A/N: Look at me? Being on a roll and all that shit.

—/—\—

She blew gently at the cup of tea in her hands as she left the soft swill of winds coming in from Tokyo Bay gently flutter over her. And then a moment later, she ever so slowly brought the cup of tea up to her lips, savoring the flavor that it held within.

"Hak-Attack!" Someone sounded from behind her.

Hiryuu sighed quietly.

There went her morning.

"Lay a hand on me in any manner and you will not remember what it was like to have that same appendage." Hiryuu offered to her would be assailant, her own head bowed forwards, her eyes slipped closed.

A brief moment of pause.

"....hak-attack...?"

The footsteps that had been quietly closing in on her stopped for a moment before they resumed their pathing, albeit changed somewhat as they approached the side of Hiryuu. The fleet carrier glanced up to her left to find that of Hakkuryu approaching ever so cautiously, the fleet carrier watching her younger contemporary a moment. The bigger carrier hesitated a moment to meet eyes with the smaller of the two of them, up until Hiryuu gestured to the spot next to her before sipping her tea once more.

"Apologies, Hiryuu-sama." Hakkuryu offered in proper greeting as she bowed before taking the spot next to the carrier. Hiryuu yet instead continued to look ahead, out over the long tranquil waters of Tokyo Bay. She could hear the big carrier fidget in place next to her as she tucked her own knees under in an attempt to mirror Hiryuu. And yet still, the smaller carrier continued to watch the water move with the motions before her as she sipped her tea once more.

The bigger carrier dared not speak out loud without being given permission to do so, and Hiryuu knew she would not. So in that very moment, she enjoyed what remained of her tea and the returning peace now that the unsightly blemish to her morning had been reeled in to some, inane degree.

When she had sipped the rest of her tea to completion, she let out a short puff of satisfaction before ever so carefully putting the cup before her. After which, she turned her gaze onto that of Hakkuryu. The bigger carrier did not say anything, nor did she glance in Hiryuu's direction. Continuing to look out over the bay, she knew when it would be proper to interject. Hiryuu in turn looked back out over the bay even as Hakkuryu made to fidget in place yet again. It was not an unknown thing to the smaller carrier that sitting with one's legs tucked under oneself was not always the most comfortable of ways to present oneself. And Hakkuryu was more than vocal of this fact in the past, letting her displeasure be known both far and wide.

Hiryuu thought it amusing, but she also understood where the carrier was coming from. Not that those words would ever leave her mouth of her own volition.

Eventually however, she'd left the carrier to stew a good long while. Turning her gaze back onto that of the woman, Hiryuu watched her. "Hakkuryu?" She asked.

Immediately, the big carrier focused in on the carrier, her fidgeting ceasing almost immediately as she made to present herself in a noble way. Hiryuu took this in, watching her a time, studying her form and pose in the most subtle of ways before nodding her head.

"Yes Hiryuu-Sama?" The big carrier asked. Hiryuu looked ahead again as she watched the bay once more, even as she spoke to the woman.

"Are you satisfied to once again be amongst our home waters?" She asked, even though in her heart, she already knew what the carrier's answer would be. And that proved correct as the carrier nodded in affirmative.

"I am, Hiryuu-sama." She told her.

"And your sister, Sekiryuu?" She asked.

"She is in agreement much the same as myself. We are glad to be home, even as exciting as our service was." She told her. Hiryuu nodded at that.

"Your service is that of a proud and honorable warrior to be sure." The carrier told her. "And not only that, but it was due to your suspicions that Zuikaku survived Houshou's delusions in the end as well. Truly, your story certainly seems to write itself. Fitting, I suppose, for our newest members." She offered as she finally glanced to that of the woman. "Do you know of where you are to be sent, next?" She asked. Hakkuryu nodded.

"The Atlantic, to be stationed out of the friendly territories of Spain. There to prevent any counter moves against our British allies while they focus on returning to Continental Europe." She told her. Hiryuu nodded as her gaze returned yet to the waters of the Bay, watching what little traffic in that moment that there was. She watched a trio of destroyers steam along together, the middle edging at the lead as their namesakes seemed to chat with one another as the gentle winds blew past them.

"A bold declaration." Hiryuu commented. "In your opinion, why do we not simply drop bombs there? Raze the lands as they were so that nothing may return to life there? We have the technology. We split the atom in 1944 and once we did, we used that technology nine more times over the next five years to assist our allies and yet they managed to be pushed out. Tell me, why won't a tenth, eleventh? Or even a twelfth solve their issues?"

"Because they are enduring. Even while the people of Germany were our own ally, they were relentless in their advances into both that of France and to the East and into Russia. They are a proud people and if this war has shown us anything, they are far more resilient than we first gave them credit for." She told her.

"So then why would Britain not simply allow us to raze their lands and homes to the ground? Why bother with trying to retake lands that they have already lost the fight for once?" She asked.

"Aside from the benefit and resources and other such commodities that would benefit them?" Hakkuryu asked. When Hiryuu offered the smallest of nods, Hakkuryu continued. "Because like Germany, Britain is proud. Falling to an option that would take away their victory above all else is an unthinkable one. It would be akin to admitting that they themselves at their very core were not enough to scale the challenge that their foe laid before them. So in turn, they prevent us from taking that victory, one they would rather fight to last for."

"Well said." Hiryuu offered before turning her gaze back onto that of Hakkuryu. "And you? What would your solution be?" She asked. "Would you fight even though it may not be enough? Or would you allow your enemies the challenge of taking you head on while they bleed you dry because they have the home field advantage?" She asked. Hakkuryu seemed to pause at the question, as if she had not been expecting to be asked such a thing before looking back to her mentor.

"What would you do, Hiryuu-sama?" She asked.

"I would bomb them." The carrier said, as if the answer itself was simply reflex, as she looked back out over the water. "What Britain wants or sees as a personal goal is irrelevant to reaching the end of the war. Unless they manage to provide a reason as to not wanting their targeted territories razed outside of personal honor, the end result does not matter as long we get there. Should we have to expedite that by way of atomic fire, then so be it."

Her words stilled the conversation for a time as Hakkuryu dwelled on what she had been told and what they had said.

"I do not agree." Hakkuryu eventually offered in a rebuttal. Hiryuu turned her head to look back to the carrier, and Hakkuryu continued. "And at one point, you would have as well. Using such a weapon is meaningless in its application if you do not know where to hit them precisely. You can not burn out an infection by simply hoping you hit the mark. Do you know where in Germany would cause them to lose all hope and simply give in and surrender the war? Because if you do not, you are only furthering this conflict further than need be. And the less said about the potential of them using a similar weapon in response grows with each day." She told her.

"They lack the technology and know how." Hiryuu told her.

"And yet we have to retrieve a single of their scientists, either alive or by corpse. They share a land border with controlled Russian territories and there's plenty of ways to slip by unnoticed. If one is too focused on the fight as a whole, the smaller pieces simply fall away without attention. We ourselves lacked the technology 10 years ago, and then a year later, the first bomb fell in France. And then Belgium. And then Portugal. We have only driven them to match us in this regard, and yet nothing to stay their hand. They say this world was born by fire. It is likely to end the same way." The carrier said.

Hiryuu simply offered a sigh. They say the younger generation was meant to pass their elders, but to do so this early was both aggravating and alleviating at the same time.

"Who is to be your Flagship for your deployment?" Hiryuu asked as this time, she turned to fully look at the carrier.

"Mikasa-Sensei has ordered that role fall to that of Fuso." She explained. Hiryuu seemed to adjust to that a moment before looking ahead once more.

"I'll make your case to Mikasa-Sensei." She explained. "We shall see if we can't slide the flag position to you rather than yet another battleship holding it. It would be a nice change of pace I would think." She told her.

"That is not how things are done, Hiryuu-sama." Hakkuryu told her. Hiryuu nodded simply at that.

"Of that I am all too aware. Not once was I or any one of the other carriers of the Kido Butai offered the responsibility. Even during our Attack on the Americans, when we were the ones making the move, the role was still given to that of another. Even today we are treated as a footnote amongst our forces, even after all we have done to secure our nation's victory." She told her. "Britain has my respect for that and that alone, allowing their own carrier fleet to hold the responsibility. I-"

It was then that their conversation was so abruptly interrupted before Hiryuu could say or add anything further. The interruption came in the form of a Ship's horn coming in off the harbor. All at once, their tranquility was shattered as Hiryuu stood as she made way for the open window. Watching for a moment, she found what she had been looking for.

