Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
@TheBleachDoctor and I were brainstorming a Warframe/Destiny crossover the other day.
Life With the Ship Girls, or, How I Learned How to Stop Worrying and Love the Polygamy
- Thread starter Icywinter
- Start date
LGear
Secret Society BLANKET
Stumbled unto this thread, and liking the basic idea.... however I became lost as the pages went on along the way.
Suddenly got inspired to write a short snip sticking close to the original premise, so here goes a sloppy one:
(This particular snip kinda assumes WoWS receives a built-in voice chat feature in the future)
**********
Our Victory Is In Sight!
So says the game announcer, which was odd considering the screen just blurred, and the post-battle scoreboard has already appeared. Well, who says the game didn't have its quirks...
[21:46]LGear: Despite that we won it. Good work partner.
[21:46]NotMisato [FOG]: Arigato, aibou~
It was only a year ago that I got into World of Warships, and found myself completely enjoying the complete change of pace and playstyle from my previous Wargaming MMO, World of Tanks. While I'd like to think of myself as a serious player hellbent on getting the most out of the game (My wallet still cries at that last purchase of the South Dakota), my playstyle is quite casual and I daresay whimsical: sometimes I play cautiously playing to my strengths, sometimes I charge in front going YOLO and giving a lucky player his First Blood award. I had my greatest hits and my worst losses, just like everyone gamer out there. The one thing that always stayed the same was my penchant for being the lone wolf. Sure I do have some friends I division with from time to time, but otherwise I prefer to go at it solo, in my own comfortable pace.
That changed quite early on when during a most memorable match, when I met a Shoukaku driver who was slinging torpedoes nonstop at my Aoba like it was a Touhou game, with harbingers of death coming in from all angles and directions. Through blind luck driving like a bat out of hell, not only did I manage to evade them all while they passed within a hair's width of me, but I managed to kill said carrier with my own well-placed (if I say so myself) torps.
Said player by the name of NotMisato took me up in chat to ask me how I did that. I initially thought this was yet another of those "report you cheater h4xx" type players who love to think I was cracking the game or something because they can't accept that they lost. To my surprise, NotMisato not only praised my skill (heh), but also invited me to div up with him.
Why not I thought, and after a few games - some won, some lost - I called it a night. They may have been average games then, but for some reason playing with him was both fun and instructive: he actually did communicate on our attack plans, and he was good enough to call me out on whatever stupidity I was about to do without resorting to the usual netspeak. In turn I made sure to watch his back at all times, and keep marauding hopeful DD's and CA's from taking him out, since he insisted on playing carriers no matter what Tier. Even among friends it was rare to have that much communication in a match, and though they weren't successful most of the time that feeling of being among competents was a very satisfying thing.
It was perhaps that feeling that made me accept his div invitation the next day, where we continued on the rapport we established previously. And the day after that, and the day afterwards. On the fourth day high on some well earned victories I was the one who invited him to a div.
I never did that before, usually I'd let someone else do that and I only went along for the ride.
And so this went on for months, and before I knew it NotMisato had become an indispensable part of my WoWS experience, someone who playing the game feels just less fun without. Even when managing to draw out fantastic victories, if he wasn't there it felt quite hollow. At first our topics of conversation in the game's private chats always related to our latest battle tactics, or planning some experimental new strategy that would either win our game or see our asses kicked. I didn't realize when it happened, but soon we were both talking about each other's personal lives, sharing whatever gripes and problems with the world we currently may have, of which it seemed both of us had many. I knew he was Japanese and was somewhat miffed at the lack of respect his friends seemed to have of him, and how he wanted to look better in front of his beloved senpai. My own problems mostly involved the painful stuff that happened at work and the strange happenings I sometimes encounter as a postie. I'd give him advice on what he might do to earn his colleague's respect, and he'd give me pointers on how to make my work easier.
Sometimes we'd chat for so long that we forget we were supposed to be playing the game. This is WoWS, not Y!Messenger dangit! Yet both of us did it anyway.
If there was one person in the entire world I could honestly call a bro, it'd be NotMisato.
That view though was challenged on the aftermath of this particular match...
[21:47]NotMisato [FOG]: So that was the legendary Haku! The way she maneuvered those planes were amazing, I couldn't keep up
[21:48]LGear: No shit. All our flak didn't seem to phase her one bit!
[21:48]NotMisato [FOG]: Hazukashii-na mou, I got reduced to being a floating AA platform again.
[21:49]LGear: You did make a nice AA platform though, you got more airplane kills than me and I'm was cruiser there
[21:49]NotMisato [FOG]: Haha
[21:49]LGear: Seriously though, that was some amazing flak output and dodging you got there, maybe you can do more damage to enemy carriers without your planes!
[21:50]LGear: NotMisato the Anti-Aircraft Destroyer, got a nice ring to it.
[21:51]NotMisato [FOG]: baka
I switched to using a Cleveland and waited for his ready signal, only to discover that he'd logged off. I initially thought it was a disconnection error or something, so I waited for him to get back online so we can get to the next match.
He never returned that day. And the day after, and the day afterwards.
When his named lit up on the fourth day, I immediately messaged him.
[20:20]LGear: Hey, whatsup?
[20:25]LGear: Hello?
[20:28]LGear: NotMisato?
I tried sending him a division invite, while I played my own solo game. It expired when I got back from an early death.
[20:35]LGear: Very funny man, what's this about?
It was rare for me to be absolutely livid about anything on the net, as usually I'd just occupy myself with something else.
But this was starting to piss me off.
[20:35]LGear: Seriously, just tell me something, anything.
[20:35]LGear: Was it something I said? Please man
I didn't know why I was acting like this for a person who by all rights should be no more than a digital existence to me.
[20:36]LGear: Didn't you say we should be in constant communication when we have problems with our game?
[20:36]LGear: There's a very big problem with our game right now
[20:36]LGear: Our game
[20:36]LGear: Me and you
[20:36]LGear: I know I can be socially clueless and something of a dick sometimes, but I won't know unless you tell me
[20:36]LGear: I don't know the game plan for this
What was the last thing I said to him before he logged off?
[20:38]LGear: Was it that carrier comment? I know Air-Defense Destroyer sounds lame, but it's silly to think this is because of that.
I'm pissed off. But more at myself than him. I don't like pushing the blame unto others unless proven it is, and because he left after that message I'm quite certain it is my fault.
Mostly though, for some reason I couldn't find it in myself to stay angry with him at all. Normally I would've already gone ballistic at this point... then again I never made someone get mad at me to the point of ignoring me, let alone a friend, a bro. Part of me treacherously thinks that if that's what NotMisato wants, then I'll just let him. I'll just find someone else to platoon with...
