A/N:
Inspiration can be a fickle thing.

It can leave you with not a word on the paper before you.

Or it can leave you with so many ideas that were there before you already, you need only have looked to see them.

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Now Playing Track 09 Of 69 Of Playlist 'Songs to Kill Things To'

'Thunderstruck'- By AC/DC

'Thunder'

She could feel her muscles screaming at her to go faster. She could feel the fear in the pit of her stomach growing ever more and more. She'd been told that there wasn't a single one of them that could match her speed for speed. She'd been instructed that no one could catch her.

'Thunder'

Her heart beat harder, her breathing quickened, her boilers overheating. Her eyes wide, she dashed for the open waters of the Pacific. She'd told herself she wouldn't look back, she'd scolded herself never to once again catch a glimpse at the monsters.

'Thunder'

She could hear it, their battle song. She knew none of the words, but only imagined that it was speaking of the death and decimation in store for her at their hands. Her guns twitched at the slightest idea of freedom from her torment.

'Thunder'

It grew louder, that ever accursed hymn. She tried to shut it out, but it grew ever louder with each passing moment. She could feel it shaking her bones to the core, her soul quivering with each second that passed. She pushed her engines further as she made way for the open Pacific, where surely she could slip away.

'I was caught. In the middle of a railroad track.'

Panic was setting in, her eyes unfocused. She could hear them. Their demonic laughter, their high pitched screams of enthusiasm. She could feel their eyes on her, watching as they were preparing to pluck her soul from her very body and watch as her body toppled over like their mere plaything.

'I looked around. And I knew there was no turning back.'

She recoiled at the sound of one shell being fired from behind, the sound of it's arc ringing in her ears. She zigzagged, making any possible way for it to miss her. She knew that she didn't have the armor. She knew she didn't have the modifications to be able to take a shell of that caliber.

'My mind raced. And I thought what could I do?'

The shell bracketed her with water as it slammed into the ocean, only for another shell to be fired from behind in her direction. She panicked once more, swerving, pushing her rudder far into a fishtail trying to hold off the inevitable. Instinct screamed at her to turn and fight, but fear silenced it with command.

'And I knew. There was no help, no help from you.'

Another shell fell among her, only for another. And another. And another to be fired in accordance with this. The horizon seemed so distant in that moment, so far away from being achievable. But she wouldn't allow those... monsters to be the end of her.

'Sound of the drums. Beating in my heart.'

She screamed in a fury of rage, brought on by circumstance, fueled by happenings. She steeled her courage, prepared her nerves, and swung herself around, guns already swinging around to face the new monsters.

'The thunder of guns tore me apart.'

All thoughts halted as her body recoiled to the now gaping hole in her chest, the pain of the movement quickly fading as the feeling of numbness overtook her. Her vision faded as the last thing she laid eyes on was the face of the monster that'd killed her.

'You've been THUNDERSTRUCK!'

Missouri wordlessly watched as the body of the Ta-class cruiser toppled over atop the waves below her, joining them once again as she bled from the wound that her shell had given as a greeting. Sailing past the hull, she spared no second look as she glanced to her left.

Illinois sailed ahead, her younger sister scanning the horizon for any more abyssals that they had missed from the earlier Fleet or any newcomers that wished to try their luck.

The date was December 22nd and their small response Fleet had been deployed just to calm the nerves of those that lived along the coasts. They hadn't actually imagined they would've run into Abyssals. After all, it had just been a simple calm the nerves sortie before the holidays.

The Fleet they'd run into however had been one built and comprised for hit and run tactics. Light, fast, and well armed ships made up their composition along with a few carriers. But the pour souls hadn't intended for themselves to run into a fleet that included the three Iowa sisters.

Glancing to her right, she found Kentucky also watching the distant waters for any trouble. When they'd routed the main fleet, some had made a break for open ocean, intending to slip away. So the flagship of the fleet, Midway, had sent the sisters after the stragglers.

"Hey, can we shut off the music? You made your point Coral. Watching the Iowa's chase after Abyssals to the tune of American rock and roll has an effect." Zuikaku said over the radio, a conversation that Missouri and her sisters simply listened in on.

"American rock and roll!? Their name is AC/DC, Zui." Coral cried in indignation. "They deserve far more respect than just a simple classification." She said, but put an end to the music anyways, the coms suddenly becoming far more peaceful.

"Oh yes, my honest mistake." Zuikaku said with a sigh over the radio. "How many songs do you have on that playlist anyways?" She asked.