And her entire being bristled for it.

Hakkuryu, well more than keen on the woman's response, took a spot just behind her as she managed a look for herself. And there she found a group of ships well within the bay that she herself did not recognize, which she found as odd given her role and circumstance. But it was all too clear that Hiryuu knew exactly just what she was looking at it. And as Hakkuryu watched a few moments longer, one ship turned to three as more sailed into view, and from there even more than that. Three full on Capital ships and their myriad of cruiser and destroyer escorts.

"Who is that?" Hakkuryu finally asked.

"Trouble." Hiryuu answered her. "Go gather your sister and meet me down at the port. I want to know why she's here." Hiryuu all but seethed. Turning immediately, she made way for her new objective, Hakkuryu only watching a moment before going to do as she was told.

Ten minutes later found the Hakkuryu sisters trailing after one very visibly miffed Hiryuu. But as they drew closer, Hiryuu began to reel herself in as they approached where that of the new selection of ships was just now docking. Crew on board was shouting down to the servicemen tending to the area as they worked on properly mooring their ships. And as they did so, their namesake forms watched from above, either standing at their bows or up above on fore-mounted turrets. When Hiryuu and her two began to approach, their attention ever so naturally drifted to that of the three walking along.

They could feel their eyes on them, but Hiryuu paid them no mind. Hakkuryu and Sekiryuu simply traded one another a glance before they followed after their mentor, the three all too suddenly surrounded by personal and equipment of a foreign nation. But still Hiryuu still Marched on, even amidst the stares and the feverish whispers. They knew who she was, why she was here.

She did not know the same in return.

Approaching the three Capitals at the back of the pack, both foreign and domestic servicemen parted for the carrier and her followers. Even as opposed as they were, it was easy to tell that Hiryuu was on the warpath. It was a test of their strength to keep their heads attached to their necks in that moment. Hiryuu moved past them with ease and without burden as she approached the three Battlecruisers, in which, Hiryuu immediately called out to them.

"La Dama!" She bellowed. "Come out here!"

There was a brief moment where the only sounds were that of the waters lapping up against hulls and ports alike. And then a moment later, both crewmen and workers alike parted from the far end, rapidly approaching their location. A few terse seconds later, they parted fully to give sight to that of La Dama herself, the battlecruiser approaching with hips swinging and a sway to her steps. She offered Hiryuu a smile that promised no short of agitation on the carrier's part as she made way for her. She placed a hand at her hip as she looked Hiryuu up and down before smiling, bringing her other hand up to obscure the motion somewhat.

"Oh my! Being requested so quickly upon making port, and not only that, but by one of Japan's fearless Kido Butai so sternly?" The one known as La Dama commented. "Please, a lady can only take so much before she begins to blush, you know."

Tucking her hand that was on her hip under her other arm, she watched the three as Hiryuu made to respond.

"What are you doing here? The South American Empire has no business in Japan and there has been no formal visits scheduled. You need to leave." Hiryuu told her. La Dama smiled in a serene sort of way as she regarded the carrier with simple, delicate motions.

"Please, there is yet no need for such open hostilities right away. We've been sailing for quite some time, and I have only just begun to get my legs back. Surely, such hard-lining in regards to a schedule is unneeded? We were simply in the area on a totally unrelated matter and decided we would stop by. As the word goes, The Empire of Japan is supposed to be excellent hosts, no? I was hopeful that me and mine could partake in such a boon, yes?" She asked, her own smile holding strong. All the while, Hiryuu's demeanor continued to stiffen. If anything, Hakkuryu noted, was that the one known as La Dama seemed to enjoy that to no end.

It was about that time when La Dama's gaze finally landed on that of the two carriers standing behind Hiryuu.

"La Dama, I-"

"Oh, please won't you introduce me to your lovely friends here? I don't believe I've had the pleasure of making their acquaintances yet, and I would not be able to look at myself if I didn't at least catch their names." She told her. Hiryuu narrowed her eyes.

"No."

La Dama responded in that way with a dramatic sigh, as if she'd been mortally wounded. Her arms fell to her sides a moment as if she was thinking about something a second before looking back to Hiryuu.

"Then how about a look around the city, no? I've heard tales and whispers about the magnificence of the home islands themselves, and I would love to see for myself." She answered her.

"You are not staying. Entering our waters without our approval or permission is serviceable as an act of war by itself. You do not belong here. You should not be here. Leave before something happens that you may regret." She demanded. La Dama watched the carrier a moment at that, tilting her head somewhat, before her lips broke in a slightly more demure smile as she returned her hands and arms to their prior position, one gripping her side as the other simply gestured before her.

"Entering your waters without your permission? Why, now that sounds awfully familiar. I seem to recall, oh what was it? 1948? 49? I seem to recall one of your fleets demanding to be allowed passage through our canal, stating that it was required for your war effort. And when that failed, they threatened to use force to get through the Canal in that very moment. Only to be turned away further. Imagine, the embarrassment? The ridicule they were likely to face when their superiors learned of it?" She asked. "Tell me, were they scrapped for their failure? Were they disposed of for their inability to achieve results?" She asked, before pausing a moment. "A truly terrible subject. Truly."

"You speak-"

"I speak the truth." La Dama offered with a pleasant smile as she eyed the carrier.

Her name meant The Lady in English.

Most could swear that it actually meant The Demon.

The La Dama class came about during the South American's Empire slow rise to prominence during the late 1920's. Looking to expand properly on their Naval capabilities in ways that at that time they could not process, they reached out to other nations, regardless of differing ideological standpoints of opposing views.

The United States responded with a plethora of knowledge of their own skills of both gunnery at sea and the process behind building their weapons. At least, to a limited capacity.

But it was the British Isles that offered the most in terms of outreach. Offering a trade similar to the one that resulted in Kongou between themselves and the SAE, the newly forming world power denied. They did not want to have the ship be built for them and they simply expected to improve on another's design. Instead, the newly standing Empire sent it's best and brightest to the British isles themselves to observe and record during the British fleet exercises.

The ship that caught most of their attention was HMS Hood.

Weary of the possibility of one of, at the time, their most advanced ships being copied to some degree, they cautiously allowed those from the SAE a look in depth at Hood's design, of which Hood herself was all to proud to show them what she was capable of.

What the SAE ended up developing in turn was a ship class that Hood and her sisters would come to despise.

Weighing in at 49,000 tons, La Dama tasted salt for the first time exactly six years later. She featured a 13 inch belt and played host to 5 twin turrets with 17 inch guns installed on each.

On a light load and with favorable seas, the ship could make 43 knots.

She was a marvel of modern Naval engineering.

Immediately, the naval powers of the world turned their sights in onto that of the Empire and just how they'd accomplished an engineering job of that magnitude. But they'd gotten nothing in return, even through work of spies or other below the belt means.

And then La Dama's sisters rolled out of the dockyards six months, and a further three months after that, La Reina and La Princessa.

The three of them had hushed any concerns or critics views that such a new Empire could not contend with the established Naval powers of the world.

"I speak the truth." La Dama offered again. "Both of that and then six months later, when an entirely separate fleet simply demanded solace in one of our ports when rough seas and ill prepared advice proved too much for them to handle. We relented that time, hoping that it would be taken as an act of goodwill between our nations. And for a while, it had been. Until once again, you and yours demanded to be let access to the canal. Funny, the terms of neutrality that you forced us to agree to lest we be put to the sword stated in simple terms that both the Empire of Japan and her Allies and the United States and her allies be disallowed use of the passage way. And yet we find that the ones who demanded we agree to such an ideal are the one who demands us to break it. Fitting, I suppose, that such a hastily written plan is now backfiring spectacularly. Some would call that Karma."

"We have our orders." Hiryuu told her. La Dama smiled thinly at that.

"So you do. And we have our patience. Which has run to a very thin degree in these past years with your nation and in regards to their actions towards we and our own. Our neutrality stays where it is, but our people look more and more favorably on that of the United States with each passing day. They have yet to ask anything of us other than the most bare bones requests. Questions of that if we have space for displaced peoples, what kind of support we can aid without putting ourselves in your sights as an act of war. But the question of what is humane and what is needed for the peace of the world is a line that rapidly blurs as the days go by, and more people suffer to a war that you and your allies drag out by the day. This war has been nearly fifteen years in the making, and yet there is no clear winner. And by now, you and your allies are spread razor thin, Japan especially. The Russian holdings, the Asian Sphere of Influence, the Pacific islands, Australia, and a large swathe of the western continental United States is a hard hold to manage. Especially for an island nation like Japan. It truly would be a shame to see it all come tumbling down because one couldn't control their ego in such a manner."

