Author: Compared to the original, there will be visible differences in the story, but it won't stray too much from the main plot though. Also, I thought of not leaving what I started so I'm going to continue this.

Chapter 01 of the sequel to 'Memories of the North' is almost done, but I couldn't finish it because I still can't think of a damn title. I already planned and confirmed of uploading the story this week.

The Grand old lady is coming today...

The Grand old lady who served as Tirpitz's mentor during her early days as a shipgirl is actually arriving in her base. It's been a long time since she last met and spoke to Warspite. She was stationed somewhere in the United Kingdom while Tirpitz is in Japan. Even though Warspite is her mentor, she acts like a mother to Tirpitz.

"That woman. She did this on purpose. Not that I'm mad though..."

She voiced out her honest thoughts not to one of the shipgirls, but to one of her fairies. The little ones, as she sometimes calls them, climbed on her shoulder and on top of her cap.

"I wonder what was she thinking...deciding to get transferred to my base instead?"

Tirpitz deeply sighs, leaning forward and resting her head on her hands. She enjoyed the peace of quiet inside the office, but it was instantly cut off when Kongou kicked the door open, like most occasions. She was so excited she forgot her admiral hates having her door kicked open, specially by battleships.

"Heeeeyy, admiral. I heard a British is coming today!"

"Well, yeah..."

Just as she wanted to stop thinking about Warspite, Kongou had to remind her, not that she knew the admiral doesn't want to be reminded.

"She's a veteran battleship from the Royal navy. That woman..."

"Hmm..."

Kongou narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to Tirpitz's face, to the point where the latter felt uncomfortable. Five years in the fleet and she's still not used to the shipgirls acting intimate on her. Tirpitz always keeps a calm demeanor and doesn't always expresses too much emotions, but that doesn't mean she's emotionless. There are just times where she doesn't feel anything.

"Admiral, it sounds like you know her..."

"We know each other, but it's been a long time since I last saw her. Our relationship is complicated"

Tirpitz herself can't properly describe her relationship with Warspite very clearly. She describes it as "somewhere in between". While she respects and trusts Warspite, she dislike the Grand old lady "seeing right through her heart".

"To think...to think the new face is the admiral's ex - I won't lose to some foreigner!"

"E-ex? That's not-"

"Admiral, I don't care who and what kind of woman she is, I won't give up"

"Kongou, that's not-" Tirpitz tried to explain, but she is cut off once again

"The admiral's heart is mine. No woman from the land of tea will steal it!"

Kongou declared with a burning passion, much to Tirpitz's annoyance as Warspite and her didn't have "that" kind of relationship in the past. Her feelings for Warspite are out mutual respect and trust and nothing more than that.

"Admiral, you and I are the only for each other. Not even some-"

Kongou is prevented from saying anything else when Kirishima walked inside the office in the midst of Kongou's speech and starter dragging her eldest sister away.

"That's enough, Kongou-neesama. You're becoming a nuisance to the admiral"

"Heeeeh?! I'm just making it clear I'm the only one the admiral should love. Not some ex foreign lover!"

Kongou wildly flailed her arms in the air, upset at how Kirishima ruined her moment.

"On behalf of our sister, we're sorry for that, admiral" Hiei bowed

"Haruna too" Even Haruna

"It's fine. At least Kongou didn't break the door"

She remembered when the Kongou class first arrived in her base. The four fast battleships sisters suddenly burst through the door, to Tirpitz's great surprise. She doesn't hate the four, but she just wished they'd act a bit more disciplined.

"Warspite is going to arrive in two hours. I still have some time left to relax"

Looking at the time, Tirpitz is little to not bothered at all on how she only has two hours left before Warspite arrives to her naval base. Since she has nothing much to do, Tirpitz wanted to spend her remaining free time relaxing and taking a nap. Moments as she closed her eyes, she drifts a deep part of her subconsciousness.

It's been a while since we got to relax together like this. Other days, we're just out fighting in the open seas.

In her "dream", she saw a woman with long blonde her whose face she can't clearly remember. That woman gently smiled at her and Tirpitz smiled in return. She felt secured and content when she's with that person.

Even if we're fighting, it's fine. Because we get to fight together.

She felt as if she knew that woman, but for some reason, she can't remember who she is. Her mind is a wreck ever since she came back. Her mind is already "messed up" even before she came back. It's just that it became worse now.

Listen, Tirpitz. No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.

...

I...will never leave you alone because I'm...

Before she could even hear what the woman in her dream is about to say, she ended up waking up. She felt upset she didn't get to know what that person is about to say since something woke her up.

"I know my own past yet..."