"Sixty nine." Coral Answered with a tone that Missouri could take to assume that the carrier was waggling her brows at the Japanese Carrier. "Cause, you know, it's a s-"

"I GOT IT!" Zuikaku Replied hastily. Coral let out a short chuckle.

"Iowa's been advised, two more cruisers spotted to the East. They should be the last two of this fleet." Midway came over the radio. Missouri signaled affirmative as chocolate, emerald, and amber eyes flicked to the horizon, as if daring the silhouettes of the cruisers to make their appearances.

Tuning out the chatter on the radio between Zuikaku and Coral, Missouri soon angled herself to the east, a movement mimicked by her sisters as they began to pursue the two wannabe escapees. As they did so, Missouri allowed her mind to wander somewhat at the recent weeks of this new life.

There had been positives for sure. Meeting old friends and making new ones had served to be a major point. She'd made quick friends with the Kongou sisters. And she'd made acquaintances with all carriers on Base. Understandable, she supposed, given her past life and the majority of it.

But there was something different, the woman had decided, about forcing your enemies to run from you only to die tired. Her legs could feel the pressure, but it was a pressure that came to her willingly and she took pleasure in. When she and her sisters had been brought around, it'd been resorted to carrier screening. But now, there were far more than just other carriers on the waters of the Pacific.

A negative however was that Missouri constantly found herself battling headaches and migraines due to the feeling of her human body and her steel hull, something in which she still shared a very strong and prominent connection to. At any point in the day, she knew where each human sailor could be located and found on her steel hull. And this often times conflicted and intertwined with the feeling of her fairy crews doing their jobs.

Missouri and her sisters pushed their speed to the max, their bows splitting the waves they came across with ease as the renewed the hunt once more.

Above all else though, Missouri loved the freedom being human brought with it. She loved the feeling of the wind whipping through her hair. She loved the way the sea spray kissed her legs when she met a wave in just the right way. She loved seeing the world for herself. The colors, the sounds. She loved it all.

The sounds of Corsairs and Zeroes thundered away overhead as they went about preforming rolls and loops as if playing with one another, the pilots in the air clearly enjoying the freedom of the skies above them, something in no part short of Missouri and her sister's handiwork.

The carriers that had been part of the Abyssal fleet had sent their forces in blindly. They hadn't bothered to gauge the Anti-air capability of the new blood, only assumed it to be passable at best. When the Iowa's had turned the sky to lead in mere seconds however, plucking their precious toys from them and giving them to the sea in turn, they'd begun to rethink their choices. But it had been fast past time for that such thought.

They'd wandered into striking range of the three's main batteries, a fact that the carriers were now settled with at the bottom of the Pacific.

Kentucky watched as the clouds passed by overhead that chilly December day. The temperature was not a click past sixty, but she thought it was perfect.

The cold and the chill reminded her that she was alive. It reminded her that she was here, and she had been given purpose. Purpose that had been taken away so long ago from she and her sister. But Kentucky had always seen it as she'd been unwanted by those that had ordered her. Those that had once sought to command her.

Deep within her, that one prospect had broken her spirit. Shattered her soul. She had seen herself as nothing but unwanted scraps to be left around until those that had been apart of the fight needed new parts. And partly, because that was exactly what her past life had been.

But there was more for her here, she'd just been too stubborn to listen. To caught up in the past to see what was in front of her. What had been given to her as a second chance and what she thought to be an apology.

It had taken her injuring her Admiral so severely for her thought to be shattered and her eyes opened. For herself to be willing to listen.

But it hadn't been truly shown to her until a week and a half after Anya had been injured that Kentucky had found herself in the exact spot where it had happened, once again looking out over Tokyo Bay. This time, she'd not heard her approach. She'd not noticed the woman she knew as her Admiral until the blonde was right next to her, her arm still in a cast much to Kentucky's dismay.

But where Kentucky figured that she'd receive a warning or some sort of disciplinary action, the woman standing next to her had said nothing. She simply stood alongside the Iowa for a time, the sound of waves lapping against the shore being the only sound shared between the two.

This had gone on for days, the two would stand in silence for hours at a time until some urgent matter would drag Anya away from the battleship. Or lunch or dinner would roll around.

It had been the fifth day when Anya had shown up that Kentucky had not been standing, but sitting on the ground, her knees tucked to her chest and her chin resting on her arms. And she had been crying. Anya had simply taken a seat next to the battleship, wordlessly placing a hand on her back, and they'd stayed that way until the Iowa's tears had dried from her eyes.

