A/N: Hmmm, six chapters in the month of August.

Shrugs.

Can't stop won't stop.

————————————

Anya scowled somewhat as she met eyes with the being before her.

The being stared back up at her.

"Hey!" The figure told her, her stubby arms raising into the air as if it was obvious of what she was being told. Anya's scowl deepened as she put her hands on her hips, leaning over as she Came face to face with the being.

"Listen here you little shit." Anya Answered back, her lips naturally pulled down into a frown. But the figure before her only raised both of it's stubby arms again in response. "I'm telling you right now. First. I do not have boilers. Second, they are almost certainly not about to redline. That much I am certain of." She told her.

The miniature version of Anya simply stared up at the woman blankly.

The full sized woman simply sighed as she picked up the being, depositing the fairy on her head, Sofia watching the entire. She watched as Anya made sure that the fairy wasn't going to take an unexpected tumble before rubbing her face thoroughly, eventually drawing a laugh from Sofia, Anya scowling in her direction.

"It's not funny." The blonde muttered. Sofia chuckled somewhat at that as she shrugged.

"Fine. Not funny. Adorable? Yes!" Sofia countered. Anya huffed at that, the figure on top of her head raising both arms in agreement.

"Hey!" The fairy answered.

"Stay out of it." Anya countered, crossing her arms. The fairy waved her stubby arms in return, Anya's scowl deepening. Sofia only survived a moment longer before breaking out into laughter at the sight. "It's not funny Captain!" The Admiral chided before holding a moment, having to bite her lip as the full situation dawned on her. "Okay... it's a little funny." She said with a brief chuckle.

"Hey!" Came the agreement.

"Yeah, yeah, you're hot shit and all that." Anya rolled her eyes in Reply as she plucked the fairy from her head, depositing the fairy on her desk, who immediately began to totter over to the assembled grouping of Maryland's, Enterprise's, Arizona's, Atlanta's, Haruna's And Kaga's fairies. Anya watched them assemble a moment, watching as Maryland's fairy pecked the miniature Anya on the cheek with a kiss, sending the other fairies into a commotion as they quickly chatted amongst themselves.

All coming in the form of quiet 'Hey's'.

Sofia laughed again at the Reply. She didn't even have any idea of what the fairy had said to her, but it didn't make this situation any less bizarre.

Anya sighed a moment, glancing at the clock. 3 in the afternoon. She really hoped that work was keeping the two Admirals awake on the other side of the world so she could actually get through to them. She knew that they would want to know about the new girls, especially given that they had yet to inform them of anything regarding Argus and Dreadnought.

"Yo, are we gonna be able to contact Valeria?" Anya asked as she glanced at the woman. Sofia thought about it a moment before shrugging.

"Maybe...?" Sofia said, thinking about it a moment. "Last time I talked to her, she seemed like she wasn't even there. Honestly, I'm really surprised she hasn't dropped dead because she looked exhausted." The captain told her. Anya arched a brow at that for a moment before sighing somewhat at that, rubbing her face a moment.

"Alright." She sighed before glancing down at the fairies gathered on her desk, who were still talking animatedly amongst one another before glancing down at her arms, which were crossed on the desk, she found more fairies standing there, waiting to join the group. Atlanta, Tenryuu, Akagi, Langley, and Haruna. Sighing, Anya lifted her arms away from the desk, allowing the new comers to join the group, the Akagi and Haruna fairies immediately going for their partners, greeting them with a kiss of their own.

However, when Tenryuu's fairy approached Atlanta's, the latter's fairy shoved the other away before turning away, crossing her stubby arms in a hurry as she gave an indignant 'Hey!' Anya only watched as the Tenryuu fairy blinked a moment before she slunk away, her head hanging low. Blinking, Anya looked to Sofia in explanation, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Hey, you're the experimental ship girl here, not me." Sofia said in response. Anya scowled at the woman at that, leaning back in her chair as Anya's fairy approached Tenryuu's, her stubby arm patting her on the back in support. The Tenryuu fairy only seemed to sulk deeper, eventually just outright face planting onto the desk below her, sending Anya's fairy into a frenzy as she waved her arms about in a hurried motion.

Anya only stared.

Sofia only stared.

"What the fuck." Sofia stated. Anya pointed a finger at the woman in agreement.

"Exactly." She said in return. Sofia shrugged as the two of them watched as Maryland and Anya's fairies lugged Tenryuu's to her feet, the two seeming to talk with her a moment before out of no where, Tatsuta's fairy approached, stepping in front of Tenryuu's fairy. Stubby arms planted on her stubby hips, Tatsuta blinked.

