A dream or a memory.

Whatever's the case...

...It's just a fleeting moment now...

Either way, it's indistinguishable from reality as everything that happened over the past one year does exists yet also a fleeting dream. Before everything lost their meaning, Tirpitz engraves the memory of what drastically changed it all. Even when her heart forgets, her mind ensures it wouldn't lose their meaning.

"I...can't touch anything now..."

Due to her current condition, as part of the operation that altered her wisdom cube, Iron Blood isolates Tirpitz within a special room inches tick steel walls that's also resistant to extreme temperatures. Tirpitz sits on a wooden chair near the far right corner and only stares at her bare hands with cold air evaporating from her skin and fingertips.

"That's due to using an experiment of the Sirens to save your life. The wound inflicted by the Sirens could only be countered with their own creation" Bismarck speaks behind the only window

"Why would you do that knowing there's a side effect?"

Since Tirpitz is still dangerous to approach her body emitting vapors of liquid nitrogen that also affects her surroundings, Bismarck could only interact with her outside the room and through a shatterproof glass window. The sealed room is instantly converted into a freezer with spiky sheets of ice occupying from the floor to the ceiling.

"It's natural in order to save your life. Had I not do that, you would have died from internal overheating. There was little chance of survival, but I took that risk rather than letting you die slowly" Bismarck calmly explains

"So either way, I would die. The only difference is the fraction of hope I will survive in the operation"

"It's still too early for you to die, Tirpitz. You still have a chance in life"

"Who...are you to decide that? I told you if I die, then that's only natural. What you did is unnatural and made it only worse by using an experiment of the Sirens"

Tirpitz can still express her resentment, but her voice is mostly monotone now and her eyes lack the vitality it once had.

"We do whatever it takes to survive in this war, Tirpitz. I can't let the opportunity of you surviving slip even in the chance itself is slim and risky" Bismarck remains calm and collected

"I know it's not because you're my older sister but because you're the leader. So long as I can fight, the result wouldn't matter" Tirpitz clenches her fists

"Your frustration is understandable. A normal life is impossible for you now even when we can suppress the coldness in your body"

Bismarck continues to speak in a calm manner, but she instinctively tightly clenches the right fist that she's nearly wounding her own palm. It's because of her decision that Tirpitz has to be contained as being near her is fatal. She's not ignorant at the fact and she doesn't avert her gaze as proof of her subtly taking responsibility for it.

"This is living hell, Bismarck. No one can get near me because they'd suffer frostbite and my body's activities have slowed down. I literally can't feel anything because everything I touch freezes" Tirpitz briefly lifts her left hand

"I'm aware you're upset at my decision..."

"More than being upset, I can only hate you for leaving me in this state"

"..." Bismarck couldn't respond

"Towards you and Iron Blood itself, there's only resentment now"

Tirpitz doesn't hesitate to speak out about how she doesn't have the slightest gratitude for her second life, just a grudge that's bound to fade away sooner or later.

"Your sentiment is justifiable. That's why I don't want make any excuses on why I made the decision" Bismarck tips off the peak of her cap

"You're always like that. Even when other people disagree or argue with you, you'd just stare at them like a statue

"As the leader of Iron Blood, I must keep my composure. However, it doesn't mean I'm apathetic. I know this is painful for you, but you don't wish for my pity"

"..." Tirpitz doesn't deny or reject her response

"I alone made the decision because I simply wanted you to live. That's all" Bismarck slowly turns away from Tirpitz

For a moment, the ice covering the walls briefly thins out and the vapor leaking from her fingertips and skin dissipates. The cold air on her only returned when she clenches her fists and leer at Bismarck, who's walking away without even turning to face her just once.

So long as the specially crafted gloves, Tirpitz's skin would remain at least thirty degrees Celsius and the sample integrated within her wisdom cube wouldn't emit sub zero cold air around her. Even if Iron Blood found a way to suppress the side effect of the surgery, the fact that it emotionally numbed Tirpitz is a cruel reality. In her eyes, she couldn't forgive this fact but the chill in her body couldn't allow her to express any hatred or grudge.

