Part 2
Shiranui came out from the prefabricated Admiral's office. Kagerou then approached her.
“How was it?”
“It went off without a hitch. I received a word from the commander saying 'I’m looking forward to your success.”
Shiranui said in a businesslike manner. ‘That characteristic of this girl won’t change no matter where she is, huh,’ Kagerou thought.
“Is that all? Did he hold your hands or maybe asked for a lap pillow?”
“...? No?”
Shiranui stared at Kagerou’s face.
“Has Kagerou been asked for that?”
“No, I haven’t, but....... I've heard rumors that he has a extreme taste of things, maybe he was intimidated by the way Shiranui looks.”
“I don't understand what you're talking about, but currying favor with superiors is pointless.”
“It means Yoko Base is friendly.”
The two were walking side by side.
The sun was still high in the sky. The sunlight was shining on their face, making it feel slightly hot. The wind that blew occasionally carried the heat far away.
It reminded her of the days in the 18th Destroyer Division. At that time, they were good friends and good rivals. They trained together as if they were competing with each other, and came up from the pier exhausted. And they always went home together.
Everything at that time was still fresh to her because she had gotten accustomed to the shipgirls mission. She got to know the other destroyer shipgirls so well that she thought there was nothing she couldn't do.
Suddenly, Kagerou remembered something.
"Oh, by the way, how's Kasumi doing? She'll get lonely if left alone."
“I’m leaving her to Kuroshio. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“The 18th Destroyer Division is also out of service, huh.”
“It’s better than being annihilated by torpedoes,” Shiranui said. “When this operation is over, Shiranui will also return to Kure. Then it will be re-activated.”
“I’ll be lonely, you know. I wonder if I should ask Kasumi to come here. Shiranui should also stay here too.”
“Kure’s water is perfect for Shiranui… Does Kagerou not miss Kure?”
Caught off guard, Kagerou was startled.
Her heart rate increased rapidly while she flapped her hands.
"N-no, it's not like that......"
“I was thinking that you might have already forgotten about Kure.”
“I love Kure Base, you know.”
“Are you dissatisfied with Yokosuka?”
She was confused by those words.
Shiranui was staring at her intently. Kagerou was puzzled for a moment, then opened her mouth, “No, not really. This is a nice place.”
“I recall that there were some complaints in your letters.”
“That doesn’t count. They're good girls, you know.”
“Is that so?”
Shiranui stopped staring at her.
Somehow, though, the atmosphere became strange.
Kagerou became anxious. Since it’s Shiranui, she probably brought up the topics about Kure normally without any hidden meaning. Surely she meant returning together or so as in business matter. Perhaps, most likely.
However, she was troubled. She was desperate to find something else to talk about. She wondered if there was anything she could do to lighten the mood or catch her interest. TV or manga isn’t good. Shiranui has almost no hobbies except reading a book occasionally. She has no interest in talking about politics, economics, or diplomacy. Saying something about the weather would only start with ‘The weather is nice, isn't it,’ and instantly end with ‘Yes, it is.’
Since they were in Yokosuka Naval Base, wouldn’t the topic of the naval base be good?
“T-that's right! You haven't been given a tour yet, have you?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me show you around the naval base.”
When a newly arrived shipgirl is guided around the naval base, it’s called a "tour". Actually, Kagerou had not done this. She was immediately appointed as the lead ship and had no time to travel around.
So she was unfamiliar, but she knew some of the facilities.
“You haven't seen Atago-san, right? Let's go meet her.”
They entered the naval base office building.
Atago was in her own office room. The secretary ship was given its own room to perform a large amount of chores to support the admiral. In some cases, a ‘secretary of the secretary ship’ would be appointed.
Shiranui gave her arrival greetings in front of Atago.
“I look forward to your guidance and encouragement.”[1]
“You must be Shiranui. Welcome to Yokosuka.”
Atago smiled brightly.
“Since you’re the second ship of the Kagerou-class, that means you’re my dear little sister too.”
Kagerou signaled Shiranui with her eyes, ‘You don’t have to answer it.’
Atago continued to say, “Thank you for coming all this way. I'm sorry about the hustle and bustle, since the Admiral has been calling shipgirls from all over the place.”
“Please don’t mind it. Although the Admiral in Kure has begged me not to go.”
“The truth is, we’ve tried to get Yukikaze in too, but there was a tremendous protest. Shiranui reassignment is also only for the duration of the operation because there’s also a complaint.”
Kagerou muttered in her mind, ‘You should’ve worked harder about it just like when doing a mission.’ However, Atago seemed to see right through her and chided her, “Don’t be selfish.”
She shrugged her shoulders and asked a question, "Is Shiranui the only destroyer from Kure?"
Atago flipped through her papers.
“According to the paperwork, the 18th Destroyer Division has been transferred.”
“Even though it's just Shiranui?”
“A naval base is still a bureaucracy.”
Atago closed the document.
"Shiranui-chan's complete set of equipment has already arrived. After that... Oh, that’s right. You see, in Yokosuka, there is a word that must be said to me as the secretary ship."
Her enormous chest armor shook as she stood up. Kagerou hurriedly tried to tell Shiranui, "It’s okay if you just ignore it!"
Shiranui frowned slightly and said, “If it’s the rules in Yokosuka, I will obey it.”
“It's not a big deal. Okay, let's get started.”
Kagerou inserted herself between Shiranui and Atago, but Atago twisted her body in a sign to express ‘Listen to me.’
“Yeah. It's a simple matter. Kagerou-chan too has already said it properly.”
“If that's the case, alright.”
"You see, it’s ‘big sister’… Please call-"
"We’ll be leaving, pardon us!"
Kagerou interrupted her loudly and pulled Shiranui out of the room.
The sun was still high in the sky. It wasn't too bright, but there was a moderate amount of sunlight. The breeze that blew in from time to time was pleasant.
The two of them left the naval office building. Kagerou was relieved and brushed up her bangs.