"You would threaten us? In our home?" Hiryuu asked, watching the battlecruiser narrowed eyes. La Dama shook her head at the question.

"No. Dealing in threats often reaps poor rewards." She told her. "For so long, it has been a game of appeasement in this little back and forth between our nations. We feared you, kept our heads down and did as you asked. But that day has long since passed, and now we see what you are in this day and age. An aging, decaying war machine. You still have your tools of war, yes. Your navies, armies, they're still just as proud. But they are tired and they are growing slow. So simply put: no more. In fact, it is our belief that you should be the ones to appease us from this way forwards."

Hiryuu scowled. "You-"

"Yes, we." La Dama told her. "This is not a debate, this is not an argument. What I say now is fact. If your fleets come near our waters towards the Canal or other such reason, it will be war. Should you attempt to force our hand in any sort of deal going forwards by a promise of threat or violence, it will be war. And for my personal favorite, should you sail south past the horn with the intent to transit from the Pacific to the Atlantic, it will be war." She explained, with a simple wave of the hand thrown in. "Simply put, Japan's foreign diplomacy tires us. And if Japan will not adjust their own for their sake, we will adjust it for them."

She paused as she glanced in the direction of far off Tokyo.

"And it will reach your shores."

Hiryuu narrowed her eyes at that. "You've seen the weapons we wield, what we have built. A war with us would be a mistake." The carrier told her. La Dama watched her a moment with careful eyes before looking back to the Horizon.

"Then perhaps both of our nations will witness an early sunrise."

Hiryuu's gaze widened by only fractions at the insinuation that was as clear as day in the battlecruiser's words. La Dama did not react if she saw it, only slowly turning her gaze back onto that of Hiryuu, the carrier her only focus. Hiryuu still watched her just the same, searching her gaze for any sign that it was a jest or a lie or a joke. But when she had yet to find what she'd been looking for, she only confirmed what those in the higher ranks of the Japanese military already knew.

The SAE was simply a fight that the Japanese Empire could not afford in that moment. And La Dama was right in the very instance about. They were spread thin as is managing what they already held, and without a reliable way to fill in their forces, they were left razor thin. Meanwhile, the SAE had an entire continent's worth of people and resource that thus far had gone underutilized in the grand scheme of things. If things were to kick off between them, there would be countless deaths and losses on the Japanese side of things and it was a fact that up until that point, Hiryuu had refused to acknowledge.

But as she stood there, she finally and fully recognized the last of world's superpowers was not a fight they could win without major loss.

La Dama seemed to recognize that fact as she watched the carrier, a dangerous smile coming to her lips as the assembled various ships of the SAE let out laughter amongst them, hushed and quiet, but still stinging to Hiryuu's ears all the same.

"So..." La Dama began as one of her hands fell to a hip. "About that tour...?"

—/—\—/—\—

She vaguely recognized the thin film of sweat clinging to her body before her eyes slowly fluttered open. And even still, her brain seemed to be trying to reboot itself over and over to no avail. She laid there, staring blankly up at the ceiling above her, as her body allowed itself a moment to settle properly for the first time. Or at the very least, what felt like the first time. The carrier didn't pay that any mind though, her own mind a flurry of what if's and why's.

La Dama...?

The SAE...?

Hakkuryu and Sekiryuu?

All things that her mind told that did not exist. And yet when she tried to confirm that, whispers of memories that she both did not know and knew were her own teased her mind, blurring the lines between what she knew to be real and what was false.

Resting an arm against her forehead, the skin of her arm now slick with sweat, Hiryuu only laid there confused in the moment. What had it all been for? An Alternate existence where her country had beaten the tides of the United States in? A world where they could do as they pleased with no one to challenge them in any meaningful way?

Well, except for the SAE apparently.

She moved her arm to cover her eyes a moment as she simply let herself have a moment, however brief it may of ended up being to simply adjust, her own quiet breathing serving to fill the room with some sort of noise.

Well that and she could hear various voices out and about just past the door, coming and going.

It was about that time when Hiryuu finally blinked as she looked up at the ceiling a moment as she moved her arm away from her face. And then took a look about the room she was in.

Her room this was not, that much she was sure of.

She made to sit up, only to realize in that moment just how weak she felt. She had to pull at the sheets somewhat to pull herself up, and even that only just barely sufficed as her fingers grabbed at whatever they could to get the job done. When she was somewhat sitting up, she seemed to exhale as the either pain or exhaustion, she didn't know which, seems to bear down on her like an unseen weight crashing down on her. It took a moment, but she swung her legs over the side of the bed and towards the floor. And when they made contact with the ground, she frowned somewhat.

It was as if her contact with the floor was dulled somewhat under her feet, like her sense of touch had been diminished or warped. She watched it for a moment before she glanced at the door to her right. The room wasn't all that sizable so it wouldn't take too much for her to get there. But as she attempted to dig her feet into the floor to try and stand properly, that feeling of weirdness intensified. She could physically see herself touching the floor, but her feet and legs told her anything but. She frowned somewhat before she slowly inched her way towards the end of the bed. Positioning herself in such a way, she put her weight on the bed as she focused on getting herself standing. Digging her feet into the floor, the carrier pushed herself up and off of the bed.

Which was a victory for all of ten seconds.

But as Hiryuu finally stood, it suddenly felt as if her mind was submerged in water. Her vision went hazy and unfocused, a slight pang of pain in her head. When she went to move a hand over the spot, her hand moved almost sluggishly. And her vision told her nothing better as the image of her hand seemed to be multiple images. She would move her hand, and it would move, sure. But to Hiryuu, she would watch her hand move after what felt like minutes, and more so than that, there looked to be afterimages following the movement, prompting confusion within her already stressed brain.

She felt sluggish and even as she focused on it, watching as she opened and closed her hand, the image was unfocused, unclear, and skewed. She turned her attention to the door which she'd known had been there a moment ago. And as she laid eyes on it, just the simple act of turning her head seemed to disorient her to no end.

She made to take a step towards the door, and she could feel her leg swinging forwards. But everything felt like it was slowed, and even as her leg extended towards the floor, her vision swayed as she waited for it to catch up. And when it did, it came in afterimages just like her hand, disorienting her to no end. She made to take another step, and nearly stumbled forwards, only managing to catch herself in the last second or two. She blinked as she tried to clear her mind, tried to clear her vision, but even the simple act of closing her eyes only momentarily added to the clutter. The door blurred further and her sight would not focus in on any one thing, all of it swaying back and forth for her, no one thing staying still.

She clumsily reached for the handle of the door and the simple motion knocked her already poor balance on its ass, and with it she came too. She stumbled to her knees, hand still gripping the handle, which in turn brought her down, thudding against the door.

Her mind seemed in some far off point to recognize that she collided with the door. But her body, far slower on the uptake, took a good few moments longer to recognize that fact. She blinked, completely shifting her vision once again as she slowly made to get up. Only for her attempt to make loose of her grip, which sent her falling back to the floor on her back, her legs still against the door.

The ceiling, the room, and the floor all seemed to spin In different directions as she slowly went about putting herself on her stomach. But even that was slow going and clumsy, limbs over extending from what she needed or not pushing right. Her body fought her mind at all angles and everything she attempted to do.

Sweat poured down her face as attempted yet again to try and get a grip on something that would allow her to try and get off the floor. But even thoughts of that were fleeting as her arms seemed to finally relent to her condition, no longer fully responding to the carrier. She stared endlessly at that ceiling above her, everything seemingly spinning in different directions all at once, unable to do anything. She opened her mouth to call out, to yell, to do anything. But her mouth and throat were dry, rendering her voice mute in that moment as her motions began to slowly but surely still themselves.

Just as someone knocked on the door.

The noise was muffled, distorted as Hiryuu laid there, staring up at the ceiling with seemingly no purpose. And as whoever knocked on the door called through, their voice just as distorted as the knocking itself had been.

Their words didn't even sound like words as all of it was simply reduced to a unintelligible sound, different peaks and lows, but all but understandable in the end. She opened her mouth to try and respond again, as whoever it was pushed on the door. But with Hiryuu's legs in the way and her body acting as heavy as it felt, the carrier herself acted as a barricade that proved to be insurmountable to the door swinging open.

