This is a work of fiction that follows real historical events. This does not seek to promote anything about war and is just a what if kind of scenario. Any similarity between people, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Some aspects have been changed to form a better story.

They lied to us.

Upon arriving at port we find no evidence that there was ever supposed to be a finish to Graf Zeppelin's hull. I have never seen her change expressions so quickly. I had slowly backed away from her upon receiving the news, just in case she lost it and took it out on whoever was nearest.

She does take it out on something. She punches her island and creates a massive impression on the thick steel. I gulp as I imagine what that would have done to a human, or more specifically, me.

"G-Graf…"

"Don't talk to me…"

"Graf, I'm sorry. Maybe we've just come to the wrong port?"

"No. This is it."

Stettin was quite large in comparison to the other places we had docked but it was no less beautiful. I would compare its beauty to Kiel but it had a much more medieval charm to it. There were far more cathedrals than the other places we had visited, but I was hardly enjoying the view.

"I'm so sorry…"

"All of our fights, all of our struggles, they're nothing more than fodder in the end."

"You don't truly believe that, do you?"

Graf Zeppelin says nothing as she peers down at the world around her.

Graf Zeppelin walks towards the end of her stern and summons her rigging. She jumps off the stern and splashes down into the water.

I watch as she hits the water and skates towards the mainland, I quickly jump off of the Graf Zeppelin after her, afraid of what she may do in her anger. The surface of the water burns as I rush into it, my dive more of a flop as I impact the water.

The water was also a brief respite from the heat that had begun accumulating in the rapidly approaching summer months. However, my clothes are now dripping wet as I haul myself after her. She jumps up onto the port and runs across the large town of Stettin. I instantly know where she is going without even spending much time looking at the city.

"Shit! Graf! Hold on!" I say trying to reach out to her and just barely missing her jacket. Her white hair flows quickly behind her as I try to keep up with a Kansen. She is far more powerful than I could have ever imagined as she strides across the city with little effort.

I lose her in the crowd of people, desperately telling her to wait.

I look around, scanning the crowd like a hawk picking a target. I see her white hair just up ahead.

"Graf! Wait!"

I move around the groups of people and grab the shoulder of the white haired carrier.

"What the, who do you think you are?!" I receive a firm slap to the face. This person was most definitely not Graf Zeppelin. However she did have peculiarly long white hair.

"I-I'm sorry ma'am. I thought you were someone else."

"Hmmph. She went that way." She points towards the large officer building in the port. Fuck.

"Thank you Ma'am!" I rush up the stairs and burst into the otherwise quiet office. A secretary looks at me peculiarly.

"Excuse me, has a woman with really long white hair and pink eyes come through here recently?"

"Uhm. Yes actually, she just left."

"She did? What did she do?"

"She just walked in here, spent a couple of seconds looking around, and then left."

"What?" I start thinking about what her goal could possibly be. She just suddenly left and it wasn't for the reason I thought it was. "What are you thinking Graf… Do you know which way she went?"

"I saw her go down the street towards the cathedral."

"Great, thank you!" I say as I run back out. I hardly notice the water I am shaking everywhere as my clothes sag with the weight. I am getting worried I will never find her until I see a beautiful white haired woman sitting on top of the cathedral tower. I sigh in relief as I stare up at her. She pays no attention to me.

I walk into the cathedral and climb the ladder up into the tower, almost hitting my head on the bell as I do. I open the door leading outside and find Graf Zeppelin sitting down with her legs dangling off of the ledge. I look from her beautiful figure to the absolutely stunning scene before me. From up here, you can see the entire city including the Graf Zeppelin as she waits in port, alone.

The largest building looks small from up here, the people residing within them even smaller. I feel like the king of the world as I watch the happenings of all those beneath me. I look at Graf Zeppelin and then sit down next to her.

"Graf…"

She sniffs and turns her head away from me.

"It's not fair, I know. There is nothing more cruel in this world than a broken promise."

She refuses to speak. Instead she quickly hides the fact that she wipes her eyes.

"I will speak to the Führer and see what I can do about this. This is unacceptable…"

"You'd do that?"

"Of course, what else are friends for?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends. You know, someone you like to hang out with and can help you when you're in trouble."

"Why would you want to be my friend? I am nothing but cold and mean to those around me."

"Despite that, we have spent a lot of time together. Even if you hate my guts and everything about the world, I still think our experiences we've shared so far are enough to consider us friends."

"Friends…"

"Of course, you don't have to consider me a friend but I would consider you to be as close as my Academy friends."

Graf Zeppelin turns her face to mine, her eyes just the tiniest bit red. Part of me wanted to hug her, embrace her. I knew that was inappropriate though. She then moves her gaze onto the city below.

