Shimakaze

The rigging of ship girls is, after all, a product of civilized civilization, and there's a concern about it wearing out with prolonged use, especially for ship girls who need to engage in high-intensity battles with Abyssal Fleet ships. Therefore, maintenance and repair of the equipment are essential after each sortie. In recent days, you've arranged a large-scale equipment inspection and maintenance within the naval base to ensure the reliability of the ship girls' combat equipment.

The first day mainly focused on the repair of complex warships and heavy cruiser riggings. Nagato and others had already independently inspected the equipment and provided feedback to the technicians, but the basic checks still took half a day. The second day involved inspections of aircraft carriers and cruisers. While the rigging of aircraft carriers, such as bows and scrolls, is light and small, it is extremely delicate and requires careful individual adjustments.

From the third day onwards, inspections of destroyers and re-inspections of ship girls whose previous repairs had raised questions were scheduled. Although destroyers are smaller ships, this doesn't mean the inspections will be less time-consuming. Destroyers are, after all, a major component of the fleet, forming a massive group within the naval base. Today, centered around the dock and medical room, the corridors of the naval base are crammed with petite destroyer girls. Although staggered entry and exit checks have been implemented, requiring the girls to wait in their dormitories, personnel movement remains congested and difficult. Looking at the scene in the corridors, you can't help but be surprised by the sheer size of your naval base's personnel.

Concerned about the destroyers' condition, you patrol the corridors. You've only passed the medical room a short while when you hear a commotion behind you.

"Ahhh!!! make way! Make way!" A loud voice rang out, and the ship girls, one by one, with expressions of surprise or astonishment, retreated to the walls on either side, the corridor opening up like a zipper.

Just as you're about to turn around to check the situation, hurried footsteps approach behind you—the sound of ship girls running in steel boots. You turn around and see a black object leaping towards you, bounding up to twice its own height, its speed unbelievable.

The being had a square head, a cylindrical body base, and short, seal-like limbs. Its flat face displayed features like those on a screen, but a tear clung to one corner of its slender eye. Two cannons protruded from its head. It was Rensouhou-chan, rigging on some new cruisers and destroyers, arguably one of the most unique pieces of ceremonial equipment.

It chirped and charged down the corridor, about to collide with you. You, without any ship girl reaction, froze for a moment. Startled that you didn't move aside, it hastily slowed down, braking abruptly in front of you.

It was barely waist-high to you. It looked up at you, startled, then, as if remembering something, bowed repeatedly with unusual respect, before circling around you and preparing to continue its run down the corridor.

"I— got you——" Rensouhou-chan had barely taken half a step when a flash of lightning passed before you—a ship girl. Your hair and collar were blown around by the wind, and you couldn't help but wonder what would happen if you were hit head-on. *Rensouhou-chan was tackled by the ship girl, letting out a squeak like a mouse being attacked by an eagle. It looked at you with teary eyes, pleading for help. *

"What? Still trying to play the victim? You can't escape now!" *The slender destroyer twisted around Rensouhou-chan, grabbing its head and torso, snarling viciously. The ship girl had bright blonde hair, a slender body covered by a sleeveless sailor uniform and miniskirt that were clearly too short, exposing her buttocks, which were barely covered by her high-waisted thong. Her long legs were encased in striking red striped thigh-high stockings. She was the ship girl Shimakaze. *

"Dare to abandon your master and run away? Maybe next time I get my vaccinations, I'll have you take my place? That way we'll be even, right?" Shimakaze, still holding Rensouhou-chan, struggled to sit up. "Are you a kitty or a dog? It's just a checkup, why are you so scared? Do you think you need to see a vet?"

She notices you, crosses her legs, and salutes you. "Oh, Admiral! Thanks a lot for stopping this guy; it's quite the runner."

She looks up at you, lowers her hand from her forehead, and grins. "But with me, ship girl Shimakaze, here, none of those who dare to act wildly in front of me will escape."