"Hey." The fairy Replied. Tenryuu's fairy only blinked in return before tumbling over backwards, landing against the wood of the desk with a solid 'womf.' This of course sent Anya's fairy into a panic again as Maryland's wheeled on Tatsuta's, who in turn simply shrugged before turning away and made her way back over to the group.

Anya only stared.

And then she sighed as her head lolled forwards, her chin resting against her chest as she closed her eyes, her hands rising to meet her face, holding them there as she settled into the new normal of what her life had become.

Sofia laughed again.

Eventually, Sofia calmed herself down enough to the point to where she could look to Anya once again. "So should we probably head that way? So we can have a chat with em?" She asked. Anya nodded at that as she placed a hand on the desk, the fairies present getting the message as one by one, they made their way up the woman's arm, her own miniature version bringing up the rear. Once they'd gotten to her shoulders, and each one had rounded her neck and out of Sofia's view, each of them vanishing on cue, Anya stretched her arms a moment before nodding to Sofia, the two soon making their way for the entrance to the American HQ.

As they began to make their way out of the building, Anya leading the way as she stepped out of the door, the wild forms of Spadefish and Tang registered to their visions, the two of them already out playing in the water of the bay. Tang was saying something to her sister ship when all of the sudden from below her, Harder sprung up, grabbed the girl by her shoulders, and dragged her underneath the surface, much to the sudden surprise and shock of Spadefish.

The American Submarine looked around in surprise for a moment, only for the trio of Goya, Hachi, and Iku to surface on either side of her, like monsters out of some B-rate horror flick, the three dragged the American sub under the surface as well. Anya and Sofia only watched a moment, waiting to see if either Tang or Spadefish would surface again.

Surfacing first however instead was Pargo, her wet hair sticking to her face in a mess. Shaking her head, clearing it from her face, she spied Sofia and Anya, waving at them wildly before diving in their direction. Giving one another a look, Anya and Sofia shrugged as they walked for the water's edge, gazing down into the water for a moment before Pargo surfaced, catching her breath a moment before waving at them.

"Getting the new girls used to swimming?" Anya asked. Pargo nodded at that as she held a moment before glancing to her right, where almost immediately, U-511 poked above the surface, offering only a calm nod in the direction of the two women. "Uhhh.. which of the subs are down there right now?" Anya asked.

"Everyone!" Pargo cheered as she rose her fists into the air. "Harder's down there with a bunch of practice torpedoes with 510 and 512. It's a full on party!" She told her excitedly. Anya arched a brow at that as Sofia chuckled.

"Someone's... supervising, yes?" She asked. Pargo nodded at that as she turned and pointed further out on the bay.

Sitting in the middle of the water, simply glancing around, as if she was watching something that they couldn't see, was Taigei. A moment later, they watched as who looked to be Flasher and Snook rose from the depths. The woman crouched down on her heels as she lowered to greet them, fishing around in her pockets a moment before offering the two bottles of water with a smile. The two great-fully accepted the beverages as their fairies tied them to the Submarine tender for the time being. Taigei simply stood back to her full height, and offered them a beaming smile before looking back to the surrounding waters, as if waiting for more of her charges to surface.

At that however, Anya felt a new fairy appear... somewhere.

She scowled.

"Admiral?" Pargo asked as she glanced up at the woman, 511 doing the same as 510 and 512 surfaced behind the two of them, the four watching her curiously and quietly. Anya shook her head at that, waving it off with a hand.

"It's nothing. Anyways, you girls have fun. And be nice to the new subs, you hear me?" She asked. Pargo offered a thumbs up in return as the four suddenly dove. Anya sighed for a moment before focusing a moment. And a moment later, she felt... something on top of her head. Holding a hand out, she titled her head forwards, sending the fairy tumbling from above and sprawling into her open hand.

A miniature Flasher stared up at her, the fairies eyes wide as she looked up at the Admiral. Anya held a moment, offering a long, dramatic, drawn out sigh before she looked down to the fairy. "You Alright Sailor?" She asked finally.

The tiny being nodded. Closing her eyes a moment, Anya sighed.

"Report to those in charge and get settled in. Welcome aboard I guess." She told her. The fairy offered a tiny salute before vanishing into nothingness, allowing Anya to drop her hand back to her side.

Sofia grinned.

"Don't wanna hear it." Anya grumbled.

Sofia's grin widened.