"I can't touch anything, let alone remember the warmth in my hands..."

As Tirpitz sits at a far corner of the base where no personnel or kansen could disturb her, she vacantly stares at the hands she squeezes. The gloves allow her to touch anything without freezing them, but the pair of steel bracelets tightly locked in her wrists are the ones keeping the rest of her body temperature from dropping to sub-zero level.

"To think it's been a year since I'm under real sunlight. Well, that sister of mine locked me in the middle of a desert after I attacked her..."

Tirpitz slowly lifts her head and directly stares at the afternoon sun. The little clouds present slowly drift at the sky and momentarily dims the sunlight with one that's passing by.

"You're finally here. Tirpitz, come fight me!" Alabama musters energy to raise her voice

The Eagle Union battleship Alabama rushes to the reclusive battleship as soon as she catches the familiar white figure from a distance. Without even a second thought, she declares her intent to the battleship who stares at her with a completely stoic expression.

"I'm not interested in that...or anything"

"I always wanted to fight you, but they said you've been locked away for a whole year. Wait, why were you imprisoned in Death Valley? That place is so hot you can cook fried eggs there" Alabama changes the topic

"..." Tirpitz averts her gaze

"Did you do something bad? I don't think you're the troublemaker type" Alabama narrows her eyes

"The one who did something terrible...was Bismarck. If she only didn't bring me back" Tirpitz just sighs

"You sound and look so stiff like a block of ice"

"..."

Hearing that, Tirpitz doesn't hesitate to stand up and quietly walks past Alabama. To begin with, she's not interested having a long conversation with anyone when it's not related to her duty as a kansen.

"Wait-"

As soon as Alabama turns around and grabs Tirpitz's left wrist,cold air brushes to her face and has her reflexively let go of her grasp. Alabama takes several steps back, startled and surprised at how her fingers felt numb for a moment.

"What's with that...all of a sudden?" Alabama squeezes at the hand she used to grab Tirpitz

"I can't feel anything except for that cold, but it's much worse than what you experienced"

"Huh?"

"That's why you shouldn't bother me unless it's part of a mission"

"When I asked about you, the commander said something between you and Bismarck. You attacked her and got imprisoned as a result"

"It's none of your concern...and don't casually mention her in front of me. That person is no longer my sister"

Tirpitz ends the conversation right there and drags she feet away from the scene before Alabama could grab her arm again. Alabama has no intention of stopping Tirpitz again after seeing the emptiness in her once sapphire blue eyes.

One hour later...

There are no missions for Tirpitz to participate yet, so she's forced to spend her time with Victorious, who dragged her out of her cell. Tirpitz had no complaints leaving Death Valley since she's assured she wouldn't encounter anyone from Iron Blood, namely her older sister.

"..."

While Tirpitz feels forced to have tea time with Victorious, Tirpitz turns her head to the left and peacefully observes how sunlight reaches not only the colorful flowers but provides warmth for the likes of butterflies and bees.

"You were locked away a whole year without even seeing the sun. This must feel very new to you" Victorious takes a small sip of her tea

"To be specific, it's unusual seeing sunlight again. I didn't even know a year had passed since my incarceration" Tirpitz returns her gaze back to Victorious

"You wouldn't have been locked away if you didn't try to kill Bismarck" Victorious frowns as she reminds Tirpitz

"If you were in my place, you would have done the same" Tirpitz grabs a biscuit

"No, I wouldn't. Trying to kill your own sister is no solution"

"It doesn't really matter now since that's the last time I ever felt anything"

Like when Victorious first visited her, Tirpitz's expression and tone remain completely devoid of any emotion. Her eyes always appear to barely focus on whoever she's talking to, and her mind is often in deep thought.