... No. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be the same, not without him.
I really didn't know what to do at that point. I don't know what he's thinking over the screen, and I don't know if he's even reading my messages.
There must be a way to get him to talk about this...
Talk...
The Voice Chat function.
The thought kind of petrifies me for a moment. I am not confident of how I sound online given some bad experiences with VOIP, and I prefer the thoroughness of text to the fleetingness of voice.
But I've trusted the guy enough for this long to let this get in the way. I can't let it. I won't.
My fingers hovered over the talk button, my pride wrestling with my courage at what I should do. In the first place, what do I say anyway?
Screw this, YOLO.
"Look man... NotMisato?" I hoped I pronounced that right, "I know you can hear me. I just want to say I'm sorry alright? I know I don't know that much about you, but maybe I shouldn't have run of my mouth- I mean hands... aaah whatever it is, I just want to say... I'm sorry. It just ain't the same without you."
In hindsight, I wish I had said more, but there was no time to think of eloquence.
My vision blurred that time, and my eyes felt cold. Didn't know why.
The silence that followed was deafening.
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: Don't be sorry please that was childih of me.
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: *childis
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: *childish
[20:48]LGear: Childish?
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: English is so hard but you are not at fault
I couldn't stop smiling at this point. How novel...
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: You don't know me, so you couldn't have known. It was foolish of me to act this way. I'm sorry. hontou ni gomenasai.
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: gomenasai
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: gomenasai
"Stop that please. If we both keep saying sorry, we'll accomplish nothing." I chided over the mic. I released any pent-up feelings with an audible sigh. "I'd rather hear more about you so this doesn't happen again, and I can tell you more about myself as well. If we can just talk like we normally do, I hope that'd be an apology for the both of us, ne?" I tried saying reassuringly, adding the tic at the end to lighten the tone.
For a while, the lack of reply begins to unnerve me. The longer it went, the more my doubts began to crept in more.
"Wakarimashita. I hope we can start over again, aibou."
I couldn't describe the feeling that swept over me hearing NotMisato's voice for the first time. Relief? Or perhaps, discovery?
Even for someone like me though, the words I heard just felt so... sincere, and so ladylike that...
Wait a second
"... a woman?"
"...Hai."
...Fuck.
"I'm sorry.... I always thought you were a dude all this time, I kept introducing you to everyone as a guy, I didn't know-"
NotMisato.... she laughed at that.I didn't want to describe I with words like "angelic voice clear like a bell"... but it totally was.
"It's so nice to finally hear your strange sense of priority... hontou ni...honestly, I missed that. "
"Yeah, I missed me too."
I think I could get used to hearing her laugh, perhaps I should find more ways to coax that out of her.
Okay, so NotMisato turns out not to be a bro... But I have an agreement to sort out, and as the one who proposed it I should take the lead.
"Since we agreed to share more about each other... Emmanuel. It's the only name I have that's not lifted from both parents, and would like to be called that thanks."
"De wa... my name is Katsuragi, nice to meet you!"
Suddenly got inspired to write a short snip sticking close to the original premise, so here goes a sloppy one:
(This particular snip kinda assumes WoWS receives a built-in voice chat feature in the future)
**********
Our Victory Is In Sight!
So says the game announcer, which was odd considering the screen just blurred, and the post-battle scoreboard has already appeared. Well, who says the game didn't have its quirks...
[21:46]LGear: Despite that we won it. Good work partner.
[21:46]NotMisato [FOG]: Arigato, aibou~
It was only a year ago that I got into World of Warships, and found myself completely enjoying the complete change of pace and playstyle from my previous Wargaming MMO, World of Tanks. While I'd like to think of myself as a serious player hellbent on getting the most out of the game (My wallet still cries at that last purchase of the South Dakota), my playstyle is quite casual and I daresay whimsical: sometimes I play cautiously playing to my strengths, sometimes I charge in front going YOLO and giving a lucky player his First Blood award. I had my greatest hits and my worst losses, just like everyone gamer out there. The one thing that always stayed the same was my penchant for being the lone wolf. Sure I do have some friends I division with from time to time, but otherwise I prefer to go at it solo, in my own comfortable pace.
That changed quite early on when during a most memorable match, when I met a Shoukaku driver who was slinging torpedoes nonstop at my Aoba like it was a Touhou game, with harbingers of death coming in from all angles and directions. Through blind luck driving like a bat out of hell, not only did I manage to evade them all while they passed within a hair's width of me, but I managed to kill said carrier with my own well-placed (if I say so myself) torps.
Said player by the name of NotMisato took me up in chat to ask me how I did that. I initially thought this was yet another of those "report you cheater h4xx" type players who love to think I was cracking the game or something because they can't accept that they lost. To my surprise, NotMisato not only praised my skill (heh), but also invited me to div up with him.
Why not I thought, and after a few games - some won, some lost - I called it a night. They may have been average games then, but for some reason playing with him was both fun and instructive: he actually did communicate on our attack plans, and he was good enough to call me out on whatever stupidity I was about to do without resorting to the usual netspeak. In turn I made sure to watch his back at all times, and keep marauding hopeful DD's and CA's from taking him out, since he insisted on playing carriers no matter what Tier. Even among friends it was rare to have that much communication in a match, and though they weren't successful most of the time that feeling of being among competents was a very satisfying thing.
It was perhaps that feeling that made me accept his div invitation the next day, where we continued on the rapport we established previously. And the day after that, and the day afterwards. On the fourth day high on some well earned victories I was the one who invited him to a div.
I never did that before, usually I'd let someone else do that and I only went along for the ride.
And so this went on for months, and before I knew it NotMisato had become an indispensable part of my WoWS experience, someone who playing the game feels just less fun without. Even when managing to draw out fantastic victories, if he wasn't there it felt quite hollow. At first our topics of conversation in the game's private chats always related to our latest battle tactics, or planning some experimental new strategy that would either win our game or see our asses kicked. I didn't realize when it happened, but soon we were both talking about each other's personal lives, sharing whatever gripes and problems with the world we currently may have, of which it seemed both of us had many. I knew he was Japanese and was somewhat miffed at the lack of respect his friends seemed to have of him, and how he wanted to look better in front of his beloved senpai. My own problems mostly involved the painful stuff that happened at work and the strange happenings I sometimes encounter as a postie. I'd give him advice on what he might do to earn his colleague's respect, and he'd give me pointers on how to make my work easier.
Sometimes we'd chat for so long that we forget we were supposed to be playing the game. This is WoWS, not Y!Messenger dangit! Yet both of us did it anyway.
