A/N: This chapter touches and glances over some controversial topics. No offense is meant, but it is the past.
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Anya held the door for the fleet of girls entering the Mess Hall, making sure they all entered without issue and that there were no sudden and onset fights. She didn't need the destroyers knocking the shit out of one another again. Today was going to be hard enough as is.

When all forty nine girls had entered the building, Anya followed behind, making her way through the swathe of more Naval guns gathered in one place then even the boys down at Pearl knew what to do with anymore.

Not to mention eight of them flew different flags.

Deep in thought, Anya mindlessly lead the way into the kitchen, the fleet trailing in behind her.

"So Admiral. You said your grandfather was in the war?" South Dakota asked. Anya was brought from her thoughts a moment before nodding at the question.

"Both were. My mother's side was already in the Navy when Pearl went down. And my dad's joined the Army the day after." She said. "But it's my mother's grandfather who was in the Navy." She said as she neared the far side of the kitchen.

"Mmmm... which of us did he serve with?" Nevada asked curiously as she glanced around.

"Maryland. And she's already apart of the fleet." Anya Answered, glancing at her ring for a moment before looking back up. Waiting a moment, she turned to face the fleet as they slowly all came into the room. Leaning against a counter, she waited for them to enter and quiet down, most notably the Shiratsuyu's and Fletchers. "So, the plan for right now is that we're gonna have to make something so we can tide your hunger until the base's kitchen staff arrives. It's most likely going to be Pizza." She said.

This idea was met with mixed reactions. Pola looked curious at the idea. Some of the American girls looked glad while others looked a smidge disappointed. Hipper scrunched up her face in confusion. Vampire and Cossack traded an uneasy glance. Ark Royal seemed to mull it over a moment. Leningrad and Molotov seemed to trade a knowing glance. And Richelieu seemed to be okay with the idea. But the biggest form of opposition Came from that of the Japanese.

"Pizza!? You realize that just one of us fifty people here is Italian, right?" Suzukaze offered in no helpful way. "You're really just gonna feed all of us Pizza?" She asked, completely bewildered. She however found Anya raising a single finger at the destroyer.

"I will give you until another stomach grumbles to come up with another solution to this problem. If you don't by then, we're having Pizza. Is this agreeable?" She asked. Suzukaze gave a firm nod at that. Anya nodded then, leaning against the counter. "Give me something to go off of then."

Suzukaze smirked as she went to open her mouth, only for another sound to fill the air instead of her voice. Frowning, she recognized the sound as that of yet another stomach growling. Furrowing her brow, she frowned further when she realized that the stomach growling was none other than her own. Placing a hand on the part of her body, she glared at it as some of the other girls giggled and Anya offered only a small smirk in return.

"See, I said pizza because we can make a rather large amount rather quickly, it's easy to adhere to different tastes. Which, with a group like this, is bound to be apparent. And Pizza is just good at the end of the day. You can't hate Pizza." She said. Suzukaze offered a glare.

"I don't-"

"You ever had Pizza?" Anya asked. "And I mean eaten it yourself?" She asked, crossing her arms as she watched the destroyer. Suzukaze went to answer her, but paused when she found herself floundering with no answer.

"No! But I-"

"Then you don't know if you don't like it, do you?" Anya asked, looking to Suzukaze. When the destroyer stared at her for a few moments, she eventually shook her head in defeat. Nodding in acceptance, she stifled a yawn. "Don't worry. I make good Pizza. I think you'll find yourself surprised." She Answered. Reaching for one of her pockets, she Came back with a hair band. Reaching back, she went about tying her hair back into a ponytail as the girls watched.

"Should we do that too?" Massachusetts asked, playing a few strands of her own. "There's a lot of hair between fifty of us." She asked. Anya hummed for a moment before shaking her head.

"The other girls don't seem to leave hair anywhere. So i don't think it'll be an issue. Just be aware of what you're doing." She said before standing and clapping her hands together. "Alright. We're gonna need a lot of ingredients and a lot of tools. So I'm gonna list off what we're gonna need to make this feast happen."

"And if we still have questions about everything?" Tone asked. Anya gave her a smile.

"That's the beauty about being people. You can work and talk at the same time!" She said, throwing her arms into the air. "Alright, here's what we'll need." She said.

Soon enough, the kitchen was littered with activity as the girls that had volunteered to help went about collecting ingredients and what they needed to get things moving.

"So? You said that you weren't expecting us to show up." Yahagi said. "What's with that? We are in Japan." She said. Anya nodded at that as she looked to the cruiser.

"We are. But until today I guess, that Gateway had put a limit of sixty on each fleet. For whatever reason, it decides that today's the best day for more ship girls to come through." She said.

"We had a limit?" Aoba asked. Anya nodded as she moved to help Fletcher and Taylor find something that they'd been unable to locate, Hipper called from the middle of the kitchen.

"So, fraulein, why are there just two countries represented in leadership on base?" She asked as she sat at one of the counters with Totomi, Louisiana and Pola. Not all the girls had offered to help, and with fifty people present in total, Anya figured that was fine. It still kept a majority of them busy so that they wouldn't have a chance to pick more problems. Not that the Fletchers hadn't tried with Agano and her sisters. "After all, there is clearly more than just America and Japan present with ship girls."

"The idea is that we'll have Admirals from other Navies join us here." She said as she located the item that she'd asked Fletcher and Taylor to locate. Looking back at Hipper, she nodded. "The Admiral from Germany is set to arrive in two days time." She said. "And they still are, it's just..." she trailed off as she widely gestured to the room before her. "This is now a thing." She said. Hipper showed a rare smile, her cool demeanor breaking somewhat.