“That was close…”
“What was that just now?” Shiranui tilted her head.
“A nightmare…No, you can just forget about it.”
“Atago-san said that Kagerou was already doing it.”
“I mean, I'm the only one who’s doing it you know.”
Kagerou assured her that there was no need for Shiranui to do it at all.
She forced the topic to end. She asked a question to make her forget about it.
“Is there anywhere you want to go?”
“Hm, that’s right.......”
Shiranui pondered for a moment and then expressed her wish.
“The arsenal. I want to compare it to Kure.”
“Now that you mention it, Shiranui was a secretary ship for a while, huh.”
At that time, Kagerou felt that Shiranui was an unfriendly destroyer. She looked suspiciously at the second ship of her class who had been appointed as the secretary ship right after when they had been assigned together. She had never imagined that they would be as close as they were now, as they were polar opposite.
Shiranui inquiringly asked Kagerou who was reminiscing about the past.
“Is it troubling for Kagerou?”
“That’s not the case, the truth is I've never been there before. So let's continue our tour.”
With the help of a simple map board, they continued on their way.
They headed towards the hills instead of the naval base harbor in the opposite directions. They stepped into a densely tree-covered area.
Soon, they saw a reddish brown building. Not just one, but several buildings lined side-by-side.
This is where Yokosuka Naval Base arsenal and modernization facilities were located.
It was assembled in a remote area for security reasons, and civilians weren’t allowed to enter or leave. Shipgirls were basically free to go, but some areas were strictly off-limits.
They showed their IDs at the gate. It took a while to be checked, but they were allowed to go in.
Kagerou took Shiranui and went into the nearest building.
“So this is where they repair the riggings, huh.”
The interior was clean and painted white, it looked more like a research facility than a repair factory.
The shipgirls' equipment was being kept by the logistics department. They conducted daily maintenance and would even lend the equipment to the shipgirls if they wanted to take care of it themselves.
That's why most of the equipment wasn't in the building, but when it’s seriously damaged in a battle and couldn’t be repaired using regular maintenance, it would be brought here. This was where it would be refurbished until it’s as good as new.
People in work clothes were working busily inside. Cylindrical loads were brought in from outside and were being piled up here and there.
"Looks like they're collecting instant repair materials."
Kagerou said while looking out the window.
“Even the courtyard is packed full of it. They've stockpiled considerably a lot.”
“Isn’t it for the preparation of the offensive operations? It’s also why Shiranui was called in for.”
“Even so, that is quite a lot, you know?”
“That much is pretty standard.”
Instant repair materials were the most important of all the materials that supported shipgirls. Normally, damaged shipgirls were taken out of their riggings and treated at the docking facility, a dedicated treatment facility to tend the shipgirls' wounds. The rigging itself was then repaired here, but there were times when the ships needed to be repaired and ready to sail immediately as soon as the mission was reaching its finale. In such a case, the instant repair material was used.
The instant repair material was a special liquid that made it easier to repair dents and scratches on the equipment. For example, if a gun was damaged, there would be adjustments here and there, and even a test-firing would be required during the repair process, but with instant repair material, that process could be skipped.
The container that stored the instant repair material looked just like a huge plastic bucket, so everyone called it the ‘bucket.’
Kagerou looked away from the window.
"The Admiral of Yoko Base seems like the type to be careful."
“He seemed like an honest man.”
“But I've heard he's a pervert though.”
They went out early since it seemed that they would only get in the way of the work.
The adjacent building was used for equipment development. This was off-limits, so they went further next.
“Shiranui, how was it compared to Kure?”
“The site seems a little narrower. It's probably due to the topography of the Miura Peninsula.”
“I've only visited the arsenal in Kure once, so I don’t really know.”
“You will know if you ever become a secretary ship.”
They went to the far end. There was a very large building.
It looked like a factory of precision instruments. However, there were no windows, and of course no manufacturer's logos on the factory.
This was a facility where the construction and modernization of the shipgirls were performed.
Kagerou was a little nervous, she had never been to this facility before, not even in Kure.
But would they be able to enter? They couldn’t even visit the equipment development facility. It would be no surprise if they were prohibited to enter as well.
She looked over and saw a woman sitting alone on a bench by the entrance.
Wearing a bluish uniform with abundant chest armor. Short haired. It was the heavy cruiser Takao.
She was holding a paper cup in her hand. She had noticed them first.
“Oh my. Is this a Naval Base tour?”
“Eh, umm…”
Kagerou replied hesitantly. She might look kind, but this person was even stricter than Atago. You wouldn’t want to make her think that you were slacking off.
Takao smiled wryly and beckoned them to come closer.
“Don't be nervous. I feel bad now that I forced Akebono on you.”
Kagerou was relieved and went to Takao's side with Shiranui.
“I apologize for intruding on your break.”
“Atago asked me to supervise the arsenal, but I’m free since it's already done. Don't worry about it."
The heavy cruiser had a paper cup, as well as a wrapper in her hand.
“Is that medicine, ma’am?”
“It just happen that I have a stomach ache. Most of the destroyer girls in Yokosuka sure are energetic. Even the 14th Destroyer Division trained during the storm, right? The other girls said they also want to do the same.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It's fine, you know. Thanks to you, the destroyers are working hard. There's nothing wrong with wishing to improve yourself.”
“We're about to start a large-scale operation, aren't we?”
Without answering the question, Takao shifted her gaze next to Kagerou.
“You must be Shiranui of the Kagerou-class.”
“Yes, ma’am, I just arrived today.”
Shiranui stood upright and saluted. Takao returned her salute and then said, “I've heard rumors about you. Something about you being the Kure's sword, was it? I think I saw a lot of complaints from the Kure Base admiral about you being reassigned here too.”
“Yes, since it’s an order.”
“It’s troubling, isn’t it? Since our admiral and Atago are both pushy like that."
She put the cup in her bag.
“Are you going to examine the building?”
“As much as I'd love to, but I presume we would only be a nuisance.”