If there was one person in the entire world I could honestly call a bro, it'd be NotMisato.
That view though was challenged on the aftermath of this particular match...
[21:47]NotMisato [FOG]: So that was the legendary Haku! The way she maneuvered those planes were amazing, I couldn't keep up
[21:48]LGear: No shit. All our flak didn't seem to phase her one bit!
[21:48]NotMisato [FOG]: Hazukashii-na mou, I got reduced to being a floating AA platform again.
[21:49]LGear: You did make a nice AA platform though, you got more airplane kills than me and I'm was cruiser there
[21:49]NotMisato [FOG]: Haha
[21:49]LGear: Seriously though, that was some amazing flak output and dodging you got there, maybe you can do more damage to enemy carriers without your planes!
[21:50]LGear: NotMisato the Anti-Aircraft Destroyer, got a nice ring to it.
[21:51]NotMisato [FOG]: baka
I switched to using a Cleveland and waited for his ready signal, only to discover that he'd logged off. I initially thought it was a disconnection error or something, so I waited for him to get back online so we can get to the next match.
He never returned that day. And the day after, and the day afterwards.
When his named lit up on the fourth day, I immediately messaged him.
[20:20]LGear: Hey, whatsup?
[20:25]LGear: Hello?
[20:28]LGear: NotMisato?
I tried sending him a division invite, while I played my own solo game. It expired when I got back from an early death.
[20:35]LGear: Very funny man, what's this about?
It was rare for me to be absolutely livid about anything on the net, as usually I'd just occupy myself with something else.
But this was starting to piss me off.
[20:35]LGear: Seriously, just tell me something, anything.
[20:35]LGear: Was it something I said? Please man
I didn't know why I was acting like this for a person who by all rights should be no more than a digital existence to me.
[20:36]LGear: Didn't you say we should be in constant communication when we have problems with our game?
[20:36]LGear: There's a very big problem with our game right now
[20:36]LGear: Our game
[20:36]LGear: Me and you
[20:36]LGear: I know I can be socially clueless and something of a dick sometimes, but I won't know unless you tell me
[20:36]LGear: I don't know the game plan for this
What was the last thing I said to him before he logged off?
[20:38]LGear: Was it that carrier comment? I know Air-Defense Destroyer sounds lame, but it's silly to think this is because of that.
I'm pissed off. But more at myself than him. I don't like pushing the blame unto others unless proven it is, and because he left after that message I'm quite certain it is my fault.
Mostly though, for some reason I couldn't find it in myself to stay angry with him at all. Normally I would've already gone ballistic at this point... then again I never made someone get mad at me to the point of ignoring me, let alone a friend, a bro. Part of me treacherously thinks that if that's what NotMisato wants, then I'll just let him. I'll just find someone else to platoon with...
... No. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be the same, not without him.
I really didn't know what to do at that point. I don't know what he's thinking over the screen, and I don't know if he's even reading my messages.
There must be a way to get him to talk about this...
Talk...
The Voice Chat function.
The thought kind of petrifies me for a moment. I am not confident of how I sound online given some bad experiences with VOIP, and I prefer the thoroughness of text to the fleetingness of voice.
But I've trusted the guy enough for this long to let this get in the way. I can't let it. I won't.
My fingers hovered over the talk button, my pride wrestling with my courage at what I should do. In the first place, what do I say anyway?
Screw this, YOLO.
"Look man... NotMisato?" I hoped I pronounced that right, "I know you can hear me. I just want to say I'm sorry alright? I know I don't know that much about you, but maybe I shouldn't have run of my mouth- I mean hands... aaah whatever it is, I just want to say... I'm sorry. It just ain't the same without you."
In hindsight, I wish I had said more, but there was no time to think of eloquence.
My vision blurred that time, and my eyes felt cold. Didn't know why.
The silence that followed was deafening.
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: Don't be sorry please that was childih of me.
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: *childis
[20:48]NotMisato [FOG]: *childish
[20:48]LGear: Childish?
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: English is so hard but you are not at fault
I couldn't stop smiling at this point. How novel...
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: You don't know me, so you couldn't have known. It was foolish of me to act this way. I'm sorry. hontou ni gomenasai.
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: gomenasai
[20:49]NotMisato [FOG]: gomenasai
"Stop that please. If we both keep saying sorry, we'll accomplish nothing." I chided over the mic. I released any pent-up feelings with an audible sigh. "I'd rather hear more about you so this doesn't happen again, and I can tell you more about myself as well. If we can just talk like we normally do, I hope that'd be an apology for the both of us, ne?" I tried saying reassuringly, adding the tic at the end to lighten the tone.
For a while, the lack of reply begins to unnerve me. The longer it went, the more my doubts began to crept in more.
"Wakarimashita. I hope we can start over again, aibou."
I couldn't describe the feeling that swept over me hearing NotMisato's voice for the first time. Relief? Or perhaps, discovery?
Even for someone like me though, the words I heard just felt so... sincere, and so ladylike that...
Wait a second
"... a woman?"
"...Hai."
...Fuck.
"I'm sorry.... I always thought you were a dude all this time, I kept introducing you to everyone as a guy, I didn't know-"
NotMisato.... she laughed at that.I didn't want to describe I with words like "angelic voice clear like a bell"... but it totally was.
"It's so nice to finally hear your strange sense of priority... hontou ni...honestly, I missed that. "
"Yeah, I missed me too."
I think I could get used to hearing her laugh, perhaps I should find more ways to coax that out of her.
Okay, so NotMisato turns out not to be a bro... But I have an agreement to sort out, and as the one who proposed it I should take the lead.
"Since we agreed to share more about each other... Emmanuel. It's the only name I have that's not lifted from both parents, and would like to be called that thanks."
"De wa... my name is Katsuragi, nice to meet you!"
- Location
- United States
Oh, the jokes that could be made. I enjoyed it, and I look forward to more adventures with Emmanuel and the tsundere carrier. It will be interesting to see the reveals as they continue to get to know each other..
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
NotMisato. Heh.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
I get it!
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
Round 3! (Pt. 2 of ??)
I heard a blanket shift and noticed the two DDGs starting to wake up. One stretched her arms into the other's face, causing her to yelp in pain. It was admittedly adorable.
"Are you okay?" Mom asked.
"Gram… my?" One of them asked.
Mom got a look on her face. She had effectively blue screened.
"Grammy's here…" yawned the other. "Where's momma?"
Mom tried to answer, but I waved her off and took over. One wrong move and they would level the hospital in their search for Kongou.
