Chapter 2 - Meet and Greet
Karl slowly awoke from his slumber, his neck cracking as he looked up from his desk. The book he had been reading served as his pillow, and an outline of the materials and font of the title of the book were imprinted on his hand and arm. He was shirtless, the bruises and scrapes still lining his body. For his pants he still wore the somewhat uncomfortable white Admiral pants which he had been also tempted to strip off earlier that night but decided against it. He took a look around and realized it was still dark out.
Karl took a scan around the room but realized he didn't have a clock, so he decided to use his personal watch. He opened a drawer in his desk and took it out, getting close to check the time.
It was around 4:35 in the morning. Seeing as he normally woke up at around 5 when he was on the Bismarck, he probably woke up due to some sort of internal alarm clock.
"You're up, huh?" An extremely familiar voice called out to him. Again, he scanned the room, and found a figure in the corner. Just enough light filled into the room from the damp sunrise to make out a figure in the left corner of the room. A 6 foot figure.
"...Eichmann?" Karl asked out of the blew, his heart skipping a few beats as he did so. The figure walked forward, revealing the person he had called out to. He was right.
It was Eichmann, with pale white skin that began to indent around his cheeks. His eyes faintly glowed a dark yellow with no pupils or retinas visible. He still had his Kriegsmarine uniform on, visibly stained darker in several places, especially his foot.
"Yeah." The figure said, walking even closer. "You have the watch?"
Karl gulped and nodded. "It with my uh... uniform, I had Prinz Eugen have it washed and r-repaired." He was scared shitless but tried his best not to show it.
What he could only figure was the ghost of Eichmann nodded. "I saw her earlier. She came in and left you something. I told you she'd have bit tits."
"Y-Yeah, you did. You were uh, right in that regard."
Eichmann looked down at himself, extending his arms a bit like when you check out a new piece of clothes. "This version of me must really fuck with you, huh?"
Karl quickly nodded, sitting back down in his chair and adjusting his hair.
"Not to worry, Karl. I'm not real- not technically atleast. I live through you- or the hope you return that watch, more specifically."
"I will, Eichmann, you have my word."
"I know you will, but. Not like this, this isn't our world."
"No shit."
Eichmann chuckled, the faint glow in his eyes dimming down just slightly. "You have to return to ours to give that watch back, Karl."
"I don't know how."
"There is always a way. I'll keep an eye over you, Karl, and make sure you stay okay. A dead man can't do much."
"Apparently they can."
Eichmann shook his head. "This is the only thing I think I can do to contact you Karl. I fought tooth-and-nail to do so as well."
He rubbed his eyes, which were now a dull tannish color. "But I don't have forever. All I have to say is that I don't trust Prinz Eugen. Now go get yourself a shipgirl date and return home."
Karl nodded and saluted him. Eichmann did so back and walked off towards the door, opening it. He looked back and nodded to Karl one last time before walking out and closing said door behind him. Karl sat back farther in his chair, adjusting his hair, his breath shaky.
"What...?"
Karl truly awoke at around 7 AM to a knock on his door. With a pained groan he lifted himself up from his desk, a plot of drool puddling on it. He sighed and wiped it off.
"Just a second."
Karl stood and pushed in his chair, walking up to the door. He opened it, expecting Prinz Eugen but being met by his eyes only the tippy top a blue hat.
(I could not be bothered to find a proper png nor crop this lol)
Karl looked down at own of the blue cap, to find a short 5' 3'-or-so female with short blond hair and a similiar dress to Prinz Eugen, though longer and with more design. She had grey sleeves that went from her hands to her elbows and a long cape-like design that hung off the back (dont know what to call it tbh).
She looks awfully cute and innocent, and looked and gave off a vibe opposite to that of Prinz Eugen. In her hands which were extended outwards was some folded up blue clothes, probably his Kriegsmarine uniform, with the Kriegsmarine cap on top.
"Oh, thanks... uh..."
The girl looked up to him, and he noticed her face was beet-red with somewhat worried, obviously flustered eyes. "Z-Z-Z-23, Kommandant. C-Call me Z-23."
Karl tilted his head at confusion of what was causing her to be so embarresed. "Something on my shir-" He looks down and noticed why. He had no shirt on, his smooth belly and chest which were dotted with blown bruises and red patches of irritation.
