25th January 2022
Jintsū's POV
It's midnight and something has been bothering me as I'm not sure if I'm being a good leader, I'm not saying that its during combat but rather outside of one as I gave them two full days of training nonstop. As I planned for what's the plan of the day, I thought I should ask Iō for some advice since I'm not used to planning things like this. I picked up my phone and called her, after a few rings she picks it up.
Iō: "おいジン、キャンプはどうだ？" (Hey Jin, how's camp?)
Jin: "まあ、あなたがいない間、私はいい仕事をしているかどうかわからないけど。" (Well, I'm not sure if I'm doing a great job in your absence.)
Iō: "なぜそんなことを言うのですか？" (What makes you say that?)
Jin: "ただ、トレーニング以外に何をしたらいいのかわからない、つまりトレーニングキャンプなんです。" (It's just I'm not sure what else to do other than train, I mean it is a training camp.)
Iō: "確かにそうですが、楽しむことも忘れてはいけませんから、午前中はトレーニングをお休みしてもらって、何か楽しい企画を考えてもいいかもしれませんね。" (True but you also shouldn't forget about having fun, so maybe in the morning you could have them take the day off from training, and plan something fun for them to do.)
Jin: "確かに経験がありますね。" (You sure have experience with this.)
Iō: "ええ、私は彼らが何を望んでいるか十分に知っています。だから、次の任務から戻ったら何か楽しいことを計画しようと思っています。彼らが戻ったら、みんなに説明するよ。" (Yeah, I've been around long enough to know what they want, which is why I've been planning something fun once we're back from the next mission. I'll brief everyone when they're back.)
Jin: "了解しました、司令官" (Understood, commander.)
Iō: "わざとやってるんでしょう？" (You're doing that on purpose aren't you?)
Jin: "うん。" (Yup.)
Iō: "じゃあ、帰ってきたら、プ～ニスしてあげるね。" (Then when you're back, I'll give you a pu~nish~ment.) She said with a seductive voice.
Jin: "では、楽しみですね。" (Then I'm looking forward to it.) I end the call and get to thinking about what activity I should plan for today and got to action before heading to sleep.
It's already almost time for breakfast and I've already set the plan in motion now it's time to announce my change plans for the day. Everyone has already gathered at the meeting place.
Jintsū: "Girls today we'll be having the day off, but I've got something planned for you."
Shigure: "And what would that be?"
Jintsū: "A treasure hunt, I won't tell you what's the prize otherwise it won't be any fun."
Charette: "We have a time limit, don't we?"
Jintsū: "Yes, the time limit is 1600 so get going."
All: "Yes."
Charette's POV
We only have about eight hours to find this treasure I've grouped up with Sullivans, Shigure, Yūdachi, Akizuki, and Suzutsuki the six of us set off in search of this treasure. I wonder what the prize is. The six of us agreed to head west and split into groups of three in hopes of finding it first.
Yūdachi: "Let's go, poi!" She runs off in the distance.
Shigure: "Wait for us! Sorry about my sister."
Charette: "It's fine, I'm too a younger sister having all that energy running around, but since I became a museum, I've settled down a lot since there was no action to be seen."
Shigure: "I guess you're right."
Charette: "I want to know you more, so what do you like to eat?"
Shigure: "Well before you girls came along, I like to eat Chicken and Pork Katsu, Sushi, and Udon, after I joined this fleet that list got longer and longer with her cooking so many types of dishes."
Charette: "Yeah, getting back on topic my favorite food is beef, bacon hamburger served with egg, but after I transferred to Helic I ate Pastitsio, Souvlaki, and Tiropita. Maybe I should cook those for you one day."
Shigure: "Sure, but let's go and catch up with my sister." We both ran off to catch her.
Some time passed, and we were at the final location which was M.t Suribachi we gathered at the base of the mountain and soon began the hike up, and after the climbing we found a box sitting there, we moved over to open it and there was a ticket inside, it has exactly seven slots, in other words, seven days but there was only one so between us we must agree on who.
