Just Another Fletcher

24

The base was busy as per usual, everyone going about carrying different things, mainly lights and fireworks, as well as setting up a stage on the water.

Ontop the hill that overlooked the base, a silver head of hair was watching all of this.

"December 31st... Wish you were here to see it... It's been so long since we last met..." She said as she looked down at everyone.

This was Johnston, the valiant destroyer. Though, she seemed more level headed than she usually was.

"There's still some time left till it all begins... I'll go elsewhere for now..."

She then left the hill, where was she going? Who knows.

_____

10pm, Hawaii:

The festivities were in full swing, ship girls were dancing, eating... Some drinking Mainly the girls from Northern Parlement, but it was all happy.

"Come on Johnston! Let's dance!" The blue haired girl known as Samuel B. Roberts pulled Johnston along towards a dance floor.

"I'm coming I'm coming!" Johnston said as she was pulled though the crowd of ship girls near the floor.

"Well you're not moving fast enough! It's my favourite song they're playing!" Samuel, or Sammy said while still pulling Johnston, the two giggling the whole time.

The two finally got to the dance floor, and started having a ball. Busting out various moves, some good, some seriously bad, those were Johnston's.

"Hehe! Watch this!" Johnston said before dropping down into the splits.

"Since when could you do that!?" Sammy exclaimed as she watched Johnston come back up without using her hands.

"Always could!" The destroyer answered with a wink.

The two giggled and continued to dance for a while before the music stopped and the place went dark.

FLASH

The lights came back on and shone at the stage. The Cleveland class sisters were standing there ready to perform.

As they started to sing the crowd went wild, the girls on stage and in the crowd having a blast including Sammy and... Wait where did Johnston go...?

...

...

...

Yamato was away from the base, taking a walk with her two younger siblings and chatting before noticing something out the corner of her eye.

"Shimano, Musashi, please go on ahead..." She said as she broke off from the two and walked up a small hill.

"Ah... So my suspicions were correct..." She said as she reached the top. Johnston was standing there, in front of a grave.

"Not going to partake in the festivities...?" She asked Johnston who still had her back turned.

"Should ask you the same Yamato..." She turned around and looked her in the eyes.

"Cleaver one... Two years..."

"And nothing has changed..."

Johnston looked down at her watch.

"It's almost time..."

"Yeah... One minute..." Yamato said, as the two were joined on the hill by some others.

"I'm not missing seeing this with you Johnston!" Sammy said as she stood beside her friend.

"Sister... We will see this new year together..." Musashi said as she walked up the hill with a sleepy Shinano.

"Hahahahaha!" Yamato and Johnston started to laugh together as the all too familiar countdown was heard in the distance.

"It's time!" Musashi said happily.

FIVE

FOUR

THREE

TWO

ONE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

they all cheered and hugged, laughing and cheering as the new year rolled in.

"Huh?" Johnston said as she looked at what seemed to be a branch of a tree on fire.

A face was barely visible, it smiled at her.

Johnston's eyes shot wide open as she went to say something but could bring out any words. Instead her mouth was left agape as tears pricked her eyes.

Just as quickly as she had seen it, the figure faded away, leaving no trace behind.

"Johnston?" Sammy said prompting the girl to look back at her.

"Something wrong?"

"N-nothing... Nothing..." Johnston smiled softly at her friend as she whipped her tears.

"Happy new year!" Johnston hugged Samuel tighter.

"Yeah... Happy new year..."

'Happy new year to you too...' Johnston thought to herself as she looked up to the stars with a smile.