Karl quickly nodded in understanding why and took his clothes. "Thank you, Z-23." He said, going to close the door but a hand grabbed it, forcing it open at the cost of Karl's balance. Thus, the poor man fell onto Z-23, narrowly catching himself on a wall with the female having her hands on her chest trying to keep it from smashing into her face.
"Hhhhoooooo~? You and Z-23 up to something, hm~?"
"Shameless, Kommandant! Shameless!"
Karl quickly pushed away and looked over to the two sources of voices. In immediate view was Prinz Eugen who for some reason had her hair straight down and noticably wet, a few bits of her clothes as well. She was in the middle of brushing it over her shoulder, getting ready to put her weird medal bow things in.
"It's not what it looks like!"
"I-I-Its not what i-it looks l-like, Ms. Eugen, Ms. Hipper!
"Ho-ho~? Is that soooo, hm? Why're you mounting the poor ship, Neu-Kommandant?"
"Shameless!" The girl behind Prinz Eugen again spoke up.
(Again didn't care to crop :)
The girl had long blonde hair had similar clothes to Prinz Eugen, but far more modest and seeming like an actual military uniform instead of some sort of knock-off cosplay of one. Her overall looked was a more modest, less arousing but still just as appealing look. She had a similar look to Prinz minus the eye color, being green and not a vibrant red. She was just of a hot/cute mix as Prinz Eugen, only leaning more towards the cute size. She was hiding behind Prinz Eugen, looking over her shoulder with closed but visibly mad look.
Z-23 was just visibly scarred from the ordeal, probably more from pure embarrassment. She simply stood with glossed eyes.
Karl grabbed his blue tunic and quickly began to slip it on, not bothering with an undershirt and quickly buttoned it up.
"M-My apologies, ladies." He gulped and straightening himself out. He wiped a drop of sweat from his face.
Prinz did her signature giggle, alluring and suspicious eyes. "You just got here, Neu-Kommandant~. You can't go around banging us all just yeeet~. Maybe Schwester Hipper, actually." She nudged the shoulder of her absolutly dark-red heated sister.
"SHUSHSHUSHSHUSHSHUSH-!" Hipper screeched out, punching Prinz Eugen's side rapidly. Prinz Eugen died laughing, finding the strikes ticklish, trying to get Hipper away from her with disoriented and soft, playful kicks.
Karl couldn't help but give an honest chuckle at the predicment. "G-Girls, calm down a bit- this is too funny."
Hipper looked over to him and stopped. "Wait you find me fu- I'm not funny!" Hipper marched over to him, retrieving a humored but scared two step retreat.
"P-Please don't tickle me a-as well- I t-think I'll die from a stroke."
"Do tickle him, It'll arouse~ him."Prinz Eugen was now next to him, grabbing her arm and dragging it over to Karl chest. Karl hopped back, having genuine fun as Hipper tried to escape her sister's grip.
After a solid 15 seconds of the struggle, Karl calmed himself down and wiped a tear from his eyes. "A-Alright ladies, calm down now. Off her, Prinz Eugen."
Prinz Eugen gave an 'aww' in disapointment, unhanding her sister who was now rapidly breathing.
"Quite the introduction to your sister." Karl sarcastically complimented.
"Quite so, Neu-Kommandant."
"Huff..." Hipper took another breath, a steady one.
"I wasn't originally planning to show her off but instead Bnt truth-be-told. She said she'd be busy today a few days ago, but she insisted she come."
"O-Only because I wanted to make sure he wasn't some s-stupid stuff. Turns out-" she glared at Karl, "-He was."
"Prinz Eugen pulled me into her when she tugged on the door, though."
"No excuses!"
—
"My apologies for the very odd introduction, Z-23 and Hipper."
Z-23 nodded and forgave him with a still-flustered but understanding smile. Hipper instead just rolled her eyes and bit her tongue, trying not to comment at all. Prinz Eugen too held back from teasing her after Karl told her not to do so for the time being. Karl looked over to Prinz Eugen and her sister.
"Alright, why'd you want to meet up with me anyhow, Prinz Eugen?"
"Simple, you still needed to be introduced to all the girls, you know?"