"Your mother…" I answered. "Was taken by some men. Don't worry, they won't hurt her. But you guys… you kind of came here unannounced, and the government doesn't like that. I'm sure they're starting to understand what happened and who you three are. And why they honestly should be afraid."
"Afraid of mum's burning love for you?"
I grew an odd look on my face. If she broke out, I'd have less than ten seconds' worth of early warning to bug out before she clobbered me. Funny thing is, I could've sworn that she was usually in love with whoever her Admiral is. Not some random cynic geek from Cleveland.
I was about to open my mouth and try to think up a response, but mom somehow knew this would become even more awkward and spoke up.
"Hey, do either of you want breakfast? We can go down to the cafeteria and get some donuts or something." They immediately perked up at the sound of 'donuts'.
"Donuts?"
"Mm-hmm." Mom confirmed with a warm smile. She was probably terrified underneath. I had the same trait. Sometimes I look unfazed, but underneath whatever face I'm making, I'm usually fearing for my life. Or whatever.
"Donuts!"
Mom got up and led them out, giving me a nod on her way out.
Now it was just me and a TV. I grabbed the remote and turned on the news, the familiar faces of Fox 8's weekend anchors displayed on the screen. I had forgotten that Summa had gotten rid of their old CRTs a while back. However, the lead story was a bit… odd.
"We return to a breaking news story out of Montana after locals and tourists reported seeing several women with backpacks that apparently looked 'like ships' standing on the waters of Flathead Lake. We have video footage of the incident. Take a look."
The iPhone-shot video showed Enterprise, Yamato, and three of the Akatsuki sisters, who were all bawling their eyes out standing on the crystal-clear waters of Flathead Lake, the sun-lit Mission Range providing a dramatic backdrop. Naturally, everyone was freaking out.
"It's unknown what exactly happened, but a local Walmart reported it's shelves being completely cleared of ice cream by the same individual wearing what appears to be the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. The US Navy has yet to make a statement."
Fuck.
"Are you okay?" Mom asked.
"Gram… my?" One of them asked.
Mom got a look on her face. She had effectively blue screened.
"Grammy's here…" yawned the other. "Where's momma?"
Mom tried to answer, but I waved her off and took over. One wrong move and they would level the hospital in their search for Kongou.
"Your mother…" I answered. "Was taken by some men. Don't worry, they won't hurt her. But you guys… you kind of came here unannounced, and the government doesn't like that. I'm sure they're starting to understand what happened and who you three are. And why they honestly should be afraid."
"Afraid of mum's burning love for you?"
I grew an odd look on my face. If she broke out, I'd have less than ten seconds' worth of early warning to bug out before she clobbered me. Funny thing is, I could've sworn that she was usually in love with whoever her Admiral is. Not some random cynic geek from Cleveland.
I was about to open my mouth and try to think up a response, but mom somehow knew this would become even more awkward and spoke up.
"Hey, do either of you want breakfast? We can go down to the cafeteria and get some donuts or something." They immediately perked up at the sound of 'donuts'.
"Donuts?"
"Mm-hmm." Mom confirmed with a warm smile. She was probably terrified underneath. I had the same trait. Sometimes I look unfazed, but underneath whatever face I'm making, I'm usually fearing for my life. Or whatever.
"Donuts!"
Mom got up and led them out, giving me a nod on her way out.
Now it was just me and a TV. I grabbed the remote and turned on the news, the familiar faces of Fox 8's weekend anchors displayed on the screen. I had forgotten that Summa had gotten rid of their old CRTs a while back. However, the lead story was a bit… odd.
"We return to a breaking news story out of Montana after locals and tourists reported seeing several women with backpacks that apparently looked 'like ships' standing on the waters of Flathead Lake. We have video footage of the incident. Take a look."
The iPhone-shot video showed Enterprise, Yamato, and three of the Akatsuki sisters, who were all bawling their eyes out standing on the crystal-clear waters of Flathead Lake, the sun-lit Mission Range providing a dramatic backdrop. Naturally, everyone was freaking out.
"It's unknown what exactly happened, but a local Walmart reported it's shelves being completely cleared of ice cream by the same individual wearing what appears to be the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. The US Navy has yet to make a statement."
Fuck.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
God DAMN IT Enterprise.
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
To be fair, she shared.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
Yamato I assume?
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
And the three surviving Akatsuki sisters.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
If I remember correctly, Hibiki was joining my group.
Icywinter
50% ice, 50% winter
- Location
- ?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Unbeknownst to everyone, Alphonse was watching all of this from his Ark in the Pacific Ocean.
"It worked..." he said, tears in his eyes. "The Bifrost Relay worked..."
"You did good, hun," Erika smiled. "Now, how are we supposed to get them back?"
"You could always use your clearance in the CIA to get them out," Heather said.
"Yeah, but in this timeline, I doubt the Abyssal War happened yet if they're reporting these events like they've never seen ship-girls before. So we gotta get them back."
"Before something bad happens?" Heather asked.
"Before Yvonne causes yet another Ice Cream shortage..."
"Oh." Erika nodded in understanding. "I'll get the Nordvalk ready."
"I'll help."
The Knight of Time, flanked by his two shipgirls, made his way to the sleek stealth starship docked in the centre of the ark.
"Say," he asked, checking the computer systems onboard the vessel, "Where does all the ice cream go, anyway?"
Last edited:
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
And Mike plays the roll of the Retriever. Dressing in all black body armor and bringing them back.
Icywinter
50% ice, 50% winter
- Location
- ?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
OPERATION BIFROST IS A GO
Alphonse -- Pilot and Operations Officer
Erika -- RIO (Radar Intercept Officer)
Heather -- Engineering Officer
Mike -- The Interdictor (Le Grabmaster 9001)
Lois -- The Ground Support
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
I grabbed the S.U.I.T's helmet from its rack and slid it onto my head.
"Testing systems startup." I sounded off, my voice deepened and scrambled by the helmet's speakers.
A HUD display flashed into my vision, and I grinned.
"Time to go to work."
I stepped into the Bifrost Relay. I looked up towards the control room.
"Launch me."
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
And I thought I could escape the insanity.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
You can not escape. EVER.
Icywinter
50% ice, 50% winter
- Location
- ?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Astrid nodded. "Once you're through the relay, you're going to end up on Alphonse's ark. Meet up with him, and plan out your operations. He'll be in the area to provide assistance if needed." She adjusted the relay, stabilizing the rainbow bridge that stretched across dimensions. "The year will be 2015, so dress accordingly if you're going undercover. Good luck!"
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
Mike then landed in the middle of New York City. And shit got fucked.
This is just an observation, but I've learned that insanity has a habit of dragging you back into its warm embrace of madness. Usually with delicious food. Or good drink.
