A/N: Forty One Thousand Of you.

Forty One thousand.

Just.... holy shit.

If you'd told me 3-4 years ago, that forty one thousand people would read what I had to say about demons from the deep, ships given new life, and gay blondes, I'd have said you were crazy.

Guess not though.

Thank you all.

By the way, writing this chapter reminded me that at one point, Anyaland wasn't a thing.

When the first chapters were being written, I had a different pairing in mind.

Anyaland, meet Zuianya.
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"You guys do know, that if you'd let me carry you, my run would be over with so much faster, yeah?" Anya asked, arms crossed as she watched the five.

The day's date was January 4th, four days into the new and young year of 2023 and two days away from the arrival of the German Admiral that would take place as the head of the German ship girls.

It'd been four days since Anya and Maryland had finally gotten together. In secret of course. In the name of the betting pool they'd only heard whispers of but knew without a doubt that it existed, they'd decided to see how long they could make it without the Base finding out. Which, so far, it was going well enough.

Anya was pretty sure Langley had the largest sum sitting on it.

She wasn't sure why. She just knew.

But Mary and Anya wasn't the only development that had taken place over the four days. One of the most clear happenings of the Base had taken place the morning of the New Year, simply due to Anya and Mary becoming a thing.

They'd made themselves known when Anya had awoken that morning. She'd expected to see a lot of things when she had. The sunlight coming into her room. The bathroom light seeping into her room under the door, signaling that Sofia was awake and getting ready for the day. She'd expected to see someone like Bristol snuggling next to her because of nightmares the previous night.

What she hadn't expected was to find five miniature versions of Maryland, dressed in Marine khakis, to be standing in a row, only a foot from her face, watching her as she slept. At first, Anya had had no idea what was going on. Not even the slightest bit. She thought she was still dreaming.

It had only been after the woman had sat up and asked what felt to be 45 minutes worth of questions, only to be answered by the smallest of head nods and quiet 'Heys!' did she finally learn just who they were. And the answer was simply apart of Maryland's fairy crew. Or, her marines in particular.

After what had been an additional fifteen minutes from waking up, she finally managed to piece together that Maryland had slipped them aboard before they'd parted the night previous.

She'd accepted the answer for all of about thirty seconds before her common sense and logic finally seemed to register to her.

Slipped them aboard what?

Anya wasn't a ship girl, she knew that for sure. How had she not noticed the five before hand was a mystery of the highest order. And apparently, she lacked the proper qualifications to know the answer, because when Sofia poked her head in from the bathroom asking who she was talking to, Anya suddenly found herself talking to no one as the five had completely vanished.

The admiral knew that they had gone somewhere. And she knew where the place was. She just... didn't know where it was exactly. But she could feel where they'd gone, she just couldn't for the life of her, name where.

But of course, as soon as Sofia went back within the bathroom, the five were once more present on the bed. To act as Anya's personal guard. Five marines that could easily all fit within the palm of her hand.

Between a ring and five marines of the highest adorability available, Anya honestly thought that she got the better end of the deal.

But that did explain where Anya found herself at present moment. Standing out in the snow as she'd stopped her run, turned and looking down at the five, four of which who in turn were helping their fifth member out of one of Anya's shoe-prints in the snow. And given that the snow was higher than they were tall, it was quite the ordeal.

They insisted on running behind her, which translated to somewhere along the lines of 'We're gonna get stuck every five minutes and take an extra five to get out of this mess.'

At Anya's statement however, one of the Marines turned to her, shook a fist, and replied with an indignant 'Hey!' as she glanced up at the woman. Anya blinked. It was still weird. She knew she only heard the word hey come from the Marine fairy. But that still didn't stop the woman from knowing exactly what the tiny being really wanted to say.

If you'd told Anya S. Johnson five years ago that she'd be having a conversation with a US Marine that was barely big enough to count as a figurine because she had started dating a battleship, she would've punched you in the face. Of that, there was no doubt.

Anya's life had gotten weird.

Watching another of the five topple into her shoe print to join the first as a result of trying to get said first one out only cemented this fact.

Anya's life had gotten very very weird.

Anya only watched them a moment before resigning to her fate. With a smile of course though. Because though she wouldn't admit it, Mary's Marines were far to adorable for her own good.

It wasn't like she had anywhere to be however. It was just her. Just her and her new Marine vanguard that made up the entirety of the Kanmusu section of Yokosuka. She had the entire Base to herself.

Ishigara and the Nagato sisters had headed off to a meeting with the rest of the JMSDF higher personnel to discuss the new year and things that they could work with or do without.

Elizabeth Hiroshi had taken a personal first half of the day. She was attending a wedding else where, and as such, her kitchen staff was not present either.

Sofia had taken a group of the Ship Girls up to Tokyo for the day. Going with her had been Nancy and Daisy, and a handful of JMSDF personnel to help keep the order.

It'd been decided that sending groups of both American and Japanese Kanmusu on shopping sprees with their Christmas gifts was an excellent way to tease the girl's existence without really saying anything. The public would recognize those of the Japanese without issue. But they'd be scratching their heads at the sight of the girls hanging around them so freely.

And then the rest of the girls had been put on various Sorties, just to make sure the peace in the surrounding waters stayed.

This was a day of sorts in Anya's mind.

Her plan was to run more than her fair share of laps, cook something for herself in the kitchen, and nap the rest of the day away until the fleet got back. Yes, she quite liked this plan. She liked it quite a lot.

The Marines before her were only adding to the enjoyment of her so called Day off.

"Hey, I'm just saying, the faster I get done with my run, the faster we get to the hot chocolate." Anya said as she crouched down to near the five.

Now that seemed to grab their attention. Anya smiled. Mary's marines were suckers for sweets.

"Thought that might get you." Anya laughed as she reached a hand into the shoe print, letting the two there to step on. Her other hand was brought to the other three, Anya soon picking the three up as she brought them to the shared pocket of her hoodie, allowing them to pile inside where it was warm. A second later, one poked their head out as she signaled for Anya to continue.

Anya only laughed as she put her hood back up and earbuds back in, the sound of Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses once again filling her hearing. Stretching a moment, she only smiled as she once got back into her run, working on her sixth lap around Base.

Admittedly, Anya wasn't as calm as she normally was. Given that she was now Mary's, that she belonged to the battleship, it had her mind more in a flurry than even she'd thought possible.

It made her both excited and nervous. Excited, due to no short part that, Maryland was once a fearsome battleship of the United States Navy. A gun wielding queen that had made the mighty waters of the world hers. Armed with eight sixteen inch rifles, she had dared anyone with a grudge to pick a fight.

On the other hand though, Anya was nervous about the prospect. It wasn't a matter of whether or not Maryland could accidentally hurt her, because there was no use there. Anya knew that the woman possessed more strength in one wrist than Anya ever would in her lifetime. And it made her nervous.

She knew that the battleship would never purposely hurt her. Maryland's heart would never survive it and her loyalty would see it paid for. But there was always the chance. Always the off chance that something might go wrong.

Anya shook her head as she ran on. She couldn't think like that. She wouldn't. Their relationship was only four days old. It was good to have caution, but not to the point where it snuffed out what had brought them together.

She knew the battleship would rather die than see any harm come to herself. And for that, Anya supposed, she couldn't have gotten luckier. But she willed herself never to have harm come to her in the first place. She never wanted to see hurt in those periwinkle eyes ever again.

Giving a breath, she watched as it came as steam from her mouth, evaporating moments later In the Japanese winter. It was cold today, just how Anya preferred it. Her siblings were all summer babies. July. June. May. They loved the heat and when the sun was beating down on them. She imagined that if they'd had a choice, their childhood would've been in the South.

But Anya was a winter baby. Late January. She loved the snow. The cold. The days where the clouds dominated the sky, not a speck of sunlight to be seen but only when it forced itself through the clouds. And even then, it was temporary and bittersweet.

Her mind gradually wandered back to Maryland as she ran on, her music playing in her ears as the thoughts continued to come. Thoughts of the woman continued to creep into her mind.

If Anya had known she'd be thinking of the woman this much, she wouldn't have allowed the woman to go with Sofia up to Tokyo. She'd have remained here and the two of them would have spent the cold day wrapped up in one of their nice warm beds, most likely Anya's, and snoozed the day away. That, or other ideal activities for keeping oneself warm.