"So, you never take those things off?" Victorious couldn't stop staring at the pair of fit metallic bracelets or wristbands

"It's to stabilize my body temperature. If I don't have them, this metamorphosis would cause my surrounding area to instantly freeze. When I first woke up from the surgery, no one could get near me since the chill I emit reached sub-zero"

Tirpitz's hands rests on the round table separating her and Victorious. As she focuses on her left hand for a moment, she gently rubs her index finger and thumb, visibly thinking how even her hands are literally colds.

"When that operation failed, they said I would have died in a day because I'm burning inside out. The only way to save my life is through an questionable operation"

"..." Victorious quietly listens

"It made me stronger, but it's more trouble than worth. I still remember the moments where I still have emotions, but they're just memories now. Now...it's just empty. That's why while I don't want to see Bismarck again, I can't feel angry and hateful towards her"

"That's a bit confusing. You can't feel hate anymore, but you still don't want to see her" Victorious groans

"I simply don't want to meet her again by instinct"

"Maybe Bismarck just wanted to save your life because you're her little sister. I mean if one of my sisters is dying, I would do everything to save them"

"No, our sisters aren't the same. Bismarck just wants me to keep on fighting for Iron Blood"

"Ugh, there is only negative stuff when you're talking about Iron Blood. The damage from your last battle slowly killed you, but that operation stopped you from dying"

"...I admit that it extended my life, but...I feel nothing at all. There's no feeling, just a blank space in front of me. It's as if I stopped walking midway, unsure where I'm headed or why I walked in the first place"

Tirpitz slowly reaches for her chest, and her left hand clutches the part of her uniform where her heart should be. There are no simple words for her to describe how someone with emotions woke up one day to discover she slowly lost them. Not only is she incapable of experiencing happiness again, there is no sadness, anger, and fear in her heart.

"Fusing that icy core saved my life and the reason why I'm still here talking to you. It overturned what should have been helpless death, but what did it cost me?"

Tirpitz gently squeezes her fists when she recalls the moment she awakens after the surgery. The horror a year ago remains in her mind, but it baffles her at the same time. She remembers how she couldn't accept her new reality and how even surviving still sealed her fate.

"I simply don't know how to view this new life because I remain here but everything around me is different now. Not only I can't easily touch anyone, I'm left like this. Bismarck sacrificed my heart just so I could live..."

"Tirpitz..."

"It makes me wonder if she made the right choice or if it's what's truly best for me"

Tirpitz closes her eyes, reminiscing the brief conversations with Bismarck before the violent incident between them. While she distances herself from Bismarck now, Tirpitz wonders about her current state in the fleeting moment of reliving the past.

"I would have died unable to do anything about it, and the operation overturned that fate. There was a price to pay and Bismarck willingly gambled on that just so I can keep on fighting. Just so I could still be here with you..."

"You're angry at Bismarck because she had you undergo an untested operation, but the rest of Iron Blood had no part in it. Well, except for Neumark and the other doctors..."

"I lost faith towards Bismarck and the rest of Iron Blood"

"This is difficult to think about. While Bismarck made sure you would survive, you're numb now as a result. This left you being more reclusive and distant than before..." Victorious feels helpless seeing Tirpitz

Among everyone, Victorious is aware how Tirpitz doesn't always interact or approach others unless she drags the battleship herself. Tirpitz's situation is not her own choice and unlikely to be reversible due to the fact it altered her wisdom cube.

"You feel conflicted, so you don't want to see Bismarck or return to your fatherland. Since you're a walking popsicle, you couldn't despise Bismarck or hold a grudge even if you want to. To be specific, you didn't want to die either and wonder if it's really worth the sacrifice" Victorious guessed by glancing at Tirpitz

"Don't think for me. You always do that even before becoming this"

"Rather than wallowing being a block of ice and being sorry for yourself, why don't you try living your day? You can't freeze your surroundings with those restraints, so there shouldn't be an excuse to just sit in a corner all day"

Victorious stands up and slamming the table with both of her hands nearly spills both of their tea.

