulder,
'Now that's patriotic as hell to own a damn pet Bald Eagle.' He thought to himself
"What's his name?" he asked her.
"Grim Reaper but me and my sisters like to call him Grim for short." She responded; he looked at her surprised,
"Is he supposed to represent the Grim Reaper squadron after your sister- oh I'm sorry Enterprise..." He said
"It's fine. Me and my sisters found Grim as a little egg floating in the ocean. We took care of him and took turns raising him until I had to." She said.
He reaches up to pet the Eagle but it screeches and flies into the air,
"Grim doesn't like it when people touch-"
Grim lands on Joshua's shoulder which catches him off guard and freeze then he reaches over and surprised Enterprise. Joshua started petting the eagles feather's as it enjoyed the attention,
"I never him did that before." She said surprised.
"Well when I did the research he was in the Battle of Midway. so, my guess is Grim must see me as his saving grace of both ship and captain of the vessel...You and your sisters raised a fine Bald Eagle." He complimented her and smiled sweetly.
The sweet moment is then short lived when Grim screeched loudly and flies into the sky; Joshua looked confused until his eyes widen when he realized what those noises are, "ENTERPRISE! RELEASE ANCHOR! FULL REVERSE QUICKLY! INCOMING ARMOR PIERCING ROUNDS PORT TO STARBOARD NOW!"
"AYE SIR!" She quickly drops her anchor and goes full reverse on her engines as ten shells missed the tip of her flight deck; he lets out a sigh of relief then looked further away and noticed a dark shadow sixteen kilometers away from them and seen several more ships further away following along while one mighty ship continues to move toward them then stopped; he looked closely at it and froze on the spot,
"I-Impossible. I-It's the Nazi's most powerful Battleship. The Bismarck..." He stuttered at the sight of the German battleship at its guns aimed a directly at them.
A/N
I hope you guys enjoy the cliffhanger of this chapter. I had done a lot of research and currently still am doing it to understand Navy history of the ships and tactics. The armor piercing round comes from playing World of Warships which I highly recommend to play if you are the Warship enthusiast and fanatic. Also big inspiration to Worlds Collide Fanfic and Stuck in a World of Shipgirl's for giving me the inspiration to even write this story. Please I highly recommend you to read those stories and support them an consider supporting this story if you enjoy reading my work by sharing, favoriting, and bookmark this story! Love the support and love on this story.