Each warship, each ship girl is a unique individual, and therefore, when ship girls are lined up, their heights and ages naturally vary. However, it's logical that heavier riggings is handled by older, stronger girls, while lighter, smaller equipment and torpedoes, which don't require precise angle control, are usually operated by younger, more agile girls. Thus, those surrounded by heavy armor, firing large cannons, and commanding from the front lines are almost exclusively women like Nagato, Yamato, and Kongou; while cruisers, handling firepower, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and torpedo attacks, forming the backbone of the fleet, are typically young women combining strength and agility; and the work of destroyers is handled by even younger girls. Although there are experienced cruiser girls like the Atago and Takao sisters, even capable of serving as fleet flagships, and younger girls like the Akizuki sisters and the Sendai-class, it's safe to say that warships and destroyers occupy the two ends of the age spectrum of the naval base.

This is why rumors circulated about Nagato saying 'Destroyer is the best'...

Even with the age range limited, each destroyer naturally possesses a distinct personality. There's the earnest Fubuki, the gentle Samidare, the playful Ren, the proud Murakumo, and the warm-hearted Den; the battle-crazed Yuudachi, the theoretical Akatsuki, and the taciturn Hibiki. They fully showcase the vibrant diversity of children.

Compared to her typically playful peers who often huddle together, destroyer Shimakaze is quite a maverick. After all, among the numerous destroyers, she's rare to find no other ships of her type, lacking a sisterly partner, and often acts alone. Rather than playing with the group, she's more often accompanied by her pet-like Rensouhou-chan, which lends her a mature and worldly air. But even though she's as taciturn as Hibiki, unlike the former who clumsily maintains the team, Shimakaze leads the way, guiding other lonely and isolated girls like herself forward. The 'fastest ship's' madness and seasoned, fearless personality made her someone you couldn't help but want to rely on.

However, this side of Shimakaze also seems like a child at times.

It was another peaceful afternoon. According to the radio report, the sortie mission was going smoothly, and they would return on schedule within a few hours. The workload wasn't heavier than usual, so you leaned back in your office chair, gazing at the blue sky outside the window, enjoying the pleasant tranquility.

Bang! The office door was flung open. Shimakaze burst in, screaming shrilly: "That's our Pudding! Nobody's allowed to take it—"

Ughhhhh— She cried like a child, her already short frame now appearing even smaller. Tears streamed down her face, soaking even the collar of her sailor uniform. She gasped for breath, her body heaving. Her wide eyes were red and swollen from being submerged in water, and her open mouth repeatedly uttered incoherent, blurry words like 'eaten up,' 'that was ours,' and 'bastard,' her face flushed red with snot and tears.

In your shock, you notice Shimakaze tightly holding the hand of another ship girl. The child was shorter and smaller than Shimakaze, with soft brown hair styled into a cute, fluffy bob, and wearing her signature searchlight—she was the destroyer Yukikaze. Yukikaze was also sobbing, but much more restrained than Shimakaze. She hung her head, like a bullied little animal, occasionally raising her hand to wipe away tears. Yukikaze's subtly distant relationship with her sister ship, the Kagerou-class, made her, also a solitary ship girl, someone Shimakaze looked after. Even after gaining close companions like Tokitsukaze and Amatsukaze, Shimakaze remained a special presence in Yukikaze's life. She glanced up at you, saw you staring blankly, then turned to look at the hysterical Shimakaze, her tears flowing even more freely. She still managed a few sobs as she explained.

"Our...our pudding was eaten..." she murmured, her voice steady and composed. "In the break room...Shimakaze and I were put in the freezer together...just now, we couldn't see it...Shimakaze-san opened the freezer, and all we saw inside were...two rings of water from the cup..."

So Shimakaze brought the weeping Yukikaze directly to the highest command—the Admiral's office—to seek your arbitration. You looked at Shimakaze; she tightened her grip on Yukikaze's hand, her brows furrowed, her tear-filled eyes looking pained, but she still bit her lip, staring at you with wide eyes.

