Author: I underestimated FGO Gacha hell so I've been banging my head in the wall as my gold craft essences is twice the amount of my gold starred servants. So I haven't been focusing on this story because there's no escape in gacha hell.

Wasted countless SQ and not a single 4 or 5 star servant. And I mean none. I feel like returning to AL since the gacha there was much nicer.

It was a normal sortie but things turned for the worse when Tirpitz disappeared when a pillar of light flashed in the middle of the sea. Her signal disappeared and she's nowhere to be found.

"You look...anxious" Warspite raised an eyebrow

"I'm worried" Bismarck crossed her arms

"It's unlikely she had sunk. She was clearing the enemies in her location...and the mysterious pillar of light"

Warspite was present in the battle much like Bismarck. She saw the moment a pillar of light pierce through the sky and fade away after a few seconds.

"There's something as strange as the pillar of light"

Graf Zeppelin took one gentle sip from her proudly made coffee and joined in the discussion.

"There was someone else with Tirpitz. An unknown large ship that popped out of the radar"

"That's true. My radars picked up an unknown ship near Tirpitz's location" Warspite rubbed her chin

"That unknown ship is the nearest to Tirpitz and when that pillar of light appeared, both of them vanished"

"If they didn't sink, where did they go?" Bismarck scratched her head

"Perhaps Tirpitz was transported in an unknown location" Warspite theorized

"What makes you say that?"

"This is much like what happened not too long ago. When she confronted her own enemy. You were there, weren't you?" She looked at Bismarck

Bismarck widened her eyes, recalling how the Siren Purifier transported both her and Tirpitz when they were swallowed by a pillar of light.

"That's right. There was...a pillar of light too" Bismarck stood up

"Correct. Both of your signals vanished from our radars"

"The place we were transported back then was like another dimension. It was all dark and empty, like it stretches nowhere"

That closed dimension was filled by darkness and ruins in the everlasting crimson sea. There was no entrance and exit, just nothingness.

"If it is a separate dimension, then there's nothing we can do. It's beyond our reach and capabilities. It's a power of the so-called Sirens after all" Warspite delivered the bad news

"If it's a Siren, then we might find a way to bring back Tirpitz" Graf Zeppelin had thought of something

"What do you mean, Graf Zeppelin?"

"There's one here, right? One that possesses the technology capable of opening portals to another worlds. She's the one who dragged you back then, Bismarck"

Graf Zeppelin is clearly referring to the Siren Purifier who remained elusive lately so the Maizuru fleet are unable to track her down.

"The one Tirpitz refers to is the Siren Purifier, but she's hiding among the Abyssals"

"Then we'll just beat the hell out of ant Princess we see and force them to tell us where the hell she is!"

Bismarck cracked her knuckles and beat her fist, itching to fight the Abyssals if it means locating their key to opening a portal to another world.

"You make it sound like it's easy. The Princesses are difficult to sink, let alone to forcibly answer our questions" Warspite frowned

"Sinking one requires strategic planning and fleet organization. You just can't barge into their territory and expect them to answer you" Graf Zeppelin added

A frustrated Bismarck sat back down, groaning with her arms crossed. In the middle of her frustration, Nelson followed by Ark Royal interrupted their afternoon session.

"We're going to be up for another sortie soon!"

Nelson proudly announced at the top of her lungs while Ark Royal massaged her head.

"Nelson? Must you really shout upon entering?" Warspite is displeased

"It's not just another sortie. We might be up against another Princess, and it's been weeks since I got to shoot one"

"...!" Bismarck reacted

"It's in American waters though and it doesn't look like it's much of a threat, but our fleet is going to send a few shipgirls to investigate in land"

Ark Royal sat down and showed the three the post-sortie report of their allies in that area.

"Then why don't the Americans take care of it?" Warspite raised an eyebrow

"The American forces are occupied in the South Atlantic and Indian ocean as of the moment" Nelson answered

The two British shipgirls couldn't help notice Bismarck's brightened expression like she found joy and hope out of nowhere.

"Bismarck?" Nelson called her out, puzzled

"If it's a Princess, then it's my chance to beat the answers out of her. If she doesn't talk, I'll shove an AP shell to her stern"

Bismarck is rarely this energetic and itching to tackle a Princess class head on, prompting the two to look at Warspite for answers.