“It’s okay. I used to be a secretary ship too. I should still have the permission. Let's go and observe.”
Takao invited both of them.
True to her word, the guards let them in. They walked down a corridor that was illuminated more than what was necessary.
Like the outside, the inside looked like a factory of precision instruments. There were only a few people working there, and most of them wore lab coats.
“Can you see it from here? The inner part is the area for modernization."
Takao pointed. A variety of rigging were lined up in an area separated by reinforced acrylic panels.
The cannons, torpedoes, main engines, boilers, and other units that shipgirls equipped were collectively called rigging. Those riggings were what made a shipgirl a shipgirl. It was said that the souls of sunken ships reside in these rigging.
It’s ambiguous because it wasn’t officially acknowledged by the higher-ups. Information in this area was hidden in a whirlpool of chaos and secrecy, and even the shipgirls themselves were unaware of it. This was apparently a measure to avoid the criticism of ‘No matter how much humanity is at risk and even if we have no other choice, it's as if we're turning people into cyborgs.’
Shipgirls were originally ordinary girls. They became candidates along with many other applicants and went through an aptitude test to become shipgirls. The final stage of the aptitude test was to check their compatibility with the rigging. Once the compatibility with the rigging was cleared, the girls sealed their previous names and were given the name of the ship.
Construction referred to the act of manufacturing the rigging. Modernization was the act of improving the performance of the rigging that remained after being decommissioned and no longer in use.
“Modernization isn't that difficult, you know. It's just a matter of tweaking the rigging, so the shipgirl will just have to watch.”
Takao explained, then Kagerou asked, “Have you ever been modernized, Takao-san?”
“Yes. The admiral said that the secretary ship isn’t good enough in the initial state.”
“What did it feel like?”
“It was just like usual.”
The answer was the same as Satsuki's.
She continued, "This way," leading them.
The hallway ahead of them split into two. The right side was blocked off by a sturdy-looking door, while the left side was an open space.
“The right side is the construction area. It's also called the construction dock. Only the admiral and the active secretary ship are allowed to enter, so even I can't show you around. The left side is the area for remodeling.”
The construction method of the rigging was shrouded in mystery, and even the secretary ship witnessed it only on paper, without being able to see the important parts. Occasionally there were whispers of it being built by fairies half-jokingly.
After construction, the rigging was strictly controlled and was not released until it was the time to check the compatibility with the shipgirl candidates. In comparison, remodeling was controlled a bit freely.
The remodeling area was similar to the modernization area. However, there were large medical devices being set up, and it was not hard to see that it resembled a surgery room.
In the center of the room was a large round chair.
“Unlike the modernization upgrade, the remodeling is done with the rigging equipped. You’ll be sitting on that chair over there."
“It’s like a medical examination, huh.”
“It is, but you won't be lying on your back.”
Takao responded to Kagerou's words.
Unlike modernization, remodeling involved modifying the rigging itself. In this case, it was done carefully to avoid any discrepancies in compatibility with the shipgirls.
Although it was an exaggerated method, there had been no reported cases of failure. At least, not so far.
“As you probably know, the Admiral decides which shipgirls get remodeled.”
“Is it possible to receive a remodel without the admiral's decision?”
Takao tilted her head slightly in response to Kagerou's question.
“I've never heard of that. You need the approval of the admiral as well as the secretary ship, so I don't think it's possible.”
There was no one sitting in the chair at the moment. The floor was polished brightly, as if it had not been neglected to be cleaned.
Shiranui gazed around the remodeling space.
“...... I wonder if there will be a day where I get to use this place.”
“I wonder about that.”
Kagerou replied. She had thought about it at that time in the bath, but she wasn’t really sure.
Shiranui continued, “I have heard that people undergo a remodel when they are aware of their own weaknesses or when they want to reach a higher level. Unfortunately, Shiranui had never encountered such a situation.”
“Well, you’ve always been able to overcome difficult things.”
“The reality is those were simple things that just looked difficult. I don’t know if I'd be able to overcome it when the time to encounter a really difficult situation came, and when that happens, I'll probably have to undergo a remodel.”
“Don't say that. I can't believe that you, a genius, are having difficulty.”
“Shiranui is not a genius. A genius is a person like Yukikaze, or Akebono here.”
“...... Ah.”
Kagerou chuckled a little, “As I thought, you realized it?”
Shiranui nodded.
“Yes. That girl possessed a very outstanding skill. Perhaps that’s the reason why she tends to stand out from the crowd. Otherwise maybe it’s to keep her personal distance.”
“As expected of Shiranui.”
“Was I right?”
“The second one, she kept distancing herself. But lately I’ve been getting used to it.”
They’ve come to understand each other through training and actual combat. They’ve even had fistfights with each other. That troublesome girl was very prideful, and despite that, they all knew just how much she still wanted to make friends.
“I think Akebono is a very good girl.”
Shiranui replied expressionlessly, “Since Kagerou said that, so that must be true.”
“Huh, are you dissatisfied?”
“Does it look that way?”
It seemed like she would get even more dissatisfied if she answered it, so she kept quiet.
The phone on the wall rang, and Takao picked it up.
She answered a couple of times and then held out the receiver to Kagerou.
“It’s for the 14th Destroyer Division leader.”
After thanking her, Kagerou took it
.
“I've received it.”
[Geez, you should’ve told me if Takao-san is the one going to answer.]
It was Satsuki. She sounded like in a bit of a hurry.
[Since I couldn't find you, I called everywhere. Why are you in the arsenal?]
“I was guiding Shiranui around.”
[Are you still doing that? That's why Akebono's mad.]
“But why is Akebono mad?”
[Why don’t you take a guess?]
“I don't know. I’ll do a follow up later. So what’s up?”
[Lunch. You two haven't eaten yet, have you? Mealtime is almost over.]
“Ah,” Kagerou muttered. Now that she had realized it, she was hungry. She had been so busy with the tour that she forgot.
“How about you, Satsuki?”
