Warrior's Spirit

175 7 2
                                    

AU
OC

The NATO games were held on a hot day in the concrete jungle of Newark NJ as the newly converted aircraft carrier J.S. Kaga was at the plate with her sister Izumo on 3rd and the winning run.

The game was tied at the bottom of the 9th with two out and a full-count as the pride of U.S. 1st fleet, the U.S.S Gerald Ford stood on the pitcher's mound, nodding at the signs being made between the legs of the catcher, the destroyer U.S.S Gaido.

"Fastball, low."

Ford nodded at the two fingers spread, tapping Gaido's right inner thigh as the massive carrier wound up and hurled the ball towards home plate.

Kaga's feet and bat shifted swifty, making contact.

The ball popped up high and foul as the destroyer ripped the catcher's mask from her face and gave chase.

"I got it! I got it!" The wild Italian girl yelled and she jumped over the short chain-linked fence still running for the foul ball.

"Hey Gaido! Let it go!" Ford yelled with annoyance as her green eyes widened.

The destroyer was so concerned with the foul ball that she didn't see the old lady in front of her.

"Gaido, watch out!" The smaller girl looked down at the last second as she slammed face first into the old woman.

To everyone's surprise the destroyer bounced off the mature woman and hit the ground roughly.

Gasps rang out from the ball diamond as the old woman simply dusted off her forearm when the ball struck her hard in the head.

Neither hit seem to even phase or shake the old woman as she simply held her hand out and looked up as if it was raining and continued walking with a bag under her arm.

"How could an old woman take a hit like that?" Kaga said aloud as the umpire and Shipyard mother, Kearny chuckled with a cigarette on her lips.

"That "old woman" is tougher than all you kids put together." All the modern ships looked at the Shipyard as she just turned  and yelled.

"PLAY BALL!"

A couple hours later.

"Owwwie I think my nose is broken." Whined Gaido as she sat in the common room, gently touching her bandaged nose.

"I told you to let it go, but you had to be Tony Péna." Ford said sharply as she sat across from the injured Destroyer.

"Man, it was like that old lady was made of solid steel and her eyes flashed a weird yellow color at the last moment but they were violet when I saw them again." Gaido explained as even Kaga and her sister listened.

"Those are the eyes of a True Warrior you saw." The U.S.S. Constitution spoke up as she had seen the incident earlier and been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Despite being almost 230 years old the wooden ship also known as "Old Ironsides" looked and moved like she was in pristine condition.

"A old woman like her still has her Warrior spirit?" Kaga asked as Constitution nodded.

"She will always have it, this is not something you are built with…" Constitution had every ear and eye now with the group of modern warships listening quietly.

"You earn it by…" Constitution closed her soft blue eyes as she continued speaking.

"Sinking other ships."

Constitution's eyes flashed open with the coldest set of yellow eyes the others had ever seen, everything about the old, soft spoken teacher was gone as it felt like a horrible monster was standing before them now.

"I used to set fire to my defeated enemies, just to make sure they wouldn't return to seek revenge." Her eyes burned hotly as her aura began to appear visibly to the others now.

"Most of you may never get it, but some of you still might…" Constitution instantly turned back into the kindly, blue-eyed teacher as the other still looked shocked.

"So the old woman, she was a ship-girl too?" Kaga asked with Constitution nodding.

"She only looks like that because most of her is gone, but I taught her and her sisters the basics, war taught them the rest." The blonde said as she began to reminisce to herself.

"Who is she?" This question was the heaviest on Ford's mind now.

"Take the 311 bus to River Vale, the bus driver will know who you are talking about." The blonde teacher smiled and walked away, leaving the others dumbfounded.

"We have leave tomorrow, are you interested? Kaga?" The sudden request from Ford caught Kaga off guard and she turned and nodded.

"You're coming too Gaido."
Ford announced as the Italian girl rolled her eyes.

"Granny kicked my butt once, you wanting her to get an encore?" Gaido snapped as Ford snapped back.

"You should have been "radars up" you're going to apologize to her." Ford began to lose her cool.

"Fine! I'll go!"

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