Akizuki: "I think this should be for Shigure we all know why don't we." They nod their heads, and she was handed the ticket.
Shigure: "Thank you, let's go." They all smiled, and we head back down to the airfield which is where everyone has been living for now.
Airfield
Jintsū: "Welcome back, did you find it?"
Suzutsuki: "Yes." We showed her the chest and ticket.
Jintsū: "Congratulations you've found it, and since you all did it as a team you all have one each."
She pulls out five more of the same tickets that Shigure has, and we were all happy with them. She soon announces the end of the hunt through our group chat they acknowledge and headed back, after they reached it, they congratulated us but then were curious as to where it was, we told them it was at the M.t Suribachi and by some coincidence, they all headed to the Eastern side of the island after some fruitless searching.
Lexington's POV
It's the third day of the camp and it's been helpful for all of us, on our first day we learned of the enemies we'll encounter followed by a mock battle, the second day was more focused on mock battles against the abyssal as well as the Sakura kansens as we'll be having matches against them in the future. Today the admiral allowed us to relax and as I was taking a stroll, I noticed two figures in front of me.
Lexington: "Akagi, Kaga, good afternoon."
Akagi: "Ah Lexington-san good afternoon."
Lexington: "So where are you going?"
Kaga: "We're heading to the carrier range we must keep in tip-top condition."
Lexington: "I see, then how about I join you."
Akagi: "Sure." We headed over to the carrier range to begin our practice and after seeing them they were skilled. I wonder if Fuyumi trains with them.
Lexington: "So I was wondering did you two train her?" They knew who I was talking about and soon responded.
Kaga: "Not too much, that belongs to the fifth carrier division."
Lexington: "If I recall correctly it's Shōkaku and Zuikaku, right?"
Kaga: "Yes, our youngest and most inexperienced."
Lexington: "If that's the case, why is Fuyumi training with them? Mind explaining for me?"
Akagi: "Kaga has always been like this when it comes to them, it is true for our time when war broke out, they were still brand new and inexperienced, but now they're the teachers as they gained more experience than the two of us. I also believe it's also because of our age gap."
Lexington: "I can relate since all three of us were finished during the nineteen-twenties and the three of them twenty years later, so for her naturally she'd learn those from her generation as maybe training under them would be easier when compared to us."
Akagi: "You're making us sound old."
Lexington: "It's true since we all were ordered, built, launched, and in-service almost a century ago though soon, one day it'll be their turn."
Kaga: "Indeed."
Akagi: "So shall we sit down and talk some more?"
Lexington: "Yeah, all this training got me hungry."
We headed out to have some snacks, they told me that at least based on their observation her daily training routine. We managed to bond with each other it's because we're all converted as well as seniors to our juniors.
26th January 2022
No POV
It's time for them to return to the base they bid their farewell to Hime and steamed for home, as those under Fuyumi's command are in for a surprise.
Yokosuka Naval Base
As they entered the dorm Fuyumi greeted them.
Fuyumi: "Welcome home."
All: "We're home."
Fuyumi: "I've got lunch prepared for you shall we eat?"
All: "Yeah."
They went into the canteen and what they saw was amazing, mentai chicken carbonara the girls from Sakura knew of it and were happy that she made it for them, as for the Eagle Union they were perplexed by what they were seeing right now, and it was delicious. As they finished their meal Fuyumi had some announcements to make.
Fuyumi: "Girls, we've got ourselves a new member, go on introduce yourself."
Helena: "I'm USS Helena, nice to meet you."
Fuyumi: "As for my second announcement I've just opened up a bar on the first floor."
Yorktown: "Since when?"
Fuyumi: "Just yesterday, operating time would be from 8 pm to 10 pm, as for those operating the counter, I'll have a rotation between all members and it's open for everyone including our little ones."
By that she meant the destroyers and submarines, she knew that sometimes getting drunk helps them lessen any tension that remains and helps them get to know each other better by being drinking buddies.
Fuyumi: "Finally let's head to the briefing room."