"Not apart of the plan?" She asked.

"No. Not at all. Ask yourself this. If Hood had come through today, and two days from now, Bismarck and Prinz come through? How'd you think that would go?" She asked. Hipper shrugged.

"It'd be amusing." She Answered. "I fail to see the issue." She said. "If we really are human, grudges are to be expected. Bismarck killed Hood in fair combat. It Is no one's fault that Bismarck's fifth salvo was Hood's last breath. Except maybe those in charge of her." She said with a bored expression.

The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed through the kitchen as a pot clattered to the ground. Gazes turned to find Ark Royal fuming, glaring at the cruiser with a look that could kill.

"She was a good ship and an even better friend!" Ark seethed. "And your country murdered her!" She cried. Hipper watched the Carrier with a gaze of indifference as the other occupants of the kitchen were now focused on the two.

"Murdered is a strong word. Especially given the fact that she was sent to her death by your own Navy. Sent to face what was superior engineering. It seemed to be a common trait." She Answered, watching the woman lazily. "After all, she was tasked with finding even myself, yet she failed. But when she found the one ship she could, she met her match. And the odds fell away from her favor."

"A lot of good your superior engineering was when all you seemed to do was run!" Ark shouted. "You think yourself high and mighty but your country. Your Navy were cowards! Using the high north to hide! Your people were a plague upon Europe. They were in the first war and they only reminded us of this in the second war!" She screamed. Hipper looked unimpressed though in the face of the carrier enraged with her. "Even Richelieu can attest to this!" She said.

French battleship in question hummed in thought for a moment before shrugging. "True, my country lost so much to the one bearing the Iron Cross." She said as she glanced to Hipper before looking at Ark with distaste. "But I find myself not so at odds with Hipper as I do with the one who tried to kill me and my sisters." She Answered, her tone one of ice. Ark looked at the battleship in surprise.

"We didn't have a choice! France was being taken! We couldn't allow you and your sisters in arms to fall to them!" Ark insisted. Richelieu bit back a laugh at that.

"I can't say I'm surprised. If the Queen deems it so, than what she says is Law. The more things change, the more they stay the same I suppose." She said, her accent flaring as she watched the woman. "We were supposed to be Allies! But Germany treated us with far more respect than Britain ever did!"

"So you would rather have flown the swastika than be at the bottom!?" Ark demanded. "Turned against your own people!? Forced to watch as they turned France into a shell of it's former self?" She asked.

"Far chance, fraulein. We would've United Europe. We would have become a power to be reckoned with." She Answered.

"Good to know powers to be reckoned with can be stopped by some snow and cold." Molotov laughed from the other side of the kitchen. "German engineering wilts away under the Russian winters." She laughed. Leningrad, who had seemingly pulled a bottle of some sort of alcohol, only nodded in agreement, bottle to her lips.

Watching this going on, Murasame looked to her sisters in confusion. "I thought England and France were supposed to be allies during the war." She Said. When her sisters shrugged in response, it was Cossack who answered her.

"When it was clear France wasn't going to make it through a German Invasion, our country demanded that all French vessels shore up in neutral or British ports. When they refused, our Navy went about trying to sink them before the Germans could get their hands on them." She said, glancing at the six.

"Ah, Yes. The Russians. Have a problem. Just throw your people at it. Still have it? Throw more of your people at it. That'll eventually solve the problem, yes?" She asked. "Real effective." She Answered. "How many people did your country lose to our engineering?" She asked. Molotov shrugged.

"Enough to make sure Germany lost all chances of winning the war." She said in ease.

"Can we stop fighting?" Sakawa asked. "All of our countries made mistakes during the war. No one's free of guilt here." She said. Hipper, however, took no time in wheeling on the girl.

"Ahh, yes. Japan. Let us not forget their blunder. Among many other things. How your country thought that attacking a country looking for a reason to get out of an economic depression was a good thing, I know not. What I do know is that Pearl Harbor was perhaps the biggest blunder of the war. Where you sought to cripple your enemy, you gave them a martyr! Where you sought to keep them from the war, you brought upon us bloodshed in droves!" She called as she focused on the cruiser. "You sought to make the Americans cower in your wake and in return, they bathed your people in fire so bright, even the gods dare not look straight at it!" She yelled.

"HIPPER! OUTSIDE. RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" Anya roared, pointing at the door, now standing and seething in rage. Green eyes focused on the cruiser before her, they met the woman's blue. Giving a roll of the eyes and huff in response, Hipper stormed for the door, kicking it open in a flurry. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she looked to South and Massachusetts, remembering the promise to Mary.

"Dakota. Massachusetts. With me for a moment." She said flatly as she made way for the exit to the kitchen. "The rest of you, continue finding what we need. And please, no more fighting." She said as she left the room, the two sisters following after her.

Walking outside into the snow, she found Hipper leaned out against the building. When she found the three approaching, she gave a roll of the eyes as she muttered something under her breath.

"How odd that you only take anger against me when I bring up something that America did. You sat rather silently when we Of Europe were having our bouts. And nice of you to bring backup. Quite the honorable thing to do." Hipper said, crossing her arms as she leaned against the building. Anya sighed as she looked at the cruiser.

"They're not here to intimidate you. They're here because of a promise I made to someone else." She said. "That aside however, you can't just go about saying whatever you please. Ark looked just about ready to rip your head off. And I can't have you girls killing one another." She said, arms behind her back as she watched the cruiser. Hipper toyed with her blonde locks for a moment, rolling her eyes somewhat as she glanced lazily at the Admiral.