The two continued to make their way across base, making way for the Japanese HQ building to make use of the Conference room, the same they'd used before to introduce the foreign ship girls to their Admirals and Navies. But as they did so, they shortly came upon a new problem.

That new problem was Tenryuu, sword drawn, flourishing with all the grace of a natural fighter.

Across from her, was Enterprise, saber in hand as she leveled it at the light cruiser, right hand holding it firmly as her left was planted firmly on the sheathe on her hip.

"Oh good Christ..." Anya muttered as she and Sofia stopped walking. As much as they might trust the girls with their weapons, given that the two were the only ones in direct sight, they were still that.

Ships with swords.

A light cruiser and a schooner.

Duking it out like it was the Duel of the fates.

The cruiser moved first, charging forwards with her Katana held to one side before bringing it up in a slashing motion, the blade of the weapon meeting E's with a hiss of metal meeting metal, only for a second until E parried it, disconnecting the blades with one quick motion. But before Tenryuu could try another move, Enterprise stepped forwards, hand still on the sheathe as she jabbed at the woman.

Tenryuu, for all her posture, evaded it rather easily before bringing her sword back around, once again steel meeting steel as their weapons clashed. And once again, Enterprise parried the strike, Tenryuu's weapon losing it's contact with precision before the Schooner once again brought her weapon at the light cruiser.

Anya and Sofia only watched a moment before shrugging to one another and began to edge their way around the fight, careful to keep track of both of the swords. Admiral and Captain or not, they tended to not do very well when sword was applied to flesh.

Making sure the fight was for sure behind them a safe distance, the two continued on their way a while until eventually, they came across the Japanese HQ building. Making their way inside, they made for the conference room.

Immediately getting things as they needed, Sofia watched Anya work on setting up the calls. And almost immediately, the large screen before them flickered to life as it began to connect to a call. Arching a brow, Sofia looked to Anya.

"Who'd you send for first?" She asked.

"Admiral Mercier." Anya Answered. Sofia nodded at that as she crossed her arms somewhat, watching the screen before them. After a moment, she watched as the video call began to finalize a moment longer before the call fully connected, once again giving the visage of Zoé Mercier. Sipping at her mug a moment, her eyes landed on Sofia, who offered a nod.

"Admiral." Sofia greeted. Zoé nodded in response, bringing her mug back down to her desk as she waited a moment, glancing at something off screen before looking back to the woman.

"I was under the expectation that it would be Admiral Johnson again." She said after a moment. Sofia gave a nod of the head at that as she did so.

"She's here. She's just trying to get Admiral Thompson on the line too." Sofia told her. "We haven't met either. I'm Captain Sofia Algerona, Admiral Johnson's xo here on Yokosuka." She introduced herself. Zoé nodded at that as she did so, placing her mug on her desk as she put her full attention into the call.

"Given Admiral Johnson's ratio with these calls, this being my third with her, I suspect that this isn't some social call." She deduced. Sofia nodded as Anya stepped back into frame, coming to a stance next to Sofia.

"And it's not." She Answered her as the three of them watched as the screen split vertically, Mercier's image being shrunk somewhat as a new black screen took over half of the total space. A moment later, the image of Admiral Thompson appeared once more, the woman glancing at the screen.

Anya internally winced. Both women looked beyond all exhaustion and Mercier looked like she could drop at any moment.

"Johnson. Mercier." Thomson greeted, before her eyes wandered to Sofia, watching her a moment. "I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure, Captain...?" She trailed off.

"Algerona." Sofia supplied without a moment's hesitation. Thompson nodded at that somewhat, her eyes focusing back in on Admiral Johnson a moment before sighing.

"I can only guess what this call is about. Did you pull Another British ship girl through the Gateway?" The woman inquired, looking to Anya. The woman nodded somewhat at that, placing her hands behind her back as she did so.

"Seven actually." She Answered her, prompting Thompson to arch a brow at that. "And that's on top of the two we pulled about ten days ago." She told her. Thompson's eyes lit up somewhat at the mention of nine ship girls, holding a moment before nodding.

"Names?" She asked.

"The first two that came through over a week ago would be HMS Dreadnought and HMS Argus." Anya told her, watching as Thompson's brows knit in confusion.

"And we're just hearing about them now? I assume they don't have riggings at the moment. Or at least, English made." She assumed. Anya nodded at that.