A light blush graced her cheeks and the woman shook her head at the thought. She may be an admiral, but even she had her needs too. But with the idea of keeping the secrecy about their newly formed relationship a goal, that wasn't really an option to them. They couldn't even share a bed for the night without Maryland's roommates getting suspicious about her whereabouts. Mississippi would immediately go on the hunt and Chicago would start asking questions.

Not the best idea for secrecy.

But that did bring Anya's attention to her ring. Her new ring.

This had also come about the morning she awoke after her night with Maryland, But she suspected that the battleship had little to do with this change.

Where her last ring had been adorning the blue jewel in the direct middle of the ring, this one wasn't so fancy or any of that. This one, Anya noted with some amusement, more resembled a wedding band than that of an Admiral's ring. Silver in color, it had the engraved pattern of waves wrapping around the entirety of it. Nestled between the silver however was a band that looked to be made of the same jewel that her last ring had adorned. It even seemed to glow the same dark blue as her other had.

When she'd checked with Maryland that morning, she'd found that the battleship had one just like it. It would seem that they'd traded in one ring for two without even knowing it.

On the inside of the band of this one, it read 'An Admiral's Oath Is To Her Ship'. Anya had found it amusing when she'd found this.

Maryland's however read 'A Ship's Only As Reliable As Her Admiral'

Of course, it was easy when no one else had noticed the change to Anya's ring or the new one that Maryland now adorned.

One of these days, Anya swore, she'd have the last laugh against the Gateway and it's unknown magic ways. Not that she understood anything about the magic. She wasn't even sure it was magic. But it was weird, that she knew without a doubt.

Music blasting in her ears and the Base as quiet as can be, she continued her run uninterrupted. She had the Base all to herself and she wasn't about to look that gift horse in the mouth.

But Anya, being the Admiral of a force of women who were also ships who were also women, should know better than anyone.

The Peace and Quiet Never Stays.

Just as Anya was about to round a corner of a building, she felt a hand tug at her shoulder. Almost instantly, the woman whipped around at the feeling. If they were here on Base, then they shouldn't be.

But when she turned, all she found was the silence of the empty Base before her. Blinking in sudden onset confusion, she glanced down at the Marines poking out from her pockets. When they only stared back up at her in confusion, the Admiral shook her head as she turned back around, her music still playing in her ears.

She'd only taken a single step when this time, the hood of her hoodie was yanked back, nearly toppling the woman backwards. Whipping around once more, Anya this time scanning the surrounding area for any sign of other life near her. And with the snow, it would make it easy as her gaze immediately went for the snow.

If there was someone else, there'd be another pair of foot prints following her and running off somewhere.

But when she found no second pair of footsteps as she scanned the snow around her, she swore-

Scratch that. She spotted some, but they weren't following her own. They'd split off a ways back, trailing off from her own running path. Narrowing her eyes somewhat, she now cautiously began to make way for the path they left.

Backtracking her own, she came upon the second set of shoe prints.

Crouching down for a moment, she tried to figure out how. She tried to reason why. Everybody but her was gone. The Base was empty.

Had there been a girl who'd not wanted to Sortie, and just stay on Base? Was that the reason?

As she looked up, she found her thoughts coming to a screaming halt as she subconsciously stood. She didn't need to guess where the footsteps went. Not when she could see exactly where they went. Where they lead.

She could see as they stretched on, traveling through the snow.

All the way to the summoning chamber.

The door to said summoning chamber swinging closed, as if someone had just walked in as she looked up.

The same chill from the other day crawled down Anya's spine.

Taking a glance down at the five marines poking their heads from her pockets, the five looking up at the woman as one, they gave a quiet 'Hey' in response. Anya sighed.

"Was afraid you were gonna say that." Anya murmured. Be an Admiral? Sure. Lead a fleet of human sized warships? You bet. Follow a trail of what, by each passing second, were looking to be ghost trails?

Not so sure on that one.

Steeling her nerves, she began to make way for the summoning chamber, her body already on alert. Being yanked from behind when there was no conceivable answer was beyond spooky.

Anya liked her ghost stories.

She didn't like living one.

She suddenly wished she had Maryland by her side all the more as she made way for the Summoning chamber, her nerves trying to mutiny the entire time.

When one of the marines in her pockets poked back out, miniature M1 Garand in hand, Anya only shook her head in amusement as she walked on.

Yep. Her life had gone off the deep end.

It was okay. She'd always liked the water.

Reaching the door of the summoning chamber, she breathed a deep breath to calm herself. She'd be fine. She'd just take a peek in, confirm everything was as it should be, and leave. That was the plan.

Anya, breathing slowly, grabbed the handle to the summoning chamber.

She opened it.

She took a look inside.

And her eyes shot wide.

Where once the summoning chamber only held the Gateway within it, the same could no longer be said. The same could no longer be said at all.

The first thing Anya took note of was the floor. Now looking to be glass panels, maybe a foot thick each, they covered the floor. It was as if someone had come by and taken the cement floor for fun. It's taken Anya a moment to realize, but beyond the glass, was an abyss. Going down as far as the eye could see and further, the water she suddenly realized went down further than she could see.

Staring into the abyss below her a moment, music pounding in her ears now with a mixture of her heartbeat, she found her eyes wandering to one side of the room.

What she found was that someone had taken the previous cement walls and carved them into stone, the brick pattern mimicking the one of the Gateway from floor to ceiling. At the base of the wall sat rows of lights, illuminating the wall and providing light for the room that the simple warehouse had been lacking before.

Just before the walls sat a single row of five pillars, thick in diameter, solid and dark red in color, they stretched from the ceiling above well into the Abyss below, passing through the glass floor with ease. Anya followed them down before she lost sight of them into the darkness below her feet. Looking back up at the pillar closest to her, she found herself surprised.

Engraved on the upper portion of the pillar was the American Flag, cut straight into the pillar.

The pillar next to that was engraved the flag of Germany.

After that Came the French.

After that Came the flag of the Japanese.

And that's when she finally saw it.

Before, the Gateway called the middle of the summoning chamber home. Now, the Gateway had a much larger presence. So much larger.

Now, the Gateway was simply the backwall of the summoning chamber. Meeting from floor to ceiling, still outlined in the same stone as it had been before. But no longer present were the engravings that once decorated the sides of it. No longer did it tell how many had been summoned back.

The fog sat midway up the Gateway. Anya could still see the clear blue sky on the other side of the fog, but she still could not see the water. She could not see what laid on the other side of the still very much present fog.

Breathing In amazement, she reached for her earbuds, removing them from her ears.

"Fuckin Jap!" A voice called across the summoning hall to her, in an angry tone. Anya's gaze was immediately brought to the glass floor before the Gateway where her eyes widened.

She a rather sizable group of presumable new summons standing about, watching something. Something in particular.

That's when she realized that eight, looking to be dressed in the summoning blues and golds of the American ship girls duking it out with what looked to be seven adorning the reds and whites of the Japanese.

Well, six did. One looked to be trying to-

Wait.

The reds and whites of the Japanese.

Anya immediately ripped her earbuds from her ears, stuffing her IPod and them into her pocket as she brought a hand to her mouth, giving a sharp whistle. The noise, being far louder than even Anya imagined, caused some of those merely watching the altercation to jump as those mixed up in the fight to suddenly pause as all eyes shot to the woman approaching them.

Noting some of the larger summons, she gave them a dead glare as she pointed to those that had been fighting a moment ago. "SEPARATE THEM. NOW!" She bellowed, her tone taking one that of command. It took them a moment, but some of the larger girls from both sides began to haul the fighters apart, the one that had been trying to stop the fight only looking on with worry.

As Anya approached them, her stride didn't relax and her gaze didn't soften.

"Americans to my left. And Japanese to my right. Now." She finally said.

"And who the fuck do you think you are, ordering us around!? You don't look like you're from fucking Japan!" One screeched at her, dark blue hair being noted. Anya turned her glare on the girl.

"Guess What princess. I don't give a shit. Your Admiral isn't on Base at moment, which leaves command of all Japanese ship girl personnel to me. Anya S. Johnson, Vice Admiral of the United States Navy. Now. Go." She said, staring the girl down for a moment. But she'd distanced herself enough that if the mystery ship girl did launch herself at her, Anya would have time to react. But the girl glaring at her begrudgingly slinked off to the right side with the rest of those adorning Japanese colors, If only because of the encouragement of the one that had been trying to stop the fight before Anya arrived.

