IJN DD Akebono

The ship girls are all very different, especially the numerous destroyers. Even sisters of the same type have vastly different personalities, each unique. However, most destroyers are still young and have less combat experience. Compared to battleship, heavy cruiser, and aircraft carrier crews, they are generally more innocent, childlike, and gentle. Despite their individual characteristics, they mostly share these common traits and are willing to accept commands from their commanders and superiors.

This highlights how special the destroyer Akebono is.

The glass window of the base's military headquarters shattered with a crash, followed by screams from the ship girls. Katori, dressed in a white military uniform, was the first to rush out the window: "Akebono-chan?! She runs towards the naval warehouse! Go and catch her!" Katori pragmatically tracked the little ship girl's direction, her pupils shrinking instantly, and loudly ordered the heavy cruisers behind her.

An hour later, the naval base had transformed into a battle royale arena. "Akebono-chan, where are you?!" Nagato called out, covering her mouth with her hand, while Tenryuu searched nearby. Battleships and cruisers below Yamato-class were almost entirely deployed, creating a massive search network around the base. However, the target fully utilized the small size and high maneuverability of destroyers, bypassing the search.

On the rooftop, Zuikaku launched a reconnaissance aircraft, relieving the earlier dispatched one.

"Akebono-chan was receiving mission instructions in the operations room on the second floor of the military affairs building when she suddenly rammed into other ship girls and ran away. Nagato, Katori, and I immediately gave chase. She rushed down the corridor at full speed, jumped down the stairs, and then turned towards the center of the building. We, who had just come down the stairs, thought she was going to escape to the street through the main entrance and were observing her to try and surround her, but she suddenly broke through a window from another direction and jumped out. Katori immediately locked onto her and, after confirming that she had cushioned her fall in the bushes, ran directly towards the supplies warehouse. After that, the radio monitoring was handed over to Kashima-chan, right?" With a leisurely explanation, Battleship Mutsu's finger slid smoothly from the military affairs office, finally stopping at the alley between the warehouse complex and the overseas dormitory, looking up at Cruiser Kashima, who was wearing the same white military uniform as her sis.

"Yes, Nagato-sama and Mutsu-sama adopted a conciliatory approach, going to the warehouse to persuade the target, while Onee-sama assigned the intelligence and radio work to me and Ooyodo-san, who arrived later." Kashima placed her hands in front of her, respectfully explaining to her superior. “Nee-san immediately formulated all the plans. All unequipped ship girls were suspended from their missions. Destroyers were ordered to return to their dormitories to stand by, and all armories and Ayanami-class riggings were sealed off. Except for Yamato-sama and Musashi-sama, Akagi-san and Kaga-san, all Japanese battleships, cruisers, and aircraft carriers joined the search.” Kashima's eyes were lowered, her voice icy. “After all, the defection of ship girls is a military law incident that cannot be ignored.”

Kashima stepped forward, gesturing to the map on the table. "You tried to persuade Akebono-san. According to my surveillance, she seemed not respond to your calls or attempts to appease her, leaving through another exit and storming into the ammunition depot. At this point, Shoukaku-san and Hiryuu-san had already dispatched the first wave of reconnaissance aircraft. A subsequent inventory revealed no torpedoes, bombs, or shells were missing, leading to the conclusion that the target was simply trying to evade aerial reconnaissance by moving between buildings."

"Later, she abandoned the blocked buildings and chose to use bushes and small structures for cover in guerrilla warfare. Half an hour later, she was witnessed by Kawauchi forcibly entering the cafeteria and escaping through the back door. In other words, she continued to approach the center of the naval base and has not yet been found."

"That girl isn't trying to steal a pair of riggings and go to sea, is she? If so, it's terrible..." Mutsu said worriedly, pursing her lips.

Later, you still found Akebono and subdued her. Anxious Nagato and you rushed to the scene. Akebono seemed to have planned this act of disobedience for a long time, more meticulously than her previous rebellions. She had anticipated the encirclement and deliberately lured and spread distracting information, seemingly planning to lead the pursuers to the port area before leaving through the main gate of the naval base in the opposite direction.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me— go!" The ship girl in a short sailor uniform screamed. Her long, flowing purple hair, fierce expression, and wild spring chrysanthemum hair tied in a long ponytail—it was the destroyer ship girl, Akebono. She was being held tightly by the light cruiser beneath her. "I won't let go! You'll run away again if I loosen my grip even slightly, won't you? Don't move, you troublesome brat!" The short, dark purple hair, the horns on her head and the eyepatch-like sensors—it was the light cruiser Tenryuu, who was sitting cross-legged, gripping Akebono's wrists and forearms. The two were writhing awkwardly. Their clothes, one black and one white, were filthy. Akebono's white sleeves were stained with coal dust, leaves, and even twigs.

"Akebono, Tenryuu! Are you both alright?" Nagato, who always puts the destroyer first, shouted. "Stop running, Akebono! Nagato-nee is also responsible for this. Explain yourself properly. You didn't cause any contraband to be lost, nor did you use weapons without permission. If there are extenuating circumstances, I guarantee your punishment will be kept to a minimum. I'll take care of the rest. I'll also explain to Katori and Yamato!"

"Ugh, Nagato-nee-san—" When Akebono saw Nagato and heard her words of advice, a look of despair flashed across her face for a moment, then she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, giving up any thought of disobeying. Her waving hands slowed down. Until she saw you beside her, her eyes widened, she gasped and puffed out her chest like a madwoman, and began to struggle violently again. Tenryuu was punched in the chin by her and cried out.

"Over my dead body! I will never be on some lousy mission under the command of a scoundrel! Absolutely not! I don't care if it ruins the General Staff's plans, I don't care if no one can go to sea, I don't want to fight under your scum! I'd rather die!" Nagato, stunned by Akebono's vicious words, froze, speechless, her expression as if she'd been stabbed. But Akebono's insults were directed at a completely different person.

"Don't come any closer! Stay away from me! If you can't understand human language, are you going to bark like a dog or squeal like a pig?" She bared her teeth, as if ready to bite at any moment. "Stay away from us ship girls, you shitty admiral! Shit admiral!"