Author: I wanted to upload this tomorrow but I decided not to add some parts in this chapter.
All this time...
Sitting in one corner, the memory of Tyrant revealing she is also Tirpitz and Bismarck knowing the truth whole time haunts Tirpitz even after two days has passed. She felt betrayed by her sister keeping the truth from her since the beginning.
"Just when I hope I could talk things out with you..."
She's clenched her fists, unable to restrain on how furious she is towards Bismarck after their brief reunion.
Tirpitz, you have no idea the choices I had to make just to put you out of harm's way
Still, even if she felt betrayed in her heart, Tirpitz couldn't fully hate her sister after sincerely telling her she just wanted to protect her.
"If you wanted to protect me...you shouldn't have kept the truth from me. Tyrant being me and not you..."
The truth about Tyrant being actually who Tirpitz is going to be in an unknown future with her sister knowing this, Tirpitz's emotions sunk into uncertainty. She doesn't know what to feel about herself being her own worst enemy.
I am you and you are me. It won't change the fact I'm who you will become, Tirpitz!
"I will never become her"
Tirpitz bit her lip, refusing to accept that she is bound to become Tyrant as she doesn't want to be someone who would bow down to the Sirens and sink other Iron Blood ships without hesitation.
"I will never be someone...who would murder my own sister...with such cold eyes"
Even if she's angry at her Bismarck for keeping the truth, Tirpitz would never sink her own sister in cold blood.
"I'll never be that kind of person..."
Wallowing in frustration and inner conflict, Bismarck peeks from a distance, concerned for how Tirpitz had been acting ever since the last battle.
"I want to talk to her and all but I feel like it would be a really bad time"
Bismarck turned her head towards Nelson who stood behind her with her arms crossed.
"She looks like she's not in the mood for a conversation"
"Warspite thought the same so she didn't bother to disturb her either" Nelson shrugged her shoulders
"We both ended up in some weird place and fought Tyrant. Something must have happened before I came in"
"What exactly happened when you got swallowed by a pillar of light?"
Nelson raised an eyebrow, puzzled to what caused Tirpitz to behave differently and what's the connection of the light that swallowed both of them.
"I ended up in this really weird place..." Bismarck tried to recall the events
"And then?"
"I found Tyrant fighting Tirpitz and her Bismarck. I wasn't really there the whole time and even when I got there, the fight ended in like five minutes"
"That...wasn't really informative"
"It can't be helped! I was late to the party because I was lost in a really dark place!"
Bismarck's yelling attracted Tirpitz's attention who walked up to them, clearly in a bad mood.
"Bismarck, what in the world are you doing spying like a stalker?"
"Well...you see...Nelson can explain. Right, Nelson-"
Bismarck wanted to rely on Nelson for an explanation but the British battleship fled faster before Bismarck could notice.
"That bitch!" Bismarck cursed Nelson
"..."
"Look, you've been feeling down recently but you look like you're not in the mood for talking it out. I wanted to talk to you but I just can't find the right timing"
"I'm sorry..." Tirpitz lowered her head
"H-hey, what are you apologizing for?"
"I made you worried even though you shouldn't really be concerned since this is just about me"
With a brief sigh, Bismarck grabbed both of Tirpitz's shoulders and looked at her straight in the eyes with a serious face.
"Tirpitz, those feelings will only continue to swell up the more you keep them to yourself. Your loneliness rendered you unable to feel warmth. Sorrow will make you forgot what happiness meant"
"Bismarck..."
"Don't keep that depression to yourself. It's really pissing me off seeing you brooding like that!"
Tirpitz blinked her eyes, faintly smiling at the sight of Bismarck's genuine concern for an "outsider" like her. It meant a lot to her as even if the Bismarck in front of her is not the sister she knows, she appreciates the care.