"You're out here in the open again and with real sunlight. Shouldn't you at least enjoy being free after spending in a depressing prison for a whole year?!" Victorious flails her arms in the air

"..." Tirpitz looks away for a moment

"Try making use of your new life. I'm glad you survived...but I also feel sad because you're like a block of ice now"

Tirpitz faintly reacts when her left index finger twitches and narrows her eyes for a second. She observes how Victorious' hands fidget in her lap out of uneasiness and sees how her cheeks fluster.

"You're glad I'm alive and sad at the same time?" Tirpitz tilts her head a bit

"I'm glad because I really don't want you to die, but sad because you're an emotionless popsicle now" Victorious puffs her chest

"I see..." Tirpitz just continues sipping her tea

"Ugh! I'm not just used to how you're completely...like this!"

Victorious stretches both arms in front of her to refer to Tirpitz, who briefly glances to the side. The cheerful and energetic aircraft carrier couldn't remove the frown in her face seeing an old friend with dull azure eyes after not seeing her for an entire year.

"I want my old Tirpitz back-"

"Don't carelessly touch me" Tirpitz immediately reacts

Victorious bends her back forward a bit and gently stretches her hands in an attempt to at least touch Tirpitz's cheek. Unfortunately for her, Tirpitz lightly smacks Victorious' hand away with just her fingers.

"You know very well it's not completely safe to touch me because you might suffer hypothermia" Tirpitz sighs deeply

"I can't tell if you're just concerned or annoyed" Victorious sits backs down

"Neither. I'm just stating the obvious precaution"

When Tirpitz responds to Victorious, her gaze shifts to her hands. It's not visible, but even Tirpitz's dull eyes could see a very faint vapor trying to escape from the gloves.

"You really felt nothing when you've been locked up for a whole year? Not only were you thrown in the hottest place there was, you weren't allowed to get out of the building"

"..." Tirpitz refuses to say a word

"Trying to make you react isn't going to be as easy I thought" Victorious slides her face and arms on the table

"You're persistent. Just like how you forcibly dragged me out of my former prison and wouldn't shut up about how stiff I sound"

"I'm just not used to it. You survived but you're literally and emotionally cold now. I don't know if I should be happy or sad..."

"Huh..."

Tirpitz's gaze shifts to the open garden on her right, quietly wondering about Victorious' words. She feels conflicted for someone else's sake even when Tirpitz could no longer understand that. In her current situation, Tirpitz doesn't burden herself with the fact she's alive in exchange for a normal life. It's just that there's no grudge to others or even to wallow in her "curse".

Iron Blood headquarters...

Bismarck reads through the report word by word and even repeats the sentences at least three times. Her eyes move with each time she reads, and her attention is solely towards the documents neatly laid on top of her desk.

"This is all true, Eugen?"

Bismarck switches her gaze to Prinz Eugen, who leans at the right side of the office with her arms crossed.

"Yeah. Tirpitz was released the other day by the commander's orders. Since it's a terrible idea to bring her back here, she had to stay in the Mediterranean territory" Prinz Eugen briefly closes her left eye as she confirms it

"From the additional reports, it's deemed could return to the front lines with her condition successfully contained" Bismarck picks a document below and places it on top

"Victorious insisted on keeping an eye on Tirpitz. The commander only agreed since Tirpitz is not hostile to her and the only one who can boss her around" Prinz Eugen tries to restrain her giggle

"Even so, shouldn't Tirpitz be under Iron Blood custody?" Bismarck's tone is an unhappy one

"Bismarck, I think it's obvious why that shouldn't happen. Even if you use your authority as the leader, you wouldn't be able to peacefully drag Tirpitz back here. It will get violent in the first five seconds"

Prinz Eugen pulls up her right arms and waves it with her usual cheerful smile. As much as she's just fulfilling her usual duty, Prinz Eugen feels the need to remind her direct superior.