"I prefer the high ground, because I can see everything…" She pauses for a moment and with a solemn look says, "Everything that shall be destroyed."

Before I can respond, a massive cry of victory rings out across the entire city.

"What's going on?" She asks.

"I'm not sure."

People are waving Iron Blood flags as a parade of tanks rush through the city. Suddenly, an entire wave of bombers flies over the cathedral, just barely making it over the top. The engines roar loudly in unison as wave after wave of bombers take off from a nearby airstrip.

"Is it happening?" I ask.

"The black goat's horn has sounded." Graf Zeppelin says.

"Are you saying we have declared war with the Northern Parliament."

"I'm saying that all the evidence points to that…"

"The Führer may not be too keen on hearing what I have to say if he is busy with the war effort, are you okay with waiting just a little bit longer? I swear to you I will make this right."

Graf Zeppelin looks out over the city and sighs. "Only because you are the only one who has not betrayed my trust…"

"Thank you Graf."

"Why are you wet?"

"Oh this?" I blush as I look down at my soaked clothing. "I tried to chase after you, I thought you might have taken out your anger on someone in town."

"That would only cause more problems for you."

"Yes it would have. I'm grateful you just wanted to see the world from up here. I'll make sure they finish your island so you can perch yourself above everyone else."

"I cannot believe a person like you exists, commander…"

"Maybe it's because of my personality that the Führer decided to place me with you. We are complete opposites in every way… well, except for our love for food."

"He thought it would balance out, he is a truly smart leader."

"He's a genius, he just can't see your use yet. But the world will soon. You'll be placed upon your throne as the flagship of the Kriegsmarine."

"A throne of Steel and Blood."

"But your throne, all the same."

Graf Zeppelin and I watch the bombers take off for a while longer. Right behind the bombers are their fighter escorts who quickly catch up to the slower bombers. The sky turns black with the amount of planes in the sky just as the ground was too turning black with tanks. The port was full of steel ships, Graf Zeppelin included. Most of them are leaving port to aid the invasion of the Northern Parliament.

Graf Zeppelin does something I was not expecting. She leans her head on my wet shoulder and watches, with her dazzling pink eyes, the scene evolve around them. I take her cap off and give her a healthy dose of headpats. It was nice to have the two of us just sitting and watching our troops travel across the city and the jaw dropping action that was happening in the sky. Graf Zeppelin of course focuses more on the planes. I can only imagine what she was thinking at that exact moment, but I guess it would have to be along the lines of sadness and regret.

On that day, June 22nd, 1941. Iron Blood declared war on the Northern Parliament. The operation had gone incredibly well as the Iron Blood army pushed through and captured city after city with large encircling movements. The Northern Parliament had taken major casualties and the collapse of the Northern Parliament seemed certain even just a couple of months into the war. We moved back to Gotenhafen once the front had moved further East.

...

"It seems for now we will still be carrying lumber. It's not that prestigious, but at least it's something."

The winter had been approaching far more rapidly than either of us were expecting. It has become exceptionally cold as the winter appears to be especially severe. I cannot imagine what the troops invading Russia were going through right now.

Graf Zeppelin and I had fallen back into our routine as secretary and commander. However, something felt different. Graf Zeppelin, while she still held disdain for the world, she was becoming more… friendly. Or I at least considered it friendliness.

"Commander, would you like to eat something? You've been working here non-stop for days."

"I just need to finish a few more papers."

I had learned that just before the invasion of the Northern Parliament, one of my good friends from the Academy who had taken the forefront of the paperwork was killed along with his Kansen after a ferocious battle. This left me with all of the paperwork.

"Commander. You've been saying that for the past few hours."

"I know, I know. There's just so many of them…"

"You need to take a break. You're going to get sick." She said seriously, not so much as advice but as a command.

I close my eyes and set my head on my desk. I have gone without sleep for multiple days now. I was starting to feel the effects of such an endeavor.

"I will join you, just after I close my eyes for a few minutes…"

A few minutes turned into a few hours. I jolt up, remembering that I promised Graf Zeppelin lunch. I find myself resting comfortably on Graf Zeppelin's thighs. Graf Zeppelin had been stroking my hair as I slept. The feeling of having my hair brushed was second to none. I look up at the carrier to voice my embarrassment before she quietly shushes me.

"You were so tired I couldn't even carry you back to the ship."

"D-Did anyone see this?"

"No one else came to see you, commander. This will just be kept between the two of us."

I try to move my head off her lap but she pushes it back down.

"Why am I on your lap? There are pillows on the couch as well."