[We've already eaten. You'd better hurry up.]
“Thank you. I’ll do just that.”
The call was cut off, and Kagerou put the silent receiver back on the wall.
"Thank you for the tour. Now if you'll excuse us."
She bowed her head and said to Takao.
“Lunch? You haven’t eaten yet, huh. Remember that eating meals is a part of training.”
“I'll keep that in mind.”
“Have a good meal.”
Takao said, then Kagerou and Shiranui left the arsenal in a half-run.
It was well past noon, so the two of them plunged into the destroyer dormitory.
The cafeteria in the dorm, also commonly known as the Mess Hall[2], was open every day except at night. As such, it functioned as a place to relax. However, three meals were only served at certain times of the day.
The other destroyer girls had already finished their meals. It just so happened that Kagerou was on holiday and Shiranui had just arrived. So they could be flexible with their time. Still, they’re just in time for lunch.
They took the plastic tray and received their meal into the plate. There was plenty of rice and chicken for the side dishes. There were multiple choices of fruit for today, so Kagerou chose mandarin orange and Shiranui chose peach.
“Peach again today?”
“Because I like it.”
“That's also what you've asked for the last time you caught a cold.”
“It seemed rare to find it, so I’d prefer to have it.”
There was a time when Shiranui was sick in bed because of a cold, and Kagerou had procured canned peaches for her. The canned peaches were rather popular, and it was hard to hide them so that people would not notice that she had brought them.
The two of them were looking for seats.
Because of the time, they were free to pick anywhere. Kagerou looked around for a while, until finally pointed to a corner.
“There. Let's sit there.”
The destroyer girls of the 14th Destroyer Division were sitting there. They weren’t sitting side by side, but scattered separately. It seemed that they were resting their bodies since the meal was long over.
Further in the corner, Akebono was drinking tea. Kagerou approached her.
“Can I sit next to you?”
Akebono raised her face and took a glance.
“...... Aren't the other seats available?”
“I'd rather be with Akebono.”
“Even if I told you not to sit down, you would do it anyway.”
“Yup.”
Kagerou and Shiranui took their seats. The other destroyer girls were using the table spaciously, and they were the only one who used it sparsely.
They started eating using the chopsticks while saying ‘Let’s dig in.’ The food had already cooled down, but the seasoning was rich and the taste was quite delicious.
Akebono looked bored as she sipped from her teacup.
“You’re late for lunch.”
“I've been showing Shiranui around and getting late, what about Akebono?”
“I'm resting, you see, since I’m tired.”
A question mark appeared on Kagerou's head.
“But why are you tired?”
“Because I've been training,” she said in a tone that seemed to say ‘Whose fault is this?’
Akebono was at the far end of the Mess Hall. She was the type of person who rejected close relationships and tended to isolate herself among the destroyer girls. The reason why Ushio, who was usually with her, was sitting apart from her was probably because she said she wanted to be alone.
She wondered if Ushio was nervous as she was peeking silently. Akebono's attitude was much better than it had been in the past, where she would have made a blatant disgusted face and left her seat.
“I've been doing some independent training since my day off got cut in half thanks to a certain someone. I was dizzy because of doing the fleet movement exercise too much."
“Sorry, sorry.”
Kagerou apologized while clasping her hands together as if praying. Akebono glanced at her.
"You guys were on a naval base tour, right? How free.”
“She had come all the way from Kure, so I should show her around. Does Akebono also want to come?”
“No. In the first place, I’ve been in Yoko Base longer than you anyway. I don't need you to show me around now.”
Akebono was chewing on some pickled vegetables instead of drinking the tea.
The other members of the 14th Destroyer Division were occasionally gazing at them. The one who was paying the most attention was Ushio, and she could tell even from the sidelines that she was getting nervous.
Kagerou said as she put a piece of chicken in her mouth.
“Actually, Satsuki said that Akebono might be in a bad mood.”
“What's with that?”
“That's why I wanted to eat together.”
“The only people eating here are only you guys though? Also, what is Satsuki even thinking? I was wondering why she was repeatedly trying to start a conversation with me, was it just for that?”
“She’s such a caring girl, isn’t she?”
Kagerou swallowed her salad.
Shiranui ate in silence. She rotated between rice, side dishes, rice, salad, and miso soup, almost as if she was refueling.
Akebono took a glance at her.
“...... Why do you keep your gloves on?”
She was using the chopsticks while wearing gloves. While Kagerou, across from her, took her gloves off and stuck them in her pocket.
Shiranui put some white rice in her mouth.
“Because it's my uniform.”
“It’s disgusting.”
“It feels uncomfortable having it off.”
“I’m sure there’s no such fashion in Kure. Kagerou sometimes often takes her gloves off.”
“Because she's feeling relaxed in Yokosuka.”
“Then, you're not feeling relaxed here?”
“I have no comment.”
Akebono was annoyed by the response, but Shiranui remained unconcerned.
Kagerou joined the conversation.
“Now, now, don't take it too personally. Here, Akebono.”
Kagerou put a mandarin orange on her fork, then offered it to Akebono.
“What?”
“Aaan…”
“...... What the hell are you doing?”
Akebono straightened her back.
“Are you trying to feed me?”
“Would you rather have Mamiya-san's sweet beans jelly?”
“It's disgusting!”
When Akebono finally stood up, Kagerou soothed her, “Sorry, sorry, come on, sit down.”
Then she tilted her head.
“It’s strange. Akebono was supposed to eat it and then we would’ve deepened our friendship.”
"You sometimes really do some weird things. Was it a common practice in your previous Destroyer Division?
“Only occasionally.”
“Occasionally? The 18th Destroyer Division sure is a weird place.”
“Actually Arare wouldn't eat it either… Somehow, Arare was blatantly ignoring me. I don't think that was the reason, but currently the 18th Destroyer Division is out of service too, you know?”
At these words, Shiranui put down her chopsticks and said, “It exists for the time being. Though I’m being the only member.”
