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Belated Battleships (KanColle) [REHOST]

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Part 32d: Mic-Check!
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    • Part 32d​

    Kirishima's questions started off innocently enough. The blushing battleship would ask a question, normally about Washington's fire control system. Then the littlest Kongou sister would hold her pen at the ready, her eyes wide behind her glasses as she prepared to scribble down every word the American said.

    For her part, Jersey was more than happy to educate Kirishima on the infinite superiority of the American Radar Master Race. It wasn't that she was proud, the Japanese navy had it's strong points of course. But the United States Navy was unquestionably the best in the world when it came to fire control. And radar. And damage control. And… really anything relating logistics in any way shape or form. The Japs did have decent torpedoes though… she'd give them that.

    "Jersey-san?" Kirishima tilted her head, the eraser end of her pencil poking a divot into her creamy smooth cheek.

    "Eh?" Jersey's nose crinkled in mild annoyance. The "-san,-sama-chan-ching-chong" was starting to get on her nerves. She didn't speak moon-moon, damnit!

    "Do…" Kirishima blinked, her cheeks going a shade redder as the two battleships walked down a crowded Japanese sidewalk. "Do you need me to repeat the question?"

    Jersey frowned. She honestly hadn't noticed Kirishima'd asked something. Between her ruminations on American Superiority, contemplating gifts for her friends, and basking in the astonished stares passersby shot her way—it was like they hadn't seen a six-four woman with legs for days before!—the battleship'd been lost in her own thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. Hit me."

    Kirishima smiled, her whole body vibrating as a giddy bounce shot down her spine. "What kind of sweets does Washington-Sama like?"

    Jersey made a face, exchanging a wry smile with the tiny navigator fairy riding on her shoulder. "Why?"

    "So that I can make something suitable for the Christmas dinner," said the Japanese battleship. She didn't even miss a beat.

    Jersey smirked. "You put this much effort into all of your guests?"

    "Yes!" Kirishma flipped her notebook back in a flurry of rustling paper and glittering glasses. "When Kongou heard you'd be joining us, she had me ask around." She smiled, handing the notebook over to Jersey.

    "How did you…" Jersey trailed off as she read down the list. Beautiful oriental runes—that she could somehow read—listed a more-or-less complete inventory of her favorites. Pancakes, poached eggs, burgers dripping in their own fat… The battleship felt her belly rumble just reading about it.

    "A Yeoman Gale from Everett," explained Kirishima. "Or, she did most of it. Doctor Crowning recommended the chicken-fired steak."

    Jersey made a mental note to buy Crowning something nice for that. "That's a lot of effort to go though for just a guest, you know."

    Kirishima's nostrils flared, and her chest—her rather impressive chest, if Jersey was being honest—puffed up in indignation. "We're British!"

    "Kongou's British."

    "Fine, Kongou's British," Kirishima shrugged, "But we're proud to follow in her wake!"

    Jersey blinked. "It worries me how much sense that makes."

    The Japanese battleship smiled and hunched over notebook. Her pen quivered at the ready as she stared over the spiral binding at the much bigger American battlewagon. "So, what kind of sweets does Washington-Sama like?"

    "Kirishima?"

    "Hmm?"

    "I've…" Jersey shook her head, rubbing at her temples with one hand as the other fell to her hip. "I've know Wash was back literally as long as you have." She ducked under a low-hanging street sign, "I'm not even really sure why I know she likes being called Wash."

    "Hmm." Kirishima let out a tiny noise that might almost have been a pout.

    "Sorry, kiddo," said Jersey. "You're gonna have to court her the old fashioned way."

    Kirishima blushed a glowing crimson. "Court her- I- I have no such intentions!"

    Jersey smirked as she folded her arms. "Uh huh… and you just happen to be interested in her preference in sweets, eh?"

    "I do," said Kirishima, a glint forming in her smile as she pushed her glasses up her slender nose. It was a predator's smile, the kind of outwardly sweet gesture that could only be hiding hardened steel. Jersey felt her heart rate double as she reflexively went to general quarters. "And you just happen to be buying gifts for the man who summoned you?"

    Jersey blinked. She was good. "This conversation never happened."

    "Agreed," said Kirishima with a relived smile.

    For a few minutes, the two battleships walked in silence. It was a very unusual experience for Jersey. The taffies never collectively shut up for more then ten seconds, and even when their mouths weren't making noise their feet were. It was nice to have a moment to just… enjoy being.

    Jersey hadn't had a chance to be a person since she… incarnated? Returned? Whatever the word. A slow walk though the city streets felt good. Amazing. Better than it had any right to feel. She loved the feel of crisp December air against her bare legs, the smell of raw humanity in the air…

    Okay, it wasn't the nicest smell in the world. But it was a damn sight better than powder, fear, and burning fuel oil. It was life! Also, food. Jersey definitely smelled food. She'd have to check that out later. But first…

    "Uh… Kirishima?" Jersey hung her head.