Greek Fire
One of these days, I'll actually start writing.
- Location
- The Earth Sphere
And loads of DAKKA.
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
Next write-up coming at… some point.
CompassJimbo
Where’s Your North?
- Location
- The former Rubber Capital of the World
Round 3 (pt. 4/?)
Enterprise was here. The fourth wall was slowly breaking. Of course, shipgirls were preferable compared to what other people could be out there.
A nurse came in to hand me a menu. I ordered a simple breakfast sandwich and a side of bacon. Even if they no longer fry it.
I honestly had no idea what was even going on anymore. A battleship who apparently married an alternate me, had twin guided missile destroyers as kids, and a legendary carrier and battleship out near grandpa's place. Well, near by Montana standards. I wonder how he'd react to that.
Regardless, I continued to sit in bed, waiting for the feds to come in and question me. But that didn't happen. Instead, I heard a freight train barrel down the corridor and felt my heart drop. I was at least five floors up. Escape was impossible as my eyes widened in fear for my life. I felt a rush of air as a five foot-something figure appeared in the doorway.
"Well I'm right fucked aren't I?" I said to no one in particular.
I was that guy hunting raptors in Jurrasic Park. Jeice as he was about to be blasted into oblivion by Vegeta. Mami as she stared into Charlotte's jaw. Carla Jeager as she was about to be eaten by a titan. I wanted to move, but some invisible force kept me from moving a muscle. I silently began praying to whatever gods might be tuning in that they have mercy on my soul.
"Not yet~." She answered in a now-terrifying contralto.
"Clever girl." I muttered as she jumped me and started to squeeze.
I grunted and tried to move, but Kongou had me firm in her embrace as she began giggling and started her assault with a barrage of sloppy kisses. I reached out for the nurse call button and yet failed to find purchase. Fortunately, one showed up with my breakfast along with someone from food service. Both promptly rushed in as one called for security.
Of course, trying to pull 40,000 tons of Glorious British Steel wasn't going to work. I saw one of the security guys barge in and fire his tazer at Kongou. Unfortunately, direct skin contact became a bitch as several thousand volts rushed through my nervous system and I passed out once more.
A nurse came in to hand me a menu. I ordered a simple breakfast sandwich and a side of bacon. Even if they no longer fry it.
I honestly had no idea what was even going on anymore. A battleship who apparently married an alternate me, had twin guided missile destroyers as kids, and a legendary carrier and battleship out near grandpa's place. Well, near by Montana standards. I wonder how he'd react to that.
Regardless, I continued to sit in bed, waiting for the feds to come in and question me. But that didn't happen. Instead, I heard a freight train barrel down the corridor and felt my heart drop. I was at least five floors up. Escape was impossible as my eyes widened in fear for my life. I felt a rush of air as a five foot-something figure appeared in the doorway.
"Well I'm right fucked aren't I?" I said to no one in particular.
I was that guy hunting raptors in Jurrasic Park. Jeice as he was about to be blasted into oblivion by Vegeta. Mami as she stared into Charlotte's jaw. Carla Jeager as she was about to be eaten by a titan. I wanted to move, but some invisible force kept me from moving a muscle. I silently began praying to whatever gods might be tuning in that they have mercy on my soul.
"Not yet~." She answered in a now-terrifying contralto.
"Clever girl." I muttered as she jumped me and started to squeeze.
I grunted and tried to move, but Kongou had me firm in her embrace as she began giggling and started her assault with a barrage of sloppy kisses. I reached out for the nurse call button and yet failed to find purchase. Fortunately, one showed up with my breakfast along with someone from food service. Both promptly rushed in as one called for security.
Of course, trying to pull 40,000 tons of Glorious British Steel wasn't going to work. I saw one of the security guys barge in and fire his tazer at Kongou. Unfortunately, direct skin contact became a bitch as several thousand volts rushed through my nervous system and I passed out once more.
LGear
Secret Society BLANKET
Writing the last snip made me quite nostalgic, hence why I found the will to write another one:
**********
"So that's where the name comes from. Not a fan I take it?"
"People call me 'Misato' and I don't like it. She was named after me you know, they should have more respect!"
"That's a bold claim you're making there."
"Uso janai yo! I mean... I'm the third ship of the Unryuu-class carriers, Katsuragi!"
"That's funny, really it is."
That particular memory ended up with our very first Skype convo as she tried to prove who she said she was. I couldn't very well argue once she waved her JSDF special service ID with her shipgirl credentials on it, proving that she really was a WWII aircraft carrier reincarnated as a human girl.
I didn't know what face I made, but it turned her into a giggling mess upon witnessing it i.e. ROFLMAO literally personified, which meant my attempt at a poker face failed miserably. Considering both the nature of her reveal that was to be expected... but in truth, my reaction was more due to a very simple fact that dawned on me like a vampire bathed in sunrise upon the video connecting for the first time:
Katsuragi was goddamn Beautiful. Gorgeous. Divine. Angelic. Put whatever adjective is desired for effect, because not even my sense of artistry could do justice to what I just saw, whether it be her attractive face with the sparkling blue eyes filled with much glee, framed by long dark hair that gradated into light blue.
She looked even better when she had that pout on as she tried to stick her ID to my face - or her screen anyway - to prove her claims. A part of me wanted to tease her some more just so she kept that pout a while longer, unfortunately I don't think I have the skill for that without making her angry - she already did once afterall.
As for her finally taking a good look at me after she'd regained her wits:
"Didn't you say you were the third child?"
"I did, what about?"
"You could pass as the youngest one."
Long drawn out expulsion of air from lungs initiated.
"You're not the first one to say that you know."
"Sou? I think you're cute."
There are times when a man's words fail him simply because it was delivered by a rather attractive woman. So my body decided to take over and slam my head into the desk.
"Nani kore?! Em-chan?!"
"I'm fine." I drawled from the table. "And who's Em-chan?"
"You are. Your name's too long."
"Says the one called Katsuragi. In fact I'll call you K-chan right now, how'd you like that?"
I didn't expect the silence that followed, and for a moment I thought I had said something wrong again... until I heard her mutter.
"K-chan... K-chan ka... Ok, you can call me K-chan!"
The way she was so enthusiastic about the thing it was like she was doing me a favor by accepting that name.
"Arigato." I replied, which for some reason made her eyes sparkle so visibly that I could notice it, and I wasn't much one for noticing facial expressions. Note: She apparently likes people speaking Japanese. "But 'Em-chan'? Sounds like you're trying to tell me something with that."
"Dame ka? Then, 'Emma-kun'"?
I shook my head quite vigorously at that.