Watching as they split for a moment, Anya let a sigh sound off before she realized that eight of them still stood in front of her. Opening her mouth to say something, her words caught in her throat.

None of the eight were adorning either the reds and whites or blues and golds.

Narrowing her eyes a moment, she glared up at the Gateway before looking down at the eight.

"Give me one moment. Go stand with the country you were allied with during the war for the moment until I catch my bearings." She ordered. The eight shrugged, two stepping off to go with the Japanese and four going to the Americans. But two of them stood rooted to their spots, staying put as they watched the woman before them. Anya blinked before she studied their outfits.

Their sailor tops were primarily white, one small ring of blue going around the neck. Down the sides of the arms however were two stripes of red, where they met the hem of their top.

Their skirts were primarily white as well, only two rings of blue around the bottom of them giving any color to them.

Anya blinked before furrowing her brow in sudden understanding.

"Russians....." she huffed. The shorter of the two presumable Russian ship girls before her smirked at her, her eyes flashing with amusement. Anya sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment before pointing to the American ship girl group. "Go stand with them for now." She said. The two only nodded at that, quietly shuffling off to the left.

This gave Anya a moment to breathe in peace, also taking time to inspect another addition of the new change to summoning chamber. Where the water from the Gateway before had been contained within itself, now, it claimed a fourth of the total floor space of the summoning hall, meeting the glass she was standing head on. But it didn't spill over.

She could see that within the water, sand decorated the floor, giving the guise of some sort of ocean floor.

Anya took back what she thought.

She'd never have the last laugh with the Gateway.

Not when it was cackling like made straight in her face.

Staying quiet a moment, she glanced to her right, where she found a rather sizable group of Japanese ship girls watching her uncertainly along with two others of foreign nations. One, she recognized, adorned the same outfit that Tirptiz had.

So, there was another German. Finally something that made sense.

Glancing back to her left, finding the American ship girls, she also found the other six of foreign nations. The two Russians she now identified.

She also spotted one adorning a summoning outfit of the French. So Strasbourg would get a friend.

Great. Just great.

Taking a moment to compose herself in a reasonable manner, she let the anger fade at what she'd walked in on as she scratched the back of her head.

"Alright." She said. "Bear with me. But everyone raise your hand so I can get a head count of how many summons I have before me. I know it's a lot, but I need to know for sure." She said, glancing between the two groups.

Some hesitated more than others, but eventually they all had a hand up.

A few minutes later, Anya suddenly found herself wishing that she was not the only person on Base at the moment.

Forty seven ship girls. The Gateway had called forth forty-fucking-seven ship girls when she was the only one on Base.

Why?

Forget cackling at her.

The Gateway was shrieking with laughter.

It had given her eight of foreign nationalities.

It had given her, once again, goddamn twenty one Americans.

And then, it had thrown eighteen Japanese onto the pile for good measure.

Anya immediately scanned the Gateway for any sign of the Limit. But when the Gateway held no Info for her, she looked to the pillar that held the Japanese flag engraved on it, searching for any answer.

And she found it.

Just above the engraving of the Japanese flag, stones sat protruding from the large pillar. Angled to the floor to where Anya could see, the woman found herself quiet for a moment.

What she saw silenced her with surprise.

The Japanese now had a limit of a hundred twenty.

The Japanese limit had increased. Of today of all days. Inexplicably.

Anya wanted to cheer for them, but now wasn't the time. A quick glance back at the American pillar found that they'd received the same gift, a double in their limit. Now sitting at sixty eight ship girls.

"Admiral? Are you alright?" A voice asked from her left. Anya nodded as she met eyes with one of the girls one the American side, going to answer her, but something far more surprising overtook her.

"Nagato?" Anya blurted out. Blinking, she thought she'd seen the girl wrong. But no. There she was, still there, standing with the Americans Ship Girls adorning the summoning blues and golds.

"Yes, Admiral? I am Nagato. The USS Nagato." She responded. Anya blinked, her mind coming to a screaming halt and everything that she knew crashing down around her.

What the fuck.

The Gateway had a wicked sense of humor.

And then reality came back to her all at once.

"Oh fuck me. You were given to us after the war." Anya groaned. "Why the fuck does the Gateway have to do this today of all days."

"Is there something wrong with me being here?" Nagato asked unsurely, a far step away from her Japanese counterpart. Anya held a moment before shaking her head.

"No, there's no problem with your presence. I'm just not sure how it's going to cause things from here." She Answered. Shaking her head, she sighed. "If you were apart of the scuffle I walked in on, I want you front and center right now." She Answered. Hesitantly, the fourteen began to walk forwards. The fifteenth, the one who'd been trying her hardest to stop the scuffle, looked unsure of whether or not she should approach as well.

When Anya noticed her indecisiveness, Anya gestured to the spot next to her. "I want you to stand here. Since you were the only one that actively seemed to be trying to separate them." She told the girl. The girl looked to be unsure a moment, but it was long enough for the one that had snapped at her a few moments ago to do so again.

"Hey, you shitty Admiral! Don't go trying to control her! You don't own us!" She yelled. Which, this of course, prompted one of blue adorning the blue and gold of the Americans to laugh.

"Oh man. The fucking Jap thinks she can tell our Admiral what to do. That's rich." She laughed, prompting, some of the others clad in blue to nod in agreement as they shot her grins. Anya pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment before snapping at those in blue.

"Shut the fuck up for thirty seconds or I'll make you run laps around the base." She said, glaring at them before looking back to the indecisive one. Once again pointing at the spot next to her, she gave little room to argue. Eventually, she nodded and Came to a standing position next to her, something that prompted glares from five of the six before her, including the one that had snapped at her. And suddenly, Anya understood why.

"Sisters?" She asked. When one of them gave a slow nod, she suddenly understood.
"Alright. Well, as I said before. My name is Anya S. Johnson. I'm a vice Admiral of the United States Navy. And your Admiral is away at a meeting. Well, actually, scratch that. Everyone is away from Base today. So it's literally just me. I'll try not to snap from now on but I've called you lot up specifically because you can't just go around beating the hell out of one another anymore." She told them.

"What? Are you a traitor or something? They're Japanese." One of the blue clad girls said, as if it was plainly obvious in her reasoning.

"And they make up your new allies, so get over it." She replied cooly, glancing at the eight. "So, I'll just ask now, are the eight of you sisters?" She asked.

When one of them gave a slow nod, Anya sighed.

"Of course." She Answered as she turned to the one standing next to her, glancing down at the light blue haired girl. "So. How about you? We'll start with you first. Name?" She finally asked.

"Japanese Destroyer Samidare." She answered, still watching the blonde with caution. Anya nodded at that as she looked to her for a moment before glancing back to the other five before back to her.

"Are five of these your sisters?" She asked as she pointed at them. Samidare gave a slow nod at that. "Well won't they be glad." Anya hummed.

"Who?! Your perverted American friends!? I swear to god, if you even touch her, I'll strangle you with my bear-"

"Your sisters. Jesus Christ. Just because I'm American doesn't mean I'm about to scrap the lot of you. Yuudachi, Shigure, Yamakaze, And Harusame are already apart of the fleet on Base. Given that this is Samidare, I'm guessing five more of you make up the other half of the Shiratsuyu's, yeah?" She asked. When the dark blue haired one suddenly snapped shut at that, Anya rolled her eyes. Pointing to the dark blue haired one, she nodded. "And your name?"

"Japanese Destroyer Suzukaze." Came the response, her tone less than friendly. Anya nodded.

"Suzukaze. Samidare. Could the two of you step off to the side for a moment so I can get through the rest of the names. If you don't snap at me, this'll go so much faster." She said. Suzukaze stared at the woman for a moment before shrugging, walking with Samidare over to the side, leaving Anya with the rest. Looking to the next one, she nodded.

"Japanese Destroyer Umikaze. Reporting for service I guess." Came the response as she glanced up at the blonde. Anya nodded at that as she moved on to the next.

"Japanese Destroyer Murasame. Ready to fight something." The blonde twin tailed girl said. Anya only gave a small look of amusement at that, nodding in apparent understanding.

"Japanese Destroyer Kawakaze. Where's the fight?" She asked. Anya nodded at that, noting the grin the girl was adorning. It was almost predatory.

Anya moved to the last of the two, watching her. "Since we've gotten nine of the ten Shiratsuyu's names, I'm guessing you must be big sister." Anya Answered, prompting the destroyer to nod.