Hiryuu's head slowly began to lay flat against the ground as the knocking and pushing at the door intensified, her body growing still as the sounds around her began to grow distant and dull.

Until at that point, a distant splintering of wood echoed in her ears.

/—/

Five minutes prior, in the hallway outside.

Sickly yellow eyes watched the two a moment, sister against sister. She crossed her arms as the two stood off against the other, one certain in her position, the other most sure that her opponent was in the wrong.

Their eldest simply watched from the side with a sigh.

"Sisters..." Admiral Hipper attempted, her hands raised gently before her.

"No!" Blücher snapped.

"Not now!" Prinz barked.

Admiral Hipper only sighed further as she too folded her arms a moment, watching as they bickered. And then she met eyes with that of the sickly yellow.

Admiral Hipper scowled.

Saratoga grinned.

"You can do it Hipster." Saratoga faux cheered from her spot, her tone only a smidge above dead sarcastic. "Show them who's on top here."

Admiral Hipper's scowl deepened before she looked back to her younger sisters, who were just about pressing their foreheads together as they faced off against one another, their argument just another of any seemingly random thing that seemed to set the two off against the other. Hipper was all too happy to try and calm her sisters down to varying degrees, the result differing on the day and her own mood most of the time. Sometimes, if they caught her in just the right mood, it'd turn into a three way screaming match.

One, that on both principle and personal interest, Saratoga refrained from getting involved in other than the role of that of a sideline spectator.

The carrier watched the two continue to go at it a moment, watching in the distance as Bismarck and Tirptiz left their room and made way for the front door. They both offered Saratoga a knowing smile before vanishing around the corner as the carrier simply observed the three heavy German cruisers. She watched as Prinz Eugen attempted to push a new point, one of which Blücher all too eagerly rejected as they continued to go at it. She hummed somewhat as she stood there, waiting-

Thud.

What she was going to say or do originally died away in a moment's notice as the carrier turned somewhat, glancing behind her down the hallway to the rest of the German and Italian dorms. The seemingly empty hallway seemed to bask in the silence before her, and yet as Saratoga watched the nothingness happen before her, she was sure of one thing.

She had heard something just then.

Her arms dropped to her sides as she scanned the hallway, either side of it and everywhere in between as she looked and listened for any sign of what she'd heard a moment ago. And even when none presented itself for a moment or two, she still did not turn her attention away. It came to the point that the three sisters, as if they were toddlers with no adult to cry in front of, slowly stopped their squabbling as they looked to the carrier for a moment.

"Saratoga?" Blücher called. But Sara didn't turn, didn't even acknowledge that she'd been spoken to as she continued to watch the hallway. And then a moment later, her eyes drifted to the right side of the hallway.

"You've got one of the Japs here, yeah?" She asked slowly. Hipper blinked a moment at the question before nodding in confirmation.

"Yeah. They put Hiryuu here." She answered.

"Which room is she in?" She asked. Hipper hesitated at that question, eyeing Saratoga in a somewhat suspicious manner. She wasn't an idiot and she was more than aware of the chip that the carrier carried on her shoulder. Telling her Hiryuu's room in that moment did not feel like the most intelligent choice she could make and her hesitation made that clear.

"Saratoga, I don't-"

Saratoga pivoted on her heel.

"What room is she in, Admiral Hipper?" She asked, those sickly yellow eyes now bearing down on the heavy cruiser. Hipper resisted the urge to flinch at the now very uncomfortable gaze she found herself the focus of. Thinking better of anything further she might have been planning to say or do, she pointed to the right side of the hallway, three doors down.

"That one."

Saratoga pivoted once more without another word, making her way for the door. The three heavy cruisers in her company didn't spare a word, only traded a cautionary glance with one another before following after the carrier. They watched as Saratoga approached the door, slowing until she stood just before the thing. Taking a moment, she knocked on the door three times.

When there was no response, Blücher looked to Saratoga.

"She's probably still out cold. Only Kaga and Zuikaku have woken up so far and there's been no signs of the other four waking up yet." She explained. Saratoga seemingly both took that info in and ignored it all at once as she knocked again.

"Hiryuu?" She called through the door.

Still no response.

"Saratoga, she's not awake." Hipper tried.

Saratoga still watched the door with a mounting suspicion.

Prinz herself however instead was focused on the carrier herself, watching as Saratoga focused on the door. After a moment, she looked to her sisters.

"There really wouldn't be any harm in checking, would there?" She asked. Hipper and Blücher looked to her a moment before trading a glance with the other, shrugging their shoulders somewhat. Prinz wasn't wrong, they knew. But they both knew there were inherent risks when Saratoga was the one doing the checking. But neither made a move to stop her as her hand fell to the handle, pulling down on it as she went to push open the door.

Only for the door to stop not even a foot in, gently thudding against whatever was on the other side of it. Sara frowned at that as she attempted to get a look inside the room.

"Who was the last person in the room?" She asked when she pulled back from the door somewhat.

"We don't know if anyone's been in there today. But the Admiral made a stop in there last night just to check on her." Admiral Hipper told her. Saratoga adjusted to that information a moment before trying the door again, to the same result.

"And did she move anything within the room that would possibly be blocking the door?" She asked.

"Not that we know of." Blücher answered her.

Sara's frown deepened.

"If she or no one else moved anything within the room, and the door is blocked, there's only one thing that would be blocking it then." Saratoga said. They paused before Prinz came to the same conclusion not even a second later.

"Hiryuu."

Saratoga nodded as she brought the door closed. "She either rolled out of bed at a weird angle or woke up enough to move to a point where she'd be blocking the door. The fact that she isn't answering means she's either out cold again or is simply unable. Kaga woke up without a fever and the crane woke up still ill but better than she was. That's enough of a difference to give me a bad feeling about this." She told them. Admiral Hipper glanced back down the hallway.

"I don't think Admiral Herkunft's in her office. We can go try and find her-

"No time." Saratoga interrupted her as she eyed the bottom of the door a moment. "I'll have to apologize for the door later." She commented.

Blücher and Admiral Hipper balked. "Saratoga!" Blücher cried. "You can't kick the door-"

She was silenced as the carrier drove her fist through the door, a mess of splintering wood on the other side of the door as she sank her arm into her shoulder. Admiral Hipper and Prinz glanced back down the hallway, watching for anyone coming, before they were pulled back to the current events by Sara herself.

"You may want to move." She commented.

She only gave them a second or two.

Stepping away from the door by a foot, she brought her body with it. And with her arm flat against the other side of the thing, it was the wood of the door vs the carrier's strength. Not that it was much of a contest.

What had a moment before been a relatively solid piece of wood splintered and cracked in multiple places as it was not pushed into the room, but instead pulled out, through the doorframe and flying across both the floor and against the wall opposite Hiryuu's room. The three heavy cruisers watched as Saratoga demolished the door in one fell swoop, no quiet motion to be seen as the door simply stopped existing.

The wreck crashed against the opposite door and wall in a cacophony of noise and clattering wood, so much to the point that other doors along the hallway began to open, their occupants poking their heads into the hall. But Saratoga paid that no time or mind, already moving into the room the second the door had been removed as an obstacle.

She was presented with the sight of Hiryuu laid out against the ground, the carrier's eyes open but not nearly alert enough for Saratoga's liking. Kneeling down to the woman, Sara placed one hand on the back of the carrier's neck as she placed the other on the side of her face, tilting her face up at her. Immediately though, some to Sara's surprise, Hiryuu's skin burned against her own. It nearly made her pull her hands away in surprise, not pain, as she leaned down to Hiryuu's face.

She watched as the carrier's eyes rapidly looked around, unwilling or unable to focus on any one thing. Rapidly adjusting back and forth, her vision was clearly not in the right at that moment. And as Sara kept a hold on Hiryuu, she expected at some point to find at least one of Hiryuu's fairies around somewhere. But when none showed or manifested themselves, Saratoga huffed.

Two of her own fairies slid down from the carrier's shoulder, down her arm, to come to a stop on Hiryuu's bare stomach. Sara looked down to the two a moment as they looked up to her.

"Board her, find one of her crew, and figure out what the fuck's going on."

Her fairies offered stubby salutes before all but vanishing a moment later. In turn, Saratoga released her hold on the woman's head ever so slowly as she slipped one of her hands under the woman's knees as the other went around her back, the carrier picking Hiryuu up with little trouble. Turning, she found the three sisters watching her for a moment.