With a, ‘Come to think of it,’ Kagerou responded. Akebono also sat back in her chair.
“Normally, if there’s just one member, it will usually be disbanded, right?”
“Whether there will be other destroyers joining or I will be reorganized into a new unit, it’s still uncertain.”
“I hope you will get additional members soon.”
Akebono was about to finish the contents of her teacup.
“About that…”
Shiranui continued, staring at Kagerou.
“Since I'm not sure if there will be any new destroyers coming in, even if I go back to Kure, it will just be me and Kasumi. With just us two, even I will be uneasy doing expedition missions.”
Kagerou replied in a light tone.
“Since it’s Shiranui, I know you can do it.”
“It's reassuring to have another shipgirl who you can trust…… Therefore, Kagerou.”
She looked straight in the eye at her.
“Would you like to go back to Kure with Shiranui?”
Kagerou widened her eyes.
Not only her. The other destroyer shipgirls who had been watching at the distance, and even Akebono, were completely taken aback.
It was a bombshell, and Shiranui's words caused a turmoil for the 14th Destroyer Division.
All of them were so surprised that they couldn't even speak. Even Arare whose expression never changed was bewildered, while Ushio looked like she was about to faint from the shock. Satsuki froze with her mouth wide open, and Nagatsuki was clapping her ears as if she was hearing a hallucination and doubting herself, while Akebono was sitting with her gaze wandering in midair.
As far as they were concerned, it surely must be a bomb, the words had the destructive power comparable to a 2,200 pound bomb[3] to them.
The first one to let out a word was none other than Shiranui.
“What’s wrong?”
The words were met with silence as well.
After a while, it was Arare who spoke.
“About that...... it's......”
She came over to Shiranui.
“Too unreasonable…… I was sure, that one of us was going to be sent somewhere……”
“It would be easier for Kagerou to be transferred back.”
“She’s… our Destroyer Division leader…”
“Then along with Arare too, let's go back together. You are also supposed to be the 18th Destroyer Division member.”
“Eh……”
Arare was bewildered, but then Nagatsuki came running in, kicking the chair away.
“What do you mean!? Not only Kagerou, but even Arare?”
“So it's okay if it's just Kagerou?”
“No! If you pull out the person in charge of command, then we won't be able to stand. You’re being transferred from Kure just to harass us, aren’t you?”
“Of course not, it was for participating in the operation.”
“No matter what kind of reason you have, if you take goods from a storefront just like that, you are just a thief.”
Shiranui tilted her head slightly.
“What should I do then? Since it's a store, can’t I just have to pay for it?”
“Uhhh… Oh, that’s right, well, if you're going to get down on your knees and rub your head on the floor while asking for it, then perhaps I’ll think about it…”
“I understand.”
Shiranui immediately tried to bend her knees, which caused Nagatsuki to panic.
“You don’t have to go that far! Don’t do that.”
“I'll do anything if that means Kagerou will come.”
Shiranui said while stopping from kneeling on the grounds.
“I can’t go back empty handed now that I’ve come this far to Yokosuka. The admiral in Kure also complained that the lack of destroyers with good leadership was causing more trouble. Kagerou's presence in Kure would improve the odds of winning missions."
Satsuki interjected.
“But doesn’t that mean we'll only get beaten? That's only good for you, but not for us.”
Shiranui stared at Satsuki.
"Kagerou has introduced all of you to me as skilled girls. Even without Kagerou, you won’t be beaten easily. Shiranui is convinced that Kagerou has improved your abilities over the past few months."
She declared.
Uncharacteristically for Satsuki, she didn't argue and just mumbled something in her mouth. As expected, it was hard to say that there hadn’t been any growth at all.
Ushio joined the conversation to intervene.
“But, umm, I still want to fight together with Kagerou-san.”
She looked her in the eyes and said in a firm tone.
“Thanks to Kagerou-san, we have grown. I think we can grow even more if we have more time. It’s a bit different from what Nagatsuki-san has said, but please don’t take Kagerou-san away from us.”
“‘Don’t take her away’ huh, that's quite exaggerated."
“Shiranui-san too, must have thought the same thing when Kagerou-san was about to be transferred to Yokosuka, right?”
Nagatsuki muttered, ‘As expected of Ushio, she always says the right things.’
It seemed that it’s hard for Shiranui to argue about that, and she was silent for a few moments.
“...... Kagerou, what do you think personally?”
“Eh.......?”
Kagerou was surprised.
“M-me?”
“Yes, Shiranui's desire is to be able to fight alongside Kagerou.”
“I am… uhhh…”
She looked down and wet her lips with her tongue a few times.
Then she raised her face.
“It's hard to leave the 14th Destroyer Division.”
Satsuki muttered softly, “Hooray!” and even made a guts pose.[4]
Kagerou continued.
“I was sad to leave Kure, but I get to make more friends and even more things to do in Yokosuka. Well, I might be ordered to go somewhere else in the future since this is that kind of profession. But right now it’s not the case."
It was true that she was happy to see Shiranui, and it was also true that she didn't want to leave the 14th Destroyer Division. It's only been a few months since she was transferred to Yokosuka, but she felt like she had been working together with them for years.
In addition, she had a feeling that this Destroyer Division could reach an even higher level. She wanted to challenge herself and see how far they could go.
“I see……”
Shiranui didn’t show any sign of sadness and quickly continued to say, “In that case, Shiranui will make a request to the Yokosuka Naval Base through the admiral in Kure. Then, would you go back?”
“You're surprisingly persistent.”
Kagerou was astonished.
“I wonder if I was that valuable as a shipgirl?”
“Kure's food is better, you know?”
“But Yoko Base’s isn’t that bad either.”
“Then, it’s fine if you transferred together with the entire 14th Destroyer Division to Kure.”
“Without an order that’s impossible you know? It’s better if Shiranui stays here all the time after the operation is over.”
“That will also require an order.”
Shiranui's words gradually became more passionate. For a girl who always looked cold, it was unusual.