"We were Warships. We are Warships. Of the highest caliber. Our battles are legendary. Our stories, our legends, are engraved in stone for all to see. If one of us can not take a little criticism, I fail to see how that is my issue. Ark simply lets things to get to her far too often." She Answered, giving a wry grin. Anya bristled at the sight a moment before sighing.

"But you are Warships who are also people. People who have very strong feelings about what happened back then. You can not simply bring it up because it suits you. Because you deem it appropriate to do so." She said. "It's called a filter Hipper, and I would appreciate that you find yours." She said.

"And I would appreciate that you realize that I have a name. Admiral Hipper. I do not appreciate you shortening it because you deem it convenient." She said with a low tone of voice. "Do not talk down to me like a child. You would do well to remember this." She answered.

Anya, for her merit, only stared the cruiser down. "Name be damned. You're not going to bring up controversial topics. You're not going to insinuate at war crimes just to make yourself feel superior. I don't care if you're German. British. Italian. French. Australian. Russian. Italian. Or American. You're not going to win favors and earn praise by looking at those things as material to be thrown in the faces of those you disagree with. Or need I remind you of what the swastika is most associated with? Imperial Japan was no saint in times of war, but neither was Nazi Germany." She Answered, jabbing a finger at the cruiser. Blue eyes narrowed dangerously at the Admiral.

"Don't you dare speak ill of my country." She threatened, venom in her voice. "Your country was not free of-"

"No!" Anya said, jabbing her finger into the woman's chest. "You don't get to even begin to compare the two of them. Yes, my country put our people in camps. Because of fear. Because of hatred for something so similar. But don't you even begin to try and say they're the same thing." She said.

The cruiser glowered at the woman, blue eyes narrowed dangerously as Anya stared back at the woman.

South Dakota and Massachusetts eyed each other wearily at the apparent shouting match, but stayed quiet. This was their Admiral's issue to handle.

Hipper watched the woman a moment with distaste. "You speak as if America is free of it's own crimes. You speak as if you're so certain that your country is so above ours." She said. Anya glared at the woman in response.

"No One is above anyone else. But your attitude isn't helping anything. I'm asking that you behave. That you keep your thoughts to yourself, that you don't go around starting fights and initiating arguments. It would be more pleasant for everyone. Especially since you're all trying to get your legs under you." She said. "You've been given a second chance at life. It's asked that you don't waste it on old ideals and feuds that tapered out decades ago." She said, her tone calming down somewhat as she let a sigh escape past her lips.

"Why do you even care what I think?" Hipper asked, still looking the woman disdainfully. Anya glanced at the woman, watching her a moment, before offering a shrug in response.

"I shouldn't. And I don't, not normally. But if you're gonna start go causing shit with my girls. With the girls who just want to think things out in peace with this new life they've found themselves in. I don't need you being the bad guy. The Abyssals more than have that role covered." She Answered as she looked at the cruiser. "We don't need another one."

At that, Anya waved the two battleships behind her back into the Mess Hall, making way for the Mess Hall herself. But when the two Sodak's had entered the Hall, the cruiser called out for the woman.

Arching a brow as she turned, expecting Hipper to have something to say, the woman suddenly found herself short of breath as the cruiser closed her hand around the woman's throat. Hipper's eyes narrowed dangerously as she lifted Anya off of the ground, her look of disdain returning as her grip on the woman's neck remained nigh unbreakable.

Anya clawed at the woman's hands, willing the woman to release her as she struggled for breath. Hipper in turn only brought the woman to her for a moment, her lips twitching into an approximation of a cruel smile.

"Ich würde vorschlagen, dass du zwischen Titanen gehst. Das nächste Mal, wenn Sie sich entscheiden, herumzuspielen, werden Sie sich nicht so glücklich finden." She said in a sharp whisper, her mouth nearly at the woman's ear. A moment later, Hipper released her, Anya dropped to the ground as she immediately took in a ragged breath. Her throat was screaming in pain at her but her lungs demanded oxygen.

The cruiser watched the woman grovel for a moment before a satisfied smirk crossed her lips, turning and making way for the Mess Hall once more, leaving the woman in the snow.

Anya's breathing was strained, and as she brought a hand up to her throat, her fingers lightly grazing the skin, she knew it was going to bruise. Taking a few more ragged breaths, she made sure her lungs weren't screaming at her. But her breathing was pained and her neck on fire. She assumed the cruiser had very nearly crushed her windpipe.

Looking at the snow below her, she found her five marines staring up at her with worried eyes and glances. They didn't need to speak a single word. They didn't have to. The looks they were giving the woman was all they needed to say.

She was gonna have an enraged Colorado battleship in more than likely less than twenty four hours.

Potentially less than that if Mary found out before hand.

She just hoped Hipper survived.

Anya steadied herself, pulling herself up off the ground. All in all, that had gone far worse than she'd imagined. Hipper was not one she wanted to approach like that again, not so easily. The cruiser had waited until her battleships had gone back inside. Until she was alone to strike.

Standing on uneven feet a moment, her marines gave one lasting look before vanishing, leaving the woman standing out in the snow alone.

She'd been knocked down by an Iowa and toppled by a Tenryuu. But this time, it had very much been on purpose.

She knew no german to speak, but she knew a threat when she heard one.

Shaking her head, biting back her sudden nerves, she walked back into the Mess Hall, and into the kitchen where eyes befell her. Hipper's blue eyes found the woman almost immediately, giving what mimicked a worried glance, as if silently asking 'What's wrong?'