"And they don't." The admiral confirmed. "The two of them and the other four they crossed over with asked to be purely support for the fleet. They've not tasted salt yet and they've made it clear that they don't intend to do so. At least, not if they have their way with things." Anya told her. Thompson's brows furrowed as Mercier arched a brow at that.

"If I may ask, who were the other four that they crossed over with?" She asked. Anya nodded.

"USS Constitution, USS Enterprise, USS Monitor, And USS Merrimack." Anya explained. Both the French and British Admiral looked at the woman like she'd gone mad.

"If I am not mistaken, the four of them are a little too out of date for a war when our opposition is largely based around military technology developed in the twentieth century." She assumed. Thompson grunted.

"Except the world watched as Constitution proved her worth at Boston." She said. "She didn't kill a single one of them, but she refused to drop to them." The woman countered. Mercier bowed her head in acceptance at that as the British woman looked back to Anya. "As for Argus and Dreadnought, if that is what they wish, then they'll have it. We'll still send something their way should they change their mind, but I'll let em pass." She Agreed. "Now what of the other seven?" She asked.

"HMS Bellona And HMS Royalist for the cruisers. And five destroyers, HMS Vanessa, HMS Vega, HMS Violent, HMS Vivien, And HMS Vittoria." Anya Answered her. Thompson nodded at that somewhat as she made a note of it off screen before Mercier perked up.

"And France?" She inquired.

"You received the light cruisers Primauguet and Lamotte-Picquet. The destroyers Guépard, Lion, Valmy, Verdun, And Vauban." She told her.

"And this Summoning was today?" Mercier asked. Anya nodded.

"Wasn't King supposed to summon today?" Thompson inquired. Anya sighed at that, scratching her head somewhat.

"And he did. He pulled twenty ship girls. And then the fourteen in just told you about came along in a second group of forty two. 21 former allies. 21 former Axis." She explained. The two Admirals blinked.

"And that makes how big of a fleet...?" Mercier asked somewhat unsure. Anya sighed as Sofia offered a chuckle.

"Two hundred thirty three." Sofia supplied.

"And given the fact that your countries have not actually summoned in full yet, we may very well break three hundred ship girls by year's end." Anya told them. Mercier let off a short whistle at that as Thompson simply exhaled in pardon.

"So forty two? National break up?" Mercier asked.

"Seven American, seven British, seven French, seven German, seven Japanese, and seven Italian." Anya Answered her. "We've still gotta get in touch with the Italians." She Answered. Mercier nodded at that, glancing at something off screen.

"Give me just a moment then." She said, seeming to tap away at something that they couldn't see. A second later however, the screen once again split vertically, resizing the two women's images as yet a third screen went black. Only for a moment though before they were presented with a third woman glancing back at them. But if Anya thought Mercier And Thompson looked exhausted, the woman that had apparently been identified previously as Valeria Sonferi looked about to drop dead.

The woman gazed from whatever she had been looking at as she turned it to focus in on the conversation she'd suddenly been brought into.

If the empty cups on her desk was any indication, the woman was probably well past 24 hours without sleep.

"Sonferi." Mercier greeted. Valeria simply grunted in response at that, running a hand through the disheveled mess that currently was her hair. Her eyes closed a moment before opening them again, focusing in on Sofia.

"Captain Algerona." She greeted, her accent having to fight with the exhaustion in her voice to make itself known. "I trust Pola is doing well over at Yokosuka?" She inquired. Sofia nodded at that.

"She is." She Answered her. "Especially as of a few hours ago when she was granted the presence of more Italian ship girls." She explained. Sonferi's brows furrowed at that, glancing at her newest cup, scowling when she found it empty before looking back to Sofia.

"More? If I may be so bold as to inquire, but how are you pulling girls of other nations through so often? You should require an Admiral of their own nationality, should you not?" She asked. Sofia nodded at that.

"And for the most part, that is the case. The largest representation on base are Japanese, American, German, and Australian in that order. And given they've got someone from their Navies leading them, it's explanatory. As for the girls without leadership, it's almost like they're slipping through the cracks with those coming through." She explained.

"Twenty one?" Mercier asked.

"Cracks get bigger." Sofia replied.

"Which also seems to be the trend as well." Anya said. "The last three groups of summoning we've had that really buffed our numbers didn't number in at under twenty. A far cry from the original sixty girls that came through for Japan when this whole thing started." Anya added. Valeria nodded at that somewhat before sighing.

"Then who? Who came back?" She asked.

"Light Cruisers Eugenio di Savoia And Armando Diaz." Sofia told her. "Along with five destroyers, Alpino, Artigliere, Ascari, Fuciliere, And Geniere."