"Japanese Destroyer Shiratsuyu. Just point the way." She said, hands on her hips. Anya nodded at that as she gestured to her sisters.

"If you'll go stand by your sisters, that would be much helpful, thank you very much." She said. Shiratsuyu nodded at that as she padded off to go join her sisters, the six talking quietly. At that, Anya brought her attention to the last of the red adorning girls before her. "So how about you? Destroyer as well?" She asked.

"Japanese Destroyer Kagero, reporting for service.... Admiral? I guess?" She asked, shaking her head. "This is too weird for me." She said.

"You're not alone with that regard, I assure you. Go stand with the Shira's for the moment while I get through the little shits standing next to you." She said. Kagero flashed her a smile of agreement as the destroyer went to join her fellow Japanese Destroyers as Anya glanced at the eight before her, narrowing her eyes at them. Which, of course, prompted three of them to laugh in a nervous way. "Are all of you Destroyers?" She asked.

When the eight before her nodded at that, Anya nodded. "Sisters perhaps?" She asked.

Once again, the eight nodded at her, watching her every move. Looking down the row for a moment.

"I wonder. Will Hoel have Sisters now?" Anya asked in a quiet tone. When most of them gave surprised looks at the mention of the name, two in particular that looked just about ready to go looking for Destroyer in question herself, she sighed. "Fucking fletchers. Should have guessed. Who else would've been so ready to fight."

"Well, that is our job Admiral." The one on the end said. "We are tin cans. Live fast, die young and all that." She said, crossing her arms. "DD-445. USS Fletcher reporting and ready for duty." She told. Anya nodded as she began to move down the row.

Fletcher, like her younger sister Hoel, looked to be older than those of the Gleaves class. Short and choppy blonde hair made it's way to her shoulders. Looking to be twelve, a pair of pale gray eyes watched the woman before her. Standing at 5'1, she had the same height that Hoel did.

Moving down the line, Anya came to the next of the eight.

"DD-446, Admiral. The former USS Radford, more than willing to serve once more." She said, nodding up at the blonde woman before her.

Radford, unlike her sisters, had come through with her hair in a different style. Braided back, she had one long ponytail down to her mid back. Blue eyes watched the woman before her with a sense of curiosity. Standing at 5'1 as well, Anya noted that all of the presumable Fletcher sisters seemed to share the same height.

"So. Fletcher and Radford. Who's next?" Anya surmised as she stepped up to the third in line.

"USS Jenkins. Pennant number 447, Admiral." The girl before her said as she looked up at the woman. "So we're really Allied with the Japs, then?" She asked.

Anya scowled at the use of the term, Jenkins breaking into a grin because of it. Light blue eyes watched Anya as the destroyer sported a blonde Mohawk. Arching a brow, Anya made to reach for the destroyer's hair before Jenkins suddenly covered her hair with her hands, as if trying to prevent her from ruffling it. Anya laughed as she stepped to the fourth of the eight.

"USS Nicholas. DD-449. Just show me the way Admiral, and the fight's as good as won." She said as she stared up at the woman before her. That was before one of the unnamed four noticed the Marines that were calling the woman's pockets home. Nicholas noticed this as well and nearly headbutted the woman's stomach to get a better look.

Nicholas, like her sisters, stood at only 5'1. Her green eyes focused on the tiny beings within Anya's pockets, somewhat grinning at them. Light red hair ran to her shoulders as she watched the miniature beings watching her closely, M1 Garands in hand. Laughing at this, Anya looked down at the five.

"You've been discovered. Might as well come out now." Anya told them. The five looked up at her from her pockets before nodding, vanishing within her pockets for a moment. But only for a moment.

Before Anya knew what was going on, the five had set their lines, and were rappelling down her legs, ropes stretching from her pockets as they made way for the glass floor waiting for them, rifles strapped to their backs.

Anya waited for them to reach the ground before she tucked the lines back within her pockets, where she felt them vanish. Shaking her head, she stepped up to the fifth of the eight Fletchers. It took a moment to drag her attention away from the five Marines now standing next to Anya, one lighting a tiny cigar, but eventually she did.

"Destroyer 450, Admiral. Former USS O'Bannon, ready to do my part." She introduced herself. Anya nodded to the destroyer. "So, uh... do most people these days also carry small people in their pockets too?" She asked. Anya shook her head.

"Just me I guess." Anya said, glancing down at the five, who looked up at her to meet her gaze.

O'Bannon had dark brown eyes. Looking to be the same age as all of her other sisters, she watched the Marines with both a sense of amusement and wonder. Dark brown hair fell to her shoulders, the tips ending in black.

Stepping over to the sixth in line of the eight, Anya studied her for a moment.

Deep blue eyes were watching the mini Marines with the rest of her sisters. Short cut black hair sat messily upon her head, fluttering with laughter as she watched the five. When she seemed to take notice of the woman before her, she gave a beaming smile.

"Destroyer pennant number 468. The USS Taylor, at your service Admiral. Just show me the enemy and I'll give them a torpedo or two free of charge." She Answered with confidence. Anya nodded at that, giving her own smile in return.

"You'll be the first I call, Taylor. For sure." She Answered. Taylor's smile got wider as Anya stepped up the final and last two of the Fletchers. "Hmmmmmm, I wonder..... who could you two be?" She asked. "Based on the reaction you gave to Hoel's name... maybe... Heerman and Johnston?" She asked. When they only looked at her like she'd spoiled her fun, she gave a victorious smile.

"That's no fun Admiral. DD-532. The USS Heerman, ready and waiting." She Answered as she looked up at the woman. "Why've you got to spoil all the fun?" She asked.

Heerman had light blond hair, it reaching barely past the girl's shoulders. Dark orange eyes watched the woman before her with a sense of disappointment, something Anya shrugged at.

"Dunno. Guess it's just my thing." She laughed as she looked to the eighth and final of the fletchers, the girl before her having her arms crossed as she glared at the woman. "So...." Anya trailed off.

"DD-557. USS Johnston." She Answered simply. "First, making us work with the Japs and now you're taking away our introductions. What's the point then?" She asked. Anya raised a hand in apology.

"That's my bad, Johnston. I'm sorry." She Answered. "But, at the very least, Hoel will be glad to have sisters now." She said.

Johnston had dark green eyes, watching the woman. Dark, jet black hair hung to her shoulders as she kept her arms crossed, but only offered a small nod in response to Anya's statement. The woman smiled as she gestured to her left side.

"If you ladies would step off to the side here, we've still got a lot more names to learn today." She Answered. The Fletcher sisters nodded at that as the eight walked off to the side. When they'd stepped off to the side to Anya's liking, she nodded. "Well, that's fourteen destroyers down. Any other destroyers to be had? If so, step up." She said as she looked around at the various groups. But it wasn't until one of the two Anya had identified as Russian began to walk forwards, a sway in her step. At that, two more began to walk forwards.

Anya found the three standing in front of her a few moments later, the Russian girl standing the in the middle. And the other two on either side of her, eying her wearily. Nodding in agreement, Anya gestured to the one before her. "How about we start with you."

"I am Leningrad, nameship of the Leningrad class of Destroyer leaders." Came the response, the girl looking up at Anya with pale gray eyes. Anya only nodded at that for a moment.

Leningrad, where the rest of the girls looked almost normal besides some of the exuberant hair color, looked almost thuggish. Doubting it was simply because the girl was Russian, she put that on the back burner. The girl had black mid-back length hair, her arms crossed as she watched Anya.

"Alright Leningrad. Gotta hand it to you. Your presence isn't exactly one that was expected." Anya told the girl. Leningrad shrugged as she looked back up at the Admiral from her height of just barely past the fletchers. Had just a smidge of more muscle to boot.

"Given the fact that you're the only on Base at the moment, I take it none of our presences was exactly expected at the start of the day. Вы уверены, что это хорошая идея?" She replied. Anya went to say something, but found that she couldn't. Because at the end of the day, the Russian Destroyer-leader was absolutely right.

"Point." Anya said. Leningrad gave a sharp smile at that as she stepped off to the side, allowing Anya to focus on the other two.

The one to the right's outfit was primarily white like Leningrad's had been. But this one around the collar had one solid ring of blue. Down the left side of her outfit ran a solid red stripe. At chest level, another red stripe ran horizontally across her top. Her skirt was white and untouched.

The one's on the left however was primarily white as well. Three seven pointed stars sat clustered together at the bottom right of her outfit. A dark blue in color, they stood out against the white of her outfit.