When they had, Anya stood, and simply offered a hand to the battleship. Looking up to the blonde woman, the Admiral in question only offered a smile in turn.

Needless to say, the hand was taken.

"You may not think yourself wanted. But only when you look through the eyes of others will you find yourself surprised." Was all Anya had offered her before turning and walking away amongst the falling snow.

The next day, Anya didn't find Kentucky by the waterside.

Illinois watched the horizon of the Pacific that December day with a smile on her face. It brought her joy, being able to sail the oceans in this form. She found it both exciting and daunting.

At one point in her life, she'd been right there alongside Wisconsin. The two had been built right alongside one another. They'd wave at one another and trade secrets that only the other would hear amongst the noise of the shipyard. They'd share laughs that would echo amongst the wind and trade words that would sound in the thunder above.

But when exactly a year and one day had rolled by, Illinois had watched as Wisconsin rolled off of her dock, into the water that was only mere feet away from her. As she sailed away, Wisconsin offered her little sister a wave in turn and shouted something to her over the sounds of the waves of the ocean and the cheers of Wisconsin's shipwrights.

Illinois never heard what her older sister had said to her that day.

She was lying when she told herself that it didn't matter. She wasn't fooling anyone when she tried to convince herself that it didn't hurt that she'd not known the last words her older sister had given to her in confidence.

She'd never held the same reservations that Kentucky had held, but that didn't mean the Iowa didn't have them of her own. She had her own, those that brought doubt to her mind.

She wondered if she'd ever meet Wisconsin in this way, so that she could once again get the chance to hear those words that her older sister had given her so long ago.

As the littlest Iowa's glanced back at their older sister. As they watched her, the two took solace in her presence.

For completely different reasons.

"Visual confirmed." Missouri said over coms, bringing the two from their thoughts. Focusing on the sole point amongst the horizon before them, they spotted it. Them. There they found the two cruisers running like bats out of Hell.

The three took no time as their guns twitched before lining up, their aim taking hold. As they watched the cruisers make a run for it, they made a silent vow to themselves.

For the new look on life she'd been given.

For the regrets that she'd held so long.

For the words she'd missed that fateful day.

Their guns broke the silence of that December day.
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She watched the city of Yokosuka roll by as she sat in the back of the transport provided for her by the Japanese government. She'd been taken from the airport to the naval base, all under hush hush from anyone on the actual base knowing besides one individual.

She'd been to Japan before, so she wasn't per-say new to the area. But being on one of their Naval bases was a new experience to her. So she was looking forward to it. Especially to see two people in particular.

Looking ahead, she could see the road she was on growing ever closer to Tokyo Bay as they passed by shop fronts and businesses, all decked out for the Christmas season.

She'd have to thank her old friend for such a chance.

Nancy Johnson watched the city of Yokosuka slip by, people bustling about and deals being offered. Christmas was a mere three days away and the holiday season was in full swing. Drumming two fingers against her knee, the mother of six feeling a sense of ease as they neared the Naval Base of Yokosuka.

She'd always been proud of her children's military services, even more proud of they themselves. But where Pride one could find, there was also some sort of drawback.

For Nancy, it was the lack of holidays that she could spend with her children. Although still active in service herself, she understood that sometimes duty Came before family. She'd understood it all to well as it had kept her away from birthdays, holidays, family vacations over the course of their lives.

But it had been five long years since she'd been able to see her youngest daughter. The Fourth of July. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Years. All had come and gone five times since before the start of the war suddenly everyone found themselves in the middle of.

She'd taken a time of leave, readily filled by another. Younger and perhaps better adapted to the changing times than she, she briefly wondered if it was time to put away the stars.

Dismissing the thought from her mind, she smiled to herself. She'd had to twist Hayfield's arm for this trip, this one time excursion. But she knew that the man was never one to hold out for long. Not to her.

"What do you think she'll do?" Asked the woman next to her. Nancy smiled as she glanced at the owner of the voice, her oldest daughter, as she shrugged.

"She might ask why. She might cry. I've never known Anya to be predictable." Nancy Answered.

Daisy shrugged as she once more looked out the window, humming in thought.

Daisy had always seen her youngest sister as one who'd always need to be protected. She'd never known her to be tough. She'd never seen her youngest sister as a figure of authority.

When she'd heard that her sister had the same rank as their parents among another branch of the military, she'd thought she had misheard at first. She was sure that there had been some sort of mistake.

But when both of her parents had told her otherwise, she guessed she must have seen a different side of her sister growing up.

A side of her that didn't know an all encompassing war.

