Author: I will be joining the upcoming event after being surprised by "British Enterprise" and "British Indomitable" (Not the first time ships from different nations share the same name). I'm not going to roll after Vanguard made me broke. I love my "Shining saber!" dork though.
A persistent memory...always fading...
Tirpitz sleeps while she's sitting on top of a wooden crate. Everything else around her are stack of boxes, metallic bars, and dismantled equipment. Her only source of light is sunlight peeking through the holes of the spacious mostly empty warehouse. A girl with an appearance resembling Enterprise silently meditates in the furthest corner. It doesn't appear she's even breathing since her chest doesn't expand and she's as motionless as a statue.
"..."
Tirpitz lazily wakes up with a heavy sensation on her head. Rather than immediately stand up, she carefully raise her head and places both arms on the edges of the crate. Her eyes stare in blank confusion at the ground.
"Hmm?"
The sound of creaking movements of gun barrels and the swinging of tentacles in the air forces her to move her sight from the ground to her right side.
"Oh, it's you..."
A small and petite Siren with an ever confident and scheming smile stares right at her with malicious bright golden eyes. The eyes of someone who's constantly formulating methods to toy with others and entertain herself only results in Tirpitz responding with an unfriendly and irritated frown.
"Does your head feel lighter now?" Observer Alpha chuckles after speaking
"Huh?" Tirpitz faintly groans
"I mean you couldn't get any proper sleep lately since big sister is always on your mind"
"I'm thinking about Bismarck?"
"Of course you're thinking about her. I mean Iron Blood is the reason you're playing along as our pawn"
"Iron Blood, huh..."
At the first thought of Iron Blood, the image of her sister Bismarck and the flag of her old faction first comes to mind before anything. Even if Tirpitz doesn't want to openly admit anything, she views Bismarck as the symbol and pride of the nation end decided to abandon.
"That's right, I remembered something. There was this conversation with Bismarck back when I was still with Iron Blood..."
In the spark of the moment, Tirpitz digs through her right pocket first then on the left. As she digs in it, she senses a metallic necklace with a flat pendant still attached to it. Tirpitz carefully squeezes it between her fingers as she pulls out her hand to avoid snapping even a steel necklace. What she's been keeping is a customized coat-of-arms with her name engraved on the back.
"I told her something, and she was expectedly against it"
"What was it?" Observer Alpha narrows her eyes in curiosity
"I forgot. All I remember was how I wanted Bismarck to prepare...and I already knew how much trouble I would cause"
"Don't tell me it affected the memories you inherited from your META alter ego"
"Oh, right. The only reason you're acting all friendly is because you only want my future self's memories"
"...Which she forced on you in her dying moments. Well, that and little sleepyhead is in the way"
Just as Observer Alpha openly admits her own intentions, she switches to a sarcastic tone when turning her attention to the sleeping Enterprise lookalike. It doesn't look like the unknown guest is even listening with all of her senses shutdown and consciousness in a passive state.
"What do you want from Tyrant anyway?" Tirpitz gently rubs the pendant
"You should know the true reason why she went insane the first place" Observer Alpha twirls her hair
"Using unknown technology, my future self was repeatedly conditioned to behave and follow orders. As a result, some memories are missing and some are improperly altered. This caused Tyrant to blame everything on Bismarck and the rest of Iron Blood"
"Fufufu. That's correct. Altering one's cognitive functions put so much strain on the mental state that they either cease to physical function...or go insane in the simplest terms. Illusion becomes reality and the faintest of lies become the truth"
"That's why I left Iron Blood. I still want to hear myself think" Tirpitz only scoffs
Tirpitz doesn't fully confirm it because she averts her gaze to another direction. It sounds more like a halfhearted excuse. Sirens cannot be trusted, so even a traitor would avoid getting enticed by their temptation.
"Aren't you going to wear that? It's big sister's present after all" Observer Alpha teases her due to lack of cooperation
"You haven't answered why you want Tyrant's memories" Tirpitz changes the topic
"Rather than kill her, she was driven insane instead. I wanted to know what your other self saw that she came to a conclusion that Bismarck was the cause"
"Weren't you the one who gaslighted her?" Tirpitz grows annoyed
"The Black Cube already did that. Remember Tyrant was a guinea pig to test experimental enhancements. If it succeeded, they would implement it to Bismarck and it failed...well, they would just make corrections then implement it to Bismarck"
While Tirpitz has no actual grudge against her older sister, she gradually becomes annoyed the more Observer Alpha deliberately speaks in a sarcastic manner. It's clear the Siren is provoking any traction from Tirpitz hoping she would slip with her words.