"Hipster, go find any of the repair ships, let em know that whatever's going on with Hiryuu right now isn't ideal." She said as she walked out of the room and into the hallway, into the view of what Italian and German ship girls happened to be in the dorms at the moment. "Bubbles, go find the Admirals and tell them the same thing. And apologize to your Admiral on my behalf about the door." She ordered. "Hopefully, Admiral Herkunft won't ban me from the building." She told her as she began to make way down the hallway towards the center.

"What are you gonna do?" Admiral Hipper asked as she walked alongside the carrier, eyeing the woman wearily as Hiryuu continued to stare off into space, eyes still unfocused and unalert.

"She's on fire. I don't know if it's gonna do anything, but we've gotta try and cool her off. Me and Pringles are going to the showers to handle that so you should know where to find us. Now go." She ordered as she and Prinz Eugen turned right at the intersection towards the door that lead to the bathrooms. Admiral Hipper and Blücher traded a glance with one another before turning then towards the front door of the dorms and further beyond that, the two each on their own assignment.

Prinz rushed forwards all but ripping the door open for Sara's ease, the carrier having to bite back a laugh.

"Easy there, Pringles. The door was a one time thing." She said as the two of them rushed past the likes of Graf Zeppelin and Scharnhorst, the two looking more confused than anything as the carrier and heavy cruiser pushed into the bathrooms themselves.

Instead of the circular layout of the American dorm bathrooms, the current German/Italian went for a different approach. Instead of wrapping around the wall, these sat in groups of four spread around the room. Positioned in cross formations, the corner of each cross was its own stall with the shower heads easy to see as they easily stood well above the stalls themselves, they reaching an easily modest height.

They made way for the closest stall as Prinz Eugen immediately made way for the controls. Sara herself eased herself down to the ground a moment, making sure to keep Hiryuu somewhat stable as she made her way to the ground. Once there, she repositioned the carrier to a point where she was more so leaning against the American, her head tucked in against the woman's shoulder. With a hand still wrapped around her back and the other now over the top of her legs, the carrier was firmly secured by the woman. As that was going, Prinz locked a gloved hand around the handle of the shower, ready to cool things off when the time came.

It was about that point when her fairies dispatched only moments ago returned, this time bringing with them one of Hiryuu's fairies. The third of the trio looked like she'd seen better days and as she looked up to Sara, the carrier found not hesitation or reluctance, but something else entirely.

Worry.

"What's the situation?" She asked.

Her fairies relayed Hiryuu's crew information.

Fuck.

Hiryuu's fever had snuck up on her, and more so, her fairies. The carrier's fever had knocked out a majority of her crew, largely to heat exhaustion. And without a crew to manage things, Hiryuu's internals were left to chance. And even if she wasn't the poster child of modern technology given her dates of service, there was still a lot of sensitive internals that needed to be managed.

And without a crew to do so, everything was coming undone.

"Fuck fuck fuck." Saratoga cursed. "Alright. Do you still have any engineers up and about?" She asked, looking to the Hiryuu fairy. When she nodded, she looked to her own fairies. "Take whoever and whatever you need, and I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but you listen to them. She's their ship, they know her better. I don't want to hear about anything going wrong because you fuckers were too proud to listen. And under no circumstance is there to be any sabotage. Do I make myself clear?" She demanded. When her fairies nodded their agreement, she dismissed the three of them, leaving them to their task. In turn, Sara's gaze flicked up to meet that of Prinz Eugen.

She nodded.

With only a moment of hesitance, Prinz cranked on the water. Immediately, frigid water poured down over them. Steam all but rose off of Hiryuu, shrouding both she and Saratoga from the heavy cruiser's vision. Saratoga tilted her head down to keep the water out of her eyes as much as she could as she went about focusing. She could feel her crew disembarking her by the dozens, each carrying whatever supplies they would need. And with each fairy no longer aboard her, the cold crept in deeper, chilling her form further. She let out a shaky breath as she looked down to Hiryuu, who at this point, was looking up to her with that same dazed expression. Water flicked at her eyes from the shower spray, causing them to flinch somewhat. Saratoga chuckled somewhat as she reached over with her hand, taking it away from Hiryuu's legs as she covered the carrier's eyes with her hand.

"Try closing your eyes, dumbass." She offered a moment. And then taking another breath as the cold creeped into her being further, Saratoga closed her eyes as she focused.

—/—

Admiral Hipper all but smashed her way across base, feet pounding against the concrete. Those who she came across attempted to speak to her, or ask what was going on, especially as she came upon Bismarck and Tirptiz. When they tried to talk to her or ask what she was doing, she didn't spare any time in stopping to answer them.

"Hiryuu's having issues!" She called back without stopping, figuring that the two had heard her. Continuing on, she rounded the next corner to come in sight of the docks. Rushing towards the docks, she opened the door with as much finesse as she could manage in that moment and made her way inside.

The two at the moment inside the changing room for the docks looked up, and found themselves frowning as Admiral Hipper came face to face with that of Arizona and Pennsylvania.

"What?" Arizona asked, somewhat confused by the cruiser's sudden and heavy entrance. Admiral Hipper made to move around them, but found herself halted when Pennsylvania moved herself into the cruiser's path. Hipper silently cursed her luck as she stared up at the dreadnought, the recently repaired and dressed woman glaring back down at her as she stood there, arms crossed.

"And what exactly has you in a rush?" She asked, her eyes boring holes into the cruiser's very form. Hipper eyed the door to the docks a moment and made to move past the dreadnought, only to be blocked in that avenue of approach by that of Pennsylvania. Taking it a step further, the super-dreadnought pushed the heavy cruiser back by way of taking a step towards her. Hipper backpedaled by a step or two as she looked to the dreadnought.

"I need to see the Repair ships." She answered her.

"And why might that be?" Pennsylvania asked, watching the cruiser for a moment. "I don't seem to recall you being slated apart of any sorties recently, either today or yesterday. As far as I'm concerned, you have no reason to see them, especially with the fact that they're already busy with those fresh from sortie. You'll have to come back later."

"Penn." Arizona called. Pennsylvania only regarded her sister with a glance before looking back to the cruiser before her.

"I need to see them. It's important." She said. Pennsylvania arched a brow at that.

"And what might that reason be?" She asked.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Hipper snapped back. Pennsylvania arched a brow at that.

"Then surely the Repair ships are no business of yours." Pennsylvania replied in ease.

"Pennsylvania." Arizona called again. And still, Penn ignored her as she pressed closer to the heavy cruiser before her.

"And aside from that, I'm not sure what would make you think any ask you have would be even a little bit considered. I can't say I'm too partial to try and converse with the one that thought putting her hands on my admiral is really the best use of my time." She said. "I would advise you to leave, you damn Kraut."

"I have to see the Repair ships!" Hipper stressed again.

"If you won't tell us what for, it's clearly not that important." Pennsylvania repeated. Arizona huffed as she made to step between her sister and the heavy cruiser.

"Back off Pennsylvania." She warned before looking to the heavy cruiser. "Admiral Hipper, I advise that you state your reason for being here. It would get Pennsylvania to back off of you far more easily." She told her, trying her damndest to mediate between the two. But as Admiral Hipper looked from Pennsylvania to that of Arizona, she wasn't sure if the younger of the two was to be any less partial than that of her reasoning than the older was. Though far less vocal on her dislike for those apart of the Kido Butai, Hipper was under no delusion that Arizona was any less enthused about being such a close living proximity to those responsible for December 7th.

She would not reveal Hiryuu's current dilemma to them so openly, Arizona's position of a fleet leader be damned.

And most assuredly not within earshot of Pennsylvania.

"I can't tell you either." She answered. Arizona frowned at that as Pennsylvania laughed somewhat at that, the younger dreadnought glancing at her sister with a disapproving gaze. When the two took their eyes off of Hipper for a moment, the cruiser saw as it her chance, and made to move around to Arizona to the left.

Only for Pennsylvania to once move into her path, gazing down at the cruiser as Hipper grit her teeth in both annoyance and rapidly rising agitation. Arizona huffed as she looked to her sister, gesturing to Admiral Hipper as she did so.

"Just let her go through, Penn." Arizona asked. "We are not privy to whatever she may need and she has the same access to the Repair ships just like everyone else." She told her. "There's no reason to disbar her from them."