"It's really difficult to explain or even understand for you"
"Oh please, I've seen and heard unbelievable things. Whatever got you depressed won't surprise me"
Bismarck insisted for Tirpitz to reveal the cause behind Tirpitz wallowing in sadness. Her problem won't be resolved unless she speaks it out with someone so Bismarck couldn't leave her alone.
"I can't really stand seeing you like that so you better open up! How can you feel Bette if you keep those feelings to yourself!"
Bismarck shakes Tirpitz when she grabbed both of her shoulders, annoying the latter for her persistence.
"It's because of what I learned from Tyrant when I met her again" Tirpitz takes a short sigh
"That bastard? What did she say to you?"
Slowly pulling away, Tirpitz turned around and walked a few steps away from Bismarck who got more worried.
"I thought I already knew Tyrant was my older sister..."
"But...?"
"I found out the hard way that Tyrant is actually me. She's who I'm going to be in the future, a pawn for the Sirens"
Bismarck fell silent, clearly hearing that Tyrant is actually Tirpitz's future self. She was fighting herself when she believed it was her sister and that caused Tirpitz to sink further in her doubts.
"What's worse is that my sister knew all along. She knew Tyrant is another 'me'...but she kept it to herself. I felt like I was betrayed by her..."
"Tirpitz..."
"My worst enemy is actually myself...and my sister knew the whole time"
Tirpitz clutches both of her arms and bit her lip, the painful truth coiling around her heart.
"Here I thought you and your big sister already made up after finally seeing each other again. Damn..." Bismarck scratches her head
"Spending time with you made me think how I actually respect and love my sister despite our distance"
"..."
"I thought I could fix our relationship but I don't think I could forgive her...for her worst lie"
(My Tirpitz is not much different from this Tirpitz so I should be able to do something as an experienced big sister)
Bismarck relied on her experience as an older sister, reaching her hand to Tirpitz. Right before she knew it, Bismarck pulled her closer and embraced her. The warmth of physical contact gave comfort that Tirpitz had long forgotten.
(It's warm...)
Tirpitz, finding solace in Bismarck's warmth returned the embrace, silently grateful to remember a feeling she thought she could never experience again.
"I know how much learning the truth hurts. I experienced the same thing myself a long time ago"
"..."
"It still hurts because once the lie becomes the truth... it's never going to be the same"
"Bismarck..."
"The pain never went away. It's always going to be there...but I learned to accept nothing can change it"
"How can I possibly accept the truth of my enemy being myself?"
"It's something you have to find out for yourself"
Bismarck slowly pushes Tirpitz away, her gentle smile triggering a memory within Tirpitz who backed away and brought down with one one on the ground. Tirpitz pressed her hand on her forehead, a memory she isn't familiar with surfacing.
"Ggh! Not this again..."
"Tirpitz...?!"
In her mind, Tirpitz saw an image of Bismarck in someone else's eyes. It was ber older sister warmly smiling at her with tears in her eyes. Her eyes expressed sadness yet her smile was gentle.
I'm sorry to leave you with such burden, little sister...
(Bismarck? Why I she crying)
So long as you're alive and well, I can pass on without regret...
(Big sister...)
If you were to meet my past self, please don't resent her
The memory grew static, shifting to a different one again much like what she experiences in her roccuring dreams.
"I could never bring myself to hurt you..."
It was as if she's reliving the memory herself, feeling Bismarck's warm and tight embrace.
[It looks like she made progress after all...]
The memory right before her disappeared, forcing her to wake up as she is surrounded by darkness.
"Wait!"
Tirpitz suddenly waking up and shouting, startled Bismarck who looked like she almost had a heart attack. A confused Tirpitz looked at her surroundings, realizing she's in a bed in someone else's room with heavily breathing Bismarck.
"Bismarck?"
"You almost gave me a fucking heart attack! Don't just yell out of nowhere after passing out!"
A furious Bismarck scolded Tirpitz who only looked at her with blank eyes for a moment.
"I passed out?"