"What would you gain walking this path? The infection isn't going to kill you any time sooner, and you don't resent Bismarck"
"My hopeless sister wagered the entirety of Iron Blood in exchange for ridding the so-called nightmares in this timeline. The key is Cognitive Awakening under the commander, so that old man created an ideal system in the timelines where it's not possible"
The Siren is still a nuisance that only causes headache for anyone with little tolerance for sarcasm. However, Observer Alpha's knowledge is vast and tends to play an important role enough for Tirpitz to play along with their whims.
"...Good grief. I worked hard this much only to be realize why that sleepyhead Enterprise is always relaxed" Tirpitz sneaks a glance at the peacefully asleep Enterprise-lookalike
"What did she call herself again? Aurelius or was it Welt?" Observer Alpha giggles
"..."
Observer Alpha turns around just as the doppelganger slowly lifts her head and lazily opens both eyes. Tirpitz is sitting on the far side with an unexpected Siren guest waving at her. Compared to the regular Enterprise, the one still sitting isn't as depressed as Ash, but has a more serious and sharper expression.
"Not Observer Zero, huh. Just a fodder..." The doppelganger couldn't properly express dismay
"Come on now~ Show a bit of enthusiasm. The Arbiters don't want to get near you after your last tantrum which caused an entire island to be shredded in a black hole"
"Hmm. Lovers is still walking around in circles? I nearly forgot I unintentionally sent her in a Ringularity after she babbled about being able to reconstitute herself in her own domain"
The Enterprise doppelganger stretches both arms high up in the air and twist her neck left to right. Unlike Tirpitz who's close to being rude to Observer Alpha, the copy isn't bothered by the surprise visit.
"Empress is asking for the return of Arbiter VI" Observer Alpha politely passes the message
"That's all? Sure, I'll drop her off somewhere later"
"I'm personally curious to why you didn't grant miracles in other timelines. If your ability to erase existence is true"
"Short answer? Not my problem. Why would I make effort when the problem is solvable by human hands. It's tricky and annoying, but what you yearn lies in the end"
"I see. By interpretation, you saw a future where our purpose is fulfilled" Observer Alpha is more curious now
"Perhaps, but this conflict is none of my concern. I ended up pruning a timeline last time I took a situation seriously"
When the lookalike speaks, she casts a downward gaze to conceal most of her guilt. It's nearly impossible to express it emotionally even if she possess human emotions. At the very least, she could display her sincerity with her gestures.
"Just call me Welt to avoid confusion just as the Sirens have this name Antiochus. Aurelius is my artificial intelligence extension, but not the same as my seventy two functions"
The doppelganger declaring herself as Aurelius stretches her nearly numb legs. She dresses in the same attire as the regular Enterprise with exception of the coat and cap that's neatly folded right beside her.
"Hey, just how many Enterprise are there anyway?"
The three people present all their attention at the usual energetic voice of the Siren Purifier. Welt just let a out a brief chuckle seeing the Siren not walking but her entire body getting dragged carelessly like a sack of potatoes.
"I was just about to make a report when she tried to ambush me" King George V is the one dragging the Siren
"Not to mention backstabbers left and right" Observer Alpha couldn't help but laugh
"Backstabber? I don't remember betraying anyone. My duty is to fulfill my vow"
King George V tosses the Siren Purifier and send her rolling until she stops right below Observer Alpha. On the other hand, Welt stretches both arms and legs then proceeds to twist her waist left to right.
"Can't you just relay it to Aurelius? It's easier and less suspicious that way" Welt tilts her head
"I want to personally check on you. Bismarck and her META self are currently away while Akagi is distracted with Prinz Eugen. The others aren't really a threat" King George V brushes it off
"Eh, you sure? Sovetskaya Rossiya got stabbed and she got spared" The Siren Purifier rolls a bit forward
"Who's keeping tabs on everyone anyway?" King George V turns her sight at Welt
"..."
The only response Welt provides is mischievous yet confident smile. Despite the laid-back and callous attitude she's displaying, even someone like her can express other emotions.