"No frakking way. 'Em-chan' is fine. In fact, it suits me fine being M and all."
"Deshou?" She agreed. "You do seem to like running off and getting torpedoed within the first 5 minutes."
"Yurushitekure~ Forgive this battleship driver." I begged in somewhat mock forgiveness, which made her giggle softly. Such a sweet sound that was. "I'll try not to YOLO too much with you."
"Yoro?"
I typed it out for her.
21:08 LGear: YOLO, like I type sometimes when I do something stupid. Means 'You Only Live Once'.
"That's not true."
Now that was an unexpected reply. It wasn't a rebuke, but more like a child that seemed to be asking something supposed to be obvious to an adult. It took me a while to realize why she said it.
"Talking about your past life?"
"Uhm. I am kanmusu afterall," she said with utter certainty. A ship girl, a being reborn from the spirits of warships.
"That may be the case for you K-chan, but not for me."
"Sou, forgot you were human...." he eyes suddenly widened. "Ah! Hontou ni gomenasai!"
"What are you apologizing for?" I shrugged, "It's a fact of life, I can't be offended by that."
On that tangent, the events that lead up to this particular convo came back to me, and all of the short-lived feelings that came with it.
"Em-chan?" Katsuragi seemed to have picked up on my current mood.
"Katsuragi." Calling her by her name caught her attention. "About what I said earlier about you being an anti-air destroyer and all, I'm really sorry about that."
"Dame yo Em-chan," she said pleadingly: while she'd already said she didn't mind it, the difference between reading about it and hearing it was rather startling, and a lot more reassuring. "That was my fault."
She looked down, wistful. "I... never got to do what I was built for in my past life, that was being a fleet carrier with my own squadrons."
"You were made to serve as an anti-aircraft battery off Kure for the rest of the war, before serving as a repatriation ship." Truth be told, I had wikipedia out the moment I learned that Katsuragi was a ship girl, and had read some bits here and there while I waited for her evidence.
Somehow she made a small smile at my interruption to my relief, as I sometimes judge entries into convos poorly. Either that, or she just didn't mind. Said smile disappeared as fast as it showed up though.
"Hai. Even after I was reborn, did you know, I've yet to launch my planes in battle."
Now that was a genuine surprise.
"Wait. Didn't you say you've went out on jobs before?" Well, 'jobs' that I didn't know was her being sent out into action until now. "As in, battle?"
A nod. "My sisters and I would be deployed on daily patrols, and I've been in a couple of sorties. But always in reserve, and Zuikaku-senpai-" there was a very audible lilt in her voice at mention of the Fleet Carrier's name, "- and the others were so good at what they did that we never got a chance."
"Did you dislike them for that?" Was the first thing that came to mind. Hard as it is to admit, if I was in her shoes I'd be a bit miffed too, as petty as it was.
Well, I wasn't her, so her reaction to the question was one of fervent handwaving. "Chigau yo! I could never dislike my wonderful senpai-tachi for being totally awesome!" The indignation and admiration in her voice was as clear as day. "I practiced hard just so I can be like them when the time comes, when I can finally put me and my planes to the test."
"But that day never came." I said matter-of-factly. The Abyssal War had already ended afterall. Unless they came back, which nobody in their right mind would want, then Katsuragi would never get her chance.
My heart stung at the weak nod she gave.
"I often heard some of the men back at base call me the floating anti-aircraft platform. I could never tell if they were joking or not, but with each day I couldn't launch my planes... it became harder to hear you know?"
"Assholes."
The anger I let out was a surprise even to me. But it faded as soon as I remembered that I had done pretty much the same thing.
"Don't be hard on them, they're never treated me badly. I just got sick of hearing it you know..." she looked away, visibly downcast. "And when I saw what you wrote, I......"
A pause that seemed to go on for too long. All I could do was watch her face that told me more of her regret than anything she might have said.
"...gomen Emmanuel. You didn't know I was a kanmusu, so I should've known you didn't mean it badly. Yet I treated you like that..."
There was a part of me that remembered the displeasure, the anxiety that I felt during those days when she ignored me.
"Yes you did."
And now she's sinking into her seat looking like a kicked puppy. Fuck.
Inhale. Exhale, let the negative energy out, as I didn't want to sound like I was still pissed off at what she did. Which apparently wasn't too difficult... it was hard to stay that way when so much apologies had been exchanged like that, not when I now know what she's been through.
"Katsuragi, I'm not the most socially adept person in the world. So if I ever say something you disagree with or feel offended by... please don't hesitate to tell me, I mean you already tell me all of my flaws when I play, so tell me when my personality isn't okay, okay K-chan?
Of all the things I expected her to do, I didn't her to heartily laugh as though her melancholy just vanished instantly. What the hell did I say?
"Mou, don't make puns like that," she chided, all the gloom gone from her voice. There was a pun somewhere?
"Ooookay?"
She only giggled a little this time at a joke I wasn't privy to, to my endless confusion. But at the very least, she was smiling again, that angelic smile that I've only seen for less than half an hour and yet don't think I could live without now.
"Arigato Em-chan. Promise I'll talk about it with you next time." Her tone suddenly became indignant. "I don't want to lose my best battleship buddy, not because I missed you or anything..."
It took a moment for my mind to process what she said, how she said it, and what it implied. Once it did, I fought hard to suppress my glee upon hearing those words, which involved gritting my teeth and hoping I looked smug instead of high.
"You and me both. Can't imagine being without my best carrier buddy either."
"Yoroshiku tanomu, aibou~" she beamed with the words she usually types on chat, but was now saying to me with an infectious enthusiasm, looking at me with her azure eyes that gleamed with as much happiness as her lips showed.
There and then, I silently vowed that I'd do anything to keep that smile on her face.
"So, up for a game?" I ask quickly before these newfound emotions threatened to turn me goofy.
"Hai! I planned on getting the Cleveland today."
"Oh alright-"
Scratch that.
Wait a second...
"K-chan, when did you grind the US cruiser line? I've never seen you play any American ship before."
I knew that Katsuragi was a very diligent player, and would grind every last exp for a module or ship before unlocking them, and had proudly claimed never to have used free exp for her IJN cruisers and carriers.
"Datte, they're American ships!" she protested with a pout. Rather understandable, with her being a Japanese ship and all. "But after watching you and other players say good things about the Cleveland I got curious, so I thought I could unlock it today." She started twirling the long, thin length of hair framing her face sheepishly in an unbearably endearing fashion.
"You power grinded your way up the US cruiser line?"
"No, I'm using free XP."
"From the Omaha?"
"... Erie desu."