"Did all six sets consist of two light cruisers and five destroyers?" Mercier asked with a brow arched.

"We had variation with the German and American groups, in which the destroyers were switched with Subs." Anya Answered her. The three women before them watched the two a moment before nodding somewhat, Valeria nodded at that.

"And I trust that these girls, not simply the Italians, are safe, yes? Especially with recent developments are showing that some of the public would rather see them dead than alive?" She asked. Anya opened her mouth a moment before responding.

"I assume this has something to do with the fanatical group calling themselves the Abyssalists?" She inquired.

"So you've heard of them?" Valeria asked. Anya nodded as she glanced to Sofia.

"We know of them, yes. There was a potential bombing at Norfolk that was stopped before it could occur." Anya said. Valeria nodded at that.

"They grow bolder by the day. Tell me that the girls are safe, yes?" She asked. Anya nodded at that.

"This portion of Yokosuka is closed off to the public and there's no visitors without proper clearance. And the only other people besides JMSDF personnel that make up the security and those of us in command of the fleet make up the Kitchen staff for the base. And they've all been vetted and checked thoroughly. They were all brought on board soon after Japan started raising a fleet. It's doubtful that they would be involved with something like the Abyssalists." She explained.

"And you're sure of this?" Thompson asked.

"Yes. They're here to make sure the girls have a nice hot meal waiting for them day in and day out." Anya told her. "If there's a threat to the girls, it's not internal." She replied. The three women before them watched the American blonde a moment before nodding in acceptance. However reluctant that was.

"May we inquire as to where the new summons are?" Mercier asked.

"Settling in to Base." Anya Answered her. "We fed them lunch so we've given them the rest of the day to just get to know the base and all that." She said. Thompson nodded at that for a moment before frowning.

"Actually, if our Navies do not have leadership, how have you portioned them among the fleet?" She asked. Anya nodded at that.

"Strasbourg and Richelieu serve under Admiral Ishigara for the time being. But the new French arrivals seem to be more keen on serving under the two of us. Captain King has assumed command of the Royal Navy girls along with his own and Admiral Herkunft has assumed command of the Italian girls for the current moment." She explained.

"Quite the division there." Mercier commented dryly.

"Though, if it makes them comfortable until we get people to Yokosuka, who are we to complain about their wants and needs if they are being met?" Thompson asked in return. The French Admiral held a moment before nodding in agreement, sighing somewhat.

"I suppose." She relented. Anya and Sofia nodded at that for a moment before behind them, someone ran into the room. And whoever they were, they were sopping wet as they wrapped their arms around Anya's waist from behind, soaking the woman's back thoroughly, causing the woman to jump slightly.

"Admiral!" Tang cheered. Sofia bit her lip to keep from laughing as the three foreign Admirals looked on in surprise.

"Yes...? Tang?" Anya eventually asked, trying to ignore that half of her was now soaked as Tang hung off of her shoulders.

"I missed you!" The Submarine cheered.

Mercier coughed.

Though the sound that she let off right before the cough sounded suspiciously like a hurriedly snuffed laugh.

Thompson only looked on with amusement written about in those blue eyes.

Valeria only offered a small snort.

"Oh... uh.... were you guys talkin about somethin?" Tang asked as she slowly, but surely dropped back onto her own two feet, behind her Admiral as she peeked out from behind the blonde, gazing at the three women on the other side of the screen. As she did so, Tang put a hand on Anya's, over her Admiral's ring.

"Nothing that hasn't already been handled, Tang." Anya eventually said with a sigh, resting a hand on the girl's head, ruffling her hair, scattering the water droplets that sat there about the room. Tang gave an awkward laugh at that.

Mercier chuckled somewhat at that before looking to Anya and Sofia. "Well, if that is all, then I will have to call it there." She said. "Sleep is sounding so very good right now." She told them. Anya nodded at that as she looked to the other two women, who simply nodded in agreement. A few moments later, all three screens went black, the calls ending then and there. Anya chuckled somewhat as she opened her hand, taking Tang's in it as she looked to the Sub.

"Playing in the water getting boring?" She asked as she turned away towards the door, glancing at the sub. Tang shrugged as she let the woman lead her out of the door, hand in hand, as she replied to the woman.

Sofia watched the two go a moment, watching the blonde woman converse with the sub a moment before shaking her head as she followed after them.