"Why would you propose this game of chess to Bismarck to begin with?" Tirpitz stands up and marches towards Welt
"At the very least, it's to prevent the humanity of this timeline to be pushed into a corner. The Sirens in this timeline witnessed the manifestation of the World's enforcer" Welt shakes her head
"That wasn't a pretty sight. The Arbiters were helplessly erased from existence and ninety percent of humanity got wiped out" Purifier can't remove her maniacal smile
"Even I met my own end. It appeared right before me and destroyed my very core. To think I would sense what you call self-preservation" Observer Alpha admits
"You rigged this game from the very beginning-"
Tirpitz begins to show infuriation directed at Welt, but a step forward and King George V doesn't hesitate to draw her saber. The blade slides right an inch in front of Tirpitz's neck, barring her from taking one more step or risk getting beheaded.
"You puppet knight..." Tirpitz takes one step back
"It's my own free will. I swore to offer her my sword and loyalty for saving me" King George V lowers her saber
"Even if it means a clash with Wales?"
"That's for me to decide. I'm here to ensure the game will properly end"
"That's nice and all, but we haven't forgotten you're the one who tossed Orochi all over the world!" The Siren Purifier interrupts by shouting at the top of her lungs
"Am I supposed to apologize?"
Welt responds in her own manner of sarcasm and arrogance that Observer Alpha's tentacles wrap around the Siren Purifier's arms. The latter nearly pounces at the doppelganger using Enterprise's face, so Observer has to keep her from being impulsive before either Welt or King George V leaves her nothing but a head again.
"Empress isn't the least pleased with your interference back then" Observer Alpha makes it obvious
"So why are you still here?" Welt responds back
"I'm a liaison" Observer Alpha immediately replies
"That aside, what's the next step?" King George V clears her throat
"To deal with a battleship, I'm setting up a powerhouse against them" Welt ignores the Sirens again
"You play dirty, but I can't really say much considering you're imitating human nature" Tirpitz clicks her tongue
"If things get out of hand, King George V is there to interfere. Well, you could go if you want to" Welt calmly suggests
Tirpitz just turns her back without saying anything and resigns by returning to where's she's sitting a few minutes ago. King George V doesn't speak a word either as she observes Tirpitz being silently annoyed. She places her hand on the sheathed saber, preparing to strike Tirpitz in case she becomes hostile to Welt.
Solomon islands...
Bismarck and Bismarck META ventures into unsecured islands with just the two of them. Despite being META, the future Bismarck is no longer in her prime and possess little of her original strength.
"Does anyone know you're dying?" Bismarck brings up the question
The target island is still a bit far away, but their first objective is to anchor their ships and head to the landmass with a secretly built station. It's not suited for any ships to use to either rest of resupply, but there's a port by the shore. Unlike the ruins they visited before, this one is still intact but not a single human is present.
"No. It's not useful information anyway" Bismarck META just sighs
"Not useful?" Bismarck only frowns
"What's the point of telling them I'm dying? It won't change the fact my body will shutdown soon"
"..."
"As long as we can accomplish our goal, I can die without regrets. I've been waiting a year just for your arrival after all"
"You knew we were coming" Bismarck stops in her tracks
"I knew but I didn't know exactly when. That arrogant leviathan omitted key details"
The thought of a Leviathan would be a dragon swimming far beneath the ocean with fins and flippers, but the one Bismarck META has in mind is a mechanical beast. One that's protected by jet black metallic plating, have three pair of eyes, crystal horns and spines glowing with sapphire blue luminous lights.
"I'm still not fully certain if she belongs in the same species as the one the Sirens are trying to eliminate, but she's rather annoying to be around with" Bismarck META continues to mutter
"Who are you talking to?" Bismarck lightly tilts her head
"You met her before. No, you'll meet her soon"
"Stop hiding secrets from me. You and I are the same person from different timelines"
"I can't tell everything yet. Fate exists no matter how much you run from it"
"So you gave up saving Iron Blood and hid in shame for a whole year?"
Bismarck grabs her META version's right shoulder and forces the solemn Bismarck META to face her rather than keep speaking with her gaze somewhere else. It's more that she has little patience for her future self who abandoned her pride and honor out of guilt and shame.