"I thought the commander would appreciate a softer alternative to your chair, so I moved you to the couch. You fell down on my lap and made yourself comfortable. You were so tired that I didn't want to move you."

A red blush rises to my face. "Oh how embarrassing." I look at the clock that reads 16:32. "Oh no! I missed lunch!"

"It is alright, commander. I would much rather you get in some well deserved sleep than having you continue for my sake."

I get up slowly this time. Graf Zeppelin allows it. I rub my eyes and slowly make my way off the couch. "Well, I guess I can treat you to dinner as thanks."

"I do not need thanks, commander. It is what I wanted to do as your… friend."

I feel my heart skip a beat as a small blush rises to Graf Zeppelin's face at the word. It was a cute expression I had rarely seen before. She looks at me with her pink eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing, just proud of how far you've come."

"Do not get me wrong, I still wish to make an enemy of the world."

"And you will get your chance, in due time. For now, we should get some food."

I hold out my hand for her to take. She grabs it and stands herself up. As I stand face to face with her, I can feel my heartbeat rising faster. Her face remains stoic as she walks away.

"Are you coming, commander?"

"Yeah, just give me a second to collect my papers into a pile."

Six months pass. The war with the Northern Parliament has come to a standstill as their frigid winters completely immobilize our armies within a matter of days. However that was hardly the greatest news that was to come from this short span. On December the 7th, 1941, The Sakura Empire bombed Pearl Harbor, proving the worth of aircraft carriers as a weapon of war.

However, a much more close to home event had come to light. The Royal Navy had bombed the harbor of Taranto a year prior using aircraft carriers and decimated the Sardegna Empire's fleet. These two battles had single handedly proved the importance of aircraft carriers in combat. Graf Zeppelin and I had begun to hope that it was finally her time.

We were still stationed in Gotenhafen during these intense 6 months.

It is here where we would receive a message from Berlin.

"It's the Führer…" I say to Graf Zeppelin who had brought me the letter.

Graf Zeppelin respectfully keeps her eyes from going over its contents as I read it. I rub the tiredness from my eyes, trying to make sure I was reading it right.

"H-he wants to meet the two of us in Berlin to discuss… Naval strategy and the implementation of Carriers in combat."

"T-The Führer wants to see… me?" Graf Zeppelin suddenly gained a lot of confidence hidden somewhere inside of her.

"When do we go?" She asks trying to keep her voice down.

"With great haste."

"Tug boats will be too slow. We shall have to take a plane." Graf Zeppelin says.

"Agreed. I will have to prepare what I say. This is far too important to wing."

Graf Zeppelin nods her head in agreement.

"I'll treat you to the most grand restaurants in Berlin while we're there. You haven't had food until you've been to Berlin."

Graf Zeppelin perks up, probably the most I have ever seen her do since I've met her nearly 2 years ago.

It is hard to believe that I met her two years ago. In that time, we had grown closer as Kansen and commander. Closer than I ever thought possible with her harsh personality. We had experienced both the highest of highs and lowest of lows together in that short time period. I felt comfortable to call her my partner, though that may have sent the wrong message to multiple commanders during our stay at Gotenhafen.

"Make sure to pack a change of clothes, we could be there for a while depending on the Führer's reaction."

"Yes, commander."

Graf Zeppelin wears a small smirk as she returns to her quarters. I lightly laugh to myself as she finally seems happy. It is not long after she appears back on deck that we are already flying to Berlin.

…

"My Führer, Mr. Fischer and Ms. Zeppelin." A guard announces our entrance. The Führer stands over a map of Europe, placing small lines of string all over it.

"Good morning, my friends." The doors shut behind us, leaving the two of us alone with the most powerful man in Iron Blood.

"Good morning, my Führer." We salute him in unison.

"Come please, we have much to discuss." He directs our attention to the map of Europe. Each little marker indicated a division, and there were a lot on the board.

"What do you think?" He asks.

"I was unaware of the extent that our Empire is expanding."

"Glorious isn't it."

"Like a new car."

He smiles at my analogy. "Precisely. However it has come to my attention that we may be lacking behind the Royal Navy in certain aspects. Aspect number one, air supremacy."

He points to the English channel. "This is something we must have control over if we wish to continue our campaign westward, however all attempts to place this into our hands has failed. Do you know why?"

"No sir, I am just a naval commander."

He laughs at my joke, probably just to be polite, but then turns his attention back to the topic. "It is because of the British invention of radar. Their technology may be at most a small setback for us. I want you to tell me how an aircraft carrier could help improve this situation in Iron Blood's favor."

I was not expecting to strategize for him to get my point of how useful aircraft carriers would be for Iron Blood, but I will take this opportunity and any others I need to make Graf Zeppelin happy.