Anya's green met german blue for a moment, neither giving way before the American admiral shot the cruiser a coy smirk and looked away before she could gauge the woman's response. She couldn't worry about her right now. She had hungry mouths to feed, and even if she didn't want to admit it, Hipper belonged to that group. So she steeled herself and began to get things ready, knowing full well she was being watched the entire time.

She wondered how Maryland's day was going.

Hopefully better than hers

She needed it be better than hers.

Anya pushed those thoughts away as she tightened her hoodie ever so slightly, so that the hood itself would conceal a majority of her neck. If the bruise started coming in before she could change clothes, she didn't need those around her asking questions about it. They needed to focus on making food.

"Alright... ummm, let's see. Fletcher, Taylor, Suzukaze, And Murasame. Come here." She said as she began to go about preparing a dough for the first pizza.

Destroyers in questions eyed the other two cautiously a moment before approaching the woman in one group.

"Yes Admiral?" Taylor asked as she looked up at the woman as Fletcher looked at what she was doing.

"You guys see what I'm doing here?" Anya asked as she took a handful of flour, spreading it evenly among the dough before she began to kneed it some more. The four destroyers watched a moment longer before Murasame nodded somewhat.

"Yeah...? But why?" She asked.

"Because in a moment, I'm gonna leave the four of you to do this for a while. I'm gonna come back and help if you need it, but I'm gonna trust the four of you." She Answered. "So that means if you wanna punch something, punch the dough and not one another." She Answered.

"You sound very distrusting with us." Taylor said in accusation. Anya rolled her eyes as she glanced at the Fletcher.

"It's almost like I walked in on the lot of you wailing on one another. Hmmm, why would I think that..." she said. Taylor shrugged.

"Dunno Admiral. Think you're going crazy." She said. It was at that point though that Taylor took notice of the bag of flour sitting there. Reaching for a handful, she inspected the stuff a moment, Fletcher doing the same until the two traded a glance.

It should be noted that when two Fletchers share a grin, chaos can only come from it.

"Hey, Murasame." Taylor called, keeping her voice even. Said twintailed destroyer poked out from the other side of Anya, peering around the woman.

"Ye-" she began but the destroyer was cut off as a fist full of flour made contact with her face, immediately powdering the destroyer's face. Blinking a moment, the destroyer looked on in surprise before reaching for her own fistful of flour. Taylor was so busy laughing with Fletcher, that when she looked back to focus on Murasame again, she was met with a face full of flour of her own.

Fletcher howled with laughter at the sight as the two destroyer's glared at one another, both reaching for their own handfuls of flour. But when Anya stepped back, they found themselves in surprise.

"Murasame. Taylor." Called Anya. Both destroyer's looked up in surprise at the woman, only to both receive a fresh face full of flour in return.

Fletcher laughed even harder, nearly toppling over as Suzukaze let a small smirk grace her lips at both the sight of her sister and Taylor.

Immediately, Taylor and Murasame grabbed handfuls of flour, soon wheeling around as they let them go at Anya. And the woman took her punishment with honor, only watching as she was enveloped in a cloud of white.

Standing there a moment, the woman only brought her hands up to her eyes, wiping what flour she could away as she looked over the four.

And then the five broke out into laughter, the four destroyer's laughing together for the first time like friends. So much so, that they didn't notice Anya reach over them for two more handfuls of flour.

When Suzukaze and Fletcher looked back at the woman, they were met with faces of flour of their own before the woman dashed, laughing as she went. Wiping her face somewhat, she left the four to get started as she looked around a moment.

Eventually, she slowly got those that she could sorted into groups to help with preparation of Pizza, the kitchen becoming one large organized mess.

That's when Anya's attention was brought back to the Russian ship girls tucked off against one wall. And since Leningrad had been working the one bottle of alcohol she'd had earlier, Anya supposed that the next few minutes weren't going to make much sense.

"So... can I ask where you got the...? Vodka? Why am I not surprised." She asked as she approached the two. Molotov offered a grin as Leningrad shrugged, glancing at the bottle that was sitting between her legs as the two sat on the counter.

"I mean, you can. I am unsure of whether or not the answer you receive however will be of much use to you." Molotov said. "In short... we aren't really sure where she got it from. At least, I'm not. I just looked over and she had it."

Leningrad nodded her approval as she held the bottle to her lips.

"Oookkkkaayyy..." Anya said after a moment. "Just, try not to drink too much in front of the other girls." She said.

"Afraid we cant handle our drinking?" She asked.

"I'm afraid that if they see you two drinking, everyone else will want to drink to try it and I'm not about to deal with forty nine drunk ass ship girls. I may be an admiral, but even I have my limits of shenanigans I can take." She said.

The two of them only nodded in agreement.
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"Wonder how the Admiral's day is going." Maryland muttered to herself as she stood outside a store, decked out in civilian clothing as she watched those within move about. Sipping at her hot beverage, the chilly wind swept through the streets of Tokyo like an unrelenting phantom.

"Hmm? You say somethin?" Pennsylvania asked as she glanced at the woman. Maryland shrugged as she tucked her scarf more into her coat, trying not to shiver.

"Just wondering how the Admiral's doing by herself on Base." She offered as she glanced at the battleship. Pennsylvania watched her a moment before shrugging.

"Better than we, I suppose." She Answered as she sipped at her own drink. Maryland only offered an amused smile at that as she glanced at the store before them.

It was absolute chaos. Of course, bringing Japanese ship girls into Tokyo, the public was bound to recognize them. And so they had, as lines had formed, stretching as far as the eye could see. Both locals and tourists alike lined the streets to have a picture with those that sailed the waters around them.