She couldn't remember much about her past a shipgirl. Tirpitz felt multiple gaps in her memory. All she could remember is that she was alone and that...she was...abandoned.

"...I couldn't remember"

She leaned her head forward, resting her forehand on the hands she used as a stand. Every time she would dream about her past, she would always sale up like she experienced a horrible dream.

Later...

Warspite finally reached the naval district after she spent some time touring sights that interested her. As soon as she stepped foot at the naval base's premises, she brings out a bright smile on her face, excited to meet the admiral herself ever since the last time they saw each other.

"Hmm. So this is the naval base you're handling. It seems interesting"

While she knows Tirpitz is the admiral, this is the first time she ever got to see and stepped foot the Maizuru naval district.

"Now then..."

She swept her hair behind and proceeded toward the naval district. The shipgirls who see her walking by instantly stopped whatever they are doing, surprised at the foreign looking lady.

"A foreigner, poi"

"She looks elegant" Mutsuki's eye sparkled

"Must be the foreigner I heard Kongou-san said is coming"

Fubuki rubbed her chin and admitted to herself the foreign lady does look elegant...and classy. Though, unlike the two, Fubuki isn't sparkling with amazement. Other than the three, Warspite also gets the attention of the four Kongou class sisters, specially Kongou who's burning with jealousy.

"To think she's the admiral's ex. Grr! A formidable rival indeed" Kongou cracked her knuckles

"Kongou-neesama, don't go picking a fight now" Kirishima reminded her

"Even just by looking, Haruna knows she's very elegant and lady-like compared to Kongou-neesama. No wonder the admiral fell for such a beautiful lady"

Haruna frankly stated her honest opinion towards Warspite and made it sound like she's better than Kongou. Of course, Kongou felt hurt at what Haruna said, but she refused to admit Warspite is better than her.

"Haruna, you don't have to say it out loud no matter how true it is!" Hiei isn't helping either

"Kkh!"

Sobbing in a corner, Kongou wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face. Hiei unintentionally made Kongou feel worse, but Haruna...Haruna smiled as if she had said it on purpose, knowing how Kongou will react. Then again, no one can tell the true meaning behind Haruna's smile.

"Even though their admiral is German, the girls here seems like this is the first time they saw someone from Europe"

Warspite gently giggled, finding how adorable the shipgirls' reaction upon seeing her, specially the destroyers. When Zuikaku saw her, she felt jealous much like Kongou, but she has much more control.

"My, jealous of the new foreigner now, Zuikaku?" Shoukaku teasingly asked

"N-no!" Zuikaku blushed

"You're not very honest, Zuikaku. It's fine to admit you're jealous because that lady is most definitely the admiral's type"

"H-hmph! I don't care about that garbage admiral. Just because I don't have any..."

Zuikaku referred to her own chest which she is very insecure of. She's sensitive about the mere mention of her chest that she reacts violently if someone were to tease her about it. Zuikaku gets upset the most whenever the admiral pays attention to her "flight deck".

"Oh my..." Warspite spots four destroyers

Those destroyers would be DesDiv 06, compose of the four Akatsuki class destroyers.

"Hello" Warspite greeted them

"H-he...row"

Akatauko tried so hard to speak in the same language as Warspite. Ever since she heard she heard from the admiral a lady is coming, she tried to study English, but unfortunately, it's too much of a subject for her to learn.

"I would like to ask the direction to the admiral's office. I may have gotten lost"

"A-ah...aaah..."

Akatsuki trembled, unable to respond to Warspite's question. Even though Akatsuki claims she is a lady, she is unable to act like one in front of a real one. She felt so nervous at just by looking at the beautiful foreigner in front her, her brain stopped functioning properly.

"Ah. There's no need to ask for directions" Tirpitz appeared from behind

"Admiral, it's you"

She smiled brightly upon meeting the admiral, who happens to be Tirpitz herself, once again after a long time. Even if they knee each other, Tirpitz still feels a bit uncomfortable around her.

"It's been months since we last met. I'm glad you're doing well"

"Y-yeah..."

The word for this situation right now is "awkward". Even though they don't have "that" kind of relationship, Tirpitz acts as if they once had an intimate relationship that anyone would mistake for a romantic kind.

"We already know each other so I won't waste my time with the introductions"

Tirpitz regained her calm composure and lead away Warspite from their current spot. After the two left, Akatsuki fainted on the ground, unsurprising her three other sisters.

"Yet it feels like it's really been a long time since we last saw each other"

Warspite grabbed her hand, making Tirpitz stop in one spot.

"It makes me miss the old days back then"

"I don't"

"Come on now, don't be like that. We had our good times, didn't we?"