"That Iron Blood is too far gone. Even if Tirpitz didn't go mad from having her mind tampered, I would have destroyed Iron Blood when the tremendous amount of energy leaked from my body" Bismarck META pushes her past self's hand away
"..."
"I am a META, but I'm not the only Bismarck who underwent METAmorphosis. There are others who succeeded and those who failed like me. Unfortunately, this timeline doesn't have the ending where humanity can finally stop fighting the Sirens"
"At least tell me a way to bring Tirpitz back. She's being used to provoke me, and I can't just stand by here"
Seeing how Bismarck META no longer believes in herself, Bismarck finds arguing with a hopeless person to be futile. She changes the topic instead on one of her concerns with the present rather than the future.
"Even if you convince Tirpitz to stop being someone else's pawn, she'll...just get hurt"
"Tirpitz isn't a child who can't protect herself. I know she's desperate for something right now, so I have to get to her again" Bismarck tries to convince her future self
"..." Bismarck META lowers her head
"She is my sister. It's my responsibility as a leader and an older sister" Bismarck clenches her fists
"I once said that when I decided to put down Tyrant. I couldn't do it...so I had to be taken away when the fight ended in a draw"
"Tyrant is already dead"
"None of this would have happened if I had the courage to kill my own sister. She was a lost cause yet I couldn't bring myself to land the finishing blow"
"There's no point on regretting your past. Your world is destroyed and Tyrant is already dead for half a year. Besides, you're already dying" Bismarck reminds the obvious
Although Bismarck META is just one of the many versions that exist out there, Bismarck herself couldn't stop thinking how there is a future where she had abandoned her pride and will to fight. Her eyes lack any brightness or warm emotions. What's only constantly present is the guilt and regret burdening her.
"Fufufufu~ It's not to see two versions of my child getting along"
The two Bismarcks move at least a meter back when the space in fronts of them slits in a glass-like manner. As both sides stretch open, it reveals a dark purple swirling void. A tall imposing weapon with a pair of vicious animated rigging emerges head first out of the infinite void. One of the dragon-like rigging emerges first, then the kansen herself, and lastly the other half of the rigging.
"Friedrich...der Grosse?" Bismarck shakes her head in disbelief
"I knew it. You're still being used" Bismarck META has little to no reaction
"Good afternoon, my wonderful children. Mommy's here to punish those who upset my other child"
Her voice reeks of malice and her gaze at the two Bismarcks is filled with hostility. Friedrich der Grosse rest her large chest over her one arm while the other presses against her left cheek. The twin rigging revolve around her like hovering serpents.
"What's the meaning of this?! You're betraying me too?" Bismarck points her turrets at her
"It's not her fault. She's practically being hypnotized by the annoying creature I'm talking about earlier" Bismarck META steps forward
"It's been a while, my disgraced child. You've really been hiding by using the identity of a deceased battleship" Friedrich der Grosse waves at Bismarck META
"You two knew each other?"
"It's a long story, but it's not her fault she's like this. When that annoying sea dragon needs some firepower, she would control Friedrich der Grosse and have her get rid of any hindrances"
"That child alone could overpower kansens, but she's a kind one. Why else did she allow all of you to reunite? If she had the killing intent, she would have swatted you like scattered flies"
"So you're the one who caused the machine to malfunction!"
"Oh no, the real traitor did that. All I did is buy time before more pests come as reinforcements"
As Friedrich der Grosse wags her index finger, her twin dragons position themselves forward. Even if there are two Bismarcks, she's prepared to engage them in a serious battle because of the tampering with her mind.
"Where's Tirpitz? I'm dragging her back to Iron Blood even if I have to use force" Bismarck takes a deep breath
"If you could make me kneel, then I'll tell that desperate child's whereabouts. After all, my other child asked me to guide you if you prove your strength"
"So be it!"
The two Bismarcks distance themselves from Friedrich der Grosse who raises both hands in a manner of how a conductor instructs the musicians to prepare. She grins enthusiastically at the sight of Bismarck's clear determination to drag her stubborn her little sister. There's slight worry of both matching a serious Friedrich der Grosse and hurting one of her most trusted subordinates.
"Feuer!"
Bismarck shouts a form of battle cry and the roar of all four turrets echo in the surrounding area. The shock of her salvo is enough to cause large ripples beneath her feet and even a small wave.
"That's it, that's it! Fight with all your might, my child!"