艦娘的儀裝說到底是文明人造產物，有久經使用而損壞的顧慮，更遑論需要與深海棲艦進行高烈度戰鬥的艦娘。因此，每次出擊返航後，儀裝的保養與檢修都必不可少，近幾天，你安排了鎮守府內大規模的儀裝檢查保養，希望確保艦娘們作戰裝備的可靠。

第一天主要是複雜的戰艦，以及重巡儀裝的維修，長門等人已事先自主點檢過裝備並向技師群提出意見，不過基本檢查仍花了半天時間；第二天進行的是空母以及巡洋艦的檢查，空母們的和弓以及卷軸等儀裝雖然輕盈小巧，卻極爲精細，需要個別仔細調校。

第三天以後安排的是驅逐艦們的檢查，以及先前檢修中有所疑義的艦娘們的複檢。雖然驅逐艦是較小型的艦船，但不代表檢查耗費的時間會比較少。驅逐艦畢竟是艦隊中的主要組成，在鎮守府中是極龐大的群體，進行到今天，船塢以及醫務室為中心，鎮守府的走廊擠滿了嬌小的驅逐艦娘們，雖然已經採取了時段分流檢查，讓女孩們在宿舍房間等待，人員流動仍然壅塞困難，看著走廊上的景象，你難免驚訝於自己鎮守府人員的龐大。

你關心驅逐艦們的狀況，穿梭在走廊間巡視，才經過醫務室不久，便聽到背後傳來騷動聲。

「哇，讓開讓開！」高亢的聲音，艦娘們一個個帶著驚訝或驚詫的表情退到兩旁的牆邊，走廊的空間宛若拉鍊一般被打開。

你才剛要回頭確認情況，急促的腳步聲已經逼近你的背後，是艦娘穿著鋼靴奔跑的聲音。你回頭，只見一個黑色物體彈跳著奔馳而來，牠高高跳到了自己身高兩倍的高度，速度更是快得不可思議。

那存在頂著方方的腦袋，底下是圓筒形的身體基座，長出海豹般的短短四肢來，平坦的臉上有著像是螢幕顯示出來的五官，線狀的眼睛一角卻掛著淚滴。牠的頭頂伸出兩根砲管。牠是連裝砲醬，是部分新型巡洋艦和驅逐艦的裝備，可說是最特殊的儀裝之一。

牠啾啾叫著，沿著走廊衝過來，馬上就要撞到你，你沒有艦娘的反應，一瞬間怔在原地。牠見你沒有讓路，嚇了一跳，急忙減速，驚險地在你面前緊急煞車。

牠身高甚至不及你的腰部，抬頭一怔一怔看著你，一瞬間才想起似地，異常恭敬地連連和你鞠躬致歉，然後繞過你，小碎步準備繼續向走廊起跑。

「逮——到你了——」連裝砲醬才走不到半步，一陣迅雷便從你面前閃過，是一位艦娘。你的頭髮和衣領都被吹得掀起，你不禁懷疑要是被正面撞上會有什麼影響。 連裝砲醬被艦娘撲倒，發出好似老鼠被老鷹襲擊的叫聲，牠淚眼汪汪地看著你，向你求救。

「幹嘛？還想裝可憐嗎？你逃不掉了啦！」纖細的驅逐艦扭在連裝砲醬身上，抓住牠的腦袋和軀幹，惡毒地叫囂著。艦娘有著一頭明豔的金髮，纖細修長的身軀罩著一套明顯過短的無袖水手服和迷你裙，讓高腰丁字褲遮不住的屁股高高地暴露在外，長腿則包裹著醒目的紅條紋大腿襪，她是艦娘島風。

「竟敢丟下主人逃跑？乾脆我下次打預防針的時候，也讓你代替我打好了？這樣就互不相欠了吧？」島風抓著連裝砲醬，掙扎著坐起身。「你是貓還是狗啊？不過檢查而已，怕成這樣？當成要看獸醫喔？」

