Author: I'm going have to do editing on some of the chapters. The rest will only have little to no changes.
The situation has escalated from bad to worse...
Early morning and rather than be in the office, Tirpitz checks upon the shipgirls participating in the daily morning exercise. When she came to check on them, Katori and Kashima reported that one shipgirl...is rather late.
"She's such a headache sometimes..."
Tirpitz angrily storms off after learning the only shipgirl not present for the morning exercise is Bismarck herself. She knew she might have overslept again so she hastened her pace and stormed the battleship dormitory.
"Aufwachen, you lazy sister!"
She angrily kicks the door open and shouts, startling Bismarck into waking up. The older sister almost fell on the floor rolling while the younger sister forces her to stand up.
"T-Tirpitz?!"
"Have you been drinking all night again?"
"M-maybe just a bottle or two-"
Furious, Tirpitz gives Bismarck a chop in the head as basic punishment. Even if Bismarck is the older sister, Tirpitz is still the admiral of the naval base. So, as the admiral, she gave her quite the scolding which lasted about fifteen minutes.
"Come on now, Tirpitz. You're just being mean" Bismarck
"Quit talking...and do me one hundred!"
With a roar of someone with authority, Tirpitz had Bismarck do pushups while she assigned U-511 to make sure Bismarck does up to fifty pushups.
"Is a shotgun really necessary?!" Bismarck complained while doing pushups
For a minor offense, Bismarck just thought U-511 guarding her with a shotgun is already an overkill. It's not like Bismarck would run off somewhere to another country.
"Yuu takes her job seriously. Yuu is a wolf" U-511 cocks her automatic shotgun
The usually innocent and friendly U-511 isn't the same U-511 watching Bismarck. This current "Yuu" is in the mode she only shows when she's given an order to hunt and attack or if on a sortie.
"Ha ha ha. You're a little angry today, partner" Gangut teased Tirpitz
"How many I have to tell you not to smoke so early in the morning?"
Tirpitz snatches Gangut's pipe in a blink of an eye. Gangut struggled to take it back, but Tirpitz easily held her back.
"You're just being cruel today" Gangut pouted
"Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind"
Tirpitz tosses the pipe back to Gangut who felt incomplete without it...even for a minute. Gangut wanted to talk about the incident a few days ago, but seeing Tirpitz doesn't mention it the slightest, she knew her partner wouldn't want to talk about it.
(It will be rude to talk about it right now...)
Gangut withheld her own thought for the time being with the issue still fresh. It would be inappropriate to bring up the topic, seeing Tirpitz isn't the exact mood for personal topics.
"Hmm?"
Gangut caught a brief glimpse of Tashkent passing by and looking at their direction with cautious and sharp look on her face.
"Ah. I almost forgot to ask. Have you seen Ark Royal?" It almost slipped Tirpitz's mind
"The Swordfish lover? No. I haven't seen her. Why?"
"I wanted to ask her about something. I guess it has to wait..."
Tirpitz walked away, feeling somewhat disappointed Ark Royal isn't currently available for a conversation.
Later...
Sitting alone in the office, staring at the picture frame at the side of her desk, Tirpitz thought about the last memory she had before waking up in a hospital.
"Look at you. Left in a state like this..."
It was Arkhangelsk. The person who almost killed her twice...ended up coming to her reduce. She looked at the downed and weakened Tirpitz, as if she's subtly mocking her current state.
"Are you here to kill me or what? Because killing me...isn't possible...not anymore"
"Oh. I know that..."
Despite the current state, Arkhangelsk knew Tirpitz isn't going to die easily. Still, Tirpitz suffered heavy injures she could barely move a muscle anymore. That's why even if she wants to punch Arkhangelsk, her body has no strength to do that.
"The most feared beast that lurked in the fjords...left like this"
"I'm not that Abyssal anymore. I'm Tirpitz, a Bismarck class battleship"
"I don't really understand your game, Tirpitz"
Arkhangelsk lifted up Tirpitz's coat and her undershirt, inspecting the wound herself. Tirpitz felt like Arkhangelsk is the type of skirt lifting pervert. While she felt embarrassed, she felt immense pain from the wounds she sustained from Midway Princess.
"You're lucky I'm the one who found you or it'd be a problem for you"
Tirpitz lets out a sigh, forced to listen to Arkhangelsk and her rambles.
"What...do you really want? Do you want to try to kill me...for the third time?"
"I had to make it look like I really am trying to kill you so the KGB doesn't realize I've been working with the likes of MI6 and CIA. That's why when I shot you...I didn't aimed for the vital spots"
Tirpitz could remember the last time she almost died. That was when Tashkent returned horribly beaten and wounded. She went to confront Arkhangelsk only to end up on the brink of death. She survived the encounter thanks to Gangut rushing to the hospital.
"What's your real agenda...Arkhangelsk?"
"The same as you. Learn why this war started and find a way to end it"
"You..."
"My sister died for this kind of purpose. I'm just here to finish her mission"
"Royal Oak, huh..."