The rigging on her left moves in front of Friedrich der Grosse and turn sideways to shield the battleship from the salvos of two battleships. Bismarck META has greatly weakened from her approaching death, but she's still stronger compared to the younger one.
"Sing for me! Die for me!"
In retaliation with their resolve to defeat her, Friedrich der Grosse wants to repay with no hesitation. She doesn't underestimate her "child" and solely gazes at them with her mission to stop both of them. Her cannons unleash a booming salvo and let one shell after another hail them in a blazing steel.
"Ggh!'
Compared to them, Friedrich der Grosse constantly rains one shell after another without overheating or damaging her rigging. When Bismarck twists her body to the left, one of their literally burns Bismarck's left shoulder and scratches her cheek.
"Not only she's controlling Friedrich der Grosse, Welt lended her one of her functions to increase her strength!" Bismarck META catches one shell only for her left glove to burn
"That cowardly bastard is going to pay for using my ally as a puppet!" Bismarck finds a new grudge
(I can sense a battleship watching from afar. Is it Tirpitz?)
Bismarck META backs away when her left hand is still emitting faint smoke from catching a blazing shell. Unlike Bismarck's visible burn, Bismarck META only suffers a reddened palm as if the heat is only equal to warm water.
Abandoned Arctic base...
Sovetskaya Rossiya lies in one of intact sheets no frozen or torn. There's no sign of any injuries in her chest after being stabbed, but she groans in mild pain. Even a proud northern battleship like her would succumb to hypothermia if she continued to lied in the snow, but her body got fortunately dragged to the still intact base.
"Ugh..." Sovetskaya Rossiya frowns as she slowly opens her eyes
The mildly weakened battleship blinks a few times when her first sight is a ceiling rather than the sky with no visible sunlight peeking through. Instead of the cold snow burying her, her skin only feels warmth from a heater and she catches the scent of coffee in the air.
"You're up early, comrade"
Kirov takes a large sip from a steel mug with rubble handle and twitches her lips from the bitterness of the coffee. She's just sitting on the floor and facing the newly awakened Sovetskaya Rossiya, dutifully guarding her from any surprise attacks. Considering their locations, no Abyssals or Sirens would even bother ambushing them there.
"Kirov?! Wait, you're another illusion?" Sovetskaya Rossiya immediately raises her back
"Hahahaha. Worry not, I'm the real deal. The mightiest cruiser of our motherland" Kirov waves her hand
"This is another world. How in the world did you get here?" Sovetskaya Rossiya narrows her eyes
"They managed to briefly repair the sabotaged gateway. I managed to cross before it possibly shut down again"
"You should have remained in our motherland. One of our best cruisers shouldn't be here-"
Sovetskaya Rossiya tries to push herself up to stand, but her abdomen triggers a stinging pain that forces her to keep sitting on the floor. She hasn't fully recovered from being stabbed by a phantom of her deceased ally and that one attack is enough to land a critical hit on her.
"Kronstadt is in charge and the others are just as talented as I am. Besides, if you die here, the Northern Parliament will lose their current leader. There's no way, I can leave you without reinforcements"
"..." Sovetskaya Rossiya narrows her eyes
Kirov turns to her left, but she barely see anything with the glass window coated in thin sheets of ice outside. There's no blizzard keeping them inside, but the base has no one maintaining it for quite some time that the equipment outside are coated in an icy shell and thick snow.
"I should have arrived a minute earlier, but I was still fortunate to find you before you got beheaded yourself" Kirov takes another sip
"That's right. When I collapsed to the ground, it was you who arrived to decapitate one of Ghost's illusions" Sovetskaya gently presses her forehead
"You should have known it was fake from afar. I mean, there's no way our dead comrade would suddenly be hanging out near an abandoned base"
Kirov slides the less warm cup of bitter coffee to Sovetskaya Rossiya. It's barely decent tasting at all, but they both need proper warmth. Even kansens like them can freeze to death. Their icy homeland and thick winter coats mad them resilient to harsh temperatures.
"How did you know I was here?"
Sovetskaya Rossiya reluctantly accepts the cup of coffee seeing how Kirov is just forcing herself to drink the coffee. Kirov needs the energy from the caffeine since Sovetskaya Rossiya is in no condition to fight anyone, not even an Elite Siren.