She showed them where it's located near the lobby and its design was that of an aircraft carrier's briefing room where pilots often get briefed on their mission with a screen projector at the front.
Briefing room
Fuyumi: "For this mission, we're heading to Pearl, the objective is to bring supplies to the population still there."
The girls from the Eagle Union feel reasonably uncomfortable with this as the past somewhat still lingers in their minds. Fuyumi understands this as well, but they're the only fleet large enough to escort the ships to and from.
Fuyumi: "As for our journey we'll take about three weeks from here to Pearl, rest for three days then we'll head to San Francisco, rest for a day before setting sail for Pearl after which we'll send them back after they've been unloaded, and once we're back at Pearl we'll take four days of rest before heading home. Any questions?"
Shokaku: "Umm, is the navy providing support?"
Fuyumi: "Yes, they'll be our ears and sometimes provide support during our battles, but I've made it our secondary objective to bring them all home in one piece. The ships involved are Kitty Hawk, Philippine Sea, Normandy, Russel, Paul Hamilton, O'Kane, and Chafee, along with submarines Chicago and Helena."
For Helena, she knew that times have changed and so did naming conventions of ship types.
Chōkai: "Then when do we set sail?"
Fuyumi: "First of February, and if you're wondering if we'll celebrate Valentine's day the answer to that is yes. Oh, and one more thing if any of you are uncomfortable during this trip don't hesitate to come to me."
Yorktown: "We'll be okay, after all, we have those around us to lean on." They all nod their heads.
Fuyumi: "That's what I like to hear, dismissed." They stood up and left the room for the rest of the day they spent time in each other's company.
Jintsū's POV
It's already night and about to head to bed, but something is not allowing this.
Iō: "だから、罰として、昨日、私を司令官と呼んだのは、このためだ。" (So for the punishment, for calling me commander yesterday is this.) She places a ring on my finger, wait what! Isn't this too soon? "Well?"
Jin: "いつかこの瞬間が来るとは思っていたが、こんなに早くとは、言葉もない。" (Sorry I'm just without words to say, I've expected this moment to come one day, but not this soon.)
Iō: "そう言うと思った。" (Thought you'd say that.)
She places her lips on mine with such passion as I did the same. As we broke from that she placed her hand on her head, I was worried, but not long after I saw something playing in my head.
One thing was clear we did cross paths at some point but that's not possible as she was built near the end of the war, and I was sunk almost two years prior to her construction since it was a fact. It cannot be so recently, so when? And how did I know to call Fuyumi 'Iō' the first time we met?
Jin: 'What was that?' As I came too, I saw her lying down on the bed. "おい、大丈夫なのか？" (Hey, are you okay?) She was out cold.
Fuyumi's POV
As we broke from the kiss, something was playing in my head. The first thing I saw was brown colored leaves falling around me, then I was taken to the cold winter about to be abandoned again, before being taken to the following Autumn where I found myself in a house that seems to belong to me and later that same season, I met Jintsū that can't be in the past we've never met once and yet, now that I thought about it why did our interactions from the first day we met until now feels like it's happened before. I soon woke up to her caring voice.
Jin: "目が覚めたのか、大丈夫なのか？" (You're awake, are you okay?)
Iō: "大丈夫、どのくらい気を失ってた？" (I'm okay, how long was I out?)
Jin: "約一時間ですが、それよりもさっきのは何だったんだ？" (About an hour, but more importantly what was all that just now?)
Iō: "では、あなたも見たのですか？" (So you saw as well?) She nods her head. "私もよくわからないのですが、こんな感じでした。" (I'm not sure either, but this is what I saw.)
I explained what I'd just seen, she too told her side of things so right now we both have one moment in that same vision it's that we've met before, and we both ruled out this possibility so what is this telling me?
Jin: "あまり深く考えず、二人だけの秘密にしておこう。" (Let's not think too much of this and keep this between us.)
Iō: "ああ、もう寝よう、おやすみなさい。" (Yeah, let's get some sleep, good night.)