Perhaps the biggest offender was that of Akagi and Kaga. The two would smile for the picture. Well, Akagi would, the picture would take, and the people would offer them a nod of thanks and head off.

This would continue with every group. The two would greet them, Akagi would spare a quick glance back inside through the window at E, and turn back for the picture.

Though, Akagi and Kaga weren't the only ones thoroughly trapped by the public.

The four Shiratsuyu sisters, Souryuu and Hiryuu, Haruna, And Yamato And Musashi were all the focus of the public's attention.

The full group that had come to Tokyo that day consisted of those mentioned, and then Enterprise and her sisters, Lexington and her sisters, Arizona and Pennsylvania, Missouri, And Maryland.

Arizona had asked the battleship to come so that in case Pennsylvania didn't want to full engross herself in the chaos that was dipping through stores here and there, she'd have someone to stay with. And so she did. And so did Yorktown and Hornet.

"I still can't believe they worship them as heroes." Hornet said, disgruntled as she watched the public snap more pictures with those of the former Imperial Navy. Maryland nodded at that as she watched, her black coat and white scarf doing wonders for her figure.

"It's because they are heroes. To today's people, that's exactly what they are. Heroes who brave the waters surrounding Japan so that their people can eat. So that their people can fish." She said. "This is a different time. There's bound to be differences." She said.

Pennsylvania glanced at the woman. "You seem to have put what happened in the past behind you." She said. Maryland stayed silent a moment, her periwinkle eyes watching Akagi and Kaga with unrelenting focus.

"Something like that." Maryland said a moment later, sipping at her beverage.

"So what's up with you, Mary? E told us that you'd been a sad sack of battleship for the last month. And then rolls around the first, and suddenly you're all normal." Yorktown said. "Or, at least somewhat normal considering that she said the normal for you is trying to sneak into the Admiral's bed with little more than a bra on." She Answered.

An amused smirk toyed with Mary's lips as she glanced at the ground.

"Doesn't even try to deny it." Hornet said with a smirk in response. "Flagship of the Pacific fleet at one point in her life, and now flagship of the Admiral's fan club. Which, I'm pretty sure, makes up it's entire number." She said, glancing at the battleship. Maryland only offered a roll of the eyes, backed by an amused smile.

"You three seem to be handling yourselves well today. I wasn't sure that taking you to Tokyo with us was the best idea." She said as she watched various members of the public push past them to get a look at the Japanese ship girls greeting the public.

It was true, there had been hesitation at first. But given the five had no sea trials in this life and their riggings had had yet to arrive, they went where their sisters went.

"It's still so surreal." Yorktown Answered. "And I'm not sure I'm ever going to.. forgive them. But, if these Abyssals are as bad as they are claimed to be, priorities must be managed..." She said with a sigh.

At that point however, Sofia neared the four of them, watching carefully as she worked her way through the crowd of people.

"I wonder if they knew that they were walking past two carriers and two battleships, they'd go about so freely." She asked with a chuckle.

"Who knows." Maryland said. "We've been here, what? About six hours? We about to head back?" She asked. Sofia nodded at that.

"We'll start wrangling the girls soon enough and we'll head on back." She said. Maryland only nodded at that.

She'd been away too long.
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It was about five o'clock even when the Tokyo group finally arrived at the front of Tokyo. The girls piled out of their transports, happy to be standing on solid ground once more.

Sofia thanked the JMSDF personnel that had attended with them and sent them off. At that, she turned to do a head count. Losing a child in a crowd was one thing. Losing a battleship would be another matter entirely.

Shigure. Yuudachi. Harusame. Yamakaze. Arizona. Pennsylvania. Maryland. Enterprise. Yorktown. Hornet. Lexington. Yorktown. Hornet. Houshou. Langley. Souryuu. Hiryuu. Missouri. Yancey. Mamiya. Irako. Taigei. Akagi. Kaga. Haruna. Yamato. Musashi. Tirptiz. Strasbourg. Dionysus. Akashi.

Sofia breathed a sigh of relief as Nancy stifled a laugh at the woman's display.

"Afraid You'd misplace a couple thousand tonnes?" She asked as she watched the woman. Sofia rolled her eyes as she looked to her and Daisy, nodding.

"It's a more real fear than you would think with some of these girls." She Answered as she did another head count just to be sure. But as she was doing so, two more cars began to pull up to the Japanese HQ.

The first had Liz within, the woman having gone home and changed clothes after the wedding. After which, she'd made her way here. As her ride pulled away, she looked to the group with a smile. "So how was Tokyo? Get mobbed by the public?" She asked with a knowing smile. Sofia only rolled her eyes, causing Liz to laugh somewhat as some of the other gathered girls only nodded.

"It reminded me why I'm completely content on base." Hiryuu grimaced as they looked to the second vehicle that had pulled up. And watched as Ishigara, Nagato, and Mutsu got out. Letting the vehicle pull away from them, the three looked to the gathered group before them.

"Have a fun day?" Ishigara asked, which he found amusement in as some shook their heads and some nodded in turn. Noting the shopping bags some were carrying, he smiled. "Some found things they would not live without it would seem." He said.

"Yeah. Ten models of herself is something Souryuu needs completely." Harusame remarked as she glanced at the carrier. Carrier in question only blushed somewhat as Missouri put an gentle hand on the woman's shoulder, giving a kind smile in support.

"Yes, well, I do hope Admiral Johnson enjoyed her day." Ishigara said. "She's more than earned one in my opinion." He said. Sofia nodded in agreement with that as did some of the others.