"To summarize what we discussed, there's a chance we could find Tirpitz from the Siren Purifier but she's hiding among the Abyssals"

"So that's what happening..." Nelson takes a brief sigh

"This is just fine since we need that Siren to bring back our Tirpitz" Ark Royal shrugged her shoulders

"That's right! That Siren definitely knows where's my Tirpitz so I'll chase her down no matter where she hides"

The four shipgirls is glad that Bismarck is fired up but they also worry this might lead her to be reckless in battle which could lead to a fatal mistake.

Azur Lane side...

Tirpitz appeared out of nowhere but those who is seeing her is certain that is indeed the younger sister of Bismarck, the Lone Queen of the North.

"Tirpitz? Where the bloody hell did you came from? You appeared in a flash of light!"

King George V shook her head in disbelief upon clearly seeing Tirpitz in front of her, clearly puzzled to why everyone looked so shock. The Royal navy battleship quickly noticed the black cube in her hands but it looked slightly damaged.

"A black mental cube? Why do you have that?"

"The other Tirpitz had these but she threw it at me before it activated. That's how I ended back here"

"What?"

"It's a long story. And I mean a long one"

Right now, King George V saw how Tirpitz is barely relieved that she had returned after being missing for almost a month. She looked exhausted more than anything...and worried for someone.

"You're damaged and exhausted. We have to make some repairs and recovery first before you reveal what you had experienced"

"I could say the same thing to you people. You all look worse than me"

"Code-T happened..." Kawakaze shrugged her shoulders

"It seems I have missed a lot of things while I was in another world"

Looking at the injured shipgirls and the feeling that King George V wanted to ask a lot of questions regarding her disappearance, Tirpitz lets out a short sigh. Right now she's exhausted from what she has gone through.

Later...

While the other Royal navy girls and Kawakaze recover after being wrecked by Code-T, King George V visited Tirpitz who sat in a corner, clearly troubled and worried.

"What's with the sad face? You finally got home and you can go back to your comrades now. You should be relieved and delighted"

King George V crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, puzzled at the Iron Blood battleship's unknown cause of sadness. Tirpitz isn't known to be the cheerful one but it's unusual to be unhappy to return home after vanishing to another world for weeks.

"That's the thing. I got home but someone paid the price"

"Someone paid the price?"

"The other Tirpitz who suddenly looked like one of the Abyssals tried to fight Tyrant and stop her from getting the cube. During their struggle, the cube activated and the other Tirpitz tossed it to me"

Tirpitz recalled how she couldn't intervene when the Beast and Tyrant are preventing the other to take the cube. Tirpitz wished she could have done something to undo what she viewed as a mistake on her part.

"She knew once the cube activated, it would cause another rift to open so she threw it at me hoping it would send me out of the closed space and back here"

"Fortunately, you were transported here"

"I may have returned home but the other Tirpitz is still trapped in that dimension with Tyrant. That's why I can't celebrate my return just yet. Not until I find a way to get the Tirpitz out of there and take down Tyrant"

"It's not going to be easy, you know. Especially the taking down one of your worst enemy part"

King George V viewed taking down Tyrant to be more difficult than figuring out how Sirens opened a rift to another world to begin with. Tirpitz silently agreed, aware that there's a low chance of defeating her future self who is much stronger than her in combat.

"You're right. I can't easily beat her because she's-"

"...She's your what?"

Tirpitz was about to say Tyrant is her future which she refused to accept. She could never accept "that monster" as herself.

"Tirpitz?"

"She's...me..."

"...!" King George V silently gasped

"She's my future self but I'll never accept my future to be...like that. I refuse to be that kind of monster"

Tirpitz clenched her fist, furious all Tyrant had done to Iron Blood now that she knows who she is. King George V is rather silent, simply observing Tirpitz restrain her own anger.

"That person-"

"Tiiirrpiiittz!"

Before Tirpitz could even say more someone suddenly yelled her name right before pouncing on her from behind. Recognizing the voice and the chest squashing her, Tirpitz's mood quickly changed to an annoyed one.