“It’s hard to go through, even with Shiranui's request alone, but if Kagerou also requested it as well, there's a possibility of a transfer.”
“Like I said, it's impossible.”
“Then, is there anything Kagerou personally wants to do?”
“Eh?”
Kagerou was perplexed, while Shiranui was earnest.
“What should Shiranui do to make Kagerou come back? What kind of wish do you want to be fulfilled?”
“What do I want……?”
She was about to say that she didn't have any, but then she was interrupted.
“If it’s about wishes, then there’s one.”
It was Akebono.
She had been silent until then, but now she was speaking.
"I do have a wish."
The dumbfounded look on her face disappeared and her mouth tightened into a straight line. Her eyes were sharp as she stared at Shiranui.
“Have a match with me.”
Akebono said.
“I want to confirm whether or not you're really worthy enough to be a partner for Kagerou."
The one who was puzzled was Kagerou, while Shiranui was expressionless. Akebono was serious when she said that.
“Go back this, go back that, just how much do you want Kagerou to give you a piggyback ride?”
“I'm just saying that it will go smoothly with Kagerou. It's natural that we will be an excellent Destroyer Division.”
“Then have a match with me. If you lose, you have to accept to leave without saying a word. You're confident in your skills, aren't you? How was it?
“A match with you?”
“Well you can refuse. But that’s only if you’re fine being ridiculed as a coward until you’re being decommissioned.”
Akebono folded her arms with a challenging look in her eyes.
Shiranui's reply was without hesitation.
“I accept.”
“It's settled then. I’ve just been training independently, so I don’t need a new permit. Satsuki, go get another training permit.”
“Okay.”
Satsuki agreed and went out a little earlier.
Kagerou was dumbfounded for a while, unable to comprehend what was going on in front of her, but then she realized that Shiranui and Akebono were going to have a match, and she became flustered.
“Hey! What were you thinking?”
“You’ve heard me, haven’t you? It’s just an exercise."
Akebono responded. Naturally, Kagerou didn't agree.
“Didn’t you say it was a match!?”
“I did.”
“It's like a duel, isn’t it cool?”
“Shiranui, you too!”
The expressionless shipgirl remained calm as usual.
“I understand what Akebono is trying to say. If I can't cover Kagerou's back, then there’s no point bringing her back to the 18th Destroyer Division.”
“You understand, don’t you?” Akebono said.
“If you can't beat me, forget about taking Kagerou, you don't even deserve any place in Yoko Base. Why don’t you just tuck your tail and go home?”
“That's what a loser would say. Fine, bring it on.”
Shiranui stood up. She looked down at Akebono from above.
The look in her eyes changed abruptly. The puppet-like inhuman glint in her eyes had disappeared and she was filled with the impulse to strike. That expression is certainly worthy of the name ‘Destroyer’[5], except it’s even more terrifying.
“However, you sure are prepared since you bragged so much about it, aren’t you? If you are defeated by this Shiranui, I will call you a scrap metal for the whole time until you’re decommissioned. I will make you scream as soon as you see a destroyer and live like an incontinent person for the rest of your life.”
"...... I want to see it myself."
Akebono grinned. That Akebono, too, glared like never before.
“I once have been on the verge of being scrapped myself, you know? I'm going to make you think it was better to lose in a real battle.”
These words made Kagerou turn paler instead.
“Wait, uh, you know, this can’t be possibly happen just because I belong to the–”
Shiranui raised her hand lightly to stop her.
“This is a match between destroyers. Don’t interfere.”
“Just as she said.”
Even Akebono didn’t listen to her.
Kagerou was speechless. Neither of them showed any signs of backing down. Originally, destroyer girls have always had a fighting spirit that does not match their firepower. That's why they are willing to jump into the face of a large enemy force, but she didn't think they would turn on their allies as well.
She thought about what to do, but she knew that she couldn't stop it.
Giving up, she exhaled.
“...... At least don’t get hurt.”
“I wonder about that.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
Neither Shiranui nor Akebono had any intention of undertaking safety.
Satsuki made arrangements for the training area. Akebono got the equipment utilization permit by herself. Ushio was on watch to see if anyone came.
Shiranui's riggings had arrived a little earlier than herself. It seemed that the logistics department in Kure Naval Base had taken the trouble to send it with care.
The place used for the match was quite far from the usual pier. Since it was on the other side of the hill, it was barely visible from the Naval Base. The land area was a sheer cliff with the exception of a few areas, so even the locals seldom came.
Today was sunny and there was almost no wind. So the waves were not too rough and it was a perfect day for cruising. But when it came to armed shipgirls, the story changed.
Akebono and Shiranui put their feet on the water at the same time. The rest of them stood on the cliffs watching.
Both were destroyer girls, but Akebono was a little shorter. However, she glared threateningly as if she didn't care.
"If you're going to admit defeat, now's the time to do it. I'm going to laugh my ass off."
“You too. There is no shame in admitting inferiority, but in your case, I will make a big fool out of you.”
Shiranui showed no signs of being intimidated. Of course Akebono also had no intention of backing down.
They checked each of their own rigging.
“Only shelling match without torpedoes. Shoot all the rounds and the one to take the most damage loses. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“Since the 12.7cm twin gun mount isn't fully loaded, there’s fewer rounds than in a real battle. However.”
Akebono lowered her voice so that only Shiranui could hear it.
“I have mixed just one live round inside.”
Shiranui's brow furrowed.
“..... Oh?”
“I also don't know when it's going to come out. In any case, don’t underestimate those simulated rounds, you’ll get hurt. What are you going to do? Do you want to quit?”
“No,” said Shiranui.
“In other words, there's also a chance that you'll be hit by a live round.”
“Of course.”
“Then I'm looking forward to it.”
Shiranui put her gloves back on and quickly moved offshore. Akebono, a little annoyed, followed her.
After some distance from the shore, they faced each other again. They turned on their radios.
Satsuki's clear voice came through the receiver.