The two women watched as the car began to slow, stopping at a checkpoint. A quick check her and scan there, and the car was allowed to pass through.

It was five minutes later when the car had stopped, the two women finally opening their doors to step out into the chilly December air.

Going for the trunk of the vehicle, the two retrieved their bags from it before closing the back and stepped off of the road. At which point, the car slowly pulled away from the two, leaving them on Yokosuka Naval Base. Nodding to Daisy, Nancy began to lead the way.

Coming up to the front doors of the building that sat before them, Nancy opened one, stepping inside as she held it there for Daisy. When the two were easily within the front lobby of the building, they found themselves approached by an imposing figure.

"This Base is closed to the public. You'll have to leave." Battleship Nagato said, her voice fierce and dry. Nancy smiled as she put one of her bags down.

"Your Admiral is expecting us." She replied easily. Nagato's eyes studied them for a moment, as if taking the time to look the both of them up and down before red eyes found themselves meeting green.

"Do I look like a fool to you?" Nagato responded icily. Nancy shook her head, Daisy bristling at the woman's tone, as she gave the battleship a smile as she reached for her pocket for a moment, fishing for something. A few seconds later, she retrieved a twice folded piece of paper as she handed it to the battleship.

"You look like someone doing their job." Nancy replied as Nagato took the piece of paper. Unfolding it, red eyes looking over the two of them once more, she looked down as the began to read over the contents of the paper. And her eyes relaxed somewhat as the looked back up to the two, handing the parchment back to Nancy.

"My apologies. I was unaware that Admiral Johnson was having more of her family visit the Base." She Answered, her tone shedding it's icy exterior. Daisy shrugged as Nancy smiled.

"It's no worries. Neither does she." She replied. Nagato nodded in understanding at that as she gestured for the two of them to follow her. In response, Nancy folded the paper up once more, returned it to her pocket, and picked up her bags once again as Nagato lead the two women through the front lobby, and down the hall to the right. Leading them to the door at the end of the hall, she opened it in one fluid motion, allowing them entrance.

Ishigara's office was simple and plain. He'd never been one for many actual possessions.

Mutsu looked up first, spotting the two. With a tilt of her head as she brought a finger up to her chin, she tapped her admiral on the shoulder, bringing the man out of his work.

Looking up to Mutsu, that's when he seemed to take notice of the newcomers. One glance at Nancy, and a smile spread across his features as he stood from his desk. Walking around his desk, he made way for the woman as she put her bags down.

"Nancy, it's good to see you after all these years." The man said as he enveloped the woman in a hug. Nancy smiled as well when they parted.

"Likewise, Takeo. How've you been these past few years?" She asked. Takeo Ishigara smiled at one of his closest friends for a moment before the smile faded somewhat.

"Aiko passed away some years ago. But Yuri has been doing well in her work. Maybe she'll become an admiral like her old man one day." He Answered, the smile brightening somewhat once more. Nancy nodded.

"I heard about Aiko. You've my condolences, Takeo." She said. The man shook his head, looking to the woman.

"Aiko wouldn't have wanted you to concern yourself with her passing." He said to her.

"Wait, Admiral, you and General Johnson know one another?" Nagato asked in surprise as she realized it. Ishigara nodded at that.

"We met some 18 years ago In passing while on duty. The JMSDF was in the midst of training exercises with both the United States Navy And Air Force. I met Nancy when I'd only been given new rank not weeks before." He explained. "Ever since then, we've corresponded with letters from time to time." He explained. "But excuse my ill manners." He said, looking to the fifth member of the room. "You must be Daisy." He surmised with a nod.

Daisy replied with a nod of her own, extending a hand to the man. "Daisy Johnson." She introduced herself.

"Takeo Ishigara." He Replied in kind.

"So tell me, Takeo, how is Anya fairing? I've talked to her once about her time here, but I want to hear it from an outside source." She asked. Takeo gave the woman kind smile as he nodded.

"When you first asked me to keep an eye on her, I'd figured that the concern was valid given that you are her mother. But I can say with confidence that your concern was ill placed. Your daughter has a way with the girls that I myself can't seem to fathom. She's even made an impact on some of my own girls as well." He Answered her. "Your Navy picked the right person for the job."

"And Sofia?" Nancy asked, wondering if her pseudo-daughter had been up to the task as well.

"Captain Algerona, while not as out going as Admiral Johnson at times, has a solid head upon her shoulders. She is the order to Johnson's chaos so to speak. They make quite the team and I find myself envious of the teamwork the two of them seem to hold at times." He Answered. Nancy nodded at that, seeming to let a breath of relief escape her lips.