"I'm no longer welcomed in the Royal navy, but that's fine. All I care...is accomplishing this mission..."
"You...don't have to kill innocent people...to accomplish that"
While Tirpitz can agree with Arkhangelsk's main goal, she disapproves of her methods which involves killing humans.
"You know it as much as I do. There's no such thing...as innocent people"
"..."
"You're soft. I...did not expect that" Arkhangelsk mocked her
"Two sides of the same coin" Tirpitz looked at the sky
"I never thought someone like you still cared. I guess this proves everyone can change if they want to"
Unusually, Arkhangelsk lifted Tirpitz off the ground, putting the latter's arm over her shoulder. This unlikely act surprised is so unlikely of Arkhangelsk it genuinely surprised Tirpitz.
"Arkhangelsk? Why?"
"A few days ago, a friend of yours asked me to not let you die...or something like that"
"A...friend...?"
"I think her name's Scharnhorst. Ring a bell?"
"How did you-"
"I fought her about a week ago. She was very...angry, but the when I mentioned of your name...she calmed down"
"I...see..." Tirpitz sighs weakly
Arkhangelsk takes slow and careful steps from the partially demolished facility. Blood dripped with each step they take, leaving a trail of small drops of fresh, red blood.
"After knowing her little sister is fine, she wanted to see you one last time..."
"She wants to be put down, right?"
"Yeah. She can't live like that anymore. Your friend wants to go down knowing she didn't regretted anything. That's why when you meet her again...do all of us a favor and put her to rest..."
Tirpitz chuckled in pain, coughing out blood, causing blood to flow from both sides of her mouth.
"I'll put Scharnhorst to rest if possible. She's doesn't have...deserve to suffer much longer..."
"You are still...ha ha ha. That's why...I believe you won't do anything that will hurt those girls...specially Bismarck"
Arkhangelsk looked up in the sky and then to Tirpitz. She saw how the latter breathed heavily, unable to inhale and exhale normally. Yet, she still knows Tirpitz isn't going to die in her current state.
"I don't know what you're up to, but I'll do you a favor...just this once"
"So...vereign..."
Tirpitz slowly called Arkhangelsk by her old name to which the latter smiles. It's been twelve years since she last heard someone called her by that name. It's been too long...she thought it had been lost forever. After recalling the latest events, Tirpitz opens her eyes when Ooyodo came knocking.
"Ooyodo?"
"Sorry for interrupting you, admiral"
"It's fine. You aren't interrupting anything. Is there something important you want to tell me?"
"Yes. We've received an update from the headquarters"
Ooyodo places the latest reports on top of the desk for Tirpitz to read. She scanned through the latest sighting...of Fast battleship Princess who hasn't been seen for the past two weeks.
"Scharnhorst..."
"Admiral?"
"It's nothing. I mean it's good news and all..."
Tirpitz cleared her throat, maintaining a calm and collected composure like any decent admiral. Much like Nagato, even Ooyodo noticed the certain moments where her admiral would act...unusual. She does act unusual from time to time, but to Ooyodo this is a different kind of unusual.
"So where did she run off to this time?"
"The Russian navy chased her somewhere in the northern part of Japan before successfully escaping them. We have received orders to mobilize a fleet once her exact location has been pinpointed"
"I thought dealing with her is assigned to Sasebo?"
"Admiral Minato's fleet is currently assigned track down Midway Princess. That's why Fast batteship Princess has been reassigned back to us"
Tirpitz saw this as possible opportunity to sink Dreadnought Princess once and for all once they meet once again.
"That's good then" Tirpitz smirked
"Admiral?"
"I'll lead the assigned fleet once we tracked down Fast battleship Princess"
"Is this because of your connection to that Abyssal, admiral?"
Tirpitz raises her head, confirming the question to Ooyodo's question. While it's common to feel emotional, Ooyodo doesn't want personal feelings to hinder the admiral's duty both as a shipgirl and an admiral.
"It's fine, Ooyodo. I won't hesitate. Not this time..."
"Are you certain about that?" Ooyodo raised an eyebrow
"I made a promise and I'm going to fulfill it. That's what friends are for"
Tirpitz grabs the picture frame on the side of her desk. She smiles bitterly, just reminding herself how she can't smile the same way she once had in the past. Those good old times will never come back, but she can at least put a part of her past to a rest.
Meanwhile...
After a "minor setback", Tashkent had the injury on her left hand treated and bandaged to avoid problems such as infection to her open wound. Tirpitz got rather upset after learning what she had done. Tashkent knew her admiral wouldn't be happy, but to herself she did what must be done. She cannot let such things be revealed to everyone else. So she burned it along with the man and his house.
"How long is she planning to keep this up? Her body is already at its limit..." Tashkent mutters to herself
She kept grumbling to herself, she didn't even notice Gangut so she bumped to her. Tashkent backed away as soon as her hand felt a sting, particular at the palm area.
"Hey, comrade. I've been looking for you all day. Where have you been?"