Along the top left of her top however, one solid red strip ran diagonally from the left of her collar down past her shoulder. Her skirt was untouched white as well.

Anya noted the similarities between the two outfits, humming a moment before gesturing to the one with the stars. "How about you go first." She said. The girl nodded, giving a wicked grin.

"Dee Sixty Eight. HMAS Vampire at your service, Admiral. Even if you are a yank." Vampire introduced herself. Anya nodded at this. An Australian. She didn't know how her day was going to proceed now.

Vampire stood at Maybe 5'1. Pretty short. But she still held the air of maturity about her that the Fletcher sisters did. Or, at least more mature than those of the Gleaves did. Looking to be eleven at most, she'd had her black hair pulled back into a bun. Crimson red eyes peered up at Anya with the most interesting of gazes. But the most notable feature, Anya had to guess, was the pale color of the girl's skin.

"Just don't expect me to say crikey. Not all of us do that, ya know." Vampire chided before going off to stand with Leningrad. Anya nodded as she looked to the last of the destroyers.

"Greetings Admiral." Came the greeting. "You'd think you'd take more care in your outfit when greeting us. Make things a little more pleasant. HMS Cossack at your service." She said with a curtesy. Anya only nodded somewhat at that as she gave the destroyer a smile.

Girl before her had dark black hair, short two. Didn't even reach her chin. Light blue eyes stared up at the woman. She looked to be about 5'2 in the height department. Although she looked to be older than Vampire was.

"So the Australians and the British. Haven't I found myself lucky." Anya mused. Cossack only shot her a knowing glance in turn as she went to stand next to Vampire and Leningrad, where the Russian girl had seen it required to begin poking the Australian in the sides, much to the girl's rising chagrin. Watching them a moment, making sure it wasn't going to escalate further, Anya looked ahead once more.

"Alright.... Carriers? Step up if you would." She asked. She watched as one from the Japanese approached her. And three from her other side approached, one she noted, was adorning the same outfit that Cossack had been in. So she'd gotten One Japanese, one British, and two American. Picking at random, she pointed to the one adorning the colors the Japanese. "How about you." She said.

"My name is Unryuu. Carrier of the Japanese fleet and name-ship of my class." She introduced herself with a quiet nod.

Anya nodded at that as she watched the woman for a moment, her messy white hair being one of the most prominent features about her.

"I'm sure the carriers of your country will be glad to have another of their own around. My own countries carrier have arrived in droves and I think you'll be a nice change of pace." The admiral told her, crossing her arms as a quick breeze of ocean air blew into the room from the Gateway. Unryuu offered a simple and quiet nod in response, allowing Anya to move onto the next of the three, one she noted that looked more than happy to be here. "Alright, How about you?" She asked.

"See-Vee Sixty three. The former USS Kitty Hawk at your service admiral. Show me the enemy and I'll blow them out of the water." She said, admonishing a wide grin as she thrusted a thumb to her chest, other hand on her hip. Her skirt moved with a flurry, straining to keep her hips decent.

Kitty had bright blonde hair, ending in curls that reached just past her rear. Blue eyes, tinged with silver, watched the woman with glee. Standing at 6'3, she was tall for a carrier. Not only that, but her appearance was one of 26, one of the oldest looking girls on Base.

"Well alright. I've gotta say that you're an oddity around here Kitty. The most current carrier we had before today was Coral Sea." Anya explained, causing Kitty's grin to grow by fractions. Stepping to the side, that brought Anya to the next American carrier, presumably an earlier one given that Kitty stood well over the woman. Carrier in question offered Anya a kind smile.

"CV-7 at your service. The former USS Wasp. Ready and willing to pick up the fight once more." She introduced herself. Anya nodded, returning the woman's smile.

Wasp reminded Anya so very much of Langley. She had a gentle air about her and her rounded cheeks gave the woman a motherly feel about her. Her light green eyes watched the woman with a sense of wonder and her light gray hair, stretching just short of her shoulders, was as straight as could be.

"Well, Kitty Hawk and Wasp. I'm not sure we could've gotten carriers farther apart." Anya said, to which Kitty looked down at Wasp with a wide grin. Wasp returned a smile of her own, far more timid in nature. With the two of them figured out, Anya stepped over to the last of the four, offering the red headed woman a kind smile in greeting. "So, we've ourselves a British Carrier then?" She asked.

The woman before her nodded, a slight nod of the head as she held her hands clasped in front of her. "Indeed. I am her majesties's ship, Ark Royal. Pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms. Johnson." She Answered, offering a small curtsey as well. Anya smiled at the carrier.

"Well, despite the situations and all that, it's nice to have you and Cossack joining us." She Answered. Ark offered another, smaller smile in response but said nothing on the subject as she and the other three carriers stepped away, once again freeing the space before her. Deciding she wanted to handle the cruisers last, since there seemed to be so many, she made her choice. "Let me get the battleships front and center please."

This brought six from the American side, including the girl adorning French colors. From the Japanese side, it brought one. But she noted that four of the American battleships were eying Nagato both curiously and hostilely. Snapping her fingers, she brought their attention to her.

"This is odd for all of us. But she's wearing the same colors as you. Don't go treating her like she's the enemy. You hear me?" She asked.

The one closest to Nagato narrowed her eyes at Anya. "But She is the enemy. Her name is literally Japanese, Admiral." Came the response. Anya nodded.

"War ended a long time ago. There's no enemies here. Just old feuds and grudges that still live on." Anya said as she stepped over to Nagato first, green eyes meeting the same yet so different set of red. "Nagato?" She asked.

"Yes Admiral?" She asked.

"You good?" Came the Reply.

"I.... I don't know. This is not how I would've preferred to return this way." She said. "As my fellow.... American has said, I'm Japanese at heart." She said, looking down at the colors she adorned. "These are not the colors I flew. These are not the colors I fought for." She Answered. Anya watched the battleship a moment.

She couldn't imagine how the woman was feeling. She'd come back for the country that, essentially, had utilized her for target practice and nothing else. But, that didn't change one thing.

"You've already come back for the Japanese." Anya Answered, prompting those around to look at her like she'd grown another head. "Among the fleet, the Japanese has called back Nagato already. Both she and Mutsu." She Answered.

"Then... why...?" Nagato asked, but she trailed off. Anya shrugged as she looked up at the woman.

"I dunno honestly. The Gateway works in mysterious ways, Nagato. And though I'm not Japanese like you are at heart, I am a friend." She said, looking up at the woman. Nagato met her eyes once more a moment later before giving a small, quaint smile.

"Thank you Admiral." Came the quiet response. Anya offered a smile in return before stepping away from the woman. Talk of the Japanese though had made her curious of the one adorning the reds and whites of said country. Stepping over to her to the right, she looked up at the dark haired woman, who watched her with stoic eyes.

"And you?" Anya asked, watching the woman. Stoic expression in tact, the woman gave the simplest of nods in greeting.

"Japanese battleship Tosa. Name ship of my class... has my sister arrived already?" She asked. Anya's eyes widened somewhat for a moment before nodding at the question, still watching the woman before her.

Standing at 6'1 even, Tosa wasn't the tallest battleship to grace Yokosuka. But she seemed to be one of the calmest. Fair, Anya supposed, given who her sister was after all. The battleship watched the woman before her with dark red eyes as her dark brown hair was pulled off to one side, Very so much like Kaga.

"Yes. Kaga's already come back for Japan. I.... I don't know how she'll react to your presence..." Anya said, watching the woman. Tosa nodded in turn at that.

"And for that, I will not judge her." She replied. Anya only nodded as she stepped for the left, coming across the first of the Americans, the one that had called out Nagato. Looking up at the battleship, Anya nodded.

"And who might you be?" She asked.

"Battleship thirty six. Former USS Nevada." The woman Answered begrudgingly. "Nameship of the Nevada Class." She told the woman. Anya nodded at that.

"Makes sense. I can see Oklahoma in you already." Anya said, trying to take the tension from the room. And it seemed to work somewhat as Nevada's eyes lit up somewhat at the mention of her sister.

"Oklahoma's here?" She asked. Anya nodded at that as she watched the battleship.

"She is." She Answered as she looked at the woman. Nevada seemed to watch Anya for a moment, as if looking for any sign that the apparent Admiral was lying.