"Except there is. Clearly she's hiding something." Pennsylvania offered as she stood in front of the heavy cruiser, her gaze glued to that of Hipper. Hipper stared back defiantly a moment before glancing past Penn at the currently closed door, only having been slid closed. The more she thought about it, the more she surmised that in actuality, that door wasn't all that soundproof. Not to a unreasonable degree. And as her gaze drifted back over to that of Pennsylvania, Hipper huffed a sigh as she put her hands on her hips.

"Arizona." Admiral Hipper asked, the younger two of the dreadnoughts looking to the cruiser.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Would you move about three feet to your right?" She asked. Arizona blinked at the request, even Penn thrown for a loop somewhat as the younger sister glanced down at herself for a moment and silently did the math in her head before glancing back at her sister. Before she frowned somewhat at the heavy cruiser.

"Why?" She asked. Pennsylvania arched a brow somewhat as she made to walk around Arizona as if to try and figure out what the cruiser was getting at alongside her sister.

Hipper blinked.

And then she shrugged.

It'd have to work.

Admiral Hipper launched herself at Pennsylvania in that moment.

Arizona barely caught the movement as Admiral Hipper surged past her and straight for Pennsylvania as she wrapped her arms around the woman's middle and shoved her. With both her momentum and Pennsylvania in that very moment, simply surprised, the motion carried through as the super Dreadnought collided with the wall of lockers behind her, a loud bang echoing through the air and no doubt the docks proper as it went down.

"Oh for Secnav's sake." Arizona grunted as she turned to try and separate them before it could get worse.

But her easily enraged older sister was now at full steam and she was seeing red.

Bringing her hands up and clapping them together, she brought them down like a guillotine on top of Hipper, meeting contact with the cruiser's back like a hammer right to the spine. Hipper's grasp on the woman loosened as she cried out in pain and Pennsylvania took her chance. She grabbed the cruiser by the back of the clothes and pulled, the heavy cruiser losing her grip all too easily. And immediately flung her across the room, the woman colliding with the lockers for the first time as well. She fell to the floor as Penn made way for the cruiser, Arizona stepping in front of her in that moment to try and corral it before it got further.

But Penn simply pushed her aside as she stalked towards the heavy cruiser that was now on her hands and knees as she tried to steady herself a moment. Seeing Pennsylvania coming, she brought herself up to her knees as Pennsylvania brought a leg up to kick her in the side.

Hipper pressed herself back against the lockers as the kick whipped past her, Penn unable to account for the movement in that moment. And Hipper surged forwards once again.

She launched herself at the dreadnought once again, again Penn unready for the launch directly at her. She stumbled back, pressed against the bench there, and the two fell back, Pennsylvania's eyes temporarily shooting wide.

It was the only part of this that Admiral Hipper would savor.

Pennsylvania landed on her back with a heavy thud, and much to Hipper's chagrin, meant that she came with her. But as she brought her head up to try and extricate herself from the dreadnought, she looked to her right.

Just as one of the woman's fists collided with the side of her face.

Hipper was forced off of her with that move, the woman rolling to the side. And yet still, she pushed herself off of the ground as she turned to find Pennsylvania herself rapidly getting back to her feet. She turned to face her as she threw a fist of her own.

Only for Pennsylvania to catch that, pulling her arm straight away as she slammed her other fist into Admiral Hipper again. The cruiser slammed back against the lockers with a thud before Penn drove a fist into the cruiser's stomach following that. The wind was knocked from her body as she leaned forwards at the impact, her body recoiling just as anyone else would from such an impact.

It was at that point that Arizona physically grabbed her sister and pulled her away only for Pennsylvania to push away from her sister as she went for Admiral Hipper again, grasping at her with her right hand as she brought her left hand up for another strike.

Only for a hand to catch her wrist in the forward swing.

"Let go, Ari. The damn kraut needs this lesson." Penn called.

Hipper groaned somewhat.

There was a moment.

And then the grip on her wrist went from restricting to downright painful, all the way to the point that Penn was forced to drop the cruiser as she turned to find whoever had wrist in such a way.

And found herself staring up into the gaze of that of Louisiana, Musashi and Totomi coming up behind her from within the docks. With them came the three repair ships, they seeming to take a moment to adjust to the situation before they recognized the form of Hipper sitting against the lockers, already showing the signs of an altercation. Dionysus and Akashi approached her rapidly as Vestal wheeled on Pennsylvania, a scowl forming on her features.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Vestal demanded. Pennsylvania scowled as she gestured to the cruiser now being tended to by Dionysus and Akashi.

"She made the first move!" She snapped. Vestal rolled her eyes at that, making to respond to that before Arizona answered her.

"She's correct. Admiral Hipper moved first. Though the instigation most assuredly came from my sister." She told her. Vestal stilled her words a moment as she glanced back to Admiral Hipper for a time before looking to Pennsylvania.

"Leave then." She said. "We'll leave it to the Admiral to sort that out." She said. When Louisiana released the dreadnought, Penn left without as much as a further word. Arizona and Vestal watched her go a moment before turning their attention in on that of Admiral Hipper, Arizona kneeling down to the side of her.

"What were you thinking Admiral Hipper?" She asked. "My sister is-"

"Saratoga sent me for help. Something's going wrong with Hiryuu." She said through pained words.

The three repair ships stilled at her words a moment.

And then immediately, without a word, Akashi stood and ran for the door outside, leaving without so much a notice. They watched her go before Vestal pinched the bridge of her nose, looking up to the three battleships standing at the doorway between the locker room and the docks themselves.

"Back to your repairs." She told them. When the three simply nodded and turned back to return, Vestal simply huffed as Arizona looked at the heavy cruiser in disbelief.

"That was why you came in here in a mad dash? You could've just said that instead tackling my sister." Arizona told her, watching as Dionysus continued to look her over. The heavy cruiser looked over at Arizona, and chuckled somewhat despite herself.

"If it had been just you in here, I would've. But I am under no delusions on just how some of you Americans view them. And I was not about say something like that in front of your sister of all people." She told her. Arizona frowned at that somewhat, watching the cruiser a moment before Dionysus abruptly stood, offering Admiral Hipper a hand. The heavy cruiser held for a second before relenting and taking the offered way of help. She made to walk past the repair ship when she had stood, only for Dionysus to block her.

"The only place you're going is into a dock." She said.

Admiral Hipper blanched.

"Don't give me that look!" Dionysus snapped. "Now strip. The faster you get with the program, the faster we can put you before your Admiral." She told her. The heavy cruiser immediately offered a slew of reasons why she didn't need a dock, coming to the point where Arizona tuned her out as she looked to Vestal. The old repair ship looked back up to her in turn.

"I'm going to catch up with Akashi and figure out what's going on with Hiryuu. You?" She asked. Arizona sighed, glancing back at Admiral Hipper a moment before shaking her head.

"I suppose I'll have to report this to the Admirals." She told her. Vestal nodded.

"Come on then. They're bound to end up at the German dorms anyways." She said as she turned and made way for the building in question. Arizona made to follow her, even as she huffed.

—/—

She double timed it to the Mess Hall as fast as she could, sprinting her way across base just as quickly as she could. She'd split off from Admiral Hipper a little while ago, the woman having her own goal to accomplish. And so that left Blücher to do the same as she made a hard pace towards that of the Mess Hall.

It wasn't late in the morning yet, so that meant that breakfast was still going and that's where the Command staff would be if she were lucky enough. And she really hoped she was today.

Rounding the next building, she came up upon the mess hall. Paying no mind to anyone she passed or that attempted to converse with her, she pushed on towards the front door of the Mess Hall. Reaching for one of the doors, she threw it open as she rushed inside.

Only to run full tilt into that of who she quickly recognized as Thorn.

Before Blücher could even try and apologize or correct her mistake, Thorn was on the ground. The destroyer blinked a moment, as if she was trying to perceive the fact that she was now seated on the ground rather than standing on her own two feet. Blücher cursed silently to herself as she reached down for the destroyer and picked her up, placing her once again on her own two feet.

"Sorry about that, Thorn." Blücher told her. Thorn blinked a moment further before looking up to the cruiser.

"It's okay." She said as she patted the cruiser on the leg, the destroyer no further worse for wear before she turned and began to make way for the table that she shared with her sisters and Atlanta. Blücher watched her a moment before she turned to look in the direction of the Flag table.

Only to find all five already watching her, Anya watching her over the rim of her cup.

Blücher hesitated a moment before brushing herself off as she made way for the Commander's table. Either eating or drinking, all put a stop to that as they made to address the heavy cruiser approaching them, Anya ready to greet her immediately.