"That's good to hear. Might I ask, are they in their offices?" She asked. Ishigara nodded.

"You will find they either in their offices or along the waterfront. There's a sortie returning today and I imagine she will be there to see the girls back." He explained. "I can show you the way if you so choose." He told her. Nancy shook her head as she picked up her bags, securing one to her shoulders as she picked the other up.

"That won't be necessary, Takeo. We'll have to catch up before I leave the Base." She said as she turned to go, Daisy following behind her.

"I look forward to it Nancy." He called in response before the door was shut as they walked down the hall of the Japanese HQ building before making a right at the doors up ahead, once again entering the chilly December air.

"So those two..." Daisy began.

"Are Nagato And Mutsu of the Nagato class." Nancy Answered, glancing to her daughter. "On this part of Yokosuka, if it's not Takeo, Sofia, or Anya, or any of the Mess crew, they're a ship girl." She said, glancing at the woman.

"And you know this how?" Daisy asked, arching a brow to her mother. Nancy smiled.

"Between Takeo's letters and the chat I had with Anya some time ago. Though, do be careful with what you say about the Base when you return. The American ship girls are still classified when you get down to it. You were allowed to come because of a mixture of Hayfield and Takeo permitting you to do so." She explained. Daisy nodded at that, getting the gist of what her mother was telling her.

Speak not a word of what she saw or face prison.

"And you were allowed to come because..?"

"Hayfield owes me." Nancy replied without hesitation. "A favor I called it, owed before since Greg was born." She explained.

"How many bigwigs in the branches do you know, Mom?" Daisy asked her mother.

"The important ones." Came the Reply. Daisy didn't ask another question after that, only walking alongside her mother In silence as she looked about the Base.

She could tell it was made to service the ship girls. Or at least this portion of it. Most of the time, you'd find personnel busying themselves with various assignments or standard shifts. But that wasn't the case here.

The Base was empty, giving a sense of unease. The blanket of snow on the ground helped lift that feeling, but not by much.

Slogging their way through the snow, the two women came across their first other living person besides Takeo and the sisters since arriving at Base.

This Came in the form of the pair of Enterprise and Akagi, decked out in winter coats as they walked amongst the falling snow, hand in hand. The two were leaned into one another, laughing and smiling at words traded between the two of them before it lead to a kiss between the two of them, Enterprise cupping Akagi's cheeks between her hands.

At that, Nancy and Daisy pressed on. They didn't want to intrude on what the two clearly thought was a private moment. Though Nancy couldn't actually name the two, she imagined they were high held names around the base.

But it wasn't even a moment later before a rogue snowball hit Daisy square in the face, knocking the woman on her butt at the sudden motion.

Nancy covered her mouth with a hand as she laughed, her body shaking with mirth while Daisy wiped the snow from her face. Grumbling as she got herself up off the ground, three figures neared the two.

"Got you ya little.... wait, you're not Yubari." Tenryuu exclaimed as she, Bristol and Ellison approached the two. Nancy worked on getting her laughter under control as Daisy shook her head, giving a discontented sigh in response.

"I don't know who Yubari is, but no, for your information, I'm not her." Daisy Answered with a flat tone. Tenryuu gave an awkward chuckle before she blinked.

"Then? Who are you? This Base isn't open to the public." She said, looking between the two for an explanation. Nancy smiled as she extended a hand to the cruiser.

"General Johnson of the United States Air Force." She introduced. Tenryuu blinked at this, cautiously taking the woman's hand for a moment, giving a firm shake in response.

Tenryuu's mind wondered for but only a moment until she pieced the last name together.

Johnson.

Her mind Came to a screeching halt.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're.... you're Anya's mother." Tenryuu said in realization. The woman flashed the cruiser a smile in return, which caused one of the destroyers next to the cruiser to squeal in delight, prompting the young girl to flail her arms in sudden onset excitement. The other simply looked up at Nancy with wide eyes.

Daisy smirked at that as Nancy let off a laugh that was rich and wild in sound, her voice carrying across the snow blanketed ground as she watched the destroyer for a moment before kneeling down to the girl. Immediately, the destroyer had turned to her, puffed out her chest, and given a rough salute.

"Permission to hug General?" Came the Question. Nancy gave another short laugh in response before nodding.

"Permission granted sailor." Came the response.

Bristol collided with the woman before even Nancy knew what was happening, and wrapped her arms around the woman as far as she could get them to go. Nancy quickly recovered from having the wind knocked from her lungs before she hugged the destroyer back, patting her on the head.