她注意到你，盤著腿和你敬禮。「哦，提督你好！剛剛多虧你了，把這個傢伙絆住，牠有夠會跑的。」

她抬頭看你，將額上的手放下來，咧嘴一笑。「不過有我艦娘島風在，膽敢在我面前撒野的傢伙是一個都跑不掉的。」

每艘戰艦、每位艦娘都是獨一無二的個體，也因此，當艦娘們一字排開時，想當然耳身高年齡也不盡相同。不過，沉重的儀裝交給年長有力的少女們操作，輕便的小型裝備以及不需顧慮仰角的魚雷，通常交由年輕靈巧的女孩運用，是可想而知的理論。因此，被如同身高的重裝甲環繞，使用大型重砲轟擊，同時擔當前線指揮的，清一色會是長門、大和、金剛這樣的女性；而包辦火力、防空、反潛、雷擊等各式工作，擔當艦隊中堅力量的巡洋艦，便會是兼具力量與輕盈的青少女；而驅逐艦的工作則會交由更年幼的孩子進行。雖然在巡洋艦娘中也有像愛宕、高雄姊妹這樣資歷豐富，甚至足以擔當艦隊旗艦的存在，同時還有秋月四姊妹、川內級這樣的年輕女孩，但至少可以說戰艦與驅逐艦確實佔據了鎮守府年齡光譜的兩端。

這也是為什麼會有長門「驅逐艦真是太棒了」問題發言的緋聞出現……

不過即使年齡範圍被限制在較小的區段，每個驅逐艦當然還是會有不同的個性。認真的吹雪、溫順的五月雨、俏皮的漣、傲氣的叢雲還有溫暖的電；戰鬥狂的夕立、理論派的曉和沉默寡言的響。充分展現孩童五光十色的多樣性。

對比通常年輕愛玩，動不動便聚在一起的同儕來說，驅逐艦島風算是十分特立獨行的女孩。畢竟在以數量見長的驅逐艦中，也是罕有的沒有同型艦的存在，缺少情同姊妹的搭檔，她更常自己一人行動。比起和大夥玩在一起，陪伴她的更常是寵物般的連裝砲醬，也讓她多了分入世老成的氣質。但即便像響一樣沉默寡言，與默默笨拙地維繫團隊的前者不同，島風反而會領頭帶著和她一樣孤單離群的孩子前進。「最速艦」的狂氣和老練無所畏懼的性格，使她成為了讓人不禁想要依靠的存在。

不過這樣的島風，也有些像小孩子的時候。

今天又是個平靜祥和的午後，根據無線電回報，出擊的艦娘任務順利，數小時內便會如期返航。難得文書作業的份量不比平常多，你靠向辦公椅的椅背，望向背後窗外的藍天，享受令人愉快的寧靜。

砰的一聲，辦公室的大門被轟然打開。島風猛然闖進來，淒厲的尖叫著:「那是我們的布丁!誰也不准拿走――」 呃啊啊啊――她哭得像個小孩，本就不高的身體此刻看起來小了一圈。嚎啕大哭的她淚流滿面，連水手服衣領都已被沾濕，過呼吸似地大口喘氣，身體也上下起伏。她瞪大的眼睛因為泡水而紅腫，大張的嘴裡反覆唸著「被吃掉了」、「那是我們的」、「混蛋」之類不連貫的模糊字眼，灌滿了鼻水與淚水，整張稚嫩的臉呈現脹紅色。

驚嚇之餘，你發現島風緊握著另一名艦娘的手。那孩子比島風更矮更幼小，柔軟的棕髮理成蓬鬆可愛的鮑勃頭，戴著她標誌性的探照燈，她是驅逐艦雪風。 雪風也抽抽噎噎地哭著，但比起島風壓抑克制不少，她垂著頭，像是被欺負的小動物般，偶爾舉手拭淚。雪風和陽炎型姊妹艦關係微妙的疏離，同樣屬於形單影隻的艦娘，成為了島風照應的對象。即便後來有了要好的同伴時津風、天津風等人，對於雪風而言，島風還是特別的存在。

她抬頭偷看你，發現你看傻了眼，轉頭瞥了一眼歇斯底里的島風，淚水流得更急，不過她還是一抽一抽地解釋: 「我們、我們的布丁被吃掉了……」她小聲囁嚅，不過話語穩定調理。「在休息室裡……島風和我一起冰進了冰箱……剛、剛剛看不見了……島風打開冰箱，裡面只看到杯子的……兩圈水痕……」

所以島風直接帶著哭泣的雪風來到最高指揮――提督室找你仲裁。你看向島風，她微微收緊了牽著雪風的手，橫眉豎目，擒滿淚水的雙眼看起來很痛，但還是咬著嘴唇，張大眼睛瞪視你。*