"Should I take it as a warning that you decided to run over one of my destroyers?" Anya asked, still holding her cup. But the light smile playing at her lips told the heavy cruiser that she was very much joking.

"I am sorry for that." She told her before looking to them as a group. "I've been asked that I retrieve the five of you immediately." She told them. "On Saratoga's wishes."

King arched a brow at that as they traded a glance with one another before looking back to the heavy cruiser as Anya and Sofia sipped at their coffee. "And what might Saratoga need with all five of us?" He asked as he looked up at the cruiser.

"Hiryuu." The heavy cruiser said. And even if she didn't comment on it, she could see the moment where all five commanders suddenly became all too alert to what was fixing to come out of the heavy cruiser's mouth.

"Blücher." Ishigara spoke, the heavy cruiser looking to the man in turn. "What is Hiryuu's condition?" He asked.

"She is awake, but non-responsive. Her fever has elevated beyond what it was, and her temperature is far exceeding what it had been before. Admiral Hipper and myself were sent to fetch you and the repair ships while Saratoga-" She opened, only to stop as Anya nearly choked to death on a swig of her coffee. Coughing once or twice, Sofia patting her on the back the entire way, Blücher continued. "Saratoga and Prinz Eugen took Hiryuu and relocated to the Dorm bathrooms in an attempt to cool her down. I am not aware of the cause, and if the two of them came about that information since then, I am not in possession of it." She told them.

Anya beat her chest once or twice more before downing the rest of her coffee, the other four commanders taking similar steps before as one group, the five of them rose, Saradia approaching Blücher with a nod. "Thank you Blücher." She told her. The heavy cruiser nodded at that before she and her admiral made to follow the other four out of the Mess Hall.

—\—

The five commanders and one heavy cruiser arrived outside of the German dorms in short order. At the same time, they pulled up just as that of Akashi came dashing across the base. Spotting Admiral Ishigara amongst assembled group however, she came almost skidding to a stop before them, immediately looking to the man.

"Admiral,-"

"Hiryuu is doing worse than she was before?" The man asked. When Akashi nodded a moment or two afterwards, Ishigara nodded. "Blücher has informed us as much. I take it you received the same report from Admiral Hipper, yes?" He asked.

Akashi scowled somewhat.

"While yes we received the message from her, and I leaving immediately after doing so, she- well-" She stopped for a minute as if she was trying to think about how to word it best. When no apparently satisfactory way came to her in a decent time, she shook her head. "That can wait. Where's Hiryuu at?" She asked. Ishigara nodded to the German ship girl amongst them.

"According to Blücher, Hiryuu at present is within the dorm bathrooms, being overseen by that of Saratoga and Prinz Eugen." He answered her. The repair ship nodded as King went for the front door, opening it and holding it open for the assembled seven of them. Ishigara lead the way inside, the rest following suit soon after. But a moment or two later, they came across something they hadn't expected too so soon.

The form of Prinz Eugen standing before them in the entry room.

"Prinz?" Saradia asked as they approached, Akashi glancing past the cruiser at the distant bathroom door. But in this case, it was likely that Prinz Eugen knew what was going, and as such, passing her up was to deny her a source of information or how to better help Hiryuu.

The heavy cruiser turned to greet the seven of them, her gazing searching for something that wasn't there a moment, she eventually looked back to the seven as a whole.

"Prinz?" Saradia asked again. "Is Saratoga still with Hiryuu?" She asked.

Prinz Eugen nodded her confirmation.

"And have we figured out what is ailing her?" Ishigara asked, standing before the heavy cruiser. Prinz Eugen nodded at the questions as she began to explain exactly what was going on and just how Saratoga was addressing it in that moment.

Akashi grew pale.

"So you're telling me that her solution involves splitting her own crew between two different hulls and trying to run them at a least somewhat stable level?" She asked. When Prinz Eugen nodded her confirmation and Akashi seemed to think about it a few moments longer, Ishigara looked to Akashi.

"Is that dangerous?" He asked. Akashi paused in thought before she looked to the man, shrugging at the question.

"I can't honestly tell you. From just thinking about it, it sounds like Hiryuu's getting the better end of that deal. When we go in there, I'm not certain on what condition we'll find Hiryuu in, but I'm worried more for what Saratoga may be like. We're Shipgirls, which means it's a weird mix of the two, but there's still very key parts of us that lean towards one way or the others. The viruses for instance, that's a totally human thing. But Saratoga's way of going about it is an entirely practical thing to do for a ship." She said.

"Is there any risk to Saratoga?" Anya asked.

Akagi shrugged. "I don't know for sure, given that we haven't had this happen before. I suppose my primary concern with her way of handling it is that the virus jumps back to her by way of fairies or some other way we didn't account for originally." She told them, glancing between the five commanders. They traded their own glances, Anya and Sofia glancing back at the bathroom door a moment.

It was about that time that Arizona and Vestal arrived, making their way inside to find the lot of them standing there. A moment after them, Langley and Houshou arrived as well.

Explanations were made once again.

When things were settled and decisions decided, Ishigara and King stuck around in the entrance room as the rest of the group made their way back towards the Bathroom door. Reaching the door first, Langley pushed it open, and they made their way inside.

—/—

The cold had all but claimed her, the woman shivering in place as the water continued to run. It dripped down her face and shoulders, soaking her skin and hair as she continued to hold Hiryuu as she had been. The steam had stopped sometime ago, but her fairies didn't have a handle on the situation just yet, which meant that it would go right back to the way it was. With the water keeping Hiryuu's temperature down, her fairies were both able to work and to proceed with getting Hiryuu's own crew back on their feet.

But as a chill passed through the air once again, Saratoga shivered hard, her body unable to regulate her own internal temperature as her crew worked their damndest to get Hiryuu back to a stable level of operation.

She'd stopped being able to hear the other woman's heartbeat sometime ago as more and more of her fairies disembarked her, and so she'd elected to place her hand in a spot where she knew she could keep track of Hiryuu's pulse, not strong, not weak, but somewhere in the middle. The carrier was still clung against her as Sara kept her head down still, her eyes still closed as her crew continued their work.

She didn't hear the door open behind her over the spray of the shower, and she didn't think anything past that. The gentle footsteps behind her didn't register, and the hushed tones didn't seem to matter to her in that moment in the slightest.

And then all at once, the shower turned off, leaving only the chill of the room to run over her. She shivered again as her body seemed to recognize the lack of water running over her, shifting somewhat, as she finally opened her eyes.

The stark colors of the bathroom around her were almost blinding as she tried to adjust, squinting somewhat as she willed her vision to focus. But in that moment, it was unfocused and blurred. She could make out the rough images of things and items around her, but no matter how hard she might try, it wouldn't focus in.

Even still as she looked ahead, she made note of what looked to be a person standing there. Taking a moment, she seemed to stare at their legs for a time before slowly craning her neck up to look at them and whoever they may be. Still trying to adjust to the stark contrasting colors and lights, she found her vision unable to focus, so she simply returned her gaze downwards.

It was then at that point did the figure standing there also kneeled down before her, despite the water that covered the ground and their now soaked knees.

They made to reach for Hiryuu, as if to take her from Saratoga. And for a moment, unsure of who it was, her grip on the other carrier briefly intensified as she hesitated to let her go. The figure that had been making set to take Hiryuu hesitated a moment at that as Saratoga attempted to track their movements with her gaze, which was still acting like as if it was in a fog. She heard talking, voices that sounded as if they were on the other side of some distant wall. She shivered again as the one before her held a moment.

And then suddenly there was another person to her left, placing a hand on her arm.'she glanced in their direction only to find another face that she couldn't make out. But as they offered her arm a gentle squeeze, Sara looked confused.

"Sara, you can let her go."

Saratoga paused.

The words weren't muffled and muted like the other voices around her were to some degree. They were clear, concise, and had somewhat of an echo to them. The carrier seemed to register that in some measure as the figure before her once again made to slowly remove Hiryuu from her grasp, and as they got more and more of a solid hold on the woman, Saratoga didn't resist this time.

The other carrier was lifted from her arms and soon enough taken just as quickly. In turn, more figures entered her vision, kneeling or crouching down before her as they all seemed to look at her. And all the while, the figure at her left remained, their staying where it was at her arm.

All the way until Saratoga felt a new warmth enveloping her from behind, wrapped around her shoulders in a gentle way.