"We could constantly keep them fighting two fronts, further separating their forces. If we had a carrier we could strike from the East as well as the South and spread their forces so thin that they would be forced to give up one side to defend the other."

"While that is a good thought, we must acknowledge that the Eagle Union is now in this war as well. Their production capabilities will be far more than the Royal Navy needs to keep up their productions."

"That is true, but pilots cannot be trained overnight. Each human Pilot a Kansen shoots down is a far greater loss than if one of the Kansen's planes are shot down. There is no pilot lost and no need to retrain."

"What do you think, Ms. Zeppelin?"

Graf Zeppelin is surprised to have her name mentioned. Her cold expression does not reveal so however. She uncrosses her legs and stands up to examine the map. She looks at the Führer when she is done.

"I think that carriers have proved themselves to be the future of warfare. They are travelling bubbles of air superiority where you can strike anywhere in the world. Though, that is something you have already put thought into. Eagle Union carriers will be devoted to the Pacific effort rather than the one here in Europe so our main adversary is the Royal Navy who are still using outdated carriers and planes. Even two modern carriers could place air superiority safely in Iron Blood hands. If you have any doubts about that then I would suggest you trust me and my commander to get it done."

The Führer nods, I had never seen Graf Zeppelin speak so passionately about anything before. Not even food.

"I hope you understand why I must debate about this. If I could, I would already have a fleet of carriers at the ready to take over the world. However, steel is becoming stretched thin as we begin to push deeper into the Northern Parliament. I need to make sure this is the right decision. Each ton of steel you use could have gone to multiple tanks or planes. I must see to it that it is used properly and efficiently."

"I understand, my Führer. We do not wish to force any decision upon you. I am just giving you my personal opinion on the matter."

The Führer plays out multiple war scenarios both on his map and in his head. He scratches his moustache and laces his hand through his hair.

"I will have to think about it. I will notify you when I have made a decision." He waves away at the two of us.

I nod to Graf Zeppelin who rises reverently for the Führer. "We thank you for your consideration, my Führer. Hail Iron Blood."

"Hail Iron Blood." He responds back before the doors are closed on us.

…

"This is absolutely amazing." Graf Zeppelin says with a rare twinkle in her pink eyes.

I cannot even tell what she is eating as it is gone before I get the chance to look. We are enjoying our free time in town, trying out different restaurants and foods. Graf Zeppelin has made it a point to order one thing she had already eaten before and one thing new so that she has something to compare the restaurant to and something to help her decide which was the best.

I enjoy seeing her eat her food quickly without paying me any mind. I did not however enjoy all the eyes that were on her. I dare not disturb her while she eats to alert her to the fact.

"I told you. Everywhere here has amazing food."

"They don't have seafood. How disappointing."

"If you wanted seafood then we should have stopped by your hometown."

"I never had the opportunity to try the seafood in Kiel. Is it known to be good?"

"Yes, it is supposed to be very good."

"We may have to make a special trip there, then."

"Yes, we just may."

Food always puts her in a happier mood. She would always speak with less disdain whenever she had a fork or spoon in her hand. I had a special relationship with food. It is what I had used to bond with Graf Zeppelin and what she enjoyed most about life. It may have been the only thing except war that she enjoyed.

She finishes with a satisfied sigh. I smile at her as she tries to return an awkward smile back. We both lightly chuckle at each other as we both look kind of awkward.

"Do you want to try mine? I am quite full." I ask her.

"Yes, I would… be delighted to."

She takes a portion of my food and eats it with a small nod of satisfaction. She swallows and gives her two cents.

"It is quite thick and meaty. What are they called? Bratwurst? They have a very pleasurable taste to it, I would rank it highly on my favorite foods."

"That is good to hear. I was thinking we could head down south to the alps. The Führer says we can stay at his tea house while we relax."

"We can never relax, commander. We are at war. At any moment everything can be taken from you."

No dice. Oh well, that was to be expected.

"B-But. I would not mind spending some time with you on top of the alps." She blushes hard as she says this which causes me to blush just a little bit less.

"D-don't get the wrong idea, I-I just want to see what it looks like from so high up." Graf Zeppelin tries to hide her blushing face by lowering her head.

I feel my heart beat faster as Graf Zeppelin blushes. She never acted this cute. Sure, she was cool. Hot or sexy even. But she rarely acted cute. Something in my body wants to see more of her cute side.

"It's decided then. We will go while the Führer decides on what path to take."

Graf Zeppelin nods and calms herself down.

I have to see more of her.

"Amazing."