"This must be the ever so famous Bristol I've heard so much about." Nancy said when the girl finally let go. Bristol gave an excited nod in response as she was practically vibrating where she stood. Only for a moment though before she slammed herself into Daisy, once again knocking the woman over as she was hugged by the destroyer.

Nancy's laughter returned in droves as she watched her oldest daughter lay in the snow, being thoroughly hugged by the young girl.

It was five minutes later when Tenryuu had finally managed to pry the destroyer off of the woman, the cruiser struggling the entire way.

"So I imagine you're here to visit Anya?" Tenryuu asked with a hum. "We can take you there if you want." She said. Daisy shook her head as Nancy waved it off with a hand.

"We're quite alright. Thank you though. It was very nice to meet the three of you." She said. Tenryuu nodded at that as she and the two walked on, though Bristol glanced back at them every so often.

"Is that what she has to go through on a daily basis?" Daisy asked. Nancy shrugged, the mirth still evident on her lips as she looked around once more.

"You got me." She Answered as she looked to Daisy. "I know the names. I don't know what they put your sister through. But if Bristol's anything to go by, my guess is that it's a lot." She said. Daisy nodded in acceptance as the two continued to walk among the falling snow.

That was when the second encounter took place.

The two women out and among the snow had been spotted rather easily. And as such, they were approached, the aggressors easy to see coming.

"Oh? Who do we have here? Couple of tourists past their bounds?" Musashi asked with a hum as she looked down between the two of them.

"Easy there Musashi. We don't need you starting a P.R. Fiasco." Arizona said in reminder.

Haruna only looked between the two women before as she held Arizona's hand, Arizona taking a moment as well to study the two.

"Not tourists I'm afraid. Here to visit family." Nancy Answered as she looked up at the towering battleship. Musashi arched a brow at this, Arizona and Haruna trading a glance at the info.

"What kind of excuse is that?" Musashi asked as she looked at the woman. Nancy shook her head as she looked up to the woman.

"If It were an excuse, I'd have crafted a far better reason. The names Nancy Johnson." She said. Musashi watched her a moment before blinking in realization, Arizona and Haruna following in turn.

"Nancy Johnson.... as in General Johnson of the Air Force... as in..."

"The woman that carried your Admiral within her womb for nine months, than yes, that's me." Nancy said as she glanced up at the falling snow for a moment before looking back to the three.

Musashi only looked the two women over once or twice for a second before shrugging and continuing on her way, leaving Daisy and Nancy alone with Arizona and Haruna.

"The admiral didn't tell us that she'd planned for more of her family to visit the Base. I'd figured her brothers would be it." Haruna said as she looked at the mother of the American admiral. Nancy nodded.

"Most likely to due with the fact that she's no knowledge of the fact that we're here on Base." The woman explained. "It's a Christmas surprise, so to speak. Anyways, enough of that. I believe you to be Arizona. The Arizona." Nancy said as she gestured to the woman before her, prompting Daisy's eyes to widen by fractions. Arizona nodded somewhat at that.

"That I am. I trust that the Admiral has told you of me?" She concluded. Nancy nodded at that.

"As she put it, one of her most reliable ship girls." Nancy Answered. "Not only that, but also one of her most adaptable to boot."

A small smile spread across Arizona's lips at that, the woman nodding in acceptance. "I assume then that the two of you are on your way to the Admiral's office?" She asked before glancing to Daisy. "And you must be Daisy, given the fact that you Came with the General and are not actively staring at me like an object that the Admiral has been so adamant on convincing me that your middle sister would do so readily." The battleship said. Daisy smiled at this.

"Cynthia's not even met a single one of you and she's already quite the reputation for heself." Daisy Answered. Arizona smiled at that.

"That She has." Arizona said as she offered a small wave. "Well, if you're going to visit the Admiral, we won't stop you. Come on Haruna." She said, looking to the battleship to her left. Haruna nodded as the two walked on.

"So.... does Anya run a naval base here or a place where ships of the past can find a special someone?" Daisy asked after a moment, making sure they'd put space between the two of them and the two battleships. Nancy laughed.

"From the way Anya puts it, it's a little bit of both to be sure. She never gave me any specifics on who's with who, but it is prominent on Base. Even Anya's not free of affection from the girls." The woman said. Daisy arched a brow as she looked to her mother.

"Really? There's ship girls hitting on Anya? For real?" She asked. Nancy nodded at that.

