A/N: Again, not a terribly long one. But it moves the story along in a way i'd like.

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"I find my sanity slipping away more and more with each passing day." Anya muttered to herself, taking one last glance at her desk before her before letting her eyes wander back up to the door of the shared office. With Sofia out among the city with the group of Ship girls going to procure a pet or two, that'd left her with what she has assumed would be a slow going couple of hours.

Oh how wrong she had been.

Letting her gaze wander back to the sight unfolding before her, she and Langley could only watched somewhat mortified, amused, and mystified all at once.

She held her head in her hands a moment before sighing, leaning against one of them before she finally spoke.

"So... you're gonna clean this up, right?" She eventually asked, watching the four before her. The four carriers present only slowly turned their heads towards the woman.

"I don't understand the question." Lexington replied, blinking at her Admiral. Anya sighed hard at that as she watched the youngest Essex present carefully position the bucket atop the door to the office, Hornet and Hornet helping her. Yorktown, humming, watched as her sister began to teeter the bucket too far in one direction.

"Careful there, Lex. We don't want this to be premature." Yorktown offered, standing back in some so she could watch them set it up. Lex offered a thumbs up at that as she carefully began to adjust the bucket's position.

"So... I'm going to play Devil's advocate and make the bold choice to assume that there's just water in the bucket." Anya assumed, watching the four. She silently hoped she was correct

"Sure is!" Hornet, CV-8 chirped.

"Can confirm." Hornet, CV-12 relayed.

Lex simply shot the woman a wide grin, her eyes practically sparkling with glee.

"Admiral... shouldn't you put a stop to this?" Langley asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the operation unfolding before her eyes. Anya nodded.

"I should... I really should..." Anya said. Despite her words though, the blonde made no move to actively put a stop to it. "But, If a bucket with water on top of the door was the best they could work out, I guess I overestimated them a bit." She said. Lex almost completely wheeled on the woman. Would've, had she at the last minute, realized that she was the only thing keeping she herself and the two Hornet's to her side from suddenly being drenched.

"But it perfect!" Hornet called out In support of Lexington. "Because you know, King made her all wet! So this is payback!"

Anya suddenly coughed.

Only Langley caught the hastily covered laugh.

After a moment, she calmed herself.

"King making Lexi wet aside.." Anya held a moment, being sure to keep her composure. "I'm really sure that there's gotta be a better way to get back at him than this." She offered.

"Nope." Lexington Answered.

"Nadda." Hornet Agreed.

"No can do." Hornet affirmed.

"Of course not." Anya echoed. Taking a moment, she glanced at Langley. "Well, how well do you think this is gonna go?" She asked, looking to her secretary ship.

"It's gonna go." Langley confirmed. Anya's Head simply hung in defeat at that. At that however, some of the resident fairies of Anya began to emerge onto her desk, a miniature Lexington, Hornet, Hornet, And Yorktown standing at the edge, cheering on their bigger selves with stubby arms raised in support. Anya scowled at the smaller beings from behind, but did not make a move to stop them. And soon enough, they garnered more support, a fairy from every American carrier on base that she had to give made way for the edge as well, all raising stubby limbs in the general direction of the four.

Even one of Langley's.

The Admiral glanced up at the motherly carrier.

Langley simply shrugged.

Resting her cheek against her hand, Anya simply watched the assembled fairies a moment before looking back to the door. She watched as the four continued to focus on making sure that the bucket wasn't about to make an unintended dive without their consent.

"Wonder if Ishigara's ever had to deal with something like this." Anya mumbled as she watched, waiting ever so quietly for the four to finish. Some of the Carrier fairies before her glanced back to the Admiral a moment before going back to offering their support to the four, coming in various quiet volumes of 'Hey'.

At that, the Coffee maker on the left side of the office sounded off. Backing her chair up, Anya got up from her seat, making her way over to the counter as she glanced at Langley. "The usual?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. When the carrier nodded in agreement, Anya offered a nod of her own as she went about preparing two cups of the stuff, hers creamed, Langley's black as night. "I am curious." She said as she turned, walking to offer the cup of coffee to Langley before sipping at her own. "Where did you four even find the bucket?" She asked.

"Yuubari had a spare laying around the Workshop. We got it from Monitor." Yorktown supplied. Anya took a long sip of her coffee, watching the carrier's back a moment before bringing her cup away from her lips as she stood next to Langley.