"Yeah. After suffering a headache you suddenly collapsed so I brought you to my room to rest"
Tirpitz looked at all direction, inspecting Bismarck's room while the latter places her right hand on her hip while her left hand is pressing the ice pack on her cheek.
"You scared the shit out of me, you know"
"I'm...sorry..."
"You got me worried since you've been talking in your sleep. You kept saying sorry and big sister"
"I just saw my Bismarck again. She was smiling at me but she was crying. I couldn't really understand...but I felt sadness..."
"Dreaming about the past?" Bismarck raised an eyebrow
"I don't think it was my memory because I don't remember experiencing it"
"Maybe it's one of your forgotten memories. You said you begin to forget things after being alone for so long"
"Even if I had forgotten a memory, I would have sensed familiarity...but that memory had none"
"That Tyrant must have done something to you. I should have come earlier"
Bismarck gritted her teeth, frustrated that she was late to the party so Tyrant managed to escape again.
"By the way, why are you pressing an ice pack on your left cheek?"
"You punched me while you were unconscious. You even strangled me!"
"I...I did that? While I was unconscious?" Tirpitz is in disbelief
"You were mumbling in your sleep. It got me worried, you know"
"This never happened to me before. I never passed out randomly and I don't attack someone in my sleep"
Tirpitz became alarmed at how her body started to become different ever since the encounter with Tyrant.
"See? That bastard must be messing with your head"
"It could be possible. I...kept seeing her in my dreams. The other night I saw who I think is my sister. She told me how synchronizing with Tyrant made me see part of her"
Tirpitz recalled fighting Tyrant and making physical contact with an exposed energy. She felt a spark that reached her mental cube and ever since then, she started to have odd dreams.
"To make sense of what I'm seeing in my head, I have to face her again. I need answers to why my future self is messing with my head"
"Are you sure you can take her on right now?"
"...?"
"Tirpitz, are you fully prepared to fight your own future?"
"..."
Tirpitz went silent, both her heart unprepared to face Tyrant, her future self.
"I want to know the truth...to why she really sunk our own sister"
"Tirpitz..."
"I would never...kill my own sister. I could never do that even if I'm angry at her for keeping that"
"Maybe your Bismarck has her own reason. It's not that I'm defending her...but she doesn't have the look of someone who doesn't care about her little sister"
"...?"
"I mean...she's still your older sister at the end of the the day"
Tirpitz frowned towards Bismarck, making her step back and regret she brought up her thoughts after briefly meeting her counterpart.
"Don't talk like you know her"
Bismarck wanted to ease her emotions but her effort only made Tirpitz upset at the mention of her sister. Out of mood, Tirpitz decides to leave Bismarck's room.
"Wait. Don't push yourself"
"I'm fine"
Clearly upset, Tirpitz left the room even if her body still felt weak. Bismarck followed after her but Tirpitz stormed out of the dormitory.
"Wait, Tirpitz. I didn't mean it like that"
Tirpitz stopped in her tracks and clenches her fists before looking back at Bismarck with a different expression.
"Just when I realized I'm not really angry towards my sister...this happened"
"I'm sorry if it sounded like I was defending your sister. I just don't want you to hate her for the rest of your life"
Sitting in one corner, Tirpitz lowered her head and Bismarck sat beside her patting her back.
"More than anyone, she would know how I could never accept the truth about Tyrant. She was right...I could never accept it"
"What if she was trying to protect you from yourself? Before I opened fire back then, I saw her defending you"
"I don't know..."
Tirpitz is unsure if she would trust what her sister told her when it was also revealed that Bismarck knew who Tyrant is all along.
"My big sister was never honest to me. She kept a lot of things from me..."
"Even a harsh truth shouldn't be kept. The truth would only hurt once but a lie would hurt every time it's remembered"
Tirpitz looked at Bismarck, noticing how she spoke as if she had experienced it more than once.
"The other 'me' is a leader but she's also an older sister. I suppose she wanted to protect both"
"..."