"Tirpitz remains emotionless due to her bodily activities drastically slowed down, correct?" Bismarck takes a slight sigh

"That's right. For an entire year you sent her to jail, Tirpitz didn't even express the slightest emotion. The commander's true intention might be to try and help her, so he allowed Victorious to take her"

"Tirpitz's condition is irreversible because the frozen core was fused with her wisdom cube"

"You made sure Tirpitz survives in exchange of a fate worse than death" Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders

"Something had to be done. We needed to counter her rising body heat before her already wounded body shuts down"

"...Still, her isolation might have played a huge factor to why she became apathetic"

Those are Prinz Eugen's personal opinions, but she hesitates for a few seconds before voicing them out. Bismarck appears composed as of the moment, but her sharp gaze indicates she's taking the matter seriously.

"It's just my suggestion, but let's observe her for now. Give Tirpitz enough time to be comfortable around others again. You want to speak with her, right? That's why you're displeased when the commander let that knight captain pick her up" Prinz Eugen winks

"I'm displeased at how the commander sent Tirpitz to another base without informing me first"

"You would have disagreed with him. Besides, Tirpitz reacted violently and created a huge icy mess. I remember not being able to move my fingers" Prinz Eugen wiggles her fingers

"Alright, I'll observe her for now. It's logical to study if Tirpitz would cooperate again even without emotions"

"I'm certain she would cooperate, but Victorious is a troublesome factor. That annoying aircraft carrier is the one to primarily reign Tirpitz in" Prinz Eugen's tone turns serious for a moment

"Victorious, you say? I remember as the one who always influences Tirpitz's behavior. There's no threat, so I have no reason to be hostile against her. It might even be a positive influence because it might incite any form of reaction from Tirpitz"

Prinz Eugen understands how Bismarck hopes there would be any changes from Tirpitz, but she's unsure if the cause of it is how she's responsible for leaving Tirpitz in an unfeeling state.

"I can't imagine being able to live without feeling a thing. We love how pleasure and excitement courses through our veins and seek more of it. In that state, Tirpitz is not stagnant and without anything to cling on" Prinz Eugen shifts to another topic

"..." Bismarck lets her speak

"Bismarck, what did you feel after seeing the result? You successfully saved Tirpitz's life, but it took something crucial to her"

"I'll ask you this. What would you do if you survived at the cost of your emotions?" Bismarck returns with a question of her own

"Empty. I wouldn't even feel grateful or horrified at the result. It would be like a blank slate and how memories are like redundant dreams now"

"..."

"At least, that's the impression I got from Tirpitz. She remembers being happy with that childish Victorious, but those experiences feel detached to her now"

"She told you that?"

"I think we both know why she wouldn't open up to you again"

Bismarck accepts it as a fact, but she's intrigued to Tirpitz voicing out how she views her current status. At the very least, she's intrigued by her younger sister's perspective on her new life.

"Bismarck, did it affect you when Tirpitz lost her faith in both you and Iron Blood?"

"I never thought of it. My intention back then is to ensure she survives when an opportunity opens up. Nothing more, nothing less" Bismarck immediately responds

"Ah, that attitude is why she doesn't want to talk to you or anyone from Iron Blood" Prinz Eugen mutters under her breath

"Is there something you want to say?"

"Nothing~" Prinz Eugen raises both hands

After Prinz Eugen turns her head away for a moment when Bismarck's sharp gaze locks into her eyes, the latter returns her attention to the documents in front of her. In one of the files is a clipped picture of Tirpitz sitting in the middle of a room with the thick white vapors of cold air escapes from her hands.

"A damaged core retrieved from a defeated META, huh..."

Bismarck's eyes look a bit to the left where the file about what they used on Tirpitz is separated. It's not the full detail about their research on the sample now fused with a wisdom cube, but it details the effect of the core-shaped object