"I'm almost wishing I had a video camera for this. But I think I'm gonna live this one in the moment." She sighed. Langley only offered an apologetic smile at that as she sipped at her own coffee as the two watched a moment longer.

Eventually, Lexington slowly took her hands off of the bucket, the door propped just right and the bucket sitting ever so still, did it finally stay. Carefully and very so slowly, did Lexington back away from it, did she smile in victory. Scampering away from the door, the other three carriers followed suit, Yorktown and Lex hiding behind Anya's desk while Hornet and Hornet ducked behind Sofia's desk.

"Can we address the numbers issue here?" Anya finally asked, looking to the four. Hornet soared her a glance.

"Numbers issue?" She inquired.

"The numbers issue." Anya repeated. "So King is your ultimate target, yes?" She asked.

"And he's due back at any moment." Lexington added, peeking over Anya's desk at her, the Essex class watching the woman carefully. Anya nodded.

"So... you're shooting for King. On a base, that with Command staff, Emma, and Liz included, comes in at a total of over 240 personnel. And you think that the odds are in your favor that the next person to walk through that door is going to be Captain King?" She asked, looking to the four.

"Yes." Lex said.

"Affirmative." Yorktown Agreed.

"Don't see why not." CV-8 offered.

"Sure of it." CV-12 surmised.

"Even when over a hundred and ten of those 240 personnel rely on this office for their orders and command structure?" She asked.

The four nodded in unison. Anya rolled her eyes as she sipped at her coffee.

"Just checking." She murmured into her cup. "So if you're sure, you don't mind me setting some penalties here, right?" She asked.

The four of them shrugged.

"Go for it. More power to ya." Yorktown said.

"If this works and actually gets King, fine, you will have bested my logic and won your prize. I will do nothing. Should you happen to land this on a Battleship, Battlecruiser, or Carrier, what happens to you is their call. Should you land this on a Heavy or Light Cruiser, what happens to you is their call. Should you manage to strike a sub? What happens to you is their call. Should you manage to soak a Fletcher? What happens to you is their call." She explained.

"And?" Lexington urged her to continue.

"Should you end up targeting or striking one of the Gleaves or Casablanca sisters with this stunt, you will not have to worry about what they do to you, because I will personally rearrange each of your hangars myself." She said. At that however, even Langley had to look at the woman in both surprise and sudden unease.

"Holy shit did you get aggressive there." Hornet offered, peering over Sofia's desk.

"Fat chance. There's nothing you could do to us with that." Hornet claimed.

"You'll all Sortie with Zeroes and Reppus for the next month." Anya fired back. The four American carriers, for all their worth, narrowed their eyes at the woman in both apparent disgust and disdain.

"You wouldn't." Lexington hissed.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Anya Answered back. The four carriers only watched the woman in a silent hatred before they heard someone enter the American HQ building.

Lexington and the other three carriers ducked behind the desks at the sound of someone nearing the office door, the four having to snuff out their laughter as they waited.

A moment later, they heard the door open.

The bucket came crashing down, water splashing along the floor as it thoroughly soaked whoever had fallen into the trap.

They heard King sigh. At that, immediately, Lexington and the other three wheeled around, standing fully as Lexington pumped a fist in victory.

"Haha, King you absolute-" Lex began. But when she actually opened her eyes, her victory died in her throat immediately.

Standing there, drenched in water, more resembling a kicked puppy than a Destroyer was McCalla, now shivering in place as the paper she'd held in her hands simply melted away into nothing. After a moment, she put her hands on her head as tears lined her eyes, the bucket apparently having hit her on the head when it had come down.

Behind, stood King, simply staring down at the destroyer a moment before he met eyes with Lexington.

Pale blue eyes showed nothing but surprise.

Green eyes showed nothing but questioning.

And then, time seemed to come crashing back for the four carriers as slowly, but surely, their eyes eventually befell their Admiral. Who was watching them with a gaze for a moment that promised hellfire incarnate. After a moment, she sighed as she put her coffee on the counter, holding her face in a palm a moment before she turned towards McCalla.

"I expect this cleaned up by the time I get back." She said. "And then we'll discuss those hangar arrangements." Was all she offered before approaching McCalla, kneeling down to the girl a moment, rubbing her head before she picked the destroyer up under the arms and put her on her hip as the woman left the office without another word.

The office was silent as they listened to the door to the American HQ open, and then close, with somewhat of a slam.

The four carriers stood there in silence a moment before looking to the officer in question, King only glancing down at the spot at the floor where the puddle of water sat. After a moment, he bent down and collected the waterlogged piece of paper a moment, watching as it collapsed in his hands due to damage.