"I can do that myself."
"I wanna be your wingman though."
Karl sighed and pinched his nose. "I don't need one. Don't plan on dating any of you guys anytime soon."
"Maybe later, then, hm~?"
Every-time Prinz Eugen mentioned something relationship-related her sister's cheeks for just a little bit more red.
"Augh, no. But, if you come with me as I take a look around, please don't make a scene. Don't tease your sister, try and tease me, or anything of the sort."
Prinz Eugen pouted. "Just one tease."
"I'm not going to give you tease coupons or something. Okay, well it's a considerable option but not right now."
Prinz rolled her eyes and let out a groan. "Always such a party pooper, hmph." She mocked her sister a bit as she did this which got past Karl's anti-tease security.
—
"Who's first I should visit?" Karl asked the two, adjusting the collar to his now-complete Kriegsmarine uniform in the hallway.
"Third." Hipper corrected. Karl sighed.
"Visit third." He stuck his tongue out towards her
Prinz Eugen shrugged. "Bismarck, probably."
Karl rolled his neck with a pop. "Alrighty, sounds good." He put a hand in his pocket, his fingers touching my the chain to the watch. He pulled it out and took a quick glance at it before getting back to the girls. "I look all good here?"
Prinz Eugen looked him up and down with a seductive look on her face. She gave him two thumbs-up. "Ready to-"
"I already know what you're gonna say. Shush." Karl slapped a hand on her mouth to shut her up. Quickly, he retracted his hand realized the potential dangers of having his hand that close to her mouth. Just in the nick of time as well, as Prinz Eugen's mouth was open and ready to either bite his finger off or lick his palm like a cat.
"Where's Bismarck lodged up anyhow?"
Hipper spoke up. "Probably in the canteen getting her coffee. She wakes up before any of us normally, other then I guess you."
"But you two are up, no?" Karl questioned.
Prinz Eugen smiled. "I set an alarm to wake up early to accompany you on your little meet-and-greet. Hence why my hair is wet, I rushed a bit in the shower." Speaking of which, she got her bows in, making her signature two little pigtails.
"Huh." Karl reached behind and put a lock of her hair in his hands, getting a small 'eep' from Prinz Eugen. "It is awfully wet." He said before letting go.
"Lets get going." Karl requested
"Let's." The two girls said in unison.
They really are sisters, huh? Karl thought.
— (i refuse to use "Timeskip" get used to these dashes)
The Troublesome Trio walked into the canteen of the base. Well, one of many. This one was very well made and organized, giving off the vibe more of a fine diner then anything else. The carpets were a nice crimson red and multiple circular and ovular tables littered around the room. Each had a table cloth with the grey Ironblood insignia on them. The windows were open and let in try light orange rays of the sun, giving off a terrific red hue as light bounced off the carpets. Other fine ordainments were strewn around the table, but none of important note.
"I'm jealous I never got this treatment in the Kriegsmarine." Karl crossed his arms and pouted to himself. "Wheres Bismarck anyhow?" He genuinely found himself getting antsy, wanting to see personified Bismarck. He realized in his head he probably should be freaking out right now, but it probably just hasn't hit him yet; the full gravity of his situation.
"She should be here right... about..." Prinz Eugen looked over his shoulder to a clock above the wall of the other entrance to the canteen.
"...now." Prinz Eugen snapped her fingers as the clock struck 8 AM and perfectly on time the door opened, and in walked quite the good-looking woman.
Standing at about 6 foot, what Karl could only guess was Bismarck entered the room. She had long well kept blonde hair that reached to slightly above her hips. Her eyes were a nice light slightly faded blue that went along very nicely with her soft but serious face. Clothing wise, while certainly more clovering then Prinz Eugen, that isn't saying much. Thigh highs went up to her, well thighs and she wore tight mini skirt. What was probably a jacket of sorts had been converted to her top covering which held well onto her in the chest area, and in terms of anything covering her breasts, there wasn't really with plenty showing and very little for the imagination to scrounge up. Hell, Karl doubted she was even wearing a bra. Wait, shit, he was staring at her cleavage-
He quickly adverted his gaze and made eye contact with her.