The Alps are something you cannot describe. You can only witness. But I'll be damned if I don't try. The tips of the alps were covered in snow, even in the middle of spring with summer coming just around the corner. It is so cold that it was hot and the air is hard to breathe from so high up. Graf Zeppelin seems just fine with the lack of air, probably accustomed to higher altitudes because of her status as an aircraft carrier.

She has immediately chosen the highest point to settle on and sat down, admiring the view. We have been here for less than two minutes.

"Amazing is the only word I can think of." I say in response.

"I do not care to come down from here, commander."

"Even if I offer you food?"

Graf Zeppelin shifts her position as she debates physically if she wants food or not. She chooses the wait option.

"Alright. But if you ever get hungry I'll make something for you."

"You're making the food?"

"Of course. There's no one up here but us." A more suggestive phrase than I had intended.

I had recently taught Graf the way humans reproduce because she would not stop begging me to know. She instantly found out why I had kept it a secret from her. However now she has become a bit more… how do you say it? Bold? Or maybe she has just lost her innocence.

"I-I think I'll just join you when I am done."

"Suit yourself." I say turning away.

"Why would I need to suit myself?"

I smirk as I turn back around. "It's a phrase humans use. It means that you can do whatever you want to."

"Hmm. Another human idiom. You humans sure do love to add those to your languages."

I wave at her as I walk back inside. "You know where to find me when you get hungry."

The inside is beautiful. It put everything I had slept in to shame. Though it is smaller than I expected, it is a cozy little location which I had never known would be up here. There were windows and many different balconies for me to look out of and enjoy the view. But by far the best view is the spot Graf Zeppelin has taken. I chuckle at her childish behavior and begin to work on some food.

It was not long before I had a buffet of food going. The Führer spared no expense when it came to his kitchen. I have already started eating by the time Graf Zeppelin arrives. She sniffs the air as she turns the corner and sees the large amount of food spanning the grand table. She immediately takes the opposite end of the table and digs into whatever she could.

At some point, it had become a competition to see who could eat the most food. It wasn't much of a contest. Graf Zeppelin wins easily with 5 entire plates cleared while I am still trying to finish my second one. We were so full we couldn't move.

Graf Zeppelin is the first to fall unconscious from the food coma as I quickly pick her up and head towards the single master bedroom in the small building. I lay her down on the bed and watch as her chest rises and falls with each quiet breath. I try to let go of her hand as I set her down but she keeps it clung to me. While I had watched her breathing, I had not seen her face begin to contort in pain.

Graf Zeppelin desperately clings onto my hand with hers and tosses in the bed. Sweat begins to accumulate at her brow as I realize something is wrong. This is the first time I have ever seen her sleep, for all I know, this is a nightly occurrence. But if it is, then what does that mean?

"Graf? Are you alright?"

I give her hand a slight squeeze which temporarily stops her convulsing. Her killer crush was killing my hand, but I had to endure for her. I squeeze back harder and harder, trying to keep her nightmare under control.

Eventually, she wakes up. Throwing herself up in her bed. "Bismar-!" She looks at me squeezing her hand. She begins to form tears in her eyes.

"Woah! Calm down Graf, it was only a nightmare. It's alright, I'm right here."

Graf Zeppelin cannot hide her tears as she begins to cry, but she still attempts to hold her free arm over her eyes. She makes pained noises of sadness as she desperately tries to keep the sobbing to herself.

"Shhh. It's going to be alright. Nothing's happening. I'm right here." Her rapid breathing slowly lowers as the initial panic begins to end. However, this only makes her cry more as the adrenaline leaves her body. She removes her arm from her face, pointless to keep it there any further as she cries into my shoulder.

"C-Commander. I-I-It was so dark. And-And, they were…"

"Calm down, it was just a nightmare. A bad nightmare. You're okay." I stroke her white hair which seems to help calm her down tremendously. She takes deep breaths as she tries to recollect herself. It takes a while, but she eventually calms down to a state when she can talk normally.

"T-Thank you, commander."

"Has this been happening to you every night?"

She does not respond, she only looks to the ground.

"Graf…"

"I'm sorry commander. It's just my past, I can't seem to get over it no matter how much I try. I-it's not fair."

"It's alright. It's over now. Though if you wish to talk about it, I'm always here for you."

"M-maybe some other time."

"I understand. But for now, get some rest."

I get up to leave but I am stopped by Graf Zeppelin, timidly grabbing onto the cuff of my shirt.

"C-could you stay with me tonight?"

I could not say no when she says it like a wounded puppy. "Of course."

I lay down in the bed next to her and continue to stroke her hair until she falls asleep. I too find myself asleep soon as my arms naturally embrace her.