"If you can meet your big sister again, make her be honest with you. She may be Bismarck too, but we don't think the same"
Seeing Tirpitz in the middle of sadness, Bismarck gently pets her head which makes Tirpitz faintly smiled. At the very least, Bismarck is relieved that Tirpitz is no longer upset at her.
"Told you Bismarck could handle it" Nelson crossed her arms
"Is that why you flaked out on her earlier?"
"Maybe..." Nelson turned her head away
"Observing them like stalkers feels a bit...wrong" Ark Royal isn't too keen on the method
Both Royal navy girls looked at the third person, Warspite, who place her hand on her chin and in a thinking position. With a gentle smile, she looked at the puzzled Nelson and Ark Royal.
"Bismarck handled her alternate sister well. It's as if she's casually speaking to her with little to no problem"
"Can we stop the stalking now? I'm not the type to do these kind of things" Ark Royal raised her hand
"So what's your next plan, Warspite? That Siren we fought escaped and we still don't have ant clue how to return her to be world" Nelson raised an important matter
"The device the Siren used...gave us a clue"
"A clue?" Both Nelson and Ark Royal looked at her
Warspite recalled witnessing the device floating in the air from a distance. When the Siren Purifier activated it, Warspite noticed a shift in the surroundings.
"As soon as it started to act up, the weather turned to a heavy rain...and the two disappeared from our radar"
"I remembered seeing it turn on or something and I lost sight of the two"
Ark Royal looked at both of them, unable to relate as she's the only one who wasn't present in the battle.
"If the same device was used to take away our Tirpitz and pull this one here in our world...then an important component was presented to say"
"What are you trying to say?"
"The only way to figure out about how such feat is possible, we need to force the answers out of the Siren Purifier"
Ark Royal swallowed her breath while Nelson furrowed her eyebrows as a new goal I presented.
"Our next objective is to hunt the Siren Purifier in order to resolve this mystery...and this Tirpitz is the only one who will lead us to her"
"But it doesn't look like...she could go out there again for a while" Nelson looked at Tirpitz
"It seems I have to remind her why she couldn't afford to have a fragile will"
Warspite is unhappy with how Tirpitz is after the last battle, displeased at how her heart and mind weakened and seemingly lost hope. She walked away, leaving the other two concerned for what Warspite will do next.
Azur Lane side...
Bismarck taps her desk with her index finger while an annoyed Graf Zeppelin takes a deep sigh.
"It seems the outsider you've been relentlessly hunting down turned out to be another version of Tirpitz. At least that's what I understood"
Graf Zeppelin tilts her head, confused at the experience and information Bismarck shared after the last encounter with Tyrant.
"I met another 'me' in a closed space created by Tyrant and she told me about her sister. Connecting what Tirpitz told me and the other Bismarck, the outsider...is another Tirpitz"
"How are you sure?"
"I asked her name and saw no lie in her eyes. Rather, she was afraid of my presence that she couldn't lie"
Bismarck crossed her arms as she is certain that the "outsider" is indeed another Tirpitz that came from somewhere else.
"As she is another Tirpitz, she is no longer a target to be hunted and persecuted"
"Well, I doubt you would harm another version of your beloved sister"
Bismarck frowned but she isn't upset at what Graf Zeppelin said as what the latter said is the truth.
"I managed to meet Tirpitz again ever since she disappeared almost three weeks ago. Since she is alive and seems fine, there's no need to be hostile towards thr other Tirpitz"
"I'm relieved our Tirpitz is alive but what are you going to do when you meet her again? It's because of Tyrant she discovered the truth...especially about how you knew all along"
When Graf Zeppelin pointed out what Bismarck wouldn't discuss, Bismarck's hand tensed up on the arm rest, visibly affected at how the events had turned worse for her.
"You just wanted to protect her from herself but the truth is inevitable. The truth of her worst enemy being herself that is..."