"Oh, you're the new Kommandant, no?" Bismarck asked him as she made her way over to the coffee machine in the corner of the room. Karl nodded and followed.
"Yes, I'm going around introducing myself. I want to make sure I know my men- Er, woman- well."
Bismarck began to make her coffee, perfectly preparing it with swift hand motions. "A good idea, Kommandant. You want to make a connection with us beyond a purly military one, no?" She read him like a book.
"Yeah, guess you could say that."
"In simple terms, he wants a harem~." Prinz Eugen teased which got a glare and a 'shush' from Karl. Again, Hipper got red at the thought of Herr Kommandant doing anything ever that involves her.
"Oh? That's quite the goal, Kommandant." Bismarck poured her coffee into a white mug with YOU GUESSED IT the Ironblood insignia on it.
"No, its not, thats not my goal. Prinz Eugen, stop saying that. I simply want to be a relatable commander, a friend as well as a superior I guess you could say."
Bismarck took a sip from her cup and took a second to stretch, letting out a small groan as she did so. Karl looked somewhere else because her body seriously pressed up against her clothes as she did so.
After Bismarck finished with that she downed her entire mug of coffee in one swoop, wiping some of the residue from her lips. "I don't get enough sleep." She muttered.
"I figured with how quickly you destroyed that coffee." Karl responded. "You know, Bismarck. I used to crew you."
Bismarck gave him a strange look, tilting her head and putting a hand on her hip. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Well, before I came here, I was an petty officer assaigned to the KMS Bismarck, and before that the Prinz Eugen."
"You've been inside the both of us?" Bismarck pointed to herself and then Prinz Eugen who was making some coffee herself.
"D-Don't word it like that but yes." Karl nodded and Prinz Eugen perked up from the coffee maker, sensing the unintentional innnuedno. She was quickly shushed before she could pipe up by a chop to the back of her head from Hipper who didn't want to become a tomato again.
"Huh! I knew something was different about you." She snapped her finger in realization. "I guess thats why. We have quite the connection."
"Seems as so."
"Well..." Bismarck stood a bit higher. "How'd I preform?"
"Wouldn't you know well enough? You are the Bismarck."
"I wish to hear it from my Kommandant how he thinks I preformed while serving on me."
Karl scratched the back of his head, wondering what to say. For one, serving on the Bismarck was a high honor at the time with the ship being the pride of the Kriegsmarine. But the ship had problems, plenty of them in fact. Not only that but the fact it had sunk with him on it, which had probably killed him. He tried not to think about that day however, the thought of Eichmann's pitiful face then... it gave him a shiver.
"You did just fine." Karl answered with a shaky smile. Bismarck let herself feel a bit of pride in that statement but quickly let it simmer down.
"Well, Kommandant, I'm sure it will be a pleasure to serve with you as it was a pleasure to serve with me I'm sure. Heres to hoping you'll last a bit longer then a year with us." Bismarck gave a soft smile and extended her hand, and Karl took it giving her a steady hand shake.
"Yup, heres to hoping." Karl braced himself for another tease from Prinz Eugen, but instead had his hand pulled away by Hipper.
"Don't touch Bismarck, pervert." She stated, Karl giving her a confused look
"I offered him the handshake-" Bismarck commented, but Hipper didn't seem to notice, and Karl was pulled away by Hipper.
"Come on! Lets meet the others and get this over with!" Hipper pretty much dragged him out of the room with Karl looked over to Bismarck and shrugging. Bismarck chuckled a bit and waved him goodbye.
"Who's up next on the chopping block?" Karl asked as they walked outside the canteen into the great outdoors. Not really, they were walking on a little path with plants and such to decorate the sides of it. They were fairly close to the dockyard with it being in view, but he had already been down there. He had met up with some of the 'lesser' ships in the fleet, shook hands to Hipper's protests, and was sure to have steady conversations with as many as he could. Of course, some were busy and he couldn't pretain to them all.
"You've met a good bit of the girls now, Neu-Kommandant." Prinz Eugen took a minute to think to herself. "Friedrich der Grosse and Tirpitz are up north right now and won't be back until tomorrow or the next day. Graf Zepplin should be coming soon from a trip to the Sakura Empire, she and Akagi are actually quite close so they visit one another often. Roon, well. I have no clue where she is. Weren't not too close so I don't keep in touch-"
As if planned a voice called out from behind the Troublesome Trio, causing Karl to flinch a bit and Prinz Eugen to sigh.