"Victorious..." Tirpitz grunted

"I came back as soon as I heard you're back! You don't know how much I missed you!"

Victorious smothers Tirpitz with her enormous chest, further annoying the already exhausted Tirpitz.

"I keep thinking about you everyday whether you're still alive or not. I was really worried, you know!"

King George V giggles seeing how Victorious obviously missed Tirpitz more than and excited to be reunited with her. Even if the only one who's happy right now is Victorious who couldn't contain her joy and relief.

"While you were away I had to deal with the other Tirpitz who is kind of rude at first but she's kind of similar to you"

"The other Tirpitz?" Tirpitz pulls herself away from Victorious

"She said she came from another world similar to ours, the same world as those ugly, creepy Abyssals"

Tirpitz isn't aware her counterpart had met and got to know some shipgirls in the Royal Navy.

"You two Tirpitz should meet. Where is she anyway? She hasn't returned yet"

Victorious looked left and right, unaware of what happened to the other Tirpitz. King George V couldn't tell her so Tirpitz decided she should be the one to inform her about what happened to her counterpart.

"The other Tirpitz...is gone. She's not here, Victorious"

"G-gone? You mean..."

Victorious felt like her heart stopped for a moment as she had grown fond and attached to the Tirpitz from another world.

"No, not that kind of 'gone'. She's just trapped somewhere"

"Trapped? What do you mean?"

"It's a long story. It involves how I got back here"

"Tell me everything!"

With a deep sigh, Tirpitz started her explanation from when she was still on another world until to the part King George V and the others found her.

"That's why I'm not celebrating I came back here. I can't abandon her with Tyrant. She let me escape while she's holding off Tyrant"

"We'll help her, right?" Victorious looked to King George V with pleading eyes

"We can offer you some assistance but my concern is Bismarck would be upset if you tell her what you're planning" King George V sighs

"I have no plan on telling her. I know Bismarck so I know she wouldn't want me to involve myself with people outside of Iron Blood"

"So you're going behind her back? She's definitely going to be angry at you once she finds out"

"If it means rescuing the other Tirpitz then I'm prepared to face her punishment"

Tirpitz had already made the resolve to do what it takes to save her counterpart if it means angering her sister.

"My, so it is true. You returned to this world by unknown means"

Prinz Eugen walked by and along her is her older sister, Admiral Hipper, who looked annoyed like always. She always looked annoyed or grumpy so everyone had gotten used to that expression of hers.

"Eugen? Hipper?" Tirpitz is confused at their presence

"I contacted Iron Blood as soon as we returned to port and Bismarck sent these two to bring you back"

"We also brought Nimi and Lebe but they went somewhere else with your little destroyers" Prinz Eugen added

"We're free so Bismarck ordered us to pick you up" Admiral Hipper crossed her arms

A curious Prinz Eugen approached Tirpitz and inspected her at every angle, even poking at pinching her cheeks.

"You returned in one piece after being stuck in the world of those deep-sea horrors"

"I was luckily taken in by a fleet there and stayed with them for some time" Tirpitz answered

"So how did you return safely? Georgey here didn't tell us"

"That's because even I don't know. Your comrade here popped out of nowhere while we were beaten horribly by Code-T" King George V reminded Prinz Eugen

"Oh right. You got your English assess kicked in less than five minutes. I heard one of your turrets got chopped off clean"

"You're one to talk when you were as beaten as us. One of your barrels got cut off" King George V retaliated

"I have to admit I was taken by surprise but at least I didn't look like I got hit by truck unlike you people. I mean even battlecruisers are tougher than heavy cruisers, aren't they?"

While Prinz Eugen admitted she was defeated as well, but she verbally retaliated, irritating the usually composed King George V. Ignoring King George V's sneer, Prinz Eugen returned her focus to Tirpitz.

"Anyhow, we need to return as soon as possible. Bismarck wouldn't show it but she's relieved you came back alive and wants to reunite with her beloved little sister"

Prinz Eugen grabbed Tirpitz's hand, in a hurry to escort her back before Bismarck scolds them for taking too long. Before she's dragged away, Tirpitz wanted to say her farewells properly.