"What's been done cannot be undone. Tirpitz learned the truth and nothing will change that"
"There's no point of regretting it now, is there?" Graf Zeppelin shrugged her shoulders
"Knowing Tirpitz, she would lose strength to fight her own future who sunk her own sister and comrades"
Bismarck worried what will happen to Tirpitz knowing she doesn't have emotional strength to fight her future self who was transformed by the Siren's power.
"Before you worry on how much she hates you right now, you should be thinking on bringing her back here...wherever she is right now"
"Tyrant did something that caused us and Tirpitz to meet in the same location, along with another Bismarck. What she used could be related to how Tirpitz vanished"
"What makes you think?" Graf Zeppelin raised an eyebrow
"She opened a portal and dragged me in a space where meeting another version of myself was possible. I wasn't even surprised how Sirens managed to defy the laws of this world"
Bismarck sat back on her chair, recalling how Tyrant grabbed her and transported her in a closed space where she met Tirpitz who mysteriously disappeared and shockingly...another Bismarck.
"I just don't know why she would do something as drag us both in one place and reveal the truth to Tirpitz. She had been targeting my sister without specifying a reason"
"Tyrant may be Tirpitz's future but none of us could figure what she wanted from her past self"
Even Graf Zeppelin isn't sure to what Tyrant's goal is for targeting Tirpitz since the beginning, clearly not aiming to kill her or Bismarck.
"She's after Tirpitz and I have to figure out why before it's too late. She's by herself in an unknown location as we speak"
"She managed to stay alive this long so don't underestimate your younger sister"
Graf Zeppelin is confident Tirpitz can survive on her own in unknown territory while Bismarck worried for her safety.
"Even so, my priority to find a way to return her here"
"Well, our only clue that could help us is being kept by some Royal navy shipgirls"
"The alternate Tirpitz..."
"Yeah. The person who could probably help us...is the person you've treated as an enemy all this time"
"Where's Eugen right now?"
With a soft sigh, Bismarck's response is suddenly asking for Prinz Eugen's whereabouts but Graf Zeppelin understood why.
Shetland Islands...
A worried Tirpitz walked back and forth, anxious and nervous at what's going to happen to her next after Bismarck found her and learned of her name.
"Just take a seat and calm down for a moment"
An annoyed Prince of Wales dragged her to a chair and forced her to sit down since she had enough of Tirpitz pacing back and forth.
"I can't really stop thinking after the Bismarck here found me, asked my name, and took off without saying anything"
It's understandable why Tirpitz couldn't relax but Prince of Wales doesn't like seeing someone like her keeps thinking nonstop over something like that.
"Bismarck isn't taking any actions against you. Besides, it's only been two days..."
"I'm not panicking like an idiot but I am worried after she walked away without a word"
"You're still in one piece so take that as a good sign" Prince of Wales isn't worried
"Look, I'm not scared of the Bismarck here after looking at her right in the eyes"
Tirpitz looked at the black mental cube, quietly positioned in the middle of the table.
"What really got me worried is that thing. I didn't know what happened...but something happened"
"I saw the cube brighten when Bismarck and Tyrant disappeared"
"I was confused at what's happening, I must have triggered a reaction in the cube"
Tirpitz fixed her gaze on the black mental cube, momentarily in a trance which Prince of Wales noticed immediately.
"Right before I knew it, Bismarck reappeared and asked my name. That Tyrant person was nowhere to be found though"
"She kept me out of the battle so I wasn't able to pursue her" Prince of Wales softly growled
"It's fine. There were no casualties even if your target escaped so it's still fine"
"...I suppose so"
While Prince of Wales is unhappy at how the black battleship escaped without a trace, Tirpitz is relieved there were no casualties.
"You should really stop staring at the black cube. Your eyes becomes different and turns red. It's really worrying"
"It turned red?"
Tirpitz swallowed her breath at the mention of how her eyes changed just by looking at the cube.