"Don't skip over meeee!"
Karl looked behind him to what he assumed to be Roon, and for whatever reason he got a massive 'watch out' vibe.
"Roon, I assume?" Karl asked. The female nodded. Roon had short blond hair similar to that of Bismarck in color, only difference being the streaks of red that were strewn upon it and two metal ornaments that were attached to either side. Clothing wise it was what you'd expect military wise with with a fine double-peaked jacket that was moved to the side in the chest area, revealing the grey undershirt. Roon wore a pleated skirt with red streaks. The overall uniform was well maintained and actually seemed like a genuine military dress uniform, and not some perversion of it.
Not that Karl found the other uniforms bad or anything. Especially Prinz Eugen's, but that's besides the point.
"Of course, Herr Kommandant. I've been wanting to meet with you since I heard you got here, but I guess I'm one of the last in line, hm?"
Karl shrugged and held out his hand for a handshake. "Well for today, I guess so. I apologize for not meeting you earlier."
Roon took his hand and shook it with a satisfied... oddly creepy smile. "It is quite alright, it gave me a bit of time to fix myself up."
"StoP shAkinG peOplEs hAnDs!" Hipper stomped and pouted out.
"Neu-Kommandant is quite tired, Roon. Make time for him later." Prinz Eugen butted in as well, her teasing attitude gone. Roon glared at Prinz Eugen but ignored her.
"Prinz, its only ten-"
"Exactly! Its only ten AM, so the Kommandant can't be tired. Physically impossible, I refuse to believe otherwise."
"Well he got tired the moment you came around, I could tell."
"The moment I came around? Are you calling me tiring?"
"Yes."
The two girls began to argue and bicker back and fourth, basically throwing insults at one another. Whore this, slut that. Karl looked over to Hipper who simply watched, seemingly used to such squables between the two.
"Is this common?" Karl asked Hipper over the argument. Hipper nodded.
"They can't be within a 10 meter range of one another, I swear."
"Neu-Kommandant!"
"Herr Kommandant!"
The two females looked over to Karl who looked at them as well. Sweat dripped down the side of his face. "Y-yes?"
"Which is better, chocolate or vanilla?" They asked in unison.
"How the hell did you two get to flavors-"
"ANSWER US."
Karl shrugged and stratched his neck, adjusting his collar as he did so. "I'm a chocolate guy myself."
Prinz Eugen laughed aloud and pointed to Roon mockingly. "See?! See?! Not only has he crewed me but ALSO likes chocolate! Just goes to show we do have a connection!"
Roon had shadows over her eyes as Prinz Eugen took great pride in whatever victory she had achieved over her. Roon stomped over to Karl and he took a step back, putting his hands in front of him. "What're you doing-"
She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close, their lips meeting. She kissed him deeply to Karl's visible protests, trying to pull her off. After around a second or two which felt like an eternity she dismounted his lips, a string of saliva connecting the two before it broke. She smiled and looked over to Prinz Eugen and Hipper.
Prinz Eugen's jaw was just dropped at the pure audacity of Roon and Hipper was damn near ready to kill Karl, cracking her knuckles. Roon chuckled.
"Bet you aren't physically as connected to him as I am now~, Prinz."
"Y-You-..." Prinz Eugen couldn't even combat or retort what she said. She was so taken aback by her brazen actions- she has never, ever done that before.
Karl wiped his lips and began to back away, remembering a line he would say often when he wanted to get out of situation.
"I-I'm off to represent the entire Kriegsmarine at the canteen, you girls behave yourselves."
"I'll see you soon then, Herr Kommandant~."
"KARL-!" Hipper called out to him- when did he introduce his name again? Oh yeah, the document. Looking over in suprise at his name being said he quickly realized what was going on. Hipper had a terrible look of resolve on her face, hellbent on making sure he didn't get away from the situation. He also feared Prinz Eugen might make a move, so he fucking RAN. Prinz Eugen and Hipper followed at what felt to be mach speeds, but Roon simply stood with a smirk on her face.
"Somethings different about this one... something good."