Nevada's light brown hair was done in braids much like her younger sister's. But these were pulled back, far shorter than her sister's. A darker silver colored her eyes, for all the world she looked like her sister. Not identical, but enough to the point where the second Anya had looked at her, she'd kind of figured it out. Just as tall as her sister, she looked to be 22.

"Very well." Nevada said, stepping back to allow Anya to move to the next battleship, this time coming across the one wearing colors of the French. Watching her a moment, Anya gave a smile.

"I know not your name. Only that Strasbourg will be happy to have another of her country on base with her." She said, watching the battleship. The woman before her offered a small nod in return at that.

"Is that so? I should think it will be good to see her again. French battleship Richelieu at your service. If I may ask, do I have an admiral that I may call my own on Base as well?" She asked. Anya shook her head at that, looking at the woman.

"Unfortunately, no. You do not. Thus far, it's just the US and Japan that has leadership on base. But we'll touch on that after we've learned all the names. Getting closer." She said. Richelieu nodded at that, stepping away as Anya looked to the last three battleships wearing American colors. And two of them had wide grins. Anya only chuckled somewhat as she looked between the two for a moment.

They clearly weren't sisters. But they seemed to share a grin of knowing. Mentally counting it off in head, she decided on the one on her far left. "So how about you? You got a name?" She asked.

"Battleship fifty seven. USS South Dakota, lead ship of my class." She introduced herself. Her grin was still present, telling Anya that this one would probably be one of her more problematic battleships on Base.

"Ohhhh, Battleship X." Anya hummed as she watched the woman before her. "I'll have you know, Alabama's still giving the fight her all as her steel hull." She told the woman, causing South Dakota's smile to diminish by fractions at the news.

"Alabama never got her rest then, hmm?" She asked. Anya shook her head.

"Active. To museum. And then brought into service once more in the defense of her country." She told her. South Dakota sighed somewhat as the girl next to her gave her a concerned glanced. "But Indiana's patiently been waiting the arrival of her sisters." Anya said. And suddenly, Dakota's grin was back once more.

Dakota was a knockout if Anya had ever seen one. Like Indiana, her hair hung past her shapely rear, the skirt trying it's hardest to keep her decent. But it did it's job well. Having the clear muscles of a battleship, there was little doubt that Dakota could handle herself in a fight. Light brown eyes looked to the ship girl next to her in a sense of endearment, the other one nodding in turn. There was no doubt. This was Indiana's older sister.

Stepping to the right, Anya looked up at the woman before her. Same height as Dakota, she offered a smile.

"Dakota's right there. Alabama's still out on the water. And Indiana's not on Base right now." She Answered. "Could you be the last member of you class?" She asked. The woman before her offered a far gentler smile than her presumable sister had.

"Battleship Fifty Nine at your service Admiral. USS Massachusetts ready to sail." She Answered. "How's Indiana been?" She asked. Anya nodded.

"She's been patient. She's been calm. She's one of my more... reserved battleships, something I can tell her oldest sister is going to be about as far away from as can be." She said, the two glancing to South Dakota. Battleship in question only laughed in reply at that, stifling it somewhat so that Mass and Anya could resumed their chat.

Massachusetts had long flowing blonde hair. Hers however only fell to her mind back, not as long as her older sisters. Dark green eyes watched her sister with a sense of amusement.

Anya smiled as she stepped to the last of the battleships as the rest stepped away, leaving just Anya and the girl before her. Said girl was giving a wide grin in return.

"Hmm.... clearly not a fast battleship." Anya hummed. "Maybe a dreadnaught. But not of the Nevada or Pennsylvania's. Hmmm.... maybe... a New Mexico?" Anya hummed in thought, tapping her chin. When the woman said nothing, but only offered a wider smile, Anya smiled in thought. "So.. not New Mexico... clearly not Mississippi.... what about Idaho?" She surmised. Woman before her have a simple nodded as her grin gradually vanished.

"Battleship for-tee-too Admiral." She said with a nod. "Battleship Idaho reporting, last of the New Mex's. Missy already beat me to the punch then?" She asked. Anya nodded.

"One of my more outgoing battleships, she's been a good one to have around. Lifts the spirits of those around her." She said. Idaho nodded at that, hands on her hips.

"I'm glad." She said. "Been a while since I've seen her. Have to make sure my older sister's behaving herself." She offered. Anya nodded.

"That would be much appreciated." She Answered. "Assuming that you are not planning to follow your sister into whatever hi-jinx she's planned for herself next." She said. Idaho put up a facade of mock hurt.

"Admiral, I would never!" She cried, exaggerating her movements as she thrusted a hand to her chest. But when her lips pulled into a smirk, Anya rolled her eyes.

"Mhm. Sure." She said, glancing into those deep red eyes. "I'm sure you would never ever dare think it." She hummed. Idaho nodded.

"Exactly. I'm glad we understand one another." She Answered with a smile. Anya rolled her eyes as she watched Idaho walk away before glancing at the remaining groups, clearly the biggest yet.

"Cruisers. Front and center." She said. And as she suspected, every last one of the renaming ship girls approached, lining shoulder to shoulder, including the one adorning German colors, the one adorning Russian colors with Leningrad, and the final one that looked to be adorning the colors of Italy.

She also noted that three of the cruisers stood a full foot in height against their fellow cruisers. Arching a brow, she went for them first, her five marines following along, each armed with their own M1 Garand.

Approaching the first of the three, she noted the woman's dark skin, tanned to a point. And as she settled in front of her, she picked up the faint scent of sunscreen. "How about you then. Got a name?" She asked.

Putting a hand on her hip, the woman gave a nod. "Cee Bee One. Large Cruiser USS Alaska at your service." She Answered. Anya looked up at her with surprise as she noted something.

Alaska had the height of a battleship, that was for sure as she stood at 6'1. But her frame wasn't built for brawls like the others girls were. She didn't have the muscle. In fact, the woman before her was rather svelte, much like the two before her. Icy blue eyes watched Anya with a sense of pride.

"Remind me... twelve inches?" Anya asked. Alaska offered a nod in turn at that, giving the woman a smile as she swayed from hip to hip, planting a hand on her other hip as she shifted her stance. Anya nodded as she she stepped to the next of the three presumable large cruisers.

The one before her, no doubt a sister because of stature, looked nothing like Alaska. Pale skin and Snow White hair, the girl offered a pleasant smile in greeting. Noting the scent of pine, all Anya could think of was Alaska. Cool red eyes peered at Anya.

"CB-3. Sister to Alaska, USS Hawaii at your service." She Answered. Anya couldn't help the small laugh that sounded from her throat, Hawaii nodding understanding as she wrapped an arm around Alaska's shoulders. "We know right? Like, we are what one another's states immortalize... just, not in name." She said.

"Someone got things mixed up." Alaska laughed. Anya couldn't help but nod In agreement as she stepped to the third of the class presumably. Cruiser in question offered a smile no different than her sisters.

"CB-2. Large Cruiser USS Guam at your call Admiral." She introduced herself. Anya nodded in greeting.

Guam's appearance was far more tame than her younger and older sister. Though she did exhibit a slight tan, she wasn't as dark as Alaska. Tall and svelte like her sisters, she looked like she could take a solid hit, but she wasn't built for brawling. Running a hand through her sandy blonde locks a moment, she brought her gaze to her sisters.

"We're not really cut like other cruisers." She said in simplicity. Anya nodded at that as she patted the woman's stomach.

"But you're still Cruisers. With twelve inch guns. And considering our cruiser count for us is rather more comprised of lights, I'll take any heavy hitters that I can get." She said. "And you girls are faster than a lot of our battleships. Good support for the destroyers." She said. The three offered smiles at that as Anya stepped up to the next of the cruisers in line.

Adorning the same outfit as Leningrad, the girl offered a sharp smile in greeting as pale gray eyes watched her as well.

"Вы выглядите так, как будто вы можете вздремнуть. Я могу дать вам повод для дремоты." She offered, which Anya only picked up some here and there. "Russian cruiser Molotov. I don't suppose there's an Admiral I can call my own, I suppose?" She asked.

Anya shook her head. "Your Navy hasn't sent anyone. To be fair, that haven't said anything about sending someone." She said. Molotov only nodded somewhat at that as she glanced at Leningrad a moment.

Molotov had snowy white hair pulled back into a ponytail. Hands clasped behind her back, she had the look of someone who wanted no sort of funny business.