That seemed to spur on a new wave of exhaustion within her that she hadn't known was there before hand. She resisted somewhat, but the urge to yawn blindsided her as her body went with the motions. Yawning somewhat, she slumped against the person to the left, whoever it was holding her steady. Saratoga simply rested there a moment further until her eyes began to slip closed, the carrier being taken by sleep then and there.

—/—

Anya stayed still for a moment as Saratoga slumped against her, the woman holding her as she did so. When the carrier was confirmed to be asleep, the warm towels wrapped around her shoulders snug and firm, Anya hugged the carrier to her a moment, resting her chin on the woman's head.

"You did good." She quietly told her before releasing her somewhat. She looked up to find Langley and Sofia watching the two of them, Arizona standing behind Saratoga. Akashi and Houshou had already left with Hiryuu the moment they'd gotten her free of Saratoga's grasp, leaving the four of them, Saradia, and Prinz Eugen amongst those left in the bathroom. Arizona leaned down to collect the carrier and Anya made no attempt to stop her as the dreadnought pulled the soaked and drenched woman up and into her arms. Anya, Langley, and Sofia stood with her as Arizona turned, taking a step or two towards Saradia and Prinz Eugen.

The heavy cruiser took a moment to look Saratoga over before the battleship continued on her way towards the door, the rest of the group following her out the same way. When they got to the entry hall just below Saradia's office once again, Vestal immediately made way for the carrier in Arizona's arms as she began to look her over, Langley standing close by as she observed between the two.

As she did so, Anya, Saradia, and Sofia approached King and Ishigara.

"The same state as Hiryuu?" Ishigara asked.

"She was still conscious somewhat when we got in there." Sofia answered him, crossing her arms.

"Still focused on keeping Hiryuu stable." Anya added.

"Did Akashi already leave with Hiryuu?" Saradia asked. "I don't see them." She observed to which Ishigara nodded, nodding to the door.

"Akashi and Houshou are already on track back to the dorms. Even though Hiryuu is awake, her current condition warrants a dock visit, and if more than that, quite possibly an extended dock stay. At least until her current ailments are handled." He explained. "Akashi is confident she'll be able to give a further detailed estimate by the time lunch arrives here. The question however, is whether or not the same fate awaits Saratoga." He asked as the five of them looked to Vestal, who was just pulling away from the carrier in Arizona's arms, allowing the repair ship's position to be taken by that of Langley as the bigger carrier snoozed away within the Dreadnought's hold.

Vestal approached the five of them with a shake of the head.

"I don't think so, no." She said. "We could do that, yeah. But from what I'm seeing, her condition is extending largely from the fact that her crews are trying to man two different hulls. Once we get her fairies back from Hiryuu and returned to her, it'll take some rest, but I think we'll have our lovable, grump of a carrier back before the day's end." She told them. "We'll take this slowly, but for the moment my recommendation would be taking her back to the dorms, getting her a change of clothes, a nice bed to sleep in, and-" She paused as she glanced at Prinz Eugen. "Someone to help her warm up."

Prinz Eugen blinked once at that, seeming to understand what was being said, before she whipped around. But most everyone who was watching caught the flush on her skin. And it was only made worse as Blücher offered a laugh and poked at her sister, a motion which that of Prinz did not enjoy in the slightest.

The six looked back in on the group after that as Ishigara looked to Vestal. "We still have three carriers that have yet to awaken and Zuikaku has not yet beat back her own fever, so she however limited is still at risk. And Hiryuu's situation has shown there is risk to not having more surveillance." He said. Vestal nodded at that as Saradia did as well.

"Perhaps it is best we no longer go with often checks, and yet around the clock visitors. And more than that, those occupants knowing the proper numbers to call. Had someone, be that myself, Saratoga, or Prinz Eugen or anyone else, been there? Perhaps we could have avoided this who event from happening, or at least minimized it to the point that Saratoga's intervention hadn't been needed." She offered. Ishigara and Anya nodded.

"Quite." He affirmed.

"I'm sure Missouri will have no issues wrangling her sisters into helping her watching Souryuu for the time being, and I can check with some of the other more trustable girls that I can think of if they might assist with that." Anya offered. Ishigara nodded at that as Sofia looked to the group.

"Zuikaku's more and more adopting a normal sleeping schedule with some hiccups here and there, though her stomach issues are doing her no favors. But I have pieces of her radio equipment on my desk, in the room where I sleep in the night, and kept on my person. Her fairies are constant with the updates so I don't think we need to adopt an around the clock surveillance for her just yet, but if things change or she takes any tip for the worse, we should revisit." She answered. Ishigara nodded at that.

"Akagi won't be hard." He told them. "Enterprise and Kaga would be chief amongst those, but as well as Mutsu and Nagato. And further than that, I'll check with others to see if they would be interested in doing the same. I admit, even though she is considered free of it, I am admittedly cautious about allowing Kaga so much time with Akagi in her state. The concerns that she may agitate Akagi's condition or that Akagi's condition may cause Kaga's to spike once again is not foreign to me." He told them. "But we shall see."

"Then that only leaves Shoukaku." King offered. "In my opinion, we might ask those of the support fleet to help, or those normally assigned to the Bay Defense missions. They're in and out more often than those on typical sorties, and the likes of Iowa and Wisconsin aren't likely to have a bias against her that might will them to do something, and further than that Dreadnought or Argus." He told them. The other four nodded at that somewhat as they seemed to come to an agreement on the matter.

"Then that matter is settled for the moment." Saradia answered as she glanced at the two cruisers. "If I may however, Saratoga dispatched Admiral Hipper to retrieve the repair ships just as Blücher was sent to fetch us. However, only Blücher returned." She said as she glanced at Anya, who nodded.

"And when we asked Akashi about it, she said to save it for later." She hummed before focusing in on Vestal.

"So then where is Admiral Hipper?" Saradia asked as she too looked to Vestal.

The repair ship immediately gestured to Arizona. "Might I refer to our resident battleship, whose sister was caught up in the.... Scuffle."

"I'm sorry? Scuffle?" Anya asked, eyes narrowing, crossing her arms. "What does that mean? Scuffle?"

Arizona sighed, the sound drawn out, irritated, and tired.

"Apparently, Admiral Hipper was as she said, sent to the docks to retrieve the Repair ships to try and alert them to Hiryuu's condition. Unfortunately, she had the rather unfortunate luck of running into myself, and more so than that, Pennsylvania. When Admiral Hipper entered the building in a rush, apparently Pennsylvania wanted to know what she was doing there and so went about questioning her to the point where she would actively block her path to do so, instigating what would come to follow. Pass a few minutes, and Hipper at some point realized that she didn't need to actually go get the ships when she could get them to come to her. Implementing that way of thinking, she formed a plan and executed to every avenue within her ability."

"And...?" Sofia furthered.

"She tackled Pennsylvania."

Anya's hands met her face before anyone else could say anything, what sounded like a muffled groan coming from beneath as Saradia adjusted the news.

"Is Pennsylvania okay?" Saradia asked, showing some concern for all involved. Arizona nodded.

"Pennsylvania is fine. She did not have a single blow landed against her in the minute or so that they went at one another." She told them.

"And Admiral Hipper?" Sofia questioned. Arizona sighed.

"Pennsylvania landed two o three blows on her before the repair ships, and by extension, some of our heavy battleships undergoing their own repairs intervened. Pennsylvania left without issue after that and Admiral Hipper was admitted to the docks against her will by that of Dionysus." She explained. Saradia sighed as she glanced at the cruiser's sisters who apparently had not been aware of this fact.

"I suppose I shall check with in with her then." Saradia surmised. "And figure out what exactly she was thinking."

"And didn't she just yell for them." King offered.

"And I guess I get to go have a chat with your sister." Anya offered, looking to Arizona. The battleship readjusted the carrier in her arms somewhat at that as she nodded, only for Sofia to shake her head.

"You follow and track the Saratoga situation." The Captain said as she looked to Anya. "I'll have a chat with Pennsylvania. It may have been a while, but I know what it's like to be angry at circumstances you can't change or do anything about." She told her. Anya seemed to watch the woman a moment before nodding, looking to Saradia.

"I don't know enough yet to say who was at fault for sure. They both had their parts to play to be sure, and Pennsylvania when she's in a mood is a force to be reckoned with. To me, I didn't think Admiral Hipper was the type to incite what equates to a riot in this way, but I suppose I find myself surprised." She answered. Saradia nodded at that.

"I'll converse with Admiral Hipper on the matter and we'll proceed from there." She told her. When Anya nodded, the woman sighed.

It was going to be a long day. That was for sure.