[Are you guys ready?]
“Okay.”
“Yes.”
Akebono and Shiranui replied simultaneously. They both answered at the same time, their eyes never leaving each other's.
“Ready…… Start!”
At the same time, both of them filled up their main engines.
Destroyers were smaller than large ships, and therefore had more instantaneous power. In no time at all, they had increased their speed beyond the catalog data.
The waves rose gaudily. A splash of seawater hit the faces of the two girls. Instead of clashing head-on, they cruised in parallel. They kept their distance, as if looking for the moves the other would make.
"Starboard!"[6]
"Portside!"[7]
Akebono steered to the right and Shiranui to the left. Their bodies were rapidly approaching each other.
Despite being far away, Kagerou felt she caught her breath in her throat. Neither Akebono nor Shiranui had any intention of changing their collision course. It was a game of chicken to test their opponent's courage.
By reaching out, the distance would get closer. The waves remarkably became bigger. Both of them stared at the other and didn’t turn the rudder in the opposite direction. The one who broke off first will be at a disadvantage in this match. They were aware of that.
The distance between them was as close as a sheet of paper. Half a second later, they would clash in a instant.
At exactly the same time, the rudder was turned.
The bodies of the two girls separated. As soon as they gained distance, they turned their barrels on their opponents.
"Parallel engagement![8] Open the gunport!"
"Fire to port. Target, Ayanami-class destroyer."
The call to fire came from both sides.
The muzzles of the guns sparkled, and a column of water rose around each other. Before it fizzled out, more bombardment was unleashed. It was repeated a few times.
Because it’s painted simulation rounds, the shells were colored. It won’t ignite but still hurt when hit. And most importantly, it will make a fool of anyone who was hit by it.
Both Akebono and Shiranui were checking the water column around themselves and their opponents at the same time.
The two came to the conclusion that they hadn't fired any live rounds yet. No shots had been fired from either of their gun ports.
The paint bullets also didn’t hit either of them. Even in daylight, the hit rate of bombardment fire is less than 10%. At long range, it’s not uncommon for it to be even less than 1%. In addition, the two fast destroyers were now firing at each other while making evasive maneuvers.
Akebono and Shiranui both repeated their δΉ‹-character movement. If you lost the sense of distance on a parallel engagement, your hit rate would drop drastically. And both of them were confident in their individual ship movements.
Occasionally, they would increase or decrease their black and red[9], and the change in speed would also disorient each other. The possibility of hitting the target was decreasing rapidly. They fired constantly to compensate for it, but their shots were either lost in the wake or fell on the wrong side of the ocean.
They both thought at the same time.
((In that case, I’ll get closer!))
The best way to increase the hit rate is to get closer. A point-blank distance would always result in a hit. It would also increase fears, but anyone frightened by it wasn’t a destroyer.
Turning the rudder, they approached each other rapidly.
The gun barrels were leveled. There was no time to observe the impact leisurely. As long as it hits the target, then that's all that matters. To hell with bracket firing.[10]
It was so close that they could even see the expression on each other.
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
The two orders intersected each other. The muzzles of the guns fired simultaneously.
A dull thud. Akebono's body was covered with a blue dye and Shiranui's with a red dye.
It was not a fatal wound. In the first place, the one with the most scored hits wins. The pain was still there and their body shook, but they continued firing fiercely.
The water column diminished. Instead, the paint from the bullets drifted in a haze.
“Both sides advance, half speed!”
The same shout. They slowed down to increase their hit rate even more.
It was difficult to miss at this point. It was like a shootout from the age of sail. The two of them continued to fire in a frenzied attempt to get as many bullets as possible.
The shock of the impact enveloped them. Their uniforms, which had been turned into armor plates, softened the impact, but those that could not be prevented were left as bruises on their bodies. Even so, they didn’t stop their attacks.
The paint made their bodies bright blue or red separately.
(Not bad, eh.)
(Not bad.)
An evaluation of the opponent comes to their mind. A cynical genius and a silent expert. Their fighting spirit flared up, and they were determined to make their opponent crawl in defeat.
In this kind of match, being intimidated meant losing. It didn’t matter whether it's a stray dog or a shipgirl. That's why they never backed down.
If you lose here, you’re not a destroyer.
Shiranui's gun barrel sparkled. A bad premonition gripped Akebono.
"Full astern portside!"[11]
Akebono twisted to the left. An unusually large column of water rose up where she should have been.
At the top of the cliff, Kagerou shouted, “What the hell, isn’t that a live round?!” But of course, it didn’t get transmitted to her.
Rather, she took it as a chance.
(No more live rounds!)
She increased the speed of her main engine, turned back the rudder, and approached closer. Shiranui must have known that her live round had been fired. There's only one bullet, and it's gone.
’You should be scared of my shell.’
She stared at Shiranui with a fearless smile. The other party didn’t look away. Rather, she stared back. There’s even a certain composure within her. It's as if she knew what Akebono was going to do.
“Get lost!”
Akebono fired as if to get rid of her. A shelling from the close-range struck Shiranui. Flames rose up.
The flames were definitely from the live round.
No, it didn't hit her. What was rising with the flames was a column of water. In other words, it was not a direct hit.
If so, where was Shiranui? Where was her figure?
“I am here.”
That cold, steely voice dove headfirst into Akebono's bosom.
“With this, there’s no live round anymore!”
Shiranui slammed her body into Akebono. The small body staggered. The muzzle of the gun was pointed at her face.
“...... You think that’s enough!?”
Akebono braced her feet and pointed the muzzle of her gun at Shiranui's face as well.
Neither of them hesitated. The only thing on their minds was to beat their opponents to a pulp.
“Fire!!”
“Fire!”
They shouted at the same time. There was a small *click* sound.
Nothing happened. Nothing was fired from either barrel of the guns.
((Out of ammo……!))
Both of them growled in their mouths. After firing repeatedly at each other, they finally ran out of ammunition.
They stopped on the sea, still entangled with each other.