"I see. I suppose you shall have to do for now, Admiral.." she said, watching the woman like a hawk. Admiral in question only nodded at that as she stepped off to the next of the cruisers, this one adorning that of the Americans once more.

"Cee-El Fifty. USS Helena, second of the St. Louis class of cruisers." She introduced herself. "I don't suppose my older sister is here? Is she?" Came the question. Anya shook her head.

"You're the first light cruiser that we Americans have received that hasn't been an Atlanta." She told her. "I'm sure she'll show up eventually though." She Answered. Helena only offered a small nod in turn.

Helena only offered a small nod, a look of disappointment filling her face. Anya hurt for her, but she couldn't do much in that regard.

Looking to be maybe sixteen, Helena had light and fluffy blonde hair. Frizzed in some places, the cruiser tried to manage it by sliding her hands through it. But it only frizzed more at the contact, much to the rising distress in those yellow eyes.

Stepping over to the next of the cruisers, the woman in front of her peered at Anya over the rim of her glasses, giving the Admiral an unsatisfied glance.

"CA-30. USS Houston. Fifth of the Northampton class of cruisers. I wasn't aware that our Admiral would be a woman." She Answered, watching Anya with a sense of distrust. Anya shrugged.

"Well, woman I am. Got all the parts to prove it." She Answered.

Houston, like Chicago, was the only other American ship girl to wear glasses. Having the same red eyes of her older sister, the girl before her had short black hair instead of the strawberry blond that Chicago did. Looking to be 20 like her older sister, Anya supposed that she could almost call the two twins if Houston were to dye her hair.

Stepping down the line, she Came face to face with that of another American. Offering a small smile in greeting, she received no such luck from the girl before her.

"CA-31. USS Augusta. Sixth and final ship of the Northampton class of cruisers." She said, sharp and final in tone. Also adorning a pair of glasses, she seemed to watch Anya with the same sense of dislike that Houston had. Chuckling somewhat, Anya nodded.

"Well, at least Chicago will have fun knowing that she has little sisters now." Anya told them, causing the two of them to look at her in surprise. Anya only nodded to confirm it. "Mhm. She was one of my first two Heavy cruisers. San Francisco was the other." She said.

Augusta only pushed her glasses back at that, nodding in acceptance. The very same dark red eyes watched Anya, as if peering into her very soul. Her black hair sat curled at her shoulders, the girl twirling some ends of it with a finger as she idled.

Nodding in acceptance, Anya appeared to be finished with the American ship girls. All twenty one named and accounted for. She stepped over to the first of the Japanese, offering a kind smile in greeting.

"Our country... isn't doing as badly as yours is in the Cruiser department, is it?" She asked, as if unsure of the language. Anya shook her head.

"No. Japan's been at this whole summoning far longer than the US has. Your heavy cruiser side is a little light, but the six that call it home do your country proud." Anya said, looking at the woman. The ship girl before her only nodded, giving a brief smile in both relief and ease. "So? What about you? Got a name you want to give?" She asked.

"Imperial Japanese Cruiser Mogami reporting. Admiral? Is Anya alright. Calling you Admiral... feels beyond strange." She said. Anya nodded in agreement.

"It's a strange day for all of us, I assure you." She Answered with a nod. "Wasn't expecting to find eighteen Japanese ship girls today." She said. Mogami furrowed her brow.

"Why? We are in Japan, are we not?" She asked. Anya nodded.

"I'll explain once I've gotten through the rest of you ladies." She said as she stepped off to the next of the Japanese cruisers.

"Imperial Japanese Heavy Cruiser Mikuma, second of the Mogami class cruisers." She introduced herself. Anya nodded, looking between the two sisters for a moment. "Uhh... Anya, if I may ask, which of our heavy cruisers have come before us?" She asked. Anya nodded in turn.

"There's Takao And Atago of the Takao Class. And then we have the full Myoukou class on base as well." She said, looking to the heavy cruiser. Mikuma nodded at that, giving a small smile as Anya stepped to the next of the Japanese cruisers. Cruiser in question seemed to watch Anya with a sense of unease, which made sense to the Admiral. As far as she knew, the war had been going on for them just yesterday.

"Japanese light cruiser Agano." She introduced herself. "Don't expect us to be friends." She said, narrowing her eyes at the blonde woman. Anya only smiled in response.

"I would never." She Answered, giving the woman a wink. Agano blinked before she began to grow flustered.

"I wasn't lying!" She insisted. Anya nodded.

"I'm sure you weren't." She said before leaving, stepping over to the next cruiser, she and the other two next to her eyeing her just as cautiously. Anya hummed as she pointed to Agano. "Let me guess. Your big sister?" She asked. The cruiser narrowed her eyes dangerously at the blonde but nodded anyways.

"Japanese light cruiser Noshiro. Second of the Agano class. Don't go making any moves on my sisters." She asked. Anya nodded at that.

"You know I am a woman, yes?" She asked.

"Those are the ones you have to watch out for." Came the Reply. Anya only watched in return.

After all, she'd hit the nail on the head.

Nodding at that, Anya moved onto the next cruiser, the dark hair ponytailed destroyer watching Anya as closely as the other two had. "An Agano?" Anya asked.

"Yahagi." She snapped. "Third of the Agano Class." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Let it be known that I don't trust you." She said, glaring at the American. Anya nodded.

"Neither did Musashi. Or Zuikaku. Or Kaga. You want me to keep going? There's going to be distrust. You saying you don't trust me is nothing new. It's the same old news, just in a different font." Anya Answered, not bothering with another glance to Yahagi as she looked to the next cruiser. "So? You finishing off the Agano class?" She asked.

The cruiser in question quickly looked between Anya and Yahagi for a moment before looking back to Anya, nodding somewhat at the question. When Yahagi made to interrupt to yell at the woman, Anya rose a hand in her direction as she looked to the cruiser before her, noting her shorter purple hair. Eventually, the cruiser nodded.

"Japanese light cruiser Sakawa. Fourth and final of the Agano class cruisers." She introduced herself. "Please don't mind my older sisters attitudes... they're trying their best to adjust..." she said. Anya nodded, glancing at the other three, before reaching to place a hand on the cruiser's shoulder, a motion that made the cruiser freeze somewhat at the contact.

"Between you and me, they're doing a better job than some of my past girls have." She Answered before she withdrew her hand and made way for the next cruiser, leaving the four Agano's to stare at the woman. "Hmmmm..... heavy or light?" Anya asked.

"Heavy. Tone, first of the Tone Class Of Heavy Cruisers of the Japanese Navy." She replied. Watching the woman before her a moment, Tone titled her head somewhat. "So... you're American then?" She asked. Anya nodded at that.

"Born and bred, pure blooded American, I promise you." She said, looking back at the cruiser. "Tone.... forgive me if I'm wrong but you were an aviation cruiser, were you not?" She asked. Tone blinked before nodding at that.

"I'm surprised.. you know that." She said. Anya shrugged.

"Just because I'm an American doesn't mean I don't know things about the ships of other countries. My great grandfather sailed the waters of the Pacific against you ladies and here I am greeting you like friends. Time changes things." She said. Tone only nodded somewhat as Anya continued to the first of the final four cruisers. "So? Are you Tone's sister?" She asked. The woman before her nodded.

"Heavy Cruiser Chikuma. Second of the Tone class of the Imperial Japanese Navy." She said in greeting with a bow of the head. "I must admit, I did not imagine meeting anyone like this. As a human I mean." She said in admittance. Anya nodded in understanding.

"How could one even begin to guess that they would? It's not exactly something can prepare for. Your confusion is understandable." Anya said, prompting Chikuma to offer another nod as the woman stepped to the final member of the Japanese cruisers.

"Japanese Heavy cruiser Aoba." She greeted with a grin, Anya returning with a smile of her own. "I don't suppose my sister is already present?" She asked. Anya shook her head.

"Afraid not Unfortunately." She said. She gave a nod to Aoba, ending the Japanese members then and there. At that, there was only two cruisers left. One German. And one from a country she'd not seen yet.

Going for the German first, she offered a nod, which in response was greeted with a roll of the eyes. Anya only chuckled somewhat at that. "Not a fan?" She asked.

"Was denken Sie? Natürlich bin ich kein Fan. I am German Heavy Cruiser Admiral Hipper, lead ship of my class." She said with an decisive nod. "I don't suppose I have an admiral of my own nation?" She asked. Anya shook her head.