    "Yes?"

    "That's a train, isn't it?" the battleship scowled as she sized up what was obviously a subway.

    Kirishima nodded, flashing a slender slip of plastic to the white-gloved attendant.

    "Kirishima, I weigh fifty-eight-thousand tons!" Jersey waved her hands about in an inarticulate display of largeness.

    "But you haven't fallen though the floor," said Kirishima, nodding to Jersey as she handed the attendant her card once more.

    "Okay, point. Still…" Jersey tucked though the turnstile, making very sure she didn't bash her head on anything this time around. "I maxed out a ten-ton truck my first day back."

    "Exactly," said Kirishima. "Your first day back. You were confused, you were still getting your human-legs under you." The battleship's sleeves flowed back behind her in an unbroken wake as she walked down the steps to the waiting train. There was a hint of her sister's bubbly enthusiasm, but nothing more.

    "You've been back nearly two months now. By my calculations…" Kirishima made a show of studding her notebook, "This should work."

    "Should?"

    "Will," corrected Kirishima, stepping though the doorway into a otherwise-empty subway car. "I'm certain of it. I've taken this train with my sisters many times."

    "Okay then." Jersey sized up the subway car. Judging by the signing—or what little of the cryptic moon-moon-runes she could actually read—it was reserved for Kanmusu only. Made sense… two ships weigh a hell of a lot even before stuffing the car with bodies. More importantly, the battleship sized up the entryway. She'd been betrayed by treacherously-low Japanese doorframes one this day. She would not fall victim to them again.

    The American carefully ducked under the door, one hand on her hat to make sure it didn't catch on anything. "Ah hah!" She smiled in triumph as she took her seat.

    Kirishima smiled, jotting down another frantic line as the train slowly picked up speed.

    "Hey… 'shima?" Jersey yawned as she sprawled out along a row of seats.

    The Japanese girl looked up from her writing with an enigmatic half-smile.

    "How long's the ride?"

    Kirishima answered without even the slightest hitch. "Fifty-five minutes."

    "'Kay," grunted Jersey, tugging her hat low over her face as she prepared to embrace her third favorite thing about being human: Naps.
    - - - - -
    A/N: Finally time with mic-check-Chan. Even if there were no mics to check... How'd I do? She doesn't have nearly as iconic a personality as Kongou or Kaga. (Or Naka-Chan for that matter.) More White action coming up soon (or after I nap, possibly.)
     
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    • Beach Trip to Guam when JMPer, they need to do training since Yoko is as much as I love that base, Guam is the best of the Far East ports (besides Singapore).
     
    Ryand-Smith said:
    I had a silly idea, I'm shocked Jersey hasn't taken her harem er um escorts to This place, the largest Japanese grocery in the Northeast, as a sign of Jerse Pride.
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    Jersey has no harem, much to Johnston's dissapointment, she has a gaggle of kids who are one step away from just flat out calling her mom. :p

    Sammy: ...Mom?
    White: Mommy!
    Williams: *watching Jersey get dogpiled by her 'kids'* I blame you for this.
    Crowning: What did I do?
    Williams: I don't know yet, but I'm still blaming you for it.
     
    I was going to make a silly post about how baby ships are made when a momma admiral and a daddy shipyard get together and propose a new class, and after many debates and much pain, a new ship is born
     
    Jersey: Franny... I am going to literally kill you.
    Old Iron said:
    Jersey has no harem, much to Johnston's dissapointment, she has a gaggle of kids who are one step away from just flat out calling her mom. :p

    Sammy: ...Mom?
    White: Mommy!
    Williams: *watching Jersey get dogpiled by her 'kids'* I blame you for this.
    Crowning: What did I do?
    Williams: I don't know yet, but I'm still blaming you for it.
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    You do rember White actually calling Jersey "Momma" that one time. Jersey is a momboat, wither she wants to be or not.
     
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    theJMPer said:
    Jersey: Franny... I am going to literally kill you.
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    SanFran : HE SPAM PRESERVE ME
    USN DoT fire chance is really low compared to Japanese ones though... I have to see if I can adapt some IJN shells to my guns and see what kind of fires I can start...
    ... I'm getting tied up again, aren't I...?
     
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    Old Iron said:
    Jersey has no harem, much to Johnston's dissapointment, she has a gaggle of kids who are one step away from just flat out calling her mom. :p

    Sammy: ...Mom?
    White: Mommy!
    Williams: *watching Jersey get dogpiled by her 'kids'* I blame you for this.
    Crowning: What did I do?
    Williams: I don't know yet, but I'm still blaming you for it.
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    Meanwhile, Nagamon and Tenryuu watch on enviously.
     