"King George V, Victorious, you have my thanks"

"For what?" King George V raised an eyebrow

"For helping an outsider from another world and for willing to help me"

"We of the Royal navy are hospitable to our guests even if that guest is another version of you" King George V slightly nodded

"Come pay a visit, okay? Or I'll bomb you again if you sulk in your fjords again"

Tirpitz tipped her cap as she is escorted away by the two heavy cruisers and as they leave the Royal navy port, Tirpitz took one last glance before leaving.

Iron Blood...

After docking, Tirpitz stared into the horizon which Prinz Eugen couldn't help but notice.

"Is something in your mind?"

"...Yes"

"Oh" Prinz Eugen felt curious

"It involves making Bismarck angry"

"Let me guess, you're going behind her back again. It's rare for you to go against your sister"

Prinz Eugen circled around Tirpitz like a shark examining its cornered prey.

"What are you up to? I'm really curious now"

"..."

"The other you vanished while you came back? Does it have something to do with that"

"..."

"You get attached to people you barely know and you would risk yourself for them"

"It's none of your concern"

"It is involves putting yourself in danger again..."

Tirpitz stopped for a brief moment but she continued and didn't respond back to Prinz Eugen who is curious to find out what Tirpitz is planning behind Bismarck's back.

(It won't be easy but I have to make sure Bismarck won't suspect anything)

Tirpitz swallowed her breath as she made her way to her sister's office. Upon gently opening the door, she found Bismarck had fallen asleep. Tirpitz thought Bismarck may have been working all day again.

"Hmm? Tirpitz? I must have unknowingly fell asleep again" Bismarck cracked her neck and stood up

"..."

"What's the matter? It doesn't seem like you're glad you returned home"

Bismarck quickly read the worry and restlessness in Tirpitz's face. The latter turned her face away for a moment, unsure what to answer.

"I am glad I returned to Iron Blood but there's still unfinished business between us"

When Tirpitz vaguely mentioned it, Bismarck figured it out and lowered her head for a brief moment.

"That's right. I lied to you about Tyrant's identity. I kept it a secret until we confronted Tyrant"

"..."

"It was difficult to accept that Tyrant is my future self. Nothing but a weapon who bends to the Sirens' will. I would...never become someone like her"

Tirpitz clenched her fists and bit her lip, unable to forgive Tyrant especially their last confrontation.

"Bismarck, I don't hold a grudge against you. Someone from the other world made me realize that you kept the truth to spare my feelings, knowing I would never accept it"

"Tirpitz..."

"...but since you kept it for so long, it still hurts. I've been fighting my future self without knowing it after all"

"I am selfish for hiding the truth but I wanted to put you out of harm's way. Even if I knew I wouldn't able to keep it from you forever..."

Bismarck approached Tirpitz and looked at her straight in the eyes, to let her know she's being sincere with every word she says.

"Did you hide it believing I'm not capable of fighting myself? That I'm not capable of my own"

"No. You are capable on your own because you are my younger sister" Bismarck disagreed

"..."

"I taught you to be independent if the time I will never be there anymore happens"

"Bismarck..."

Tirpitz loosened herself knowing she couldn't always rely on anyone, especially to her sister, since there will be a time where she has to face her battles alone.

"Bismarck, I do not bear hatred against you, but the fact you lied will always be there. Right now, my focus is to take down Tyrant"

"Defeating her is no easy task. We've seen how powerful she is that...even I was defeated"

"I know that but before that...I want to know what she needed from me. She wouldn't leave me be and targeted me"

"She has her own personal motives. If she was going by the Sirens' orders, she wouldn't be so focused on us"

"That's obvious since she dragged me to another world to deal with me without anyone interfering"

"Whatever it is, she failed to accomplish it. You returned unharmed" Bismarck is somewhat glad

Thinking about the last encounter with Tyrant, Tirpitz felt that Tyrant hasn't truly failed. She felt that it isn't over yet.

"You fought her several times. She's not done yet..."

Tirpitz gently pressed her hand on her chest, aware that being trapped in another dimension won't stop Tyrant from accomplishing her goal.

"Tirpitz, how did you return here? You were trapped in another world"

"..."

"Tirpitz?"

"I faced off Tyrant. Rather, she got tired of waiting and decided to settle it with me"

"What?"