What the- using free experience to unlock the Cleveland all the way from Tier I?
"How much free exp do you have?"
"Eto... 102,284."
"Wow... that's a lot..."
I know she didn't like to pay a cent for WoWS - the reason she plays it is because it's free-to-play afterall - but for her to have earned that much free exp from just playing was madness.
Well, ship girls without a mission seemed to have lots of free time on their hands, though who am I to talk...
Idly I began to take note of the ships she needed to get past to the Cleveland... the Erie, the Chester, the...
No.
NO.
Realization struck me dumb as I realized the implications of what she was about to commit, of the crime she was going to unwittingly enact.
"K-chan, you were planning on skipping the St. Louis, weren't you." This wasn't a question, this was an accusation.
"Sou yo, nande?" She confirmed, confused. Whatever face I made must've startled her greatly, for she suddenly froze. "Ano, Em-chan? W-w-what's the matter?"
"Katsuragi." Yep, doing that really gets her attention quickly. "St. Louis. Buy it. Now."
"Em-chan, what are you-"
"Now."
"HAI!"
I'd bossed around NotMisato before in the very few times I've deigned to do so, since usually I just listened to her, being the more skillful player of the two of us. Watching her ever-changing face as she frantically scrambled to unlock and purchase the US Armored Cruiser of Unlimited Broadside Works was a sight I'd never forget, like a lot of things I saw for the first time that day.
"Dekita!" She cheered at completing the task.
[21:16] NotMisato: St. Louise Get! What now?
She typed that at the same time in the game client, which meant she was in game mode now, and her serious game face in the Skype window supported that assertion.
I took one last look at her in the video feed, and found myself smiling freely at how my best gaming buddy was so easy on the eyes, and so much more than what I initially thought I knew of her. Whatever happened that day, I knew that my days were about to be more fun.
"M-chan?"
I opened up the game window at hearing her questioning voice, and put on my best commanding voice:
"K-chan, I will now teach you about the wonder that is the St. Louis..."
**********
"So that's where the name comes from. Not a fan I take it?"
"People call me 'Misato' and I don't like it. She was named after me you know, they should have more respect!"
"That's a bold claim you're making there."
"Uso janai yo! I mean... I'm the third ship of the Unryuu-class carriers, Katsuragi!"
"That's funny, really it is."
That particular memory ended up with our very first Skype convo as she tried to prove who she said she was. I couldn't very well argue once she waved her JSDF special service ID with her shipgirl credentials on it, proving that she really was a WWII aircraft carrier reincarnated as a human girl.
I didn't know what face I made, but it turned her into a giggling mess upon witnessing it i.e. ROFLMAO literally personified, which meant my attempt at a poker face failed miserably. Considering both the nature of her reveal that was to be expected... but in truth, my reaction was more due to a very simple fact that dawned on me like a vampire bathed in sunrise upon the video connecting for the first time:
Katsuragi was goddamn Beautiful. Gorgeous. Divine. Angelic. Put whatever adjective is desired for effect, because not even my sense of artistry could do justice to what I just saw, whether it be her attractive face with the sparkling blue eyes filled with much glee, framed by long dark hair that gradated into light blue.
She looked even better when she had that pout on as she tried to stick her ID to my face - or her screen anyway - to prove her claims. A part of me wanted to tease her some more just so she kept that pout a while longer, unfortunately I don't think I have the skill for that without making her angry - she already did once afterall.
As for her finally taking a good look at me after she'd regained her wits:
"Didn't you say you were the third child?"
"I did, what about?"
"You could pass as the youngest one."
Long drawn out expulsion of air from lungs initiated.
"You're not the first one to say that you know."
"Sou? I think you're cute."
There are times when a man's words fail him simply because it was delivered by a rather attractive woman. So my body decided to take over and slam my head into the desk.
"Nani kore?! Em-chan?!"
"I'm fine." I drawled from the table. "And who's Em-chan?"
"You are. Your name's too long."
"Says the one called Katsuragi. In fact I'll call you K-chan right now, how'd you like that?"
I didn't expect the silence that followed, and for a moment I thought I had said something wrong again... until I heard her mutter.
"K-chan... K-chan ka... Ok, you can call me K-chan!"
The way she was so enthusiastic about the thing it was like she was doing me a favor by accepting that name.
"Arigato." I replied, which for some reason made her eyes sparkle so visibly that I could notice it, and I wasn't much one for noticing facial expressions. Note: She apparently likes people speaking Japanese. "But 'Em-chan'? Sounds like you're trying to tell me something with that."
"Dame ka? Then, 'Emma-kun'"?
I shook my head quite vigorously at that.
"No frakking way. 'Em-chan' is fine. In fact, it suits me fine being M and all."
"Deshou?" She agreed. "You do seem to like running off and getting torpedoed within the first 5 minutes."
"Yurushitekure~ Forgive this battleship driver." I begged in somewhat mock forgiveness, which made her giggle softly. Such a sweet sound that was. "I'll try not to YOLO too much with you."
"Yoro?"
I typed it out for her.
21:08 LGear: YOLO, like I type sometimes when I do something stupid. Means 'You Only Live Once'.
"That's not true."
Now that was an unexpected reply. It wasn't a rebuke, but more like a child that seemed to be asking something supposed to be obvious to an adult. It took me a while to realize why she said it.
"Talking about your past life?"
"Uhm. I am kanmusu afterall," she said with utter certainty. A ship girl, a being reborn from the spirits of warships.
"That may be the case for you K-chan, but not for me."
"Sou, forgot you were human...." he eyes suddenly widened. "Ah! Hontou ni gomenasai!"
"What are you apologizing for?" I shrugged, "It's a fact of life, I can't be offended by that."
On that tangent, the events that lead up to this particular convo came back to me, and all of the short-lived feelings that came with it.
"Em-chan?" Katsuragi seemed to have picked up on my current mood.
"Katsuragi." Calling her by her name caught her attention. "About what I said earlier about you being an anti-air destroyer and all, I'm really sorry about that."
"Dame yo Em-chan," she said pleadingly: while she'd already said she didn't mind it, the difference between reading about it and hearing it was rather startling, and a lot more reassuring. "That was my fault."
She looked down, wistful. "I... never got to do what I was built for in my past life, that was being a fleet carrier with my own squadrons."
"You were made to serve as an anti-aircraft battery off Kure for the rest of the war, before serving as a repatriation ship." Truth be told, I had wikipedia out the moment I learned that Katsuragi was a ship girl, and had read some bits here and there while I waited for her evidence.
Somehow she made a small smile at my interruption to my relief, as I sometimes judge entries into convos poorly. Either that, or she just didn't mind. Said smile disappeared as fast as it showed up though.