"She gave me a few names but the biggest aggressor in the sense seems to be the Battleship Maryland" Nancy hummed. Daisy blinked at this as she readjusted one of her bags.

"Maryland.... wasn't that great grandpa's ship?" She asked her mother. Nancy nodded.

"Grandpa always joked that he had only had eyes for two women. Grandma and Maryland." She Answered. "I don't think he'd ever thought that his great granddaughter would be leading the same ship, given human form."

"Too be fair, how could one guess that?" Daisy asked. Before Nancy could answer however, the two were brought under the attention of more ship girls as three quite small girls Came running at them, Daisy already bracing herself after her encounter with Bristol.

After the three Came running two more, one being shorter than the other, as they presumably tried to catch up to the three.

Nancy and Daisy watched as the first three took cover behind the two of them, hiding behind their legs and bags as they giggled, trying to keep their captors at bat.

"Lo! Bismarck! Kit! Come on, we don't have time for this!" Lexington yelled as she stopped in front of the two women, watching as the three that hid behind them threatened to bolt for it yet again. Ryuujou tried to round to the other side, but found as she'd done so, the three tucked themselves into one group as they hid solely behind Daisy.

It was at that point however that Lexington seemed to take notice that the two the three escort carriers were using as human shields were not ship girls.

"Hello..? Who are you two?" She asked as she made a grab for Bismarck Sea, only to be met with the escort carrier tucking herself back against Daisy.

"General in The Air Force." One greeted.

"Lt. Colonel in the Marines." The other introduced.

Lexington blanched.

"What?" Lexington asked. "You guys know this is a Naval Base. I mean, I guess the marines would have a place but the Air Force I'm not so sure. Like, honestly, if you don't want-"

"Hey, Lexington." Ryuujou called. "Isn't Anya-san's mother in the Air Force? And her sister is a Marine, is she not?" The light carrier asked the Fleet carrier. Lexington looked at the carrier for a moment before something finally seemed to click into place, the woman narrowing her eyes at the two.

"Waaaaaiiiiiitttttttt......." Lexington said as she finally began to realize. "You're the Admiral's Family." She said in sudden realization. Nancy and Daisy laughed at that as the three Escort carriers suddenly squealed.

"The?!"

"Admirals?!"

"Family!?" They screamed in unison. They only traded a glance before they darted out from behind Daisy and blazed a trail towards the American HQ. Nancy watched them go for a moment before looking to Daisy.

"Looks like we'll have to move faster if we don't want our surprise spoiled." She Answered as she began to follow the trail that the three had left behind them in the snow. Daisy followed her mother. In doing so, Lexington and Ryuujou began to follow along.
————————

The shared office of Anya and Sofia was quiet. The two women were working quietly, the only sound being that of the music the two were listening to as they did.

Langley was passing things between the two of them and organizing what needed it so that the jobs of the two Officers were easier when all was said and done. The two were in a rush so that they could finish what remaining work they had before Christmas Eve arrived. And it being only two days away helped nothing, especially given that Anya's arm was still in a cast.

Passing two papers to Langley, she received three in turn. Putting these atop of her desk, she silently began to read over them for a moment before letting out a small annoyed groan.

"So you saw, then?" Sofia asked as she glanced at Anya.

"How are we supposed to tease at their existence?" Anya asked. "We have to give the public an idea that they exist but we can't actively confirm it or reveal any sort of information that implies such. Half the world's expecting us to come out any day with the fleet complete. And they want this now, three days from Christmas of all things?"

"Admiral?" Langley asked in confusion, glancing over her shoulder. Anya handed the paper in question back up to so she could read.

"The Brass wants us to ever so subtly suggest that you girls now exist without coming right out and saying it. To build the tension, so to speak." Anya explained. "Which, how we're going to do that, I haven't the slightest idea." She let out a long exasperated sigh.

"What about Tokyo?" Langley asked. "Is that not a suitable location to do so?"

"The Location isn't the problem. It's trying to figure out how to do so without fully revealing them to the world." Sofia offered. Langley nodded in thought for a moment, mulling the issue for a moment. Only for a moment though, as a noise from the front lobby of the American HQ brought the three from their thoughts. And as the three of the Casablanca class burst forth into the room, all sentiments of the once had been peace was shattered in mere seconds.

Anya rose immediately, a pleasant smile upon her lips, happy to have been brought out of her work. Watching them run up to her desk in a flurry that involved shoving one another to the side and yanking on clothing if only to retain the top spot for a moment, it ended the moment they saw her stand.

