Our Bonds

"You take this brush and just poke it in. Then you move it up and down to scrub. Be careful not to reach all the way to the base. It's painful for them." (Shimakaze)

"Understood." (Akizuki and Hatsuzuki)

Akizuki and Hatsuzuki took the long brush and slowly stick it into the gun barrel of their 10cm High Angle Gun Mounts. Akizuki's gun mount start struggling.

"Ah! Sorry!" (Akizuki)

Looks like Akizuki accidentally stuck the brush in too deep.

After the match, it was time for some maintainance. I managed to drag Yuubari outof the factory to teach them about weapon maintainance and cleaning. She was experimenting with mental cubes to create something. They are doing their maintainance at the pier, so I stood nearby and watched.

"Yep. That's they way. Make sure to scrub out all of the lead fillings. Akizuki-chan and Hatsuzuki-chan, make sure to clean the barrel attachments too. The high velocity rounds you use can cause a lot of build up at that part." (Yuubari)

"Yes. Understood." (Akizuki)

"Got it." (Hatsuzuki)

"Is that so? Then, I will count on you in the future." (Zuihou-chan)

Zuihou-chan placed one of her type 99 dive bombers on her cheek and started speaking into it like a handphone. She is the same as her larger counterpart. Both of them do their plane maintenance the same way.

"Once you are done, store everything in the arsenal and get your dinner. All of you did well today."

"It's a bit frustrating that we lost though." (Suzuya)

"That's right. I wanted to win." (Matsu)

"This match wasn't about winning or losing. It's about learning how to fight. Suzuya, you should know better. And what was that move at the end? You went and equip yourself with secondary guns again?"

"Come on. It worked the last time. I thought it would work again." (Suzuya)

"Of course it wouldn't work. Did forget that Shouhou was there as well?"

During the deciding match, Suzuya was supposed to stay behind and launch her planes, like any good aircraft carrier. Instead, she went and joined in the fray with the destroyers, only to get hit by a torpedo launched by Shouhou's Tenzen. She knew about this tactic and took Suzuya out before she can cause any more damage. In the end, Shouhou's fleet won the excercise. Suzuya, Usugumo, and Hatsuzuki were out of the match. Shouhou just lost Zuihou-chan after Akizuki got damaged and Kumano's Suisei managed to break through.

"By the way, Kashima and I will be treating all of you. She was touched by how fast you girls grew up."

"Where is Kashima-sensei?" (Yukikaze)

"In the command room. Crying."

"Eh?" (All)

"Don't worry. Like I said, she is just happy for all of you. Didn't expect her to be this happy though. But this doesn't mean you can slack off on your lessons and practice. Today's excercise was just to test how much you have learnt. What you did today were just the basic. minus Suzuya's stunt. So learn as much as you can, gain experience, defeat our enemies and secure our victory over dawn horizon!"

"Yes! I will do my best!" (Usugumo)

"Yukikaze too!" (Yukikaze)

"Admiral is so cool!" (Suzuya)

"Well said." (Kumano)

All twelve of them cheering. This a little embarrassing...

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"-and secure our victory over the dawn horizon! That was so cool, Admiral!" (Zuihou)

I was in my office with Zuihou when she suddenly said the last few words of my so-called inspirational speech. I nearly spit out my tea when she said that.

"Y-you were listening?"

"Zuihou-chan told me when we were in the bath. She thinks you were cool too." (Zuihou)

"Right..."

I kept forgetting those two are as close as sisters. No. They are sisters.

"And also, today Zuihou-chan is coming over to sleep. So no lewd stuff!" (Zuihou)

"I didn't say I was going to do it tonight though."

"You didn't say it, but you are definitely going to do it. I already locked up all those toys and doujinshis in my safe." (Zuihou)

She gave this look of triumph- Wait, when did she took them?!

"You're so mean."

"I have to protect the innocence of my little sister." (Zuihou)

"She already knows that we have night battle often and already saw us once."

"...I'm making sure she doesn't get corrupted any further." (Zuihou)

"Yeah yeah."

I can handle a day without doing it. I'm not an addict.

Shortly after, Zuihou-chan came in. She was wearing a blue night Yukata and brought a pillow with her too.

"Ehehe~ I came, Onee-chan, Admiral." (Zuihou-chan)

"I have been waiting. Have you brushed your teeth?" (Zuihou)

"Yes. I mean, come on, I'm not a child." (Zuihou-chan)

"Yeah yeah. That's a good girl." (Zuihou)

Zuihou pat her little sister's head.

"Myaa! Onee-chan! Not in front of Admiral!" (Zuihou-chan)

Ah. She is trying to put on a front.

"You two wait for me in the room. I will join you in a sec."

"Yes~" (Zuihou & Zuihou-chan)

I only need to finish up the last few lines of my daily report and then I'm done. Zuihou is going to make up for me tomorrow.

I went to the bathroom, took a quick bath and put on my pajamas. I haven't had two shipgirls in my bed for a while now. Tonight is going to be warmer than usual.