"You might want to hold that thought actually." Liz Answered as she looked over her phone. Turning it on for the first time since before the wedding she'd gone to started, she was just now getting her messages. Twelve in total, only one was from the Good admiral. But Liz snapped to that far more faster than the others.

"Liz?" Enterprise asked In questioning manner.

"Received at one oh four this afternoon. Hey Liz, your staff's gonna be on hand for dinner, yeah?" She read the message off. She glanced at Sofia, Daisy, and Nancy who were now checking their phones in turn. But when they came up empty with messages from the woman, Liz furrowed her brow as she hit dial on the number and put it to speaker, holding her phone so that all could equally hear the call.

"Maybe she just wanted to be sure we were gonna get dinner." Shigure offered helpfully. But it was clear that even she didn't really believe that as the phone rang once.

Not in Yokosuka.

Not When ship girls were involved.

The phone rang a second time, all eyes glued to the construct, as if that alone would convince it to pick up for the woman on the other end. But when the third ring rolled around and the call still hadn't been picked up, many wondered what was going on as some traded nervous glances.

Maryland watched the phone, unblinking, as she willed the woman she loved to pick up.

It was half way through the fourth ring when someone on the other end finally picked up, giving a ragged breath from their end as she brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?" Anya asked, her breathing uneven and ragged as the sounds of crunching snow echoed from her end. In a rather fast pace, as if she was running.

"Anya?" Liz asked as she glanced at those listening in. "Anya, are you alright?" She asked.

There was a few distant shouts from the other end of the call, voices they didn't recognize. And a moment later, Anya's voice came back over the call, but not to them. "Cut her off! If you don't, we're gonna have to make another pass at it!" She yelled, the woman's voice sounding exasperated and ragged. After a moment, she spoke again. "Hello...? Liz?" She asked, her tone one of exhaustion.

"Anya? Are you alright? What's wrong?" She asked, bringing the phone closer to her mouth so that she could easily be more heard.

It was another few seconds of distant shouting of more voices they didn't know before Anya replied. "I'm... I'm tired but I'm alright... are you guys back on Base? Is anyone else with you?" She asked, her tone taking that of desperation.

Maryland's heart beat faster and faster at the sound of the desperation she was hearing. She bristled at the thought of anything happening to her.

"We're here. Myself, Sofia's, And Ishigara's all here. And so are the girls. Anya, What is wrong? Who's with you?" She asked.

"Are you guys outside the Japanese HQ?" Anya asked, followed by more shouting. "GET HER! Kick up the pace!" She yelled to someone apparently close to her, which came back in the form of an 'Aye' in response.

"Yes, Anya, we're here." Liz replied. "What is going on?" She asked.

"I need a blockade outside the Japanese HQ right fucking now." She Answered with a pant before the call dropped, leaving those that had listened to it bewildered and worried. Maryland was the first to move, heading into the building with a sense of urgency, Missouri, Arizona, And Pennsylvania following eight after her.

The assembled group quickly made their way through the building as the battleships looked around for the threat. Those that weren't ship girls or the non armed personnel of the Kanmusu stood to the side as the other girls milled about, watching for any sign of what has gotten Anya into such a fit.

It was exactly twenty four seconds later when they supposedly spotted the problem. What had drained Anya of her energy.

Presumably who was a ship girl rounded the corner, her speed at flank, as she ran with arms spread wide, her speed clearly inhuman. And in one of her hands, some identified what looked to be a bottle, most likely containing some form of alcohol within.

But suddenly, that became the least important piece of information about what they were seeing.

"Is she..." Pennsylvania trailed off, not sure if what she was seeing was correct.

"She can't...." Hornet began.

"She's naked." Musashi breathed.

And suddenly, the world made so much more sense as the assembled ship girls watched as the streaking ship girl made flank pace for them, her cheeks flushed and a wide smile upon her lips.

A few seconds later, they watched as two very tall figures dressed In the summoning blues and golds of the American ship girls rounded the corner, pounding through the snow as they ran after her.

A second later, Anya rounded the corner, making the same pace with a third. The four women surged after the mystery girl as Anya cupped her hands.

"STOP THAT CRUISER!" She yelled. But they got the message clear as day. Suddenly, the battleships present were moving to intercept the ship girl. But that proved to be far more harder a challenge than they had anticipated.

The mystery girl reached Yamato and Musashi first. But as both of them reached for her, the girl suddenly jerked to the right, out maneuvering the Yamato's with ease.

When it came to Nagato and Mutsu, she eased by them with no problem at all, her naked form serving as a naked reminder.

When she came upon the collection of dreadnoughts of Arizona and Pennsylvania, they utterly failed to match speed with her, the girl giving a drunken wink to the latter of the two.

When she came across Maryland, there had been no challenge. She zipped by the battleship, bottle and all as she dashed through the snow.

But she was not home free.

As she came across the last of the towering battleships that had just arrived, she offered a coy smirk as she ran, intending to blow the doors off of the woman.

But that's just it.

You don't blow the doors off of an Iowa.

Just as she thought she was home free, a slender yet muscular arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her from her feet as Missouri held the woman firm, the mystery girl struggling against her hold.

Making sure that she was secure, the group that had arrived at Yokosuka turned their attention to the approaching four, the four slowing dramatically. The three wearing American colors slowed, breathing labored and panting as they rested their hands on their knees. Anya however, simply rolled into the snow in a pile, the American admiral laying there a panting mess of woman.

"Admiral!" Maryland cried as she, Nancy, Daisy, Sofia, Liz, and Ishigara approached the woman immediately.