They were silent for a while. Kagerou and the others watching from the cliffs gasped.
“We're out of options, aren't we?”
Shiranui said.
“What should we do?”
“A draw… would be really boring, wouldn't it?”
Akebono grinned.
“We'll settle it. Let’s do it.”
“Of course, Shiranui thought so too.”
The two of them pulled apart just a little bit.
Then they began to hit each other as hard as they could.
The appearance of two destroyers stopping their feet just to start hitting each other were clearly visible from the top of the cliff. They simply weren’t firing a gun, but hitting each other with their fists without any restraint.
Kagerou's head was spinning.
“Why are so many destroyers so bloodthirsty…”
“We did it too, didn't we?”
Satsuki said as if reminiscing.
“Though at that time it was a brawl, now it's one on one.”
“And both were no good, you know!”
“Shiranui looked calm to me, though.”
Kagerou shook her head.
“She's the kind of girl you don't want to piss off. Even when she was in Kure, she would throw her opponent into the ocean, no matter if they were crying or screaming.”
Nagatsuki said as she watched.
“Who wins this one?”
“Isn't it a draw?”
“It doesn't seem like it’s going to stop until it's settled, you know.”
“If only it can be decided in the shelling match......”
Then she suddenly realized.
“More importantly, the live rounds! Who the hell brought those things out?”
“Akebono, I think. She went to borrow some ammunition herself.”
“Just what she was thinking, what if it hit? If someone else finds out…”
At that moment, Ushio came trotting over.
“Um, someone's coming.”
’Eh?’ Kagerou said. She hurriedly looked over and saw that there was indeed someone coming towards them. It was only one person, but it had to be someone with authority from the Naval Base who would come to this place.
She strained her eyes. It was a familiar face.
“This is bad, it's Takao-san! Abort the exercise! Abort! Get me those two!”
Kagerou shouted and ran down the cliff to Akebono and Shiranui, who were fighting each other.
She pulled the two fighting in silence apart.
“Let’s go back! It’s over!”
“Kagerou, it's almost done, so please be quiet.”
“That’s right, just a few more seconds and this damned girl will be groveling.”
Kagerou checked the clothes of the two girls who were beating each other. Both were sticky with paints.
“Let me see, errr… about the same number. It's a draw. Okay we’re done.”
“No, not yet.”
“Not yet.”
“I said it's over!”
With the help of Nagatsuki, who had just arrived, she tied them up and brought them ashore.
She managed to keep them in line.
Aside from Kagerou and the others, Akebono and Shiranui were covered in bruises and sticky paint, but she made them wear the minimum acceptable appearance.
As Takao was just arriving, Kagerou saluted her with her head held high.
“The 14th Destroyer Division has completed its independent training. We are now returning to base.”
Takao also saluted.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
“Um, what brought you here, ma’am?”
“Atago asked me to check on a Destroyer Division who was training hard even though it was a day off. I don't really need to unless it’s firing using live rounds, so I wonder why."
Takao didn't really seem to know why, but Kagerou was filled with suspicion.
“Um, did Atago-san say anything else?”
“Nothing in particular, but ...... Did you guys do something that could make my stomach hurt, by any chance?”
Takao put her hands on the hips and stared at her.
Kagerou's back was sweating a bit, but she decided to play it off.
“No, certainly not.”
“... These two got a couple of bruises on their faces though, what happened?”
“I simply have no idea what you're talking about.”
Takao looked at each of them, but of course none of them said anything.
“... Well, it’s a good thing to be enthusiastic about your training.”
She checked the time on her watch.
“I'm glad you're done with your training. The Admiral has ordered us to meet in the auditorium in thirty minutes.”
“From now? To an extent, today is still a holiday though?”
“Not only you guys, but all the girls on leave have been recalled.”
“Somehow, I'm afraid we're all going to be sexually harassed at the same time.”
Kagerou intended to joke, but Takao didn't answer, instead, she thought for a moment before returning it with a question.
“Speaking of which...... Have you seen the Admiral lately?”
“I haven't, but Shiranui came by to greet him on her arrival.”
“Has he done anything?”
When asked by Takao, Shiranui shook her head.
“No.”
“I see.......”
Takao nodded to herself with just a hint of sigh.
“You might want to prepare yourself.”
Kagerou asked in response to the unclear reaction.
“What do you mean?”
“The fact that he’s not messing with the girls means he can't afford it. Let’s go back.”
“Okay......?”
She walked briskly. They all hurriedly tried to follow her. Then Takao turned around.
“Wait. You guys have to run.”
“Eh, but why?”
She replied to everyone's question.
“Atago said that I should give you punishment if you guys are playing dumb. You'll have to run a lap around the perimeter of the Naval Base before entering the auditorium.”
“Ehhh?!”
“If you complain, I'll make it two laps. Now run!”
All of them started running in grief.
’I wonder if Atago-san can see through us?’ Kagerou thought as she continued to run.
Note :
[1] : Shiranui's introduction line.
[2] : I previously translated this as First Officer Quarters, but I really don't understand why the Japanese words for it is like that, so I picked the US Navy term for the dining hall inside a ship.
[3] : Most likely referring to SC1000, a German WW2 bomb.
[4] : A pose where you pumped your fist in victory. Like this:
[5] : It's literally written as 'Destroyer' using english in the original sentence.
[6] : In case you're unfamiliar with this term, it means the right side of the ships while facing forward.
[7] : Left side of the ship while facing forward.
[8] : A naval engagement where both sides sailed towards the same direction/in parallel.
[9] : In case you forgot, it's a signal to increase and decrease the speed of the engine.
[10] : Bracketing, or bracket firing, is a method of adjusting fire in which a bracket is established by obtaining an over and a short along the spotting line, and then successively splitting the bracket in half until a target hit or desired bracket is obtained. Basically, shoot at two point inbetween the target and determine the actual target location using those point as references.
[11] : Going backward at fullspeed while turning to portside/left.
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