Not So Common

Chapter 2

Kisaragi's vocab lessons were going pretty well. More importantly at the moment, they were something to help distract her from the worries of sailing into a fight. Still, he couldn't help but worry a little as they sat on the bridge, looking over grammar.

They just didn't have information about shipgirls. It seemed like they didn't age, but did that mean Kisaragi would stay at a child-like level of intelligence indefinitely?

At some point, Miller had internally accepted the responsibility of raising Kisaragi, and that suddenly meant he was worrying about things like her socializing enough and her education.

If they returned her to Japan at the end of the war, would she be able to fit in? Presumably, she had a child's understanding of the language...

Would she even get the chance to grow up, as he understood it?

As he contemplated what exactly raising a shipgirl might mean, the radio crackled to life, Langley's voice coming in. "Commander, we've got contact!"

"How many?"

"Not sure- but I'm dogfighting with some Japanese planes." His heart sunk. If there were fleet carriers in the region... things would get messy. Almost immediately, Nevada's AA began to move in their mountings, anxiously awaiting a hail of dive bombers...

Until the radio came to life again. "They're reconnaissance planes." Langley chuckled. "Pardon. They were reconnaissance planes. No match for my fighters, thankfully."

"Any idea of where they came from?"

"I'm not certain. There were enough of them to make me think there might be multiple craft launching them."

"Seaplane tenders, you think?"

"Maybe... but more importantly, who are they doing reconnaissance for?"

If they were attached to a larger fleet... he grit his teeth. "Everyone, keep your eyes open."

They fell into silence, the sound of props and the churning sea filling their ears. Kisaragi had sensed the change in mood as well, finding a table to hide under. He tried to take more of where she was... in case anything happened.

Grimly, some part of him wondered what would happen were they to sink. Hopefully, the Sakura would be merciful enough to retake Kisaragi. Hell, could they even make a second shop for her? Had some fundamental part of her been torn away...?

The radio derailed his train of thought. "I've spotted them, Commander!"

"How it's looking?" Come on, come on...

"Two battleships, just as many heavy cruisers, and a pack of destroyers. They're closing."

"Son of a..." His voice petered out. "No carriers? Tenders?"

"The battleships... they're retrofitted. They've got catapults."

Could they do this? Miller wasn't sure. But if they were on their tail... What sort of damage could they do to the base? It would be more than an inconvenience- it would be a strategic coup.

"Langley, scramble everything you've got. Girls, get ready!"

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Fusou was... experienced. While she certainly wasn't the oldest (that honor went to Mikasa), she was no junior, despite how big the carrier's heads had gotten recently. Not to mention the battleships with bigger guns than hers...

Maybe she couldn't do battle with the best of them anymore, but she was determined to look after Yamashiro. And then she checked in on the destroyers (the poor dears. Practically babies!) and some of the cruisers who needed a bit of guidance...