They peered down at the woman a moment, dressed in what looked to have been exercise clothing and a scarf tucked into her hoodie. Her chest rose and fell with the motions a moment before she put up a hand in request of help. Daisy was the one to respond as she pulled her sister to her feet, and it was then that they really got a look at the woman.

Her hair was disheveled, her face pale. She was still sucking in air as she tried to catch her breath. It wasn't like she was-

Wait.

"Anya.... how fast were you running just now?" Sofia asked. She had been the first to realize that Anya had been making pace with one of the three mystery girls. And even though she didn't know just who they were yet, she knew that that wasn't normal.

Anya went to answer a moment before shrugging. "Dunno." She Answered as she looked at her friend.

"Why are you so pale, Anya?" Nancy asked in worry. Anya blinked at that as Liz brought out her phone, flipping the camera on to show the woman what she meant. Taking a moment to study the view she was seeing, it took her a moment before she chuckled, bringing a handful of snow to her face, pressing it against her cheek. When it fell away, her normal skin tone shone through.

"Flour." She Answered with a grin before suddenly digging through her pockets. A moment later, she produced a folded list as she handed it to Liz.

"What's this?" She asked as she unfolded it, reading over the contents of it.

"That's a list of everything we used to tide them over. All the ingredients and such." She Answered. "Since they weren't gonna get dinner for a while, I figured we'd whip something up to ride them out until dinner." She offered. Liz only nodded, taking a brief glance at the woman before reading over it. Furrowing her brow, she glanced at the four girls before her. The three that were still trying to catch their breath and the one Missouri had.

"This.... this is more than enough to feed a cruiser and three battleships-"

"Cruisers." One of them corrected. "We're cruisers, ma'am." The pale one Answered, finally standing to her full height.

Liz blinked.

Sofia blinked.

Ishigara blinked.

"A cruiser? You're practically as tall as the rest of us." Arizona said, glancing at the woman. The woman shrugged.

"CB-3. Large Cruiser Hawaii." She greeted. "These are my sisters, Laska-" She said as the tanned one offered a wave. "And Guam." She said as she gestured to the other, who only offered a nod in greeting.

Liz only stared a moment before looking back to the list. "Well, then, this list is far more than enough to feed four cruisers. Even if they were freshly summoned." Liz answered as she looked to Anya. Woman in question only shrugged.

"Before I say anything else, we need to implement a new rule. I am never ever ever ever allowed to be left on Base alone ever again. Ever. Again. Things break when I'm left alone." She said, Daisy letting a snort of amusement in Reply. "So... How was your day? And no matter what you're about to say, I will not consider it as nearly as interesting as mine. Liz, how was the wedding?" She asked.

Liz nodded. "It was beautiful. But I'm just now starting to wonder what I missed in it's stead." She Answered. Anya only grinned at that as she looked to Ishigara.

"The meeting went fine." He Answered. "Seeing if could figure out a for sure way to try and bring more of our girls through." He Answered as he watched the woman. Anya's grin grew wider as she looked to Sofia.

"How was Tokyo?" She asked. Sofia shrugged.

"I was gonna say it was madness. But... you look to be winning in that department." She Answered. The three large cruisers behind the woman laughed at that. "And so... can we ask who the naked cruiser that Missouri is holding?" She asked finally as the group glanced the woman trying so hard to work herself out of the Iowa's grasp.

"That.. is Pola, last of the Zara class heavy cruisers. Of the Regia Marina." Anya said as she watched the woman still struggle against the woman's hold. "She doesn't react to well alcohol it would seem." She Answered as the inebriated cruiser seemed to finally give up against getting out of Missouri's hold.

"An Italian?" Tirptiz mused as she looked over the girl. Anya nodded at that.

"That still doesn't explain the list of ingredients though. That's a lot of food for just four cruisers." Liz said.

"Never said all I got was four cruisers." Anya replied with a cheeky grin. Before anyone could ask further though on the subject however, someone called out to the woman.

"Admiral!" Came the voice. Anya turned to look, giving a wave as she approached the two. And as the others looked that way, they found themselves giving pause.

Watching as the two approached, they found themselves confused. The two before them did not adorn the normal summoning outfits. One in a kimono and one in a dress? Why?

Anya thanked the blonde woman before her, taking what looked to be a blanket from her. Handing it to Alaska, she nodded her head at Pola, who the three cruisers took the clue. Making way for Missouri, they readied to wrap her in the blanket as the rest looked to the two before them.

"Who..." Arizona trailed off as she looked up at the woman in the dress. Woman in question only offered a smile in return as she looked to Anya.

"You've not told them then, I take it?" She asked quietly. Anya shook her head as she looked up at the woman.

"Haven't gotten the chance. But if you want to introduce yourself, then by all means, the floor is yours." She Answered. The dress wearing figure only nodded at that as she brought a hand to her chest, green eyes studying those before her.

"I apologize for the sudden meeting like this, but I am Battleship Seventy One. Last of the Montana class, I would have been the USS Louisiana." She said, her southern accent easy on the ears. But those looking at her only stared. Even Missouri, for her normal well mannered self, stared at who was claiming to be her younger cousin. The only ones who weren't were those of the Alaska's, who trying to wrangle Pola.

They blinked.

"No." Sofia said as she looked to Anya with a wide grin. "You are not telling me that we leave you on base for one day and you pull a Montana from the Gateway. You've got to be kidding me." She said.

Anya only smiled, shaking her head, as she stood in front of Louisiana and the other. "Afraid So." She said as she looked back to the one in the Kimono. "You want to introduce yourself?" She asked. The woman nodded as she looked to those before her.