"Well, there's that drawing gone." King said with a sigh.

"Drawing?" Hornet Asked.

"McCalla made a drawing she wanted to give Admiral Johnson. Guess that plan's shot." He offered.

The four carriers were suddenly overcome with a surreal feeling of guilt.

"Damnit." Yorktown huffed. The other three didn't even say anything in response, the four simply falling quiet after a moment.

"This wasn't apart of the plan." Hornet murmured.

Lexington only sighed.

Langley sighed as she watched the four a moment before making her way to the window at the back of the office, sipping at her coffee as she watched a moment, waiting to see if she could spy Anya and McCalla. When she eventually did so, she watched as they neared the American dorms.

As she did so, she noted McCalla laying her head on Anya's shoulder. Turning her head to look back to Langley, the two met eyes a moment.

And then McCalla shot the Carrier a smug smile.

Langley blinked.

Glancing back to King in confusion a moment, the man noted the woman watching him. Taking a glance to the four carriers before him, he eventually looked back to Langley.

And offered the Slyest Of winks.

Langley blinked.

And then immediately took a sip of her coffee to hide the sudden smile that overcame her.

The American carriers had finally found their match.

—/—\—

She scowled at the ground as she walked along, at the moment, making pace with only herself. She clenched her fists somewhat as she quietly fumed to herself a moment before bringing her gaze back to what was before her.

She found Argus glancing back at her with a small smile, the Carrier simply nodding her head as she watched the woman a moment before turning back to the conversation with Cossack, Royalist, Vanessa, And Violent.

Her gaze shifted to the other group of six. She watched as Saratoga only glanced back in her general direction a moment before turning her gaze forwards again, wrapping an arm around Prinz's waist as she pecked the cruiser on the cheek again, the woman audibly giggling in response but making no move to stop the motion.

Ark Royal, proud carrier of the Royal Navy, puffed her cheeks in displeasure.

Her gaze eventually locked onto the pair of German battleships who were enveloped in their own conversation, Tirpitz saying something quietly to her sister, which prompted Bismarck to cover her mouth with a hand in quiet mirth.

A monster.

A person.

Ark Royal's cheeks puffed more before she let them out a moment, clapping her hands to her face. She stared at the ground again as Saratoga's words came back to her once again.

Would Hood really look down on her for a grudge she thought justified?

For something she thought was her right?

Ark's cheeks puffed again.

"This would've been so much simpler had it been you first, Hood." Ark eventually murmured to no one but herself. Balling her fists against her sides a moment, she closed her eyes only a moment before opening them once again, focusing in on the blonde German battleship. Shaking her head, she gave only a heavy sigh as she began to speed up her pace for the group of six.

Spotting her approaching, Saratoga arched a brow for a moment before chuckling somewhat as she said something to the others. At that, almost immediately, Tirpitz put Bismarck Sea on her shoulders as they, Yorktown, Saratoga, And Prinz Eugen immediately began to speed up, leaving Bismarck walking along by herself, the battleship keeping her pace even. Noting the footsteps approaching from behind, Bismarck simply glanced back, her eyes meeting Ark Royal's, for what was maybe the first time since they'd been on base together.

"I was wondering if you'd ever try to approach me." Bismarck offered in greeting. Ark Royal scowled at that before sighing.

"I was... I am too focused on the past." She admitted.

"Could say that again." Bismarck replied, looking to the Carrier, walking along with her hands behind her back. Ark glared at the battleship a moment before letting out a breath, her eyes meeting the ground.

Her cheeks puffed again.

Bismarck stifled a small laugh.

"Who knew the all proud Ark Royal was so cute when she's flustered." Bismarck said with a slim smile.

Ark looked at the woman like she'd gone mad a moment before crossing her arms with a huff.

"Why do you have to make this so difficult?" She asked. Bismarck simply chuckled at that.

"After you avoiding me since I Came to Base, I believe I am owed some amusement out of this entire thing." Bismarck replied, offering a smile. Ark closed her eyes a moment before finding her gaze landing on Saratoga, the Carrier glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. Ark grumbled to herself for a moment before breathing, taking a moment to calm down.

"You.. Killed Hood." Ark began. "And that, is something I will likely never be able to forgive you for." She tried. Bismarck rolled her eyes.