At that moment, Warspite is beginning to tease Tirpitz in order get amusing reactions from her, but the latter is already aware of her intentions.

"There's nothing good about spending all of your life alone in the frigid north"

"..."

"I don't like anyone reminding me about the loneliness I spent in the cold"

"Your mind is really damaged, huh"

Warspite gently reached out and gently touched the side of Tirpitz's head.

"Still, I believe it can be healed, despite how bad it affected you..."

Her fingers then crawled its way to Tirpitz's chest, gently feeling her heart beat. Tirpitz just stood there, letting Warspite do as she pleases, without even saying a single word.

"Anyhow..."

Warspite then had Tirpitz carry her luggage all of a sudden, surprising the latter.

"Huh?"

"Would you kindly carry my luggage for me, my admiral?" Warspite teasingly asked her

"Carry your own damn stuff, you old lady-"

"Hmm?"

At the mere mention of being instantly changed Warspite's gentle expression to a threatening one, intimidating even the likes of Tirpitz.

"Y-yes, ma'am..."

Even though Warspite is an old model, she's much more experienced and capable in combat compared to Tirpitz. Not even once did Tirpitz ever bested Warspite in combat. The Grand old lady always proves why she's her mentor.

Admiral's office...

After helping Warspite settle down in her room located in the battleship dorms, Tirpitz finally got to rest inside her own office. Though she can't fully relax with Warspite drinking tea while inside her office.

"Don't just go around using my office as your personal room for tea time" Tirpitz sounded unhappy

"At least allow me just this once. Tea time is part of a British's tradition after all"

"Honestly. You just enjoy teasing me in so many ways"

Tirpitz doesn't want to mention she's acting like a child as she knows Warspite is sensitive to topic regarding her youth. The last time she ever made fun of Warspite about that...the veteran battleship almost broke her arm.

"How about you join with me for a cup of tea? It will help you relax"

Warspite poured warmly brewed tea into a second cup and invited the admiral to join her.

"Alright"

Since she really can't say no to Warspite and a relaxing cup of tea, she had no choice but to accept her little invitation. Besides, the two of them sometimes does this back in the old days. It's just that a certain someone gets upset whenever she would drink tea with the Royal navy girls.

"So tell me, Warspite, why did have yourself transfer here?" Tirpitz had been meaning to ask that

"Hmm. I knew you would ask that"

"I know you very well...sort of"

"I came to a decision when I realized they're going to be transferred here too soon"

"They?"

"Certain shipgirls from the Kriegsmarine"

Even if Tirpitz is aware is a Kriegsmarine shipgirl too, she has little to no knowledge about her fellow German shipgirls.

"The Kriegsmarine, huh. It's ironic how despite being a Kriegsmarine shipgirl myself, I have little to no knowledge about my own comrades"

"You really don't remember, huh" Warspite sighs

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing. It's just nonsense from this English woman"

Warspite continues to sip her tea while Tirpitz remains confused to why she looked dismayed for a brief moment. Asking her would be pointless, knowing she won't give a clear answer anyway.

"...?"

Tirpitz reacted when Warspite suddenly touched her hair...for an unknown reason. With loving gaze from her eyes, Tirpitz is caught off guard by the grand old lady. She's not good at handling people who gets to intimate with her, specially someone like Warspite.

"White as the northern snow and those gentle blue eyes. It befits your nickname, doesn't it?"

"Don't even mention it, Warspite" Tirpitz warned her

"I know how much it upsets you whenever you are called by that name"

Warspite strokes Tirpitz's bangs, comparing how she once had the same color as her sister's.

"I don't like...having something personal be mentioned so casually"

Tirpitz grabbed Warspite's hand and with a dark expression, she reminded her once again. Though Warspite had already seen this expression of hers, making her unfazed even with those threatening words.

"...?"

In the middle of a serious moment, Nagato happens to walk in bringing some documents that needed to be reviewed. Upon seeing Tirpitz holding Warspite's wrist and leaned closer to her, Nagato misunderstood the scene.

"Admiral, Warspite just arrived and you're already hitting on her"

"W-what? No...it's not like that"

Tirpitz quickly pulls away, terrified at her secretary ship looking disappointed and very upset even though it's not what she think it is.

"Admiral, it seems I have to remind you about how you should act towards your shipgirls"

An mildly angry Nagato grabbed Tirpitz and dragged her out of the office in order to scold her for "misbehaving" towards the newest addition to the fleet. Normally, Warspite would be confused, but she found how Nagato dragged a scared Tirpitz away so casually. It reminded her of the old days whenever Tirpitz would scold that person for misbehaving.