"I was teleported wrongly in the Arctic sea. As I wandered this snowy wasteland, I saw your anchored ship. Had I not rushed, you would have been a goner" Kirov nods
"...I see" Sovetskaya Rossiya takes a small sip and grunts in disgust
"You don't look like you're in the mood" Kirov tilts her head
"No. I'm just thankful I have yet to meet my end before I could avenge Chapayev"
"Ghost is invincible without a body. In order to kill that thing, we need her contained in a physical form. Even a puppet body will do" Kirov sighs
"We received Intel that the Sirens planned to use Orochi to be Ghost's vessel in order to manifest her as a kansen, but a Leviathan tore Orochi and scattered its pieces"
Sovetskaya Rossiya grits her teeth when she clearly remembers an enormous sea dragon foiling the Sirens' plan before said beast mysteriously disappeared. Kirov averts her gaze for a moment, being upset herself, but couldn't properly express it.
"Why are you still not with the others, comrade? You're setting off by yourself and nearly got yourself killed" Kirov exhales deeply
"It's better to be able to search far and wide. They're in Maizuru naval district but receives help from the Royal navy here"
"We should also ask the Northern Parliament of this world for help. Surely, comrades help one another"
"I've met their Gangut and Tashkent. They're from the Maizuru naval district, so they immediately accepted me and helped me take refuge"
For a brief moment, Sovetskaya Rossiya sneaks a glance on Kirov's sheathed sword placed right beside the cruiser herself. Like the Sakura Empire, some of their ships are armed with western style sword but doesn't always engage in close combat like how am aircraft carrier Zuikaku rushes in a melee fight.
"I'm going to scout the area for a while. I haven't fully investigated about Ghost's presence here since I had to drag you here and keep an eye out" Kirov stands and grabs her scabbard
"I can leave in an hour. There's no wound, just a bit of pain"
"Don't push yourself. It's a bad habit to act tough like you nearly lost an arm but brushed it off"
Right when Kirov reaches for the doorknob, she sternly warns her 'superior' for her sake. The Northern Parliament are known to be resilient and fearless much like how Iron Blood has a reputation for being prideful and stubborn. Kirov knows Sovetskaya Rossiya won't give up avenging one of her dear comrades, so she frowns out of worry losing Rossiya after Chapayev.
"I'll be back in half an hour. Take as much as rest as you need"
Kirov lightly nods before opening the door and shutting it close quickly before the cold wind and bits of snow blows right inside.
"...Why are you really here?"
Sovetskaya Rossiya mutters under her breath as she glances at the empty cup of coffee Kirov used earlier. There's still pain lingering in the area where received damage, but she can tolerate it enough to to press her fingers at the location where she received the damage earlier. In a blink of an eye, blade pierces right through stomach but misses a mortal blow on her. She only fainted from the immense pain and collapsed. That frustrated Sovetskaya Rossiya after unintentionally lowering her guard against an impostor.
EXTRA
Akagi and Prinz Eugen finds themselves face to face again but fortunately not on the battlefield this time. Despite the lack of killing intent between them, the two could only throw visible hostile glares at each other. For their complete dislike of each other, the two are away from the naval base and in area near a beach where there are no humans passing by.
"How odd. I'm the fox here, but you act like one" Akagi starts the conversation
"You should know by now I'm behaving because I have my own motives. King George V and Littorio even threatened me last time, but those knuckleheads couldn't see through my halfhearted lie" Prinz Eugen crosses her arms
"Your words won't trick me. I know a liar when I see one"
"It takes one to know one" Prinz Eugen presses her index finger on her lower lip
"Act confident as much as you want, it won't save you"
Even without a rigging, Akagi stretches out her right arm to the side and red talismans form between her fingers. It emits small bits of flames, but Prinz Eugen only rolls her eyes in boredom.
"What do you know about Welt?" Akagi begins to demand answers
"Ah, that child. The Sirens doesn't like her one bit and for a good reason" Prinz Eugen tilts her head
"Why was she with Amagi? My sister died a long time ago"
"That much is true, but that Amagi is from another timeline. Unfortunately, she's still dead even if it's from another timeline" Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders
"Another timeline?"
"It's complicated to explain, but you have to play along if you want answers"
"Hmph. You won't trick me"
"Your beloved commander means the whole world to you, but would you pass an opportunity to see big sister Amagi again?"