"Is that what you've been expecting me to want you to say?" Bismarck asked, arching a brow at the Carrier. Caught completely off guard, Ark didn't offer a response, only electing to stare at the battleship. When after a few moments, the Carrier hadn't offered a response, Bismarck pinched the bridge of her nose.

"If you truly think that I was going to ask for you to forgive me for killing Hood, then I don't even know what you were thinking." She said.

"I had assumed-"

"You assumed." Bismarck chided. "Your forgiveness and my apology would mean nothing. I killed Hood, that I will say, somewhat proudly." She said, prompting a glare from the carrier. "But it is not as if I rejoiced in her death. It is not as if I sought her death. Our countries, our people were at war Ark. At most, I take pride in the fact I killed her. But It goes no further than that." Bismarck said. "I do not relish that killed her, I do not simmer in the fact that I killed her. And if you honestly expected I would demand your forgiveness for killing her, then I can not even begin to imagine how deluded you are." She sighed. "You are Hood's friend and that is something I wouldn't expect of you in a lifetime."

"Then... why?" Ark asked. "Why all this?" She asked, gesturing to their surroundings. "Why all the grandeur?" She asked. Bismarck bit her lip in amusement.

"If you pertain all of this." Bismarck said, waving a finger in a small circle. "As Grandeur, I dare question just what kind of British blood you hail from."

"I will have you know there is more to England than just the crown." Ark snapped.

"And there is more to Germany than just hate." Bismarck returned, her tone even.

Ark fell silent.

"I went through the trouble of all of this grandeur." Bismarck said, letting the word hang a moment. "To see if England and Germany could not follow the footsteps set by our Fleet mates of Japan and America. I did not live long enough to even hear whispers of the War in the Pacific, but what I have read paints picture enough. By all accounts, by all means, our Japanese and American friends should hate one another. But they do not. Even Arizona, the Martyr, has made friends among the country that killed her." She said.

"So why?" Ark asked.

"I do not want to live this new life only to be seen as an obstacle. I do not want to go about only being seen as someone to be pushed aside. I want to live. But I cannot do that if the British Fleet will only continue to look at me with disdain." She said. "I am not offering a hand to try and erase what happened between our countries in the past, but to hopefully open a new chapter." She explained. Ark watched her a moment before sighing.

"This was so much easier when you were just a monster in the mist." She grumbled. Bismarck only gave a hint of smile at that, glancing up at the sky for a moment as she let Ark Royal find her words. "But given that you are adamant about this. Given that you are so apparently set on trying to start something new between our countries, I suppose it would be irresponsible for me not to put my own hand in. And maybe, just maybe, when my country finally receives a ring of our own, and Hood does one day come through? Then just maybe, I'll have only positives to say." She said with finality.

Bismarck only smiled as she continued to watch the sky overhead, not bothering to spare a glance at the Carrier.

"But I must ask. Need we really have to get a feline to cement the occasion?" Ark Royal asked. Bismarck arched a brow as she finally gave the woman a look.

"Hm? But we both had a cat aboard us back then. The same cat in fact." Bismarck replied. Ark Royal shrugged.

"I am aware. I just... do not see the... what's the word I'm looking for..." Ark tapped her chin a moment. "Enjoyment? Yes, I believe that's it." She said.

Bismarck's neck almost snapped with how fast she turned her head.

"You do not like cats?" Bismarck asked, both in a unbelieving and surprised nature. Ark simply shrugged.

"I simply do not see the need for a cat. I believe a dog would better suit the purpose for a pet on base." She surmised. Bismarck only stared at the Carrier a moment.

Before the battleship's cheeks puffed ever so slightly.

Ark pressed two fingers to her lips at the sight somewhat, biting her lip a moment before chuckling.

"Who knew the mighty Bismarck was so cute when flustered." Ark Royal said, prompting the Battleship's cheeks to puff more. "But, if it means that much to you, I suppose I can deal with having a cat." She sighed. "Preferably though, if we do this, we find one that resembles Sam." She said.

"His Name was Oscar." Bismarck fired back.

"His legend is Sam." Ark Royal replied in turn.

"He outlived both of you!" Saratoga shouted back at them. "Now pick a name! Before Momma has to get mean!" The carrier fumed.

Bismarck and Ark Royal blinked as one.

"Were we... just adopted?" Bismarck asked.

"She is older than us." Ark Royal offered in answer. "If also a lot more crankier than us." Ark assumed.

"I heard that Rolo." Saratoga chided without turning around. Bismarck Sea giggled somewhat as she watched the two before looking ahead once more, still seated on Tirpitz's shoulders. At that, Ark Royal crinkled her nose at the name.

