(Merry Christmas!)

  Ayanami, Kalk, Laffey, Hobby, Javelin and Z23 are all standing to the side in a ballroom. Ayanami, Z23, Hobby and Kalk are wearing nice dresses.

  Kalk adjusts her dress. "This feel weird."

  "Hobby thinks you look nice." She smiles, making Kalk blush.

  "T-Thank you." Kalk twists her pointer fingers together.

  In the middle of the room in Alicorn, wearing a sleek bck dress, is dancing with Sheffield, who's wearing a nice dress.

  On the side of the room is Edinburgh, who nervously drinks something from a cup.

  Javelin nervously rubs her hands together. "Kind of makes you nervous, huh?"

  "Not me." Laffey cims.

  Ayanami gnces over to Laffey. "I'm fine, too."

  Javelin looks at Ayanami in surprise. "Really?"

  "It's not that bad... I guess." Kalk states.

  "Are you nervous, Javelin?" Z23 asks.

  Javelin zooms in front of Z23. "This is my first grown-up party!"

  "You really are still a child." Laffey says to Javelin.

  Z23 then speaks. "Being able to enjoy this atmosphere is the mark of a grown-up dy."

  "So are you enjoying in?" Javelin asks.

  Z23 smugly smiles. "Well, more than you."

  Javelin pouts and moves back into her spot. Then she points to the other side of the room. "What about Bismarck-san over there?"

  They all look over to see Bismark leaning against a wall. Though it seems she's not enjoying herself.

  "Doesn't look like she's enjoying herself." Z23 observes.

  "I thought you Iron Blood ships, loved to party?" Hobby questions.

  "Yeah!" Kalk fps her arms. "I've seen your Commander party all night long, several nights in a row."

  Z23 sweat drops. "My Commander is... a special case."

  The six then walk over to Bismarck.

  "I wonder what Bismarck-san is doing." Javelin whispers.

  Bismarck notices the girls approaching and she looks away, but they just stare at her. She then turns back to them. "What is it? Is there something on my face?"

  "You look really stern." Ayanami informs.

  "We were wondering if you're just as stern at parties as you usually are." Javelin states.

  Bismarck grows a little sad. "I thought I had quite a neutral look on my face, But I guess it didn't come off that way." She puts a hand on her cheek.

  "That reminds me." Z23 starts. "Have you still not talked with Tirpitz-san?"

  Bismarck lowers her hand. "I've made sure to have a dress prepared so that I would always be ready, if she invited me to go anywhere. But no matter how long I wait, she doesn't..."

  The six other girls look at each other and nod. They turn back to Bismarck.

  "You can't just wait forever." Ayanami informs.

  "That's right!" Javelin agrees. "You have to unch an attack!"

  "Or you'll lose your chance!" Kalk fps her arms.

  "I do?" Bismarck questions. "But how, exactly?"

  "Just preparing a dress is not enough." Javelin states. "First, you have to change into it. Laffey-chan!"

  Laffey salutes as she slides over to Bismarck. "I got this."

  Laffey grabs Bismarck and drags her off.

  "Hold on!" Bismarck stops Laffey.

  Z23 grabs onto Bismarck's other hand. "It's okay, Bismarck-san. Trust us."

  .

  .

  The six girls gasp in awe as they look Bismarck in a dress, up and down.

  "It doesn't look... weird?" Bismarck asks with a blush.

  Javelin smiles. "It's perfect!"

  Kalk gasps. "Miss Bismarck is very pretty!"

  Laffey holds up a peace sign. "Peace."

  "Biscuit is ready for the dance floor." Hobby states.

  "U-Um, I must ask that you don't call me that." Bismarck grows a small blush. "Only one person can call me that."

  "And now..." Z23 interrupts.

  Ayanami then speaks. "When you're asking someone out, you need to have some kind of catch phrase. I learned this from a game."

  "A catch phrase?" Bismarck questions.

  Ayanami whispers into Bismarck's ear. Bismarck blushes and nods, then she walks over to Javelin.

  Bismarck holds a hand out to Javelin. "May I have this dance?"

  Javelin blushes as her heart races. "Th-This is..."

  "How is it?"

  Javelin smiles as she puts a hand on her cheek. "Amazing!"

  "She's a professional!" Kalk states, and Hobby nods in agreement.

  "One more time, please!" Javelin reaches her hands out to Bismarck.

  "Down, Javelin." Ayanami orders.

  Bismarck then heads off and the six girls watch.

  "Make sure to go say that to Tirpitz-san now." Laffey calls out.

  Bismarck looks back to them. "Thank you all. I'll try asking her." She continues walking.

  "I wonder how this will turn out." Z23 questions.

  "It's going to turn out just fine." Javelin is optimistic, she looks to the side and spots Formidable. "Wait, isn't that..."

  Kalk feels a tap on her shoulder and she looks to the side, and sees Hobby holding a hand out to her.

  "May I have this dance~" Hobby asks with a smile.

  Kalk's face turns red as she grabs Hobby's hand. "S-S-Sure."

  Hobby giggles and drags Kalk onto the dance floor and the two dance together.

  "It's so peaceful tonight." Hobby smiles.

  "I'm gd everyone getting along now." Kalk nods. "Just a few months ago, everyone was at each other's throats." She then grows a worried look.

  "Kalk, what's wrong?"

  "I, uh, I overheard a phone conversation from Commander Sicilia, and it worries me?"

  "How?"

  "Apparently the Siren's are popping back up again, and they seem coordinated this time, as if a Elite Siren was leading them."

  "Could it be Purifier again?"

  Kalk shakes her head. "Commander Stait doesn't think so, she was never this coordinated. But I think this is the reason why every Commander went back to their homend. Commander Osami is leaving at the end of the month."

  "Hmmm, I think we'll be fine." Hobby smiles. "We have Alicorn, the strongest ship to exists!"

  Kalk smiles and nods. "Yeah! If anything goes wrong, she'll kick those Siren's butts!"

  The two ugh and continue to dance through the night.

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  12-25-2023

  1356 words