Prinz Eugen isn't hiding her mischievous intent in her tone alone, but her stern gaze contrasts her attitude. She's completely lowering even when facing the same flames that burned half of her face before.
"I'm not here to be swayed. What I want is the truth alone"
"Orochi isn't a kansen as it lacks a soul. The personality and history within a wisdom cubes" Prinz Eugen sighs and gives in
"I know that...because I helped the despicable Sirens build it" Akagi growls
"Their plan is to stuff Ghost in it and have it manifest into the world. Of course, Sovetskaya Rossiya would allow it so she could avenge her comrade"
"Why would the Northern Parliament let Ghost manifest?"
"Ghost is invincible being...well, an actual ghost. It can only be erased from this world if it's in a physical container. Azur Lane could destroy its wisdom cube if it gains a corporeal form"
Prinz Eugen lazily waves her hand in the air and rolls her eyes, having little care at the threat Ghost possesses. It's not a surprise she has her own agenda from the beginning ever since she agreed to let her status be deceased until finally revealing herself to be alive.
"You can't beat the regular Enterprise, what's more on a fully weaponized version?"
"Kkh!" Akagi's expression turns grim
"It has no heart so it doesn't hold back and solely focuses on killing. That's why it turned its own timeline in a wasteland" Prinz Eugen giggles
"I still don't trust your words"
"You don't have to. In this timeline, the game is focusing on Bismarck. My foolish old leader bet the entirety of Iron Blood in exchange for something of equal value"
"Bismarck isn't the type to bet her comrades' lives"
"That's what I thought too, but Tirpitz knew something. She left Iron Blood to be someone's pawn after she inherited Tyrant's memories"
"Why am I involved with Iron Blood's affairs..."
"I'm sure you're acquainted with the puppet Aurelius? A fake human with messy hair and a long jacket"
"That puppet...!" Akagi stomps her left foot
Furious, Akagi immediately paints the humanoid puppet with the appearance of an adolescent girl but the smug expression of an arrogant child. The memory she has happens to be an unpleasant one. It's a moment where even as Aurelius burns from Akagi's flames, the puppet still manages to intensely gaze at her while a faint smile remains on her lips.
"The puppet is in charge of this messy situation" Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders
"No matter how much I kill her, she keeps coming back" Akagi remembers her countless attempts
"Well, yeah. It's a puppet. Welt is the main body infinitely recreating her errand girl"
"It's not the same as the Sirens"
"Aurelius doesn't have a mainframe, so it's impossible to permanently destroy her. Even if you kill Welt, that pest will send her memories to a version prior to her death. She always wins because she can try over and over again"
"..."
For a moment, the killing intent between each other lessens as silence temporarily surrounds them. The leaves rustle and dusts get swept away by by the passing breeze. Prinz Eugen leaves Akagi to her thoughts and focuses on how being at a high ground gives her a full view of the naval base and sea.
"I don't know how long this game will last. In this timeline, something happens that will cause Ghost to awaken and Iron Blood somehow gets destroyed first" Prinz Eugen sighs
"Tirpitz told you?" Akagi scoffs all while her guard is still raised
"Aurelius did"
"...?!" Akagi grits her teeth upon hearing the name
"When not busy screwing with kansens, she's actually calm and reasonable. That puppet won't hurt anyone unless she finds them a hindrance to her task"
"I have to deal with the pest who targeted the commander before"
"I'm not telling you even if you kill me"
"Are you sure about that?"
The brief moment of peace disappears when Akagi immediately threatens by keeping paper talismans blazing. Unfortunately, Prinz Eugen's response is rolling her eyes out of boredom.
"You'd just die fighting a beast from the depths. Not to mention, you'd certainly be pissed to see her current body" Prinz Eugen chuckles
"Oh, why is that?" Akagi dares her to answer
"...She looks like Enterprise"
"..."
"..."
The two awkwardly stare at each other, but Prinz Eugen is aware of this reaction. That's why she briefly hesitates to respond. It's a known fact Akagi still dislikes Enterprise but tolerates being around as part of the commander's request for cooperation.
"She's not like the Arbiters or the Ashes. We're talking about someone from an alternate timeline crossing other timelines out of boredom" Prinz Eugen META warns her
"It's just a Leviathan. Well, even if we're talking about the devil of the sea then it's still nothing. So long as it's alive, humanity can kill it" Akagi brushes off the warning
"You're so difficult to deal with..."