—/—\—

"Oh, my bad Scharnhorst." Maryland offered as she nearly bumped into the German battleship. The woman blinked a moment before shaking her head somewhat, turning her head to look at the woman as the battleship entered Houshou's.

"It is no problem." Scharnhorst Answered in Reply. Maryland offered her a smile at that, before turning her gaze to Yancey, signaling for a coffee. The supply ship offered a thumbs up from behind the counter as Maryland turned back to the German battleship, gesturing to the seat across from the woman. Scharnhorst simply nodded in acceptance as she did so. Maryland smiled as she pulled it from the table, taking the open seat.

"You're not hanging out with anyone?" Maryland asked as she glanced at the table. Scharnhorst looked surprised a moment before shrugging.

"No one has come to seek me out so far, so I guess no." She Answered as she picked at the parfait before her. Maryland arched a brow.

"Do... you talk to anyone-"

"Please do not take my sitting by myself for not socializing. I have chats with the other German ship girls regularly when we are within the dorms and I've held normal conversations with Mississippi and Idaho. Please do not get the idea that I am some sort of lone wanderer. I am not Tirpitz, thank you very much." She told her with a huff.

Somewhere on base, Tirpitz sneezed.

"My bad. It just sounded like... well, that you weren't associating with anyone." She said. Scharnhorst shrugged at that, still picking ever so often at the treat before her.

"I have no problems with talking to people. And as of arriving on base, no one seems to have taken serious issue with my presence. Sure, the new European summons we received today have not really approached me so well, but I digress..." Scharnhorst told her. Maryland arched a brow, pausing only a moment before Yancey to put her coffee in front of her, before looking to the battleship.

"Have you tried talking to them?" She asked.

"The American, British, and French summons I can not expect to approach me so easily. Köln And Königsberg offered a hello in greeting, but that's about the extent of my interactions with them thus far." She told her. Maryland arched a brow as she sipped at her beverage a moment.

"How've you been settling into base since you arrived?" She asked. Scharnhorst shrugged at that.

"Well enough I suppose...? Like many other foreign summons here, i would prefer to be on my own national soil, but that cannot really be helped given that the Gateway seems to be content here on Yokosuka, which is nice enough I guess." She told her. Maryland nodded.

"So you're homesick." Maryland concluded. Scharnhorst paused a moment before sighing, her eyes closing before nodding.

"Yes." She admitted. Maryland offered a smile at that.

"There's nothing wrong with that." She told her. Scharnhorst shrugged at the response.

"Is that not so normal of someone who is away from their birthplace?" She asked, almost defensively. Maryland shook her head.

"Not saying anything against it, Scharnhorst. Just making an observation." The Dreadnought Answered her. Scharnhorst huffed.

"And if you could, where would you like to be stationed?" She asked, somewhat heatedly.

"Pearl." Came the response, not a moment's hesitation.

Scharnhorst's defensive nature died away in an instant.

"P-Pearl?" She asked, unsure if she'd heard her right. "But that's where you... and..." The German battleship was unsure to continue. Maryland simply nodded at that, sipping at her beverage.

"Yep." Maryland Answered. Scharnhorst blinked.

"But why?" She asked. Maryland shrugged.

"It's home. It was. Still is. Always will be. Me, Ari, Oklahoma, Nevada, Pennsy, Cali, Ten, And... Weevee. Yeah, it hurts a lot to think about it. About what happened. Who we lost, what we lost. But at the end of the day, Pearl is still where we know home. It's where we shared whispers, stories together. It's where we lived and laughed and it's where we screamed and cried. To a lot of people, Pearl Harbor might be a distant place. To others, it might be a sacred ground. But to us? It's home. Nightmares and all." She said, taking another sip of her coffee as she did so.

"I-I.... how?" She asked. Maryland shrugged.

"I could spend hours telling you of the stuff we talked about. I could spend hours telling you about how we would tease Oklahoma. I could tell you countless jokes whispered among the wind by California and Tennessee. I could tell you about how much time I spent doting on West Virginia. I could tell you about how much we were scolded by Pennsy. I could tell you how much Vestal yelled at us. I could tell you about how much Momi would watch us laugh and yell at one another and simply watch with a smile." She said for a moment before her eyes lowered, focusing in on the black of her coffee and nothing else as her voice dropped. "I could tell you about how much I hate that I can remember exactly how loud Arizona screamed. I could tell you exactly how much I hate that I can clearly remember Cassin and Downes clinging to one another and life all at the same time. I can tell you how much I hated looking at the sun insignia above us. I could tell you how much I hated that morning like none other." She said before growing quiet a moment.