"I am Japanese battleship Totomi. Though I never sailed the waters at the same time as the rest of you, I hope to make you proud." She introduced herself with a bow.

"We never had a battleship named Totomi." Nagato reasoned, glancing at Ishigara. The man nodded as he stepped forwards towards the woman. Her size reminded him of Yamato and Musashi, but still....

"You're not by chance apart of the Yamato class, are you?" He asked. "Perhaps the fourth or fifth?"

Totomi shook her head as she glanced to Anya. "As Admiral Johnson put it, my class received no name. But popular opinion is that we are the Super Yamato's." She Answered, a kind smile tugging at her lips.

Ishigara swore he felt his heart stop at the name.

Nagato and Mutsu only stared at the woman in surprise.

Yamato and Musashi only blinked in response as they watched who was claiming to be their younger cousin.

Anya just offered a wide grin to any of those looking at her in a questioning manner. The blonde was enjoying this far too much.

After a few moments of silence, the two super battleships only offering small smiles, Ishigara finally met eyes with the woman.

"It's good to have you with us, Totomi." He Answered before looking to Anya. "Admiral Johnson, I do not understand. How did you..?" He asked.

"Remember what your meeting was about?" She asked with a hum. When Ishigara nodded, she offered only a brief smile. "That's what happens when you leave me on Base alone. I break things." She said. "Japan now has a limit of a hundred twenty ship girls." She offered in simplicity. "United States too." She added.

What.

What.

What.

What.

"Eight of foreign nationalities. Twenty two Americans. Nineteen Japanese. While you all were busy else where, the Gateway, being the little shit it is, decided to give me forty nine ship girls when I was the only one on base." She explained.

Those that had just arrived on Base blinked at the blonde woman collectively, who in turn only offered a smile in response as she glanced around at those looked at her. "I assume the list makes sense now, Liz?" She asked.

The British Born Japanese woman only nodded somewhat. That's the only thing that made sense.

"But... how? How Anya-San?" Shigure asked. Anya shrugged.

"I dunno. What I do know is that there are six girls in particular who very much want to see you and your sisters again, Shigure." She offered in reply as the wind picked up somewhat. But before Shigure could ask what she meant, eight more girls rounded one of the buildings, coming at them as they looked around.

"Did we catch her?" One asked enthusiastically. Anya offered a small nod at that as she pointed to Pola.

"We got her. But uh, Shiratsuyu, Murasame, Kawakaze, Umikaze, Suzukaze, and Samidare, come here for a moment." She Called. The six in question walked through the snow, apparently oblivious to the looks of the four, now watching her like they'd watched a loved one come back from the dead.

"Yes? Anya-San?" Umikaze asked. Anya smiled as she walked over to behind the four, now drawing the six's attention to the four.

"You six, meet Shigure, Yuudachi, Harusame, And Yamakaze." She offered in reply. The six met eyes with the four in wide surprise for a moment.

And then Yuudachi made the first move.

She bowled over both Murasame and Kawakaze, tears in her eyes as she hugged to two to her tightly. The others gathered together with hugs, but no where as near violent as the first had been.

Mutsu smiled as she watched the gathering, focused on the now complete class of ten. For a moment though before she found her gaze wandering to the last two that had come with them. And at the first, she found herself stopped in her tracks.

"Nagato...?" She asked to herself more than anything. A glance to her sister who had been next to her confirmed that she was still there. So surely it had been-

It wasn't. It wasn't a trick of the light. It wasn't a trick of the mind. The same older sister she loved so much was standing right there before her. This time however, she was dressed in the blues and golds. Arms crossed across her chest in nerves, the woman didn't meet eyes with Mutsu.

"USS Nagato." Anya said from the side, drawing the attention of those around to the figure. "The Gateway thought we could use her as well apparently." She said.

Nagato only stared at her double, the two meeting eyes for the briefest of moments. Before IJN Nagato approached her double, coming to stand only a foot away from her.

The two stared openly for moment, the second of the two meeting her gaze more unwillingly than that of the first.

This lasted until Mutsu approached as well, the two staring the woman for a moment before the two of the Japanese seemed to trade a glance with one another, green eyes meeting red. In a brief conversation.

A moment later, USS Nagato felt a hand on her shoulder. Flinching at the contact, she looked up to find both Nagato and Mutsu watching her.

Both had small smiles in greeting for the woman.

All before Mutsu tackled the woman with a hug, knocking the two of them over. IJN Nagato brought a hand to her face as she watched her sister just about hug her American counterpart to death in the snow.

Anya only watched them a moment before her eyes travelled to the last of the eight that had come with them. Meeting her gaze, Anya's gaze soon fell upon Kaga, who was still watching the Shiratsuyu's rejoice in their meeting.

Watching her a moment, she looked back to the one that had come with. Offering a silent look of questioning, the woman nodded in turn.

"Kaga." Anya Called, garnering the carrier's immediate attention as the last of the eight stepped up to her side.

Making way for the American admiral in a questioning manner, the carrier's eyes met those of the taller woman next to her. When she looked back to Anya in confusion, Anya simply gestured to the one next to her.

"Japanese battleship Tosa. Name ship of my class." She introduced herself, her eyes once again finding Kaga's.

In a move that no one could follow with their eyes, Kaga had wrapped her arms around Tosa's sides as her face met the woman's stomach. Anya couldn't see for sure, but she swore she saw the carrier wearing the smallest of smiles.

A few moments passed before Anya gestured for them to follow. So that they could meet the rest of the fleet.