"The Royal navy need to study-"
The cube glowed when Prince of Wales reached out her hand to grab it, prompting for the latter to quickly pull away her hand as the cube seems to react different around other people.
"It doesn't like you, huh"
"It's not reacting towards probably because you're a shipgirl from another world so you're not made from a mental cube like this one" Prince of Wales guessed
"Maybe it just doesn't like you"
"Shut it" Prince of Wales frowned
As Tirpitz giggles and Prince of Wales grits her teeth, their attention is shifted at the door knocking.
"Belfast?"
(That's the Belfast here? They have Royal knights, now they have maids. What's next? an actual Queen?) Tirpitz is amazed upon seeing another Belfast
"Pardon for the intrusion but a visitor from Iron Blood wants to speak with an outsider"
Belfast bowed and reported about "a visitor", confusing the two since they weren't expecting any visitor from Iron Blood.
"Is it Bismarck?" Prince of Wales raised an eyebrow
"No. It's your...friend"
"...Ugh. It's her" Prince of Wales covered her face with her palm
Prince of Wales walked past Belfast while a dumbfounded and curious Tirpitz followed her outside. A girl with silver hair tied in twintails patiently waited by the wharf and greeted the two with a friendly smile.
"Eugen? It's odd for you to visit right now, after Bismarck finding out and all" Prince of Wales crossed her arms
"Honestly, I don't like the job of delivering invitations but it's Bismarck we're talking about"
"Invitations? Bismarck?" Prince of Wales is clearly confused
"I came here to give this. Bismarck likes to be formal after all"
Prinz Eugen brought out a sealed envelope to Prince of Wales who briefly hesitated to open it. Bringing out a cleanly folded paper, Prince of Wales gave it to Tirpitz after reading a few sentences.
"It's for you" Prince of Wales passed with a serious tone
"Heh?"
A nervous Tirpitz took the letter and read the contents, letter by latter from the start to the end.
"Why did it looks like Bismarck wants me to see her?"
"That's because she's inviting you to go to Iron Blood to meet with her formally in person. The last time doesn't count"
Prinz Eugen waved her hand, knowing what's inside the letter as she's been instructed before being given the job to deliver the letter.
"Bismarck wants me to go...to the main base of Iron Blood?" Tirpitz swallowed her breath
Tirpitz felt even more nervous as she is clearly being invited to meet Bismarck in Iron Blood's main base in Germany.
"There's nothing to worry. She found out you're also Tirpitz so she isn't going to hurt you"
"...?"
"Even if you're another version, Bismarck has a soft spot for her little sister" Prinz Eugen giggled
"I don't think grabbing me by the collar is having a soft spot" Tirpitz doubted
"That's just Bismarck being...well, Bismarck" Prinz Eugen shrugged her shoulders
"She looks really serious and strict. I'm just not used to that kind of Bismarck"
The only reason Tirpitz is "worried" is due to how completely different the Bismarck is Iron Blood compared to the sister she knows.
"The meeting's tomorrow so I suggest you shouldn't be late. The leader of the whole Iron Blood wants to meet you after all"
"...!"
"Now that I've delivered what I came for, I'll be taking my leave. Good luck on your meetup tomorrow"
Prinz Eugen winked and gave Tirpitz a tap on the back before leaving the base as she didn't intend to stay longer after delivering the letter. Prince of Wales looked at Tirpitz who returned the letter inside the envelope and takes a deep breath.
"To talk to another version of my older sister...makes me a bit nervous"
"So that's what you're worried about her"
At least Prince of Wales has less things to be concerned about after knowing that Tirpitz has complicated feelings about formally facing an alternate version of her own older sister.
"Hey, Tirpitz - what's with the heavy atmosphere?"
Victorious returned to meet the two excitedly but only to be greeted by a serious mood emitting from both of them. Curious and a bit worried, Victorious tilted her head while Tirpitz gazed up in the sky.