Scharnhorst only stared a moment, suddenly somewhat uncomfortable.

"But at the end of the day, the Past is still apart of it all. And all that included, Pearl Harbor is still my home." She said. Scharnhorst blinked.

"But... none of them are there any more. Four of them are on this base." Scharnhorst replied. At that, Maryland smiled as she nodded.

"Exactly."

"But..."

"Ex-act-ly." Came the repeated word, vowel by vowel. It took a moment before Scharnhorst suddenly nodded her head in understanding.

"I see..." She Answered.

Maryland smiled as she downed the rest of her coffee before standing. "...you're leaving already?" Scharnhorst asked. Maryland nodded at that.

"Mhm. I've got flagship things to do." She said in response to the question, offering a silent wave before leaving the German battleship behind.

Scharnhorst only watched the woman go a moment longer before letting the saddened sigh escape her lips, resting her cheek against her hand as she quietly poked at the parfait.

—/—\—

She'd wanted to carve the pound of flesh she'd thought she herself was owed. She'd wanted to exact her vengeance against those who had murdered her sister while they slept.

The second she'd learned where she was, she'd wanted nothing more than to burn the entire place to the ground. She'd wanted to make them bleed for her own personal viewing for what they'd done.

But as she watched what was going on before her, as she watched that fast battleship bound around like some sort of crazed hallucination, she found another urge creeping up within her, one she had to refuse above all else.

The urge to firmly plant her palm against her face.

"Pennsy?" Her sister asked as she glanced at her older sibling. Pennsylvania sighed as she glared at the floor for a moment before glancing back to the sight before her.

"What are they doing?" She asked, crossing her arms with a harrumph. Arizona glanced at her sister a moment before letting her eyes follow her gaze, eventually landing on the sight of Kongou, hand on her hip in a proud fashion, leading her sisters in some sort of chant, the three younger siblings following their eldest without question.

Without concern.

Without doubt.

"Kongou things." Arizona Answered in simplicity. The look Pennsylvania gave her younger sister could've killed a man in cold blood. But Arizona, for her entire being, stifled a laugh as she shrugged her shoulders. "I could try to give you a fitting description of what we're watching, but then we'd be teetering too close to the edge of dess for any hope of return."

"Dess?" Pennsylvania asked for confirmation.

"Dess!" Arizona replied.

"Poi?" Asked Yuudachi.

"Nano." Chirped Iku.

Pennsylvania scowled as she glanced at the Submarine, who gave an awkward laugh before promptly fading. Grumbling to herself, she brought a hand up to the blonde destroyer's head, scratching it, much to the enjoyment of the destroyer seated on her lap.

"This entire existence I have found myself in is one large elaborate nightmare." Pennsylvania grumbled, Though her hand did not relent with the head scratches being given to the blonde destroyer before her. Arizona laughed at that, doing nothing to stop the two destroyers in her lap, Shigure and Kawakaze from leaning back against her, the two seemingly fast asleep as they used the super Dreadnought for support. "It still.... seems unfashionable." Pennsylvania sighed.

"What? This? This life we've been given?" Arizona inquired as she glanced to her sister. Pennsylvania nodded at that as she watched Shiratsuyu stand Murasame, Umikaze, Samidare, Yamakaze, Harusame, Kisaragi, Mutsuki, Fubuki, And Shirayuki in a line, apparently telling them something quite important.

"Everything. Being... living breathing people. Living in such close proximity to those we once called enemies, only to have them return with us as allies." She said as she felt Yuudachi lay her head back against her chest.

Arizona smiled at that as she turned her gaze back to the four Kongou sisters, who were quietly being cheered on by Dreadnought as the oldest ship present sipped at a cup of tea.

"It takes some getting used to, I promise you that. You haven't even been here for a month yet. I'm still adjusting I would dare say, but it's not all been rough waters." She said.

"But the anger... the hatred..." Pennsylvania countered.

"Is still something I deal with too." Arizona told her. "My dreams are racked with screams of those I lost. My nights are restless and unforgiving." She said. Pennsylvania nodded somewhat at that.

"I know, I worry they may be getting worse." She told. Arizona simply nodded at that as she watched Hiei fall out of step with the eldest, Kongou immediately stopping their entire production to restart it, the second oldest Kongou bowing in apology profusely.