"Remember the place she trapped us in? She dragged me there and we had a short fight"

"You tried to fight her by yourself?"

Bismarck slightly raised her voice, shocked that Tirpitz had to face Tyrant by herself while being trapped in another dimension.

"It wasn't really a fight. I got my ass kicked but during our scuffle and..."

Tirpitz paused as when she was being overpowered by Tyrant, her counterpart who was in the process of becoming an Abyssal lunged at Tyrant. The two fought with Tyrant's arm being ripped off.

(It was the other 'me' that continued the fight and let me escape)

"What happened? How did you manage to escape?"

"There was a flash of light when I struck something when she lowered her defenses. The next thing I know, I was somewhere again" Tirpitz quickly covered up what really happened

"I see..."

Bismarck never taught Tirpitz how to lie so she saw through her words. Her younger sister wasn't telling the whole truth. Even so, Bismarck let that one lie through, wondering why would Tirpitz needed to lie to her.

"At the very least you managed to return without any problem. You should rest for the time being before returning to your duty"

"Fine..."

Taking a deep sigh, Tirpitz was about to leave when she let out a brief groan before slamming to the door.

"Tirpitz?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired..."

When Tirpitz turned her head to Bismarck to assure her, Bismarck saw Tirpitz's eye color change to bright yellow.

"I'm going to my room..."

Tirpitz left the office but Bismarck worried that something did happen she isn't aware of.

"The way she looked at me in the eye. It's as if - no, I'm overthinking this"

Bismarck shook her head and sat back on her chair, sweating after seeing the similarity with Tyrant's eyes. The same eyes that looked down on her while the everything else was burning.

Sakura Empire...

In a 'special' prison, Akagi quietly spends her time behind bars that not even she could break. At the sound of slow and echoing footsteps, Akagi opens her eyes and gazed at her rate visitor. A red uniform pattered with a regal cape and a sword on the side of the waist.

"My, a Royal navy. This is unexpected..."

Akagi slyly smiled, amused at the presence of an unlikely visitor. The captain of the Royal guard, King George V, paying Akagi a visit is an unlikely sight indeed.

"What could the famous captain would want from an imprisoned carrier like me?"

"Oh please, you were thrown here for causing trouble one week ago. You did quite the damage, I heard" King George V moved closer

"I do not like anyone tampering with my patience. That's all"

The two went silent for a while, locking their eyes with a mischievous smile on their lips.

"So, what exactly did you came here for? Surely it's not to gloat the fact I'm being punished for making...a ruckus"

"I'm wondering if you're aware of Tyrant's existence. Observer Alpha's little dog"

"The Northern Tyrant? Yes while I don't have much knowledge, but I'm aware of her existence. The proud Bismarck's little sister"

"That fact was already revealed by Tirpitz after Tyrant revealed the truth to her" King George V pointed out

"If you already knew that, then what do you wish to know about her? Rather, why do you wish to know?"

Akagi tilted her head, curiously asking what else King George V needed to know about Tyrant. Specifically, why would King George V needed to acquire information about an enemy she rarely encounters.

"Code-T was generous enough to mention about Tyrant's modified Awakening Protocol"

"If that topic has been brought up, then...there was no point in hiding it anymore"

"What do you mean?"

"I know a lot about the Codes, specially the few ones Observer keeps on a leash. This one needed the version of herself that exists in this current timeline"

"The Tirpitz in this timeline?"

"Yes. The one currently existing in this moment"

"Tyrant has been focusing on Tirpitz because she needed her. For what reason?"

King George V tightly held the bars in between her and Akagi who is enjoying teasing her with the suspense.

"She's a real mess and became a bit defective and slightly unstable. I mean she's supposed to be cold and emotionless but she keeps reverting to her old emotions"

"How do you know so much about the Codes?" King George V is surprised at Akagi's knowledge

"I manage to copy the data while Observer turned her back, just in case I would need them in the future. It's how I know the Codes Observer is keeping an eye on"

"Then what's her goal for provoking Bismarck and targeting Tirpitz?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Akagi lowered her head and giggled, not in a hurry to answer King George V. When she finally stopped laughing, she raised her again and looked at her with an amused smile.

To absorb the mental cube of her past self...