"This should be good." Anya murmured to herself as she walked out around her desk as she leaned against the front. "And what might the three of you busting in here like a tornado bring me? Trouble? News?" She asked as she looked between the three. Kit and Bismarck were trying their best to stay still in excitement as Lo gave the woman a wide grin.

"General!" She shrieked.

"Marine!" Bismarck yelled.

"Here!" Kit bellowed.

Anya arched a brow. "A Marine General?" She asked, turning to look to Sofia. When the Captain shrugged in return to her silent question, Anya turned back to the three. "What do you mean Marine General? We're not expecting any sort of visitors." She said.

The three escort carriers shook their heads like mad at the conclusion, Kit even waving her arms in a over exaggerated motion to deny what Anya had said. But that was when the front door of the HQ opened once again, Anya could hear that much. Looking to Langley to go see who it was, the carrier gave a nod as Anya looked back to the three carriers.

"So it's not a Marine General?" She asked.

"Marine!"

"General!"

"Visiting!"

The warnings Came once again, but the sisters seemed to stress it further this time, allowing Anya to realize that they weren't trying to say the same thing. She'd only begun to piece it together when Langley opened the door that the sisters had left in its ajar position was when Anya finally had it come flying at her in a screaming fury.

"Mom?!" Anya blurted out as she focused on the woman, dressed in civilian clothes and not the uniform that Anya had grown up to know so well. Nancy gave her daughter a smile at that as she walked into the office, stepping to the side to allow Daisy into the room as well, followed by the two carriers. The three Casablanca only turned from their stressing to simply point at the two instead. Kit was pointing to Nancy, Bismarck to Daisy, and Lo pointing at either one every other second.

Sofia rose from her seat at the sight of the two as Nancy stepped forward, her eyes darting between the two for a moment before she focused on Anya.

"Admiral." She greeted in a serious tone. But the smile she wore upon her lips told that she meant anything other than just that. Anya only rolled her eyes at that, a smile of her own present as she made way for the woman, wrapping her one good arm around the woman as the two shared a laugh, one only known between mother and daughter.

As they did so, Sofia and Daisy made way for one another, the two embracing in a hug between sisters, regardless that one came of a different blood.

After a moment, the four parted, only for Anya to make her way to Daisy and Sofia to Nancy, another round of hugs all around.

After all was said and done, Anya and Sofia were leaning against their desks respectively as they looked to the two for a moment.

"So.... can I ask why my older sister and mother just showed up?" Anya asked as she looked between the two.

"Can we ask why your arm is in a cast?" Daisy retorted. Anya glanced down at her arm for a moment before shrugging.

"You first." Anya said in return.

"When was the last Christmas either of us saw you?" Nancy asked. Anya hummed in thought for a moment, mulling the question over for a while before letting a sigh.

"Twenty sixteen." She said in apparent realization. Nancy merely offered her daughter a nod in response.

"Exactly. So Daisy and myself took leave to come and visit you in Japan and to spend Christmas and the New Year's with you." She Answered. Anya only nodded.

"And Cynthia's not gonna pop up at any point is she?" Anya questioned. The two women shook their heads at that.

"Dad and Greg are the only one's who know where we are at this moment. Hank and Danny don't but since they got Thanksgiving with you, we figured it fair." Daisy confirmed. "Cynthia's got no clue. Now enough. What about the arm?" She asked. Anya sighed at that.

"An issue came about with one of the Iowa sisters. She, not knowing about the strength she possessed at the time, shoved me. And my arm took the brunt of it. It was only dislocated though and it's mending so there's no real damage there." She said, noting the looks of surprise upon their faces. "Just because they're ships of the past given human form doesn't always mean they're suddenly adept at using hands and feet." She said.

"They seem to be adept enough to throw snowballs rather roughly." Daisy Answered. Anya and Sofia arched brows at this.

"One of the base's girls hit your sister square in the face with one on our way here." Nancy said. "It was quite funny actually. Had myself a good laugh. Not so sure about Daisy." She said.

"Oh? Which girl was it?" Sofia asked.

"We didn't get a name. Umm... she had an eye patch. Weird ear things." Daisy said.

"Tenryuu." Anya Answered. After a moment though, she hummed. "She didn't by chance mistake you for someone else did she?" The woman asked. Daisy nodded.

"Thought I was someone by the name of Yuubari." Came the response.

Anya and Sofia traded a glance at that before sharing a short laugh. After a moment, Anya shook her head.

"Anyways, where are my manners. Mother. Daisy. There's a few here with us that you need to be introduced to."