"Ro...lo?" Ark Royal asked after a moment, almost unsure of the name. Bismarck shrugged at that.

"Looks Like you've been given a nickname too." Bismarck offered with a laugh. Increasing their pace a moment, the battleship and carrier eventually came up upon the group once again, Saratoga glancing back at them a moment before looking forwards once again.

Their group quickly caught up with the rest of their party, finding that the Sendai's had in fact lead them to a pet store in question. And out front, apparently having been recognized, the three Sendai's were having a small photo session with fans, each of the sisters taking pictures with those who wanted them.

"What are they doing?" Prinz Eugen Asked. Saratoga And Yorktown shrugged.

"The world already knows about the Japanese ship girls." Saratoga explained. "Which is why any time any of them are seen in public, people always ask for pictures. These three especially, since they're so heavily involved in the public relations side of the fleet." She explained.

"How so?" Ark Royal inquired.

"Maybe one of the biggest reasons I can supply you is that there's an online game called KanCon where the player can actively summon and build he or she's own fleet. So far, the game only features the original sixty Japanese ship girls that were present before our first seven were summoned and so on." She told them.

"Was there not sixty two?" Tirpitz asked.

"There was. Anyone who had already summoned Fuso and Yamashiro by the time they went down got to keep em. But now, you can no longer summon them in game." She explained. "But, back to my point, the Sendai's are the only ship girls that actually voice their own characters in game. All the rest of them are voiced by paid actresses." She said.

"You speak from experience?" Bismarck asked.

"I've gone through like sixteen Shokaku's and Zuikaku's." She replied half handedly. Those in earshot only stared somewhat. "What? It's not my fault they've got the highest drop rate of any of their carriers." She said in reply.

"That's.. not the issue, but alright." Yorktown said after a moment. Saratoga shrugged at that as they grew closer to the Pet store, finding Sofia and Saradia supervising the impromptu meet and greet between the Sendai's and the public. Noting the approaching group as the last to make it, Sofia nodded to the seven.

"Go on and head inside." Sofia said. "Saradia will join you guys inside while I oversee these three." She offered. The seven nodded at that before Saratoga took note of Jintsuu posing for a picture with a group of who looked to be teenage girls. Smirking to herself, she ever so slowly wandered over to the group before putting a pair of bunny ears over the cruiser's head while looking at the camera.

The girl taking the picture giggled at that as she nodded satisfactorily, apparently having been the only one to notice. Saratoga offered the girl a wave before following the others into the pet store, Jintsuu and the others posing none the wiser.

When Saratoga stepped into the Store, she found that the ship girls present had already divided amongst themselves and were looking over the various animals. Ark Royal and Bismarck were already busying themselves with going about looking for the perfect feline in question, she found Yorktown, Bismarck Sea, Tirpitz, And Prinz Eugen looking at other cats.

Argus And Royalist were looking at the quiet selection of turtles.

And the clutch of British destroyers present were looking at the various snakes, Cossack with fascination, the other two not so much.

Saratoga hummed a moment before wondering over to Prinz Eugen, glancing at the cruiser a moment before looking to the cat that had caught her attention.

"She reminds me of you." Prinz giggled. Sara arched a brow at that before looking over the cat.

Almost entirely black, the only defining feature was a single white stripe towards the end of it's tail. Flicking an ear, it slowly brought it's head up from it's sleep to look Sara in the eyes, the stunning green filling the space watching the woman a moment before yawning. Apparently deciding it had had enough of the staring match, it brought it's head back down, once again curling amongst itself as it closed it's eyes.

"Me, huh?" Saratoga asked.

"Mhm." Prinz offered. "Beautiful, stunning, And doesn't really like people." She laughed.

Saratoga pinched the heavy cruiser in the side, causing the woman to yelp somewhat in surprise, despite the grin she adorned.

"What would you name her?" Saratoga asked as she looked to the cruiser a moment. Prinz put two fingers to her chin in thought a moment before glancing at the Carrier.

"What would you name her?" She asked. Saratoga hummed a moment before shrugging.

"Prince." She said.

"Maru." Prinz Replied. Saratoga smirked at that somewhat before glancing back to the cat.

"They do say that Cats always do better when they have someone to play with." She mused, prompting a curious gaze from the heavy cruiser.

Saratoga only watched the cat a moment before sighing, going about trying to get ahold of one of the clerks.