"Hai. Even after I was reborn, did you know, I've yet to launch my planes in battle."
Now that was a genuine surprise.
"Wait. Didn't you say you've went out on jobs before?" Well, 'jobs' that I didn't know was her being sent out into action until now. "As in, battle?"
A nod. "My sisters and I would be deployed on daily patrols, and I've been in a couple of sorties. But always in reserve, and Zuikaku-senpai-" there was a very audible lilt in her voice at mention of the Fleet Carrier's name, "- and the others were so good at what they did that we never got a chance."
"Did you dislike them for that?" Was the first thing that came to mind. Hard as it is to admit, if I was in her shoes I'd be a bit miffed too, as petty as it was.
Well, I wasn't her, so her reaction to the question was one of fervent handwaving. "Chigau yo! I could never dislike my wonderful senpai-tachi for being totally awesome!" The indignation and admiration in her voice was as clear as day. "I practiced hard just so I can be like them when the time comes, when I can finally put me and my planes to the test."
"But that day never came." I said matter-of-factly. The Abyssal War had already ended afterall. Unless they came back, which nobody in their right mind would want, then Katsuragi would never get her chance.
My heart stung at the weak nod she gave.
"I often heard some of the men back at base call me the floating anti-aircraft platform. I could never tell if they were joking or not, but with each day I couldn't launch my planes... it became harder to hear you know?"
"Assholes."
The anger I let out was a surprise even to me. But it faded as soon as I remembered that I had done pretty much the same thing.
"Don't be hard on them, they're never treated me badly. I just got sick of hearing it you know..." she looked away, visibly downcast. "And when I saw what you wrote, I......"
A pause that seemed to go on for too long. All I could do was watch her face that told me more of her regret than anything she might have said.
"...gomen Emmanuel. You didn't know I was a kanmusu, so I should've known you didn't mean it badly. Yet I treated you like that..."
There was a part of me that remembered the displeasure, the anxiety that I felt during those days when she ignored me.
"Yes you did."
And now she's sinking into her seat looking like a kicked puppy. Fuck.
Inhale. Exhale, let the negative energy out, as I didn't want to sound like I was still pissed off at what she did. Which apparently wasn't too difficult... it was hard to stay that way when so much apologies had been exchanged like that, not when I now know what she's been through.
"Katsuragi, I'm not the most socially adept person in the world. So if I ever say something you disagree with or feel offended by... please don't hesitate to tell me, I mean you already tell me all of my flaws when I play, so tell me when my personality isn't okay, okay K-chan?
Of all the things I expected her to do, I didn't her to heartily laugh as though her melancholy just vanished instantly. What the hell did I say?
"Mou, don't make puns like that," she chided, all the gloom gone from her voice. There was a pun somewhere?
"Ooookay?"
She only giggled a little this time at a joke I wasn't privy to, to my endless confusion. But at the very least, she was smiling again, that angelic smile that I've only seen for less than half an hour and yet don't think I could live without now.
"Arigato Em-chan. Promise I'll talk about it with you next time." Her tone suddenly became indignant. "I don't want to lose my best battleship buddy, not because I missed you or anything..."
It took a moment for my mind to process what she said, how she said it, and what it implied. Once it did, I fought hard to suppress my glee upon hearing those words, which involved gritting my teeth and hoping I looked smug instead of high.
"You and me both. Can't imagine being without my best carrier buddy either."
"Yoroshiku tanomu, aibou~" she beamed with the words she usually types on chat, but was now saying to me with an infectious enthusiasm, looking at me with her azure eyes that gleamed with as much happiness as her lips showed.
There and then, I silently vowed that I'd do anything to keep that smile on her face.
"So, up for a game?" I ask quickly before these newfound emotions threatened to turn me goofy.
"Hai! I planned on getting the Cleveland today."
"Oh alright-"
Scratch that.
Wait a second...
"K-chan, when did you grind the US cruiser line? I've never seen you play any American ship before."
I knew that Katsuragi was a very diligent player, and would grind every last exp for a module or ship before unlocking them, and had proudly claimed never to have used free exp for her IJN cruisers and carriers.
"Datte, they're American ships!" she protested with a pout. Rather understandable, with her being a Japanese ship and all. "But after watching you and other players say good things about the Cleveland I got curious, so I thought I could unlock it today." She started twirling the long, thin length of hair framing her face sheepishly in an unbearably endearing fashion.
"You power grinded your way up the US cruiser line?"
"No, I'm using free XP."
"From the Omaha?"
"... Erie desu."
What the- using free experience to unlock the Cleveland all the way from Tier I?
"How much free exp do you have?"
"Eto... 102,284."
"Wow... that's a lot..."
I know she didn't like to pay a cent for WoWS - the reason she plays it is because it's free-to-play afterall - but for her to have earned that much free exp from just playing was madness.
Well, ship girls without a mission seemed to have lots of free time on their hands, though who am I to talk...
Idly I began to take note of the ships she needed to get past to the Cleveland... the Erie, the Chester, the...
No.
NO.
Realization struck me dumb as I realized the implications of what she was about to commit, of the crime she was going to unwittingly enact.
"K-chan, you were planning on skipping the St. Louis, weren't you." This wasn't a question, this was an accusation.
"Sou yo, nande?" She confirmed, confused. Whatever face I made must've startled her greatly, for she suddenly froze. "Ano, Em-chan? W-w-what's the matter?"
"Katsuragi." Yep, doing that really gets her attention quickly. "St. Louis. Buy it. Now."
"Em-chan, what are you-"
"Now."
"HAI!"
I'd bossed around NotMisato before in the very few times I've deigned to do so, since usually I just listened to her, being the more skillful player of the two of us. Watching her ever-changing face as she frantically scrambled to unlock and purchase the US Armored Cruiser of Unlimited Broadside Works was a sight I'd never forget, like a lot of things I saw for the first time that day.
"Dekita!" She cheered at completing the task.
[21:16] NotMisato: St. Louise Get! What now?
She typed that at the same time in the game client, which meant she was in game mode now, and her serious game face in the Skype window supported that assertion.
I took one last look at her in the video feed, and found myself smiling freely at how my best gaming buddy was so easy on the eyes, and so much more than what I initially thought I knew of her. Whatever happened that day, I knew that my days were about to be more fun.
"M-chan?"
I opened up the game window at hearing her questioning voice, and put on my best commanding voice:
"K-chan, I will now teach you about the wonder that is the St. Louis..."
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Just wanted to let you all know that you're all to blame for why I decided that I wanted to play World of Warships now.
Thanks.
Thanks.