Prinz Eugen quickly gives up warning Akagi and turns her back on her. She has little patience as of the moment and has no motivation to spare any effort for anyone.
"...Welt said I needed to be here, but she didn't tell me why. That's why I'd rather observe where everyone's decisions take them" Prinz Eugen closes her eyes feeling the gentle breeze
"What are you trying to say now?"
"Akagi, let's not kid ourselves. We had to talk outside, so no one would get involved once we try to kill each other" Prinz Eugen's sighs in exhaustion
"You want to avoid hurting Admiral Hipper and I want to avoid causing problems for the commander"
"How about we settle this in a naval fight like kansens?"
Prinz Eugen turns to face Akagi again with a delighted and somewhat excited smile. She's fully expecting a flash with a fellow kansen again, but her calm eyes express she has no qualms that she has to go against Akagi.
...
...
...
After the two leaves the scene as part of their challenge, someone else from afar observed every second of the conversation. That someone is Helena META accompanied by someone who only resembles Ash. Aside from the slight change in attire, the doppelganger is more expressive and usually smiles in amusement. The closed space of a warehouse proves to be a decent hideout for people like them to observe everyone on a daily basis.
"You're really putting them against each other. That's poor taste..."
Helena META comments after observing the large holographic screen floating midair. She frowns and doesn't hide her displeasure towards the doppelganger, who's sitting on top of wooden crates.
"They have their own freewill. It's their choice to fight against each other or talk about it" The Ash lookalike waves her left hand
"That's just a poor excuse..." Helena META talks several steps towards her
"It's not an excuse. It's a fact considering you kansens do as you please"
"..."
"I leave the humans to decide for themselves. This is like I put a knife down and it depends on the person whether you throw it away or stab someone with it"
The doppelganger lifts her index finger. Black liquid sprouts from her fingertip and stretches upwards. It first shapes a knife handle before intricately outlining the blade. In a matter of seconds, a solid knife made out of steel floats above her index finger.
"I'm not the devil to blame all misgivings. No, that's just how humans are. You refuse to take responsibility, so you create an unknown enemy to pour all those mistakes" The doppelganger throws the knife away
"Ash told me you're more tolerant of humans after bonding with kansens from another timeline" Helena META sighs
"Yes, I do tolerate kansens but not regular humans. I still hate them but not in a murderous way. Nothing will ever change human nature..."
"What do you hope to accomplish in drawing some kansens here?"
"Hmm...I want to test Bismarck. She confidently declared, what I saw would never happen"
"She doesn't remember..." Helena META reminds her
"Heh"
"...Unless you have faith she would win"
The doppelganger cracks an amused smile before bursting in a wholehearted laugh and slams the wooden crate. When it lets out a cracking and splitting sound, she stops before she could destroy what she's comfortably sitting on.
"Perhaps..." The doppelganger doesn't deny or agree
"..." Helena META frowns again
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
Since Helena META has no patience for jokes as of the moment, she tightly pinches and pulls the doppelganger's cheeks. The latter flails her arms out of instinct when her body leans sideward from being pulled by Helena META.
"I want to know her answer, okay? That's why I asked Tirpitz to be bait!"
The doppelganger is forced to properly answer, only when Helena META stops pinching the skin of the body she cautiously takes care off. She rubs the swelling area on her cheek and frowns when she responds.
"If Bismarck loses..."
"The terms and conditions are restricted between the parties involved" The doppelganger places her index finger on her lips
"Being secretive again, huh..."
"I just don't want anyone to interfere. As much as possible, I want to see this event flow naturally. That's why I sent my puppet to do field work"
"Your puppet is...Aurelius. If I recall, you sent her to..."
"...Exactly. If Akagi doesn't do anything drastic, then there's no worry about the outcome"
"I have a bad feeling about this"
"Have faith in your allies. As troublesome as they are, kansens managed to prove me wrong about humanity. Even if I'm not allowed in the central timeline, I want to see what kansens in other universes and other timelines would choose"
When the Ash lookalike shifts her gaze from Helena META to the several screen that projects each of the kansen's current activity, Helena META follows her gaze. The doppelganger fondly smiles at them as if she genuinely has faith and admires the kansens in her own way.
Don't worry. I'll keep my promise, old friend...