"Not just yet. You do however have Tirptiz." She Answered. "She arrived about a month ago." She said. Hipper nodded somewhat as she accepted the answer, leaving Anya to converse with the last of the cruisers. Nodding at her turn to speak, she smiled.

"Questo è proprio il posto che hai qui. Suppongo che dovrei considerarmi fortunato che non sei tedesco. I am Pola, fourth and final of the Zara class heavy cruisers of the Regia Marina." She greeted with a smile. Anya nodded.

"Well, you're the first Italian ship present. So it's a pleasure to meet you." She Answered. Watching as the cruisers stepped off to the side, going back to their respective groups, Anya let a sigh of relief.

"That's a lot of names to remember, but I'll make do. We have representation by the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Australia, Russia, and Italy." She said. "It's quite the group and quite the diverse class breakup. So let me start by giving you all the date of today. It is January fourth in the year two thousand and twenty three." She said. "The Second World War ended in nineteen forty five." She said.

"That's a real long difference in time." Heerman said. "And what? We made peace?" She asked. Anya nodded as she watched the Gateway as she spoke.

"The Second World War ended with Japan's surrender. Like I told Nevada, there's no enemies here. Just old feuds and grudges that won't die." She said. "In today's world, your countries, which were divided by allegiances to different sides of the war, are allies." She said. "Now, I'm not saying they play nice or get along in the best of terms. But we don't shoot at one another." She said. "Nor do we use our fists to beat one another. Not simply because we come from another country." She said, glancing at the various destroyers that had been involved in the fight she'd walked in on. Some of the Fletchers looked away from her gaze as those of the Shiratsuyu's.

"So?" Helena asked. "If Not to fight each other, why are we here? Why call a bunch of old destroyers with grudges? Cruisers with trust issues? Mis-nationed battleships? Carriers past their time? Why?" She asked. Anya nodded.

"Does the name Abyssal Strike a chord with any of you?" She asked, still watching the Gateway, watching the fog as the sun filled the room where it could.

"No." Cossack Answered. "Should it?" She asked. Anya shrugged.

"You know what they think of your countries? You know what the Abyssals see in the people of your countries? You know what they see when they look at someone like me? That's just a normal human being?" She asked.

"A blond with a thing for theatrics?" Aoba asked. Anya cracked a smile at that, but shook her head.

"No. They see things to be slaughtered. They see targets to practice on. They bled New York dry. They harvested the fear of San Francisco. They smashed through Sydney. They tried to target Tokyo. They tried to hit London, but our fleets blocked them, ready for a fight. And so they tore through the fleet's, ships in half. Dying sailors littering the waters. You take all the evil you know, times it by a hundred, and you have one Abyssal destroyer." She said. "They're a menace. And without you girls, we'd have no real fighting chance. They'd kill millions more ontop of those they've already put in the ground. They'd raze coastlines all over the world and we wouldn't be able to do a thing." She said.

"But... it's been more than a fair share of decades since our war. Isn't the technology of today-" South Dakota began.

"Useless." She said. "Modern computers. Modern weapons. They were made to fight modern threats, not demons from the deep that come slinging lead and leading planes." She said. Admiral Hipper sighed somewhat.

"And So? We? Us? Ship girls you called us? We fight this war for you?" She asked. Anya nodded, still watching the Gateway, shivering somewhat as a breeze blew into the room from the cool air within the gateway.

"Something we've no right to ask any of you." Anya said before she turned to look at them. "But we've no choice in the matter. The Abyssals played their hand, and now we play ours." She said.

"And this? Thing? This is what called us?" Kitty Hawk asked. Anya nodded as she looked back to the Gateway.

"Yep. We call it the Gateway. It can be a little shit at times, but it's what calls you girls back in this form." She said. "We really don't know....." Anya began, but found herself pausing somewhat as she focused on something within the Gateway.

Standing just within the fog was the same silhouette that she'd seen the day that Missouri and her sisters had crossed over. Standing still, she watched it quietly a moment.

"Admiral?" Nevada asked. But all she got in response was a hand raised as Anya watched the figure a moment.

The figure looked as if it wanted to go, but when Anya kept her eyes on it, it apparently made a decision.

Anya and the others watched in tense silence, most having spotted the figure by now. They watched as it began to emerge from the fog, revealing a woman. Clearly Japanese Based on the colors she was sporting. But unlike the others, she didn't adorn the normal summoning outfit of her country.

No, she adorned something far more elegant. Dressed in a floor length Kimono, the woman had her hair tied up as she made way for the entrance of the Gateway. But it was clear her balance wasn't the greatest. Each wave served to be a problem for her, and further unbalanced her.

Just when it looked like she would topple however, she was saved as a second figure emerged from the fog moments before disaster. Dressed in what Anya could only describe a dress that looked like it could belong to a southern belle, navy blue in color, she took it upon herself to balance the woman as the two made way for the Gateway.

Extending a hand for the one dressed in the Kimono, Anya offered a small smile. A gesture that which was returned by the first figure as she took it, using it to steady herself as she took a step onto dry land.

The second figure gave a sigh of relief at the sight, shooting Anya a thankful smile as she tugged her dress up somewhat as she stepped onto dry land with far less trouble than that of her presumable Japanese counterpart.

"You Alright?" Anya asked, still holding the hand of the one dressed in the Kimono. Figure in question nodded at that, offering a small smile, gentle in nature and sweet in essence.

"I am now." She said. "Thank you." She offered before turning to the one in the navy blue dress. "Thank you as well. Less embarrassment for myself." She offered with a smile.

"It's no issue. Not for a darling like yourself." Came the response, a soft southern accent filling the air. The one in the kimono nodded at that, a light tinge of pink filling her cheeks.

Anya looked between the two. Assuming they were Japanese and American, she didn't know classes they belonged to. Both were titans, that was clear. They both had the figures of battleships. Their height and frames screamed that much. But why the outfits? Why the glamor? "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone else." Anya told them. The one in blue only offered a small nod.

"It's no little problem, Admiral. Battleship Seventy One." She Answered with a tiny dip of the head, keeping her ladylike stature. "I would have been the USS Louisiana, final of the Montana sisters." She offered in greeting.

Anya's mind came to a screaming stop.

What?

What?

What?

Fuck you Gateway.

Shaking her head a moment, Louisiana offered a small laugh at her apparent shock. "Don't worry Admiral. I found myself surprised too when the Gateway asked for my presence, but I found my way here anyways. Just in time too, from the looks of things." She said, smiling at her fellow battleship.

Anya blinked.

If she was a Montana?

Did that make....

Oh. No.

"I was never given a proper name." The woman adorning the Kimono admitted. "I was never even a hull to speak of. I am unsure of whether or not I am wanted, but I am the lead ship of my class. We were supposed to supersede my older cousins, the Yamato class." She Answered.

Super Yamato. Great.

Anya blinked for a moment before recomposing herself. "It's not your fault. And we're not about to turn you away. But we do need a name for you." She Answered as she turned to those of the Japanese fresh summons. "Any of you have any recommendations? We're not gonna go around calling her Super Yamato."

Of course, each and every Japanese ship girl tried to offer a name in turn, shouting over one another and trying to make their voices heard. It wasn't for a few moments until the woman suddenly pointed at Murasame. "What was that you just said? The name?" She asked.

"Totomi?" Murasame asked. The woman nodded as she smiled, looking back to Anya.

"That name. I much adore that one." She Answered. Anya nodded at that, gesturing to the two.

"Alright. Louisiana and Totomi. Welcome to the fleet. Like I was saying, I-" she tried, but was cut off by a rather loud noise. Blinking, she and most everyone else turned to locate the source of the noise.

Agano had her arms wrapped around her stomach. The sound in question was her stomach letting them know about it's dissatisfaction with how barebones empty it was.

And suddenly, Anya regretted being the only one on base even more now. Tapping her fingers against her stomach a moment, she sighed.

"We'll have to finish this later. There's not gonna be any kitchen staff on Base until later tonight when dinner rolls around. So we're gonna have to whip something up for forty nine ship girls." She said. "Follow me if you all would." She said, leaning down and collecting her Marine guards before turning and walking for the door.

Making her way outside, she held the door, letting them trail out into the snow. Some took it well, some not so much. But one thing Anya noted, was that the footsteps that had led her to the summoning chambers were no longer present. But hers very much were.

Furrowing her brow in thought, she shook her head as she began to lead her new fleet towards the Mess so that she could work out some sort of meal for them.

So much for her nap.