"I...I went somewhere...on an errand"
"Hmm?" Gangut noticed something is off
Tashkent is one of her long time comrades, so she would easily know a sudden change in her behavior, specially how she talks. Gangut knew when Tashkent averted her gaze and spoke in a rather nervous way, the Russian destroyer is keeping a secret she doesn't want everyone to know at all costs.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I...I just went...to finish an important business. That's all"
Other than the way she speaks, Gangut also noticed how Tashkent's right hand is gripping her left wrist. She inspected every inch of suspicious behavior to Tashkent. Analyzing why she is acting out of the ordinary all of a sudden.
"Hmm..."
Without the slightest warning, Gangut grabbed Tashkent's left wrist and quickly took off the left glove. There's a slightly blood stained bandage wrapped around the hand, confirming her suspicion Tashkent's hand is wound.
"It looks you got in a fight. What kind of business was it exactly...?"
"..."
"Tashkent, you know you can't lie to me. So better tell the truth right now"
EXTRA
Late at night, Tirpitz stays awake while most of the shipgirls are already asleep in their respective dormitories. She sat by the wooden port, overlooking at the ocean and the reflection of the bright moonlight. She couldn't help but continue to long the more she looks the steady moon and the clouds the passes by each minute.
"You're still awake at this time of the night, Tirpitz"
Tirpitz would want to say the same thing for Ark Royal as the British aircraft carrier joins her in gazing at the moon and enjoying this peaceful night. Tirpitz prefers to spend most of this kind of moments alone, but having a companion to enjoy it...isn't so bad.
"You're thinking something...personal, aren't you?" Ark Royal sighs
"What makes you say that?"
"People don't just stay up this late unless something is bothering them. Well, in my case, I'm practicing my Swordfish for night battles"
Ark Royal is proud of her Swordfish squadron, she would be very much be glad to talk about it. Except around Bismarck who grows irritated the more she keep hearing about it from Ark Royal herself. Tirpitz, on the other hand, doesn't mind as she wasn't historically taken out by Swordfish torpedo bombers. Even so, she isn't fond of a certain British aircraft carrier much like how Bismarck feels to Ark Royal.
"I'm thinking about the past"
"The past?"
"I sunk without ever returning home. It's like trying to reach for something, but you just can't..."
Tirpitz raises her hand in the air, reflecting the image of how she sunk reaching out for the light, knowing her effort...is completely futile in the end. Much to Ark Royal's surprise, Tirpitz mentioned it with little pain visible on her face. Normally, Tirpitz is sensitive about this kind of topic, but this time...she spoke and acted as if it doesn't matter.
"We were once warships in our original lives, but then...we were reborn as human beings possessing the soul we had when we were warships. Why...?"
"Not all of us know, Tirpitz. All we know is even after being reborn, it's still our destiny to fight in the open seas..."
"Have you ever wondered why?"
"No. To tell you the truth, I've been thinking of nothing but my duty as an aircraft carrier of the Royal navy"
"You're just like the others..." Tirpitz felt disappointed
For the past few days, Tirpitz displayed unusual behavior. It can bee thought as she had an epiphany one day and it changed her ever since. She's not very honest with her feelings compared to Bismarck whose prone to express them.
"You've changed a bit, Tirpitz"
"I did?"
"I've noticed. You've been acting a bit...distant to Bismarck lately. Is there something wrong?"
"..." Tirpitz looked away
"Did something happened between you and Bismarck?"
"Well...you could say that..."
Tirpitz shrugged her shoulders, taking little interest in the matter, making Ark Royal worry about her.
"If you think we had fight...we didn't. It's just that I'm not in the mood lately, okay?"
"I see. I thought you two had a sibling quarrel or something"
"Well, it's common for siblings to quarrel from time to time" Tirpitz smirked
Regarding about their relationship, Ark Royal recalled about after the last fight with Dreadnought Princess, Bismarck consulted Ark Royal for advice...which is very unusual. She never thought Bismarck would consult her for advice of all people so it shocked her the moment Bismarck asked her opinion.
"You know, Tirpitz, after the last battle with Dreadnought Princess...Bismarck came to me for advice"
"What?" Tirpitz felt mildly surprised
"She thought about what you said and wants to talk to you...but she's not good at talking with her feelings"
"That's just like her..."
"She felt bad that she never knew how you feel insecure towards her all this time. You know Bismarck doesn't want to hurt your feelings on purpose"
"I know..." Tirpitz sighs
"Maybe you can talk it out with her? I feel like this will be a problem in the future" Ark Royal recommended
"Since I'm the one who...said all of those things back there, I suppose I have to be the one to bring it up to her"
Tirpitz smiles and tells Ark Royal she will discuss this with Bismarck as she was the one who brought up the topic during the battle a couple of weeks ago.
"After all...siblings shouldn't be keeping the truth to each other"
The way Tirpitz spoke each word of it...felt despondent to a degree. In the end, Ark Royal thought of this as a part of Tirpitz's "sudden realization" after the battle two weeks ago. Even...Ark Royal felt as if she saw Tirpitz's smile from someone else before. 'Who could it be?' She asked herself as she shared the night with Tirpitz.