    But Tenryuu is the Big Sis. She might fill the role of a mother, but at heart she's the Cool Big Sis.

    Only Heavy Cruisers, Battleships and Aircraft Carriers are mom-boats.

    @theJMPer Would New Jersey trust Tenryuu with her Taffies? And how would Nagato react to seeing Tenryuu with a bigger Kindergarten?
     
    Shaithan said:
    But Tenryuu is the Big Sis. She might fill the role of a mother, but at heart she's the Cool Big Sis.

    Only Heavy Cruisers, Battleships and Aircraft Carriers are mom-boats.
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    Nah, Chunnimomboat is a momboat, despite how virulently she may protest otherwise. (It's a special exception given how old she is. Normally I'd agree with you.) I'm not sure I'd put CVs as momboats though, they rely way more on their escorts for protection, and anything that gets close enough to threaten said escorts is too close for the carrier to do anything about it. Battleships (Especially USN battleships) are a lot more protective because protecting the CVs was their whole job during WWII. There were only two US-involved battleship engagements in the Pacific. (Both of which had the American battlewagons come out on top by a huge margin.)
    Shaithan said:
    @theJMPer Would New Jersey trust Tenryuu with her Taffies? And how would Nagato react to seeing Tenryuu with a bigger Kindergarten?
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    Depends what you mean by "trust." She knows Tenryuu won't try and harm her girls, and the Fletchers are arguably better surface-combatants then Tenryuu if it came to blows. Plus, the Taffies are utterly terrified of causing trouble for Jersey or Admiral Williams, so you shouldn't have to worry about unsanctioned mischief.

    But this is Tenryuu. There's the possibility of sanctioned, or even encouraged mischief. And yes, trolling Nagamon could be one of those sanctioned mischief incidents! (Though not this second. Tenryuu's off with DesDiv6 pulling expedition duty right now, which is why the Taffies are crashing at Naka's place.)
     
    theJMPer said:
    Depends what you mean by "trust." She knows Tenryuu won't try and harm her girls, and the Fletchers are arguably better surface-combatants then Tenryuu if it came to blows. Plus, the Taffies are utterly terrified of causing trouble for Jersey or Admiral Williams, so you shouldn't have to worry about unsanctioned mischief.

    But this is Tenryuu. There's the possibility of sanctioned, or even encouraged mischief. And yes, trolling Nagamon could be one of those sanctioned mischief incidents!
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    Well, trust in the sense of "I can't currently take care of them. Could you take care of them in my absence?" Basically, trusting Tenryuu with destroyer-wrangling.

    I very much doubt that New Jersey would like to let her Taffies sail into battle without her.

    And yeah, Tenryuu definitely would encourage some stunts, especially if the magical word Badass is involved. Or getting back at Tatsuta or making Nagamon so flustered that Mutsu senses a disturbance in the force. I think Johnston and Tenryuu will get along great when spending extended time together. Who knows, maybe Johnston would even see Tenryuu as a rolemodel. Especially after getting to know scary protective Tenryuu.

    I do see Carriers as the third class of mom-boats because they might not be the gals to go for for up close and personal encounters but they are likely very protective of their screening ships. Also, Carriers make Ice Cream, something destroyers desire, a lot.
     
    Shaithan said:
    I think Johnston and Tenryuu will get along great when spending extended time together. Who knows, maybe Johnston would even see Tenryuu as a rolemodel.
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    As lewddestroyer, Johnston would certainly see Tenryuu as a role model in more then one way.

    I do see Carriers as the third class of mom-boats because they might not be the gals to go for for up close and personal encounters but they are likely very protective of their screening ships. Also, Carriers make Ice Cream, something destroyers desire, a lot.
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    The carriers (or the light ones, anyways) have provided us with the ultimate example of momboats (outside of the auxiliaries, that is):



     
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    Hmm Tenryuu was a Training vessel so how about a training montage with Des Div 6 and the Taffies.
    Optical gunnery is the topic because the U.S. girls would tend to depend on their radar and with this brush up help if their radar was destroyed.
    When someone blows their top the Cool trainer Tenryuu comes out with a side of mom.
     
    Shaithan said:
    Which reminds me, I really should write out a profile for HMS Dreadnought, the Battleship Mom.
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    Well, someones done some fanart of that one:


    No, I don't know why she has those rifles and pistols. As a battleship-class momboat, though, she's a perfect candidate.

    Rajvik_wolfboy said:
    LHDs could be a fourth class of mom boat. I mean everyone knows about helicopter mothers nowadays
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    Actually, the fourth class of momboat is definitely the auxiliaries. Mamiya has very similar airs to Houshou, after all.
     
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