"So they may, so they may..." Arizona Answered. "But even with those dreams, with the stark reminders of the past so blatantly vivid, I find the reality of this life far more pleasant." She said as she watched Shimakaze Come barreling around a corner, only to collide straight into the line of destroyers Shiratsuyu had been conversing with. And she watched, like a set of dominoes, one by one they listed until they gave out, falling over in a mess. Shiratsuyu threw her hands up into the air as she yelled at Shimakaze, the blonde destroyer resting her chin on her palm as she stared up at the girl with a bored expression, still lying atop her other fellow destroyers.

Arizona laughed and Pennsylvania even offered a gruff chuckle of her own.

"There are some scars that even time can not heal." Arizona said as she watched Shiratsuyu attempt pick her fellow destroyers off the ground, even with Shimakaze laying atop of them. But the nameship found sudden help as Kentucky and Illinois appeared just as quickly as Shimakaze had, the youngest of the Iowa's reaching down and wrapping an arm around the girl's waist, hefting her off of the pile. "There are some scars that I would not expect to heal easily, nor quickly. But that does not mean you have to let them heal alone." Arizona said. Pennsylvania scowled.

"Do not tell me you are trying to tell me that I should start... seeing one of them?!" Pennsylvania asked in disbelief. Arizona shook her head at that.

"You trying to see one of them. Any of them would go so very badly at this current point in time. But making a few friends? Making a few connections in those we once knew as an enemy? That can go a long way in healing even the most damming of scars." She said. Pennsylvania frowned, but she didn't offer a verbal reply. Only the sharp exhale through her nose was the only answer her little sister got. And Arizona offered one, muffled laugh in reply. After a moment, Arizona leaned back against the tree the two had been sitting against as they watched as Yamakaze hauled herself from the pile, watching her sisters a moment before turning her attention to the two Dreadnoughts and three of her sisters. "I'm only asking that you try and greet a few as friends, and not those we knew in the past." Arizona said as she slowly closed her eyes.

Pennsylvania watched a moment as Yamakaze timidly approached the old Dreadnought, gesturing quietly to her lap. The lead ship hesitated a moment before nodding, albeit slowly as she slowly but carefully moved Yuudachi to one side, who was still sleeping peacefully. Enough so that Yamakaze could take up a spot as well.

And sure enough, she did, seating herself on the Dreadnought's lap in the shade, between Yuudachi and Shigure. Laying her head back against the woman's chest, the aloe haired destroyer slowly closed her eyes.

And a few moments later, her soft snoring made itself known to the Dreadnought.

Pennsylvania only watched a moment before offering a sigh, laying her own head back against the tree, her hair brushing against her sister's.

In only a moment's notice, the battleship had joined her sister and their escorts in sleep's embrace beneath the shade.

—/—\—

She watched them pass her by. She watched them go on with their lives unassuming, busying themselves with the day to day business that that included. Whether it be shopping, working, hanging, or living with those they held dear, she watched.

So care free.

She couldn't care less.

She leaned back against the wall as she watched the city live and breath, even among a war like the one the world found itself embroiled in. A war that many here figured was at a distance in which they couldn't be touched.

A false belief.

She hummed to herself as she watched the unassuming public continue to go about their lives without a care in the world. They believed that the war was a simple inconvenience and over time, they would once again stand at the top of everything.

They did not understand that this was their chance for salvation. Under their rule, they would prosper and grow into something more.

But things needed to break before they could be fixed properly.

And that was her job.

Amongst the breeze, amongst the night, she felt her phone ring within her pocket. Glancing down somewhat, she fished around for it a moment before pulling it from her pocket, flipping it open as she brought it up to her ear.

"Yeah?" She Answered, watching as another group of people walked along the River, laughing to one another. She held a moment, listening to what was being said before chuckling. "It's being handled, I'm telling you." She said.

A moment's pause as she allowed the person on the other end to respond.

"We haven't done anything yet because we're still getting it all ready." She Answered. Another moment's pause as she allowed the voice to reply once again. "Yeah, you worry to much. I'm telling you, she'll be at the bottom of the river by the end of February." She laughed, though keeping her voice quiet. "It's gonna be quite the show." She said.

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to say something that she agreed with.

"See, you're worrying too much. Anyways, I gotta get back. I'm telling ya right now, you're gonna love it." She said, hanging her phone up before taking a step from the wall, standing there as she looked across the river.

There she sat, in all her glory. A relic of a war long past.

She'd been a good solider.

A shame she had to go.

The woman simply laughed as she walked off down the street, blending in with the crowds, easily dumping the phone in a nearby trash